Sandra Jean Petta: Class of 1962

Sandra Jean Petta

Community/Humanitarian/Healthcare

  • Active member of PHS Student Council, Thespian Club, Jazz & Marching Band, Choir and the Cheerleading Squad

  • Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology and Pre-Medicine, University of Wisconsin at Platteville, 1967

  • Masters Degree in General Counseling and Rehabilitation Therapy, University of Las Vegas Nevada, 1980

  • Co-founder in 1974 of the Rape Crisis Center in Las Vegas, NV

  • Trained hundreds of volunteers as counselors and advocated for victims of sexual assault for the RCC

  • Awarded on Dec. 9, 2000 by Kenny C. Guinn, Governor of the State of Nevada, proclaiming that day on the state calendar would be in Honor of Sandi Petta.

  • With her love for singing, she was a standing member of the “Silver State Voices” in LasVegas, for years paying tribute to those who had died of AIDS by singing “Bring Him Home” at their Memorial Services.

  • Her artistic side was shown through her stained glass works for both personal pieces as well as creating windows for new homes in her hometown of Henderson, NV

Paul Joseph Northey, Ph.D.: Class of 1981

Paul Joseph Northey

Professional/Technology/Research

  • PEHS Valedictorian, Badger Boys State delegate, WFCA All-State Football Team, D.A.R. Good Citizen

  • Bachelor’s Degree summa cum laude, Chemical Engineering, UW-Madison, 1985

  • Doctorate, Chemical Engineering, M.I.T., “Numerical Simulation of Viscoelastic Fluid Flows”, 1991

  • Seven patents issued covering novel traffic safety devices, drug delivery patches, and adhesives

  • Four papers published in the Journal Of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics and Theoretical And Computational Fluid Dynamics

  • Presentations at scientific conferences in Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Santa Fe, Montreal and Copenhagen

  • Member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Society of Rheology

  • 27 year career with 3M Company as Senior Process Engineer, Lab Manager and Business Development Manager

  • Certified Black Belt in the use of Six Sigma techniques for manufacturing and business process improvement

  • Community board member for Somerset High School Project Lead The Way and STEM Programs

  • 3M Visiting Wizard explaining the wonders of science and technology to K-12 students

  • Volunteer with United Way and Habitat For Humanity

Connie L. Wilson: Class of 1969

Connie L. Wilson

Professional/Education/Community

  • Active member of Forensics, Class Play, Student Council, National Honor Society, Homecoming & FFA Corn Queen, Letterman's Club and Cheerleading Squad

  • Madison Business College 1971

  • Employed at UW-Madison student services from 1971-2013 advancing to Assistant Dean/Budget and Payroll Director

  • Recipient of UW-Madison Department of Police and Security Directors Award, 1993, for implementation of the SAFEwalk Program to improve campus environment

  • Recipient of the SPA Norman Bassett Award, 1995-96, for outstanding achievement in student services

  • Raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for campus child care and became a member of the Bascom Hill Society

  • Created the UW-Madison, Child Care Tuition Assistance Program, Connie L. Wilson Center Grant Fund and the Classified Staff Child Care Scholarship Program

  • Recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Services 2004

  • 2007 developed the WTW Civic Involvement Scholarship to annually award a scholarship to a Palmyra-Eagle High School graduating senior

  • Since 2005, with help of family/friends, worked to revitalize 504 E. Main family farm

  • Since 2013, brought the skills I learned to help Palmyra United Methodist Church

  • Since 2005, worked hard to support my mother, Gertrude, to reside at the family farm