UW-Oshkosh Distinguished Alumni Award To Be Presented To Former Titan

Former UW-Oshkosh swimmer Christine (Melger) Ludwig will be among those honored Friday (Oct. 18) with the 2019 UW-Oshkosh Distinguished Alumni Award.

Ludwig, of San Antonio, Texas, completed a bachelor's degree in nursing at UW-Oshkosh and has since become a diplomat for healthcare within Army clinics. 

Following her 1997 graduation, she's held an exciting career serving in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps - not only as a professional nurse, but also as a soldier and leader. Her career has allowed her to live and work in five different states and two countries. Her most recent achievement is a new role as director of patient care integration for the Office of the Surgeon General at Defense Health Headquarters in Virginia.

In the award nomination, MaryAnn Monteith, an instructional academic staff member in the College of Nursing, said that Ludwig quickly climbed the ranks. She  was selected, generally ahead of her peers, to take on greater responsibilities and to run and improve the care provided within Army clinics. She also recalls that Ludwig served as a Gold Bar Recruiter for the UWO Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) brigade, saying that it was a rare honor for her as a nurse lieutenant.

"She is an expert clinical nurse, educator and consummate leader and officer. Her career of military positions is distinguished by innovation," Monteith said. "Colonel Ludwig is a credit to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and is most deserving of the Distinguished Alumni Award."

During her 26 years of service, Ludwig has used her achievements and prestigious career background to help improve Army healthcare practices. She has implemented policies and programs as well as established the Warrior Transition Unit at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Ludwig attributes her success to the solid foundation that UW Oshkosh helped build for her.

"The UW-Oshkosh Nursing program was phenomenal and provided me with a strong nursing skill set and knowledge base that really started my nursing career off on the right path," she said. "I am very thankful for the knowledge and skills the UW-Oshkosh organizations, the Army ROTC program and the College of Nursing imparted on me. There is no doubt the education and experiences UW-Oshkosh provided has led to my success."

Ludwig, who was a swimming & diving letter winner for the Titans during the 1993 and 1994 seasons, will be honored at UW-Oshkosh's Alumni Awards Celebration at the Culver Family Welcome Center.

Written by Amanda Rice, UW-Oshkosh University Marketing & Communications