Three Blugold alumni have joined the UW-Eau Claire Foundation staff in recent months to engage others in giving back to the university.
Kimera Way, President of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, is confident in the talent and excitement of these new staff members to bring their passion for their alma mater in engaging with alumni and donors.
Emily Wermund was hired this summer as a Major Gifts Officer to connect primarily with alumni in northern Wisconsin. She’ll also make occasional visits to the Northeast region of the country, with territory stretching from Pennsylvania to Maine.
Wermund is well-qualified to engage with potential donors in telling the Blugold story, as she previously worked as a content and marketing specialist in IMC with a focus on development and alumni communications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from UW-Eau Claire and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.
Dennis Beale began as a Major Gifts Officer on October 1. Among the most familiar faces on campus, Beale has previously worked as assistant director of the Blugold Beginnings program and a coach, recruiter and mentor for the Athletics department. He also founded the Black Male Empowerment group and was recognized with the UW System Board of Regents 2019 Diversity Award.
Beale will be based in the Twin Cities area, which will be his primary territory for engaging alumni and donors. Beale holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in higher education professional development, both from UW-Eau Claire.
Sarah Tweedale has joined the Foundation staff as Special Projects Coordinator. Tweedale will work to identify opportunities for increased communication and connection between the university and its various constituent groups with particular focus on stewardship and storytelling. Tweedale holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology from UW-Eau Claire and a master’s degree in organizational leadership development from Concordia University.
“All three of these individuals were beneficiaries of donor generosity while they were students,” Way said. “For them to be able to share their stories about the impact that philanthropy had on them while they were pursuing a UW-Eau Claire education is going to be very powerful.”
