E ach fall the Alumni Association honors outstanding alumni, faculty, staff and community members. Through their personal and professional accomplishments, they represent the lasting value of the university and the Alumni Association. The awards were presented at the annual appreciation dinner on September 22, hosted by the UW-Superior Foundation and Alumni Association. 2022 Alumni Association Awards
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to alumni whose successes serve as an inspiration for current and prospective students. This year’s recipient is Kate (Tarman) Swenson, class of 2006. Swenson graduated from UWS with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She worked for local nonprofits for 10 years and moved to the Twin Cities after the family’s oldest son was diagnosed with autism. Swenson is the founder of the popular blog, “Finding Cooper's Voice,” and the co-founder of the nonprofit, “The More Than Project.” Founded in 2021, it is the overseeing body for “The More Than a Caregiver Project,” which provides free mental health counseling services to caregivers; “The More Than a Sibling Scholarship Program,” which offers funds to siblings of children with disabilities; and “The More
Than a Teacher Initiative,” which aims to provide fully equipped sensory spaces for teachers who are in need. Swenson writes and creates videos regularly about her life as a mother and an autism advocate for social media and her website, “Finding Cooper's Voice,” and has engaged audiences around the country with her stories. Her national bestselling book, “Forever Boy: A Mother's Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy,” highlights the transformation that she went through after her son's diagnosis. Swenson has been featured by “The Today Show” and “Twin Cities Live” and regularly writes for “Her View From Home,” “Today Parents” and “Love What Matters.” Swenson created a support group for thousands of autism families to come together both virtually and in person to share, connect, educate and support each other. Her Facebook and Instagram pages have a combined one million followers.
18 2022-23 � SUPERIOR VOICE
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