Medical College of Wisconsin
The Wauwatosa-based Medical College of Wisconsin’s Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment has awarded more than $200,000 over two years to improving vision health for Wisconsin children.
The funds will go toward a screening, referral and education program administered in a number of communities through Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. The nonprofit will work with Dr. Deborah Costakos, associate professor of ophthalmology at MCW, as well as Milwaukee Public Schools nurses, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Health Navigators and Herslof Optical.
Prevent Blindness Wisconsin offers free, direct sight-saving services across the state. It aims to prevent blindness by identifying the early signs of vision disorders, facilitating early and effective treatment and preventing eye injury.
Marquette University
Marquette University has named Dr. Kimo Ah Yun the dean of its Diederich College of Communication, effective July 1.
Ah Yun is currently the associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters and a professor of communication studies at California State University, Sacramento. He joined the Sacramento State faculty in 1996 and has served in his current role since 2012.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Sacramento State, a master’s in speech from Kansas State University and a Ph.D. in communication from Michigan State University.
Ah Yun replaces Dr. Lori Bergen, who served as communication dean until April, when she became the founding dean of the College of Media, Communication and Information at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Interim dean Dr. Ana Garner, professor of journalism and media studies, will continue to serve in her role until Ah Yun begins his role in July.
United Way donates $31,000 to SDC’s tax help program
The United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County has awarded a $31,000 grant to Milwaukee County’s Social Development Commission for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
The VITA program offers free federal and state tax preparation and filing assistance for low-income residents. It also offers financial workshops and banking assistance for those with a household income of $56,000 or less.
The SDC aims to raise $82,000 for VITA and also garner matching funds from the Internal Revenue Service for the 2015-’16 tax season. It expects to provide free tax return preparation and filing for 8,000 people this season.
The VITA program will begin Jan. 19 and run through April 18. Locations and hours for assistance will be posted at www.cr-sdc.org in mid-January.
