We Remember Dr. Edward W. Weidner, 1921-2007

"Dr. Weidner was a visionary; he had an idea of what a university could look like and how it could best serve its community, instructors, students, and staff, and he did everything he could to make that vision a reality. His focus on interdisciplinary education, on problem solving, and on environmental issues made our school extraordinary. Back in 1972 when I was 12, my parents moved to Green Bay from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and I knew what a university looked like, and it was nothing like UWGB. There were no ivy covered buildings, it had no huge football stadium, no classical Greek architecture; heck, there was mostly just an old cornfield. But by the time I graduated from this university in 1984, I came to understand what a university really is—a living institution that really is an alma mater, a fostering mother. Under Ed Weidner’s direction, UWGB fostered all of us who attended, taught, and worked at his university. On a more personal level, I saw Dr. Weidner attend student performances in the arts and in athletics; I saw him come to student graduation parties to congratulate those who had finished their programs at GB, and on one very memorable Thursday night, I saw Dr. Weidner show up at the Shorewood Club when a reggae band was performing. He did all these thing because he had an interest in each student that walked through his halls. He wanted to make sure that UWGB looked after all the needs of his students. Since leaving UWGB, I have attended two other universities, received three degrees, and taught at three colleges, and there have been numerous times that I thought to myself, Why don’t we just do it like Dr. Weidner did it back at UWGB? Because of Ed Weidner and the staff that he put together, we have all experienced an educational institution that was and is on the cutting edge. We all benefit from the vision of one man and the amazing staff he gathered together to bring his vision to life."
Karl Boehler, class of 1984