Chancellor Manohar Singh has spent the fall traveling across the state meeting alumni, employers and community partners as part of his new outreach effort, “Singh Across Wisconsin.”  

For Singh, who became UW Oshkosh’s 12th chancellor in July, the tour is more than a statewide introduction — it’s a chance to understand the people shaped by the university and the workforce shaped by its graduates. 

“Traveling across the state helps us showcase the accomplishments of faculty, staff and students; it’s a moment of pride for us,” Singh said.  

The trip, which includes stops at regional businesses, alumni-owned and otherwise, reflects what Singh calls a “tribute” to the regional business partners and alumni who continue to drive Wisconsin’s economy. 

Listening as leadership 

At the center of the tour is a simple philosophy: To lead the university forward, Singh said he must first listen. 

“Our alumni love us,” he said. “Learning from alumni is one of the best ways for us to see what their vision would be — what their dreams are — for the university.”  

In each city, he asked alumni about their experience at UWO, where the university should improve and how it can support the next generation of students.  

“This is my tribute to their success, as well as my expression of gratitude to say, ‘Thank you for choosing the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh,’” he said. 

Connecting the tour to the strategic plan 

Singh says the tour aligns directly with the university’s three-pillar strategic plan: student success, career readiness and financial stability. 

“If you look at the three pillars of our strategic plan — student success, career readiness and financial stability — this initiative speaks to all of them,” he said. 

By strengthening alumni networks and employer ties, Singh hopes to expand internships, job placements, philanthropic support and overall enrollment — all areas central to the plan. 

“Creating students who can find jobs is going to help us create more spots and opportunities for future generations of students,” he said. “It also leads to enrollment going up.”  

Singh said the tour across the state also aims to reinforce UWO’s position as a workforce engine for producing high quality talent.  

“You will see our nurses, schoolteachers, accountants and entrepreneurs — everywhere you go in Wisconsin,” Singh said. “That’s our contribution: sending workforce talent to the world.” 

Alumni as university partners

Throughout the tour, Singh has repeatedly emphasized the role of alumni as collaborators, mentors and leaders in shaping UWO’s future. 

“Our alums love us, and they are so dedicated,” he said. “They’re willing to support us in our endeavors to make students successful in their journeys.”

That support comes in the form of mentorship, guidance, employer partnerships and philanthropy — essential keys to the university’s long-term success.  

“We need to continue to deserve their love, affection and respect,” he said. “The alumni network inspires us to stay the best, so that every tomorrow is better than every yesterday.” 

Singh also said that alumni contributions, whether time or financial support, will also help strengthen scholarship opportunities and ensure UWO remains accessible. 

Building community partnerships 

Equally important to Singh is deepening ties with employers across Wisconsin, many of whom are UWO graduates themselves. 

“We want employers to give us guidance on what kind of talent they’re looking for and collaborate with us to design curriculum to satisfy their needs,” Singh said.  

These relationships help shape programs, align academic offerings with workforce needs, and open more internship pathways for students. 

He describes UWO as an “anchor institution” that thrives on collaboration, and says the success of the university hinges on the involvement of every stakeholder in the community.  

 “It takes a village to function as a successful anchor institution,” he said. “Leaders are supposed to be the ones to take the entire village together and unleash the force of the collective.” 

Looking toward tomorrow 

As the tour concluded, Singh said the next phase will focus on bringing alumni back to campus, inviting them into classrooms, labs and student spaces to share their expertise directly. 

“The next step is to invite those who want to come to campus — meet our students and see for themselves how wonderful they are,” he said. 

Singh said many alumni have already committed to participating in strategic planning efforts this year, with the goal of inclusively shaping UWO’s long-term vision. 

“This tour will strengthen the drive to be together and do what is best for our students, the next generation, the community and the nation altogether,” he said.