Susan Zarwell ’87 Named Commencement Speaker

Susan Zarwell ’87, longtime University School of Milwaukee teacher and administrator, has been named the school's Commencement 2026 speaker. The event will be held on Saturday, May 30. This follows Zarwell’s decision to retire at the end of the 2025-26 school year.
 
With over 25 years of experience in education and administration, Susan Zarwell ’87 has established herself as a cornerstone of the academic community at the University School of Milwaukee. Her career is defined by a deep commitment to student-centered curriculum, strategic institutional planning, and the cultivation of meaningful relationships across the post-secondary landscape.

“Since beginning my time as a teacher and department chair, Susan has been an indispensable mentor and partner,” said Joe Eason, head of Upper School. “In my first year as head of Upper School, her depth of institutional knowledge and her patience have been my greatest resources. While we all often focus on the road ahead, Susan is the one who ensures we are actually equipped for the journey. She has a rare ability to translate big-picture goals seamlessly into lived realities for students, families, and staff.”  

Zarwell’s tenure at USM began in 1998, and included stints as an Academic Support teacher and, for 15 years, an English teacher. In 2009, while continuing to teach English, she became director of College Guidance. In that role, she led the department’s comprehensive four-year curriculum, managed a team of counselors, and became a strategic advocate for families, helping them navigate the complexities of testing, financial aid, and application strategy. 

As the director, Zarwell wrote counselor recommendation letters for approximately half of each senior class; planned and hosted “Evening with the Experts” presentations with visiting college deans and directors and case studies programs for ten visiting reps and school junior families. She also planned and chaperoned overnight college trips for the junior class each year; planned and implemented standardized test preparation options; and hosted 75-100 college representatives each fall. Throughout her tenure at USM and especially in the College Guidance office, Zarwell sought to build a program that knows, values, and celebrates every student and their family.  

Her work was recognized both nationally and amongst colleague counselors in Wisconsin. In 2014, she won the Counselors That Change Lives Award from the Colleges That Change Lives, a national consortium of liberal arts colleges that support student-centered learning. In 2019, Zarwell was named Wisconsin’s High School Professional Counselor of the Year by the Wisconsin Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC). Zawell also served on the WACAC presidential cycle from 2015 to 2018.

Outside of the College Guidance office, Zarwell has played an instrumental role in many school initiatives. She was a founding member of the Internship and Shadowing Committee, serving as a liaison to the committee overseeing internship and shadowing opportunities and provided administrative support to the program. Starting in 2009, Zarwell set standards and developed and implemented policies to oversee students requiring classroom accommodation. She was responsible for maintaining test records, developing policy overview for parents applying for accommodations on all standardized tests, and communicating accommodations policies to students, teachers, and parents. In 2010, she served as co-chair of the head of school search advisory committee, and she is serving once again on the committee in 2026-26; in 2008 she was a contributing member of the committee that designed the curriculum and review program; and from 2005 to 2007, she was a member of several committees responsible for the development of the diversity statement approved by USM’s Board of Trustees. Her commitment to equity and community continued through her work with Operation DREAM, a tutoring program she created with the help of USM students to serve inner-city male youth.