Leiv Erik Lundberg ’84, bachelor’s in business administration
Leiv Erik Lundberg came to UW-Eau Claire in 1981 as an international student from Norway, a decision that changed his life’s trajectory. He recounts “eyes opened up to a world that was much larger and more interesting” than the one he left.
“This is where I learned about American culture and civilization and made many friends, some in my life to this day,” Lundberg says.
It is also where he discovered his interest and aptitude for finance and met his life partner, Kathy, and where they started their journey together.
Lundberg’s Blugold finance degree and subsequent MBA laid the foundation for a professional career that took him to his current role as chief investment officer at the University of Michigan. He is responsible for directing the university’s $20 billion long-term investment portfolio, which includes the university’s endowment. Under his 25 years of management, the endowment has grown from $2.5 billion to over $19 billion in value, now one of the top 10 largest funds in the country.
Lundberg has earned multiple industry awards for his outstanding achievements, including Public Endowment CIO of the Decade in 2015 and 2024 Endowment CIO of the Year from the Institutional Investor Allocator’s Choice awards.
Lundberg brings his expertise to his philanthropic efforts, serving as director of Father Flanagan’s Fund for Needy Children and the investment committee of the Skillman Foundation serving children in Detroit. He has been a long-trusted advisor on numerous other charitable funds and councils, including the UW-Eau Claire Foundation.
He offers the following advice to the fall graduates of 2024:
“Keep plugging away at your challenges and opportunities. There will be ups and downs. It may take longer than you'd like, but you'd be surprised what you will accomplish if you stay focused and keep working at it.”
Dr. Kathleen Hanlon-Lundberg ’83, bachelor’s in biology
After graduating from UW-Eau Claire, Kathleen Hanlon-Lundberg completed a medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1987 and a fellowship in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Chicago in 1993.
“I learned my trade providing care for persons from myriad backgrounds in a severely under-resourced setting,” Hanlon-Lundberg says. “It was an immersive experience that profoundly shaped my life, making me acutely aware of the many different worlds within our world.”
Hanlon-Lundberg’s first “real job” after a decade of training was at the University of Wisconsin Medical School Milwaukee campus, where, she says, “each day provided the chance to change the world for the better.”
Hanlon-Lundberg returned to academia, completing a Ph.D. in medical anthropology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where she now is on the faculty. Her teaching and research lives at “the intersection of human social and biological evolution, medicine, technology and public health.”
Hanlon-Lundberg credits UW-Eau Claire with both the foundations of her medical education and career, and the opportunity to meet her partner in life.
“One of the greatest paths that flowed from my time in Eau Claire is the wonderful journey with my life partner, Leiv Erik Lundberg. We have three beautiful children, all adults now,” she says.
The advice Hanlon-Lundberg offers December graduates is to foster resilience in their futures.
“Challenges both anticipated and unforeseen will inevitably arise,” she says. “Be willing to reexamine yourself and adjust your perspectives and actions based on new information, as there is something to be gained in every experience.”