Shihoko Fujiwara Honored With 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award

A 2003 graduate of UW-Madison with a degree in International Studies, Fujiwara is a coordinator with the Polaris Project, a nonprofit organization that combats human trafficking -- a form of modern-day slavery. Based in Tokyo, Japan, Fujiwara provides food, shelter, medical assistance and other support to human-trafficking survivors, educates law enforcement about how to identify victims, and advocates for improved public policy.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Wisconsin Alumni Association. The award celebrates outstanding UW-Madison graduates whose professional achievements, contributions to society, and support of the university exemplify the Wisconsin Idea.

"Through their one-of-a-kind endeavors, these UW alumni are credited with some of the world's most innovative and important contributions," said Paula Bonner MS'78, WAA's President and CEO. "We're proud to recognize them as part of the worldwide community of 370,000 passionate, inspired UW-Madison alumni."

The recipients will be honored at an awards program at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, at the Wisconsin Union Theater in Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St. The awards program is free and open to the public. Details and registration are at uwalumni.com/daa.