A Message from Steve Hancock: Spring/Summer 2025-26

Dear USM Community,

Recently, I visited with a young alumna who wanted to tell me about a teacher she still thinks about years after graduation. As we talked, I expected to hear about an unforgettable class or a favorite project. Instead, she smiled and said, “She taught me to be on time, to be prepared, and to do my best work every single day.”

Those simple expectations, she told me, continue to shape the way she approaches her career and her life. That conversation has stayed with me.

Schools are often recognized for visible accomplishments—outstanding academics, championship teams, remarkable performances, and college acceptances. Those achievements matter, and they deserve to be celebrated. But I have come to believe that the most important work we do is often much quieter. It happens when teachers, coaches, and mentors help young people develop the habits and character that will guide them long after they leave our campus.

That idea runs throughout this issue of USM Today.

Our feature, Made in MKE, introduces six alumni who are strengthening the Milwaukee community in very different ways. You’ll also read about faculty members who continue to grow as educators, colleagues whose retirements have left an enduring legacy, student-athletes who demonstrated remarkable resilience, and alumni who continue to serve others. Different stories, but one shared purpose: helping students become people of character who make a positive difference in the world.

This upcoming year’s Common Trust theme, honesty, reminds us that character is built through daily choices. Truthfulness in what we say and what we do strengthens relationships, earns trust, and prepares our students to lead lives of purpose.

It is in that spirit that I want to share some personal news. Following the conclusion of the 2026–27 school year, I will become president of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, beginning July 1, 2027. Blue Lake has been an important part of my life for many years, and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead an organization whose mission of transforming young lives through education and the arts closely reflects my own. Between now and then, however, my work is here.

I look forward to leading USM through a final year filled with optimism, purpose, and gratitude. Together, we have important work ahead, and I am committed to ensuring that we conclude this chapter with strength, integrity, and great confidence in the future of this extraordinary school.

Onward,

Steve Hancock
Head of School