Community Partnership Celebration

Save the date!

Friday, April 24 2026 | UW-Parkside Student Center Ballroom

Our annual Community Partnership Celebration is a time for networking and learning over breakfast as we celebrate our ongoing and future community partnerships!

This annual event brings together UW-Parkside faculty and community members to form collaborations that benefit both our students and community organizations. We are also happy to provide professional development from our keynote speaker Carla Williams, Communications Specialist at UW-Extension, to deliver the keynote address titled “Breaking Free from Burnout.”

Each year we present the "Outstanding Partnership Award" to a faculty member and community partner that have made a transformative impact on UW-Parkside students and the community.

Please see below for Sponsorship opportunities.

Registration is open!

Keynote Speaker: Carla Williams

Communications Specialist | University of Wisconsin-Extension

Breaking Free from Burnout

Unpack the causes of burnout and learn practical tools to restore balance. This session provides actionable strategies to prioritize self-care, set boundaries, and cultivate resilience in your daily life.

Bio

Carla Williams is a Communications Specialist at UW–Madison’s Department of Extension, leading strategic communications in Dane County. She is the Founder of The View From Here Wellness Collective, a space dedicated to empowering women on their wellness journeys. Recognized for her impactful work, Carla received the Collaborator of the Year Award (Black Women’s Leadership Conference, 2018) and the Invest Award (Urban League of Greater Madison Young Professionals, 2024). As a speaker, she shares insights on mental health, self-care, and community building, drawing from her personal journey and professional expertise. Carla is passionate about fostering growth, amplifying authentic voices, and inspiring transformative change.

2026 OUTSTANDING PARTNERSHIP AWARD

ArtRoot’s Wall Poems of Racine Project

The 2026 Outstanding Partnership award recognizes the multi-year collaboration between ArtRoot’s Wall Poems of Racine Project and UW-Parkside Professor Carey Watters’ advanced graphic design course. Since 2017, the Wall Poems of Racine project has celebrated local literary talent by pairing an excerpt from a poem written by a Racine poet with a design created by a UW-Parkside student. Through a collaborative process, UW-Parkside students are tasked with incorporating committee-selected poetry excerpts into conceptual mural designs. As part of their coursework, students gain applied experience by conducting site visits, interviewing business owners to understand the neighborhood context, and presenting their drafts to a review committee. To date, seven student-designed murals have been installed across Racine, with an additional two designs awaiting installation. These murals combine visual design and literary arts to invigorate Racine's public spaces and celebrate the unifying power of public art.