A Pointer Flashback: Interviews With UWSP Alumni

As UWSP’s 2022-23 academic year draws to a close, alumni will reflect on their time at UWSP and share their activities since graduation.

Kenneth Farmer, a local author and lawyer, graduated from UWSP in 1978 with a double major in political science and communications. Farmer grew up in the area because his father taught economics at the university.

After graduating from UWSP, Farmer worked at a hotel in Kentucky for a year to qualify for in-state tuition. Ultimately, he earned a law degree from the University of Louisville. He said the students were highly motivated and competitive.

After graduating from law school, Farmer served as a public defender in Kentucky, became a public prosecutor in Madison and Manitowoc, and helped create the first drug court in Madison. Farmer returned to his points Stevens in 2017 after his retirement.

As an author, Farmer has published three books. Lee: The tragic story of a family shattered by schizophrenia.

Farmer said he remembers how busy the downtown square was when college students were allowed to drink at age 18. He only claims to have been an observer.

UWSP’s Information Security Officer, Sam Novak graduated from college in 2013 and continues to assist schools with their information technology needs.

Novak started working as a student employee in UWSP’s IT department in 2011. Novak, he said, was asked to stay after graduation and has been working in the department ever since.

He loves that Stevens Point is somewhere between a small town and a big city, making it a great place to build community and relationships.

Novak enjoys his free time playing video games, playing guitar, gardening with his spouse, and doing crafts around the house.

Christopher Benny graduated from UWSP in 2019 with a degree in Biochemistry. He is about to go to medical school, pursue a career in reducing health disparities, and is the co-founder of a social welfare organization called Difficult-Discussions.Ltd.

The organization is supported by 8 active members who have previously or currently participated in UWSP.

Benny said Difficult-Discussions provides affordable resources for tackling difficult-to-talk topics such as marginalization, oppression, and equity.

Benny said the organization provides access to free templates, activities, webinars, articles, podcasts and other services while keeping equity, diversity and inclusion at the forefront of its goals.

Benny currently works at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute at the National Farm Medicine Center.

Benny said he loves the connections he has made through new friends and colleagues at Stevens Point. He said direct community building is different than what he was used to when he lived in places like Brooklyn, New York and Bangalore, India.

For more information on Farmer’s work and Benny’s non-commercial Difficult-Discussions, see the links below.

HOME

https://difficult-discussions.com/

Josh Paulson

news reporter

jpaul068@uwsp.edu