Alumni Businesses
Rangers love to support and uplift fellow alumni, and celebrate the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of our alumni community. To make that support easier, and to promote small businesses, we’ve created an alumni-owned business directory. This directory is provided as a service to encourage networking and the support of alumni-owned and affiliated businesses.
Are you an alumni business owner or know of a business that should be highlighted? Nominate today!
Highlighted Alumni Owned Businesses
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Carena Novak '17
Owner and Founder, Liebe Luna Boutique
How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?
UW - Parkside really impacted my life. I have made life-long friends throughout those years. I met my husband through our Theatre Arts department who is absolutely amazing and has supported me on my journey. Fun Fact: We got married in Dublin, Ireland in a castle!
When it comes to my profession, I honestly wasn't sure what my path would be after graduating. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree with having majored in Theatre Arts (minors in German and International Studies). I always knew I wanted to stay connected with artists and to start something for myself from scratch. I just didn't know it would be this business until a few years later. The theatre department really prepared me when it came to connecting with individuals, being confident in my work as well as myself, and teaching me various life-long skils that I still use to this day.
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Gil Atanasoff '99
Owner/Executive Director, Senior Helpers
How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?
UW Parkside gave me the opportunity to interview on site with my first post-graduate employer, Harley-Davidson. I also met my significant other for the first time in a UW Parkside class we shared together.
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Loreal Patterson '11
Founder, Shea Butter & Intuition
How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?
I believe my experience at UW-Parkside prepared me for the world after college. I studied the field of Communication and I use it in my professional and personal life every day. My communication skills allow me to connect with different audiences and speak in ways where I can meet them where they are. Additionally, I had multiple jobs while being an undergraduate student. They prepared me to
work hard, be organized, stay disciplined, and have ambition. Additionally, college also challenged everything that I thought I knew about myself. While yes – learning took place within the classroom, my most valuable lessons were learned outside the class space where I had the opportunity to decide who I wanted to be, how I wanted to show up in those spaces, and what those decisions meant for me moving forward. In essence, I was learning to fly.
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Greg Fischer '10
Co-Founder, Burn Pit BBQ
How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?
My current business partner, Ben Kreple, and I met at Parkside. We’ve remained good friends since and have worked closely to launch our business in 2020.
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Jennie Payes '11
Owner, Senior Helpers Racine
How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?
The well-rounded course offerings through the Business Management major really prepared me for life after college. I actually had our daughter in the middle of a semester while going to Parkside and was back to classes within 2 weeks because I didn’t want to miss out!
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Sarah Nichols '09
Director, InterConnections, S.C.
How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?
UW-Parkside was a big part of my life for many years; as a part-time student, my degree took twice as long to complete. At the time I graduated, I had been going to Parkside for a 1/3 of my life! Parkside prepared me for Graduate school work and gave me the foundation I needed to succeed in furthering my academic endeavors.
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Shane Scarbrough '93
Owner and Founder, Dark Elf Dice
How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?
My experience at UW-Parkside has made my life richer and better in so many ways. I actually met my wife Janette in a creative writing class. We’ve been married and the best of friends for over 32 years and have raised three amazing daughters. We’re now grandparents, and I’m so grateful each and every day that Janette walked into class late. Little did I know that morning would be the single most important day of my life.
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Desarae Saffold '17
Owner, Just Be You Fashion & Official Desarae Blog
How did your UW-Parkside experience impact your professional or personal life?
My education at UW-Parkside prepared me with many skills I needed to run my business. This happened before I attended college, being a part of Parkside's Pre-College Program in 2012. These skills consisted of working in the various departments on campus like the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA), Advising & Career Center, Campus Activities & Engagement, and joining clubs like Black Student Union, Pre-Health Club, Student Nurses at Parkside (SNAP), and Habitat for Humanity to give me confidence and grow my administrative skills. I have been able to network and connect with so many professors, staff, students, friends and outside people that they have become a lifetime community.
View our previously highlighted alumni owned businesses
Alumni Businesses
RWB
Jason Boesel '02
SENIOR HELPERS
Gil Atanasoff '99
