{"id":13110,"date":"2025-11-25T09:50:54","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T15:50:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13110"},"modified":"2025-11-25T09:50:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T15:50:54","slug":"1-million-gift-opens-doors-for-stem-students-at-uw-green-bay","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/1-million-gift-opens-doors-for-stem-students-at-uw-green-bay\/","title":{"rendered":"$1 million gift opens doors for STEM students at UW-Green Bay"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dr. Paul Schilling honors long-time UW-Green Bay professor with transformational scholarship supporting access, excellence and opportunity<\/h2>\n

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is proud to announce a transformative $1 million scholarship gift from alumnus Dr. Paul J. Schilling \u201982, aimed at expanding access to STEM degrees for high-achieving students with financial need. The newly established \u201cDr. Charles Ihrke\u00a0Scholarship Fund\u201d will support incoming undergraduate students pursuing STEM majors\u2014empowering the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers and community leaders.<\/p>\n

This extraordinary gift is more than a scholarship\u2014it\u2019s a tribute to the power of mentorship and a bold investment in the future of Northeast Wisconsin. Dr. Schilling created the scholarship to honor his former faculty advisor,\u00a0Professor Emeritus Dr. Charles \u201cChuck\u201d Ihrke, whose guidance helped shape his academic and professional journey. Dr. Ihrke, a founding faculty member in Human Biology at UW-Green Bay, was known for his unwavering dedication to students and was recognized with the university\u2019s Founders Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1984.<\/p>\n

With college costs top of mind for many families, this four-year renewable $5,000 scholarship offers financial support and stability. When paired with UW-Green Bay\u2019s academics, hands-on learning opportunities and undergraduate research options, it makes earning a STEM degree more accessible and affordable, allowing students to stay focused on learning and preparing for their careers.<\/p>\n

Empowering the Next Generation of STEM Leaders<\/h3>\n

According to the\u00a0Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a>, STEM careers are projected to grow by 8% in the next nine years throughout the U.S. At UW\u2013Green Bay, where more than half of students are\u00a0First Generation, this scholarship has the power to change lives. \u201cThe impact of this gift for our students cannot be understated,\u201d said UW-Green Bay Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Kate Burns. \u201cAs an access institution, this gift not only highlights the incredible impact the UW-Green Bay faculty have on their students but will be life-changing for those who receive it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Paul Schilling honors long-time UW-Green Bay Professor Charles Ihrke with a transformative $1 million scholarship gift. Photo by Dan Moore, University Photographer<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The scholarship will be awarded to incoming full-time undergraduate students who meet the following criteria:<\/p>\n