Dear alumni & friends,
As 2025 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the incredible work happening across the College of Letters & Science. From celebrating the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Southern African Large Telescope in South Africa, to joining Chancellor Mnookin at the Reagan Institute Summit on Education in D.C., reading incredible books written by L&S authors, visiting laboratories at the forefront of developing quantum technologies, and seeing students thrive in the new Morgridge Hall, I am reminded that the work we do in the College is profound and transformative. While we face significant challenges, we remain vigilant and committed to the important work of teaching, research and the Wisconsin Idea that makes L&S so vital.
In October, the MacArthur Foundation announced Ángel F. Adames Corraliza, the Ned P. Smith Distinguished Chair of Climatology in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, as a 2025 MacArthur Fellow. The award, colloquially known as a MacArthur genius grant, recognizes Professor Adames Corraliza’s groundbreaking research on the tropical weather systems that shape our global climate. Adames Corraliza is the third MacArthur Fellow in six years for the College of Letters & Science — a remarkable achievement for our scholarly community. An honor of this magnitude is, of course, a celebration of an individual’s brilliance and dedication. But it is also a powerful testament to the vibrant intellectual community that our faculty, staff, students and alumni foster. Awards like these affirm that there is something truly special about L&S and the spirit of curiosity and collaboration that our community makes possible.
This month, we also recognized the newest members of our alumni community at our winter commencement celebration. As I spoke with our graduates, I was struck by how personal the experience of a Letters & Science education is for them. L&S is big – we are home to more than 19,000 students – and one of my goals as dean is to make this large place feel small. That means ensuring students have access to the resources, opportunities and community they need to thrive.
Recently, I had the chance to speak with one of our Dean’s Ambassadors and Honors students, Madison, from Waunakee, Wisconsin. Madison is majoring in economics and pursuing a certificate in global health, and she shared how L&S has helped her make her education her own. Madison told me that, “When applying to college, the thought of choosing just one path to follow for my career seemed confining to me. I landed on economics because of its interdisciplinary approach, and my certificate in global health connects that work to real-world issues such as disparities and resource allocation. I value my L&S education because it provides me with a breadth of academic experiences and prepares me to be a well-rounded student and professional.”
Madison’s story captures something important about the L&S experience. Our students don’t just follow a path, they create their own. L&S fosters a climate in which students can individualize their academic journey and put together remarkable combinations of majors and certificates that reflect not only their academic strengths, but also their passions, their curiosity and their desire to make an impact in the ever-changing world around us. They pursue advanced coursework that challenges them to think critically and pushes them beyond their comfort zones. They join leadership groups like the Dean’s Ambassadors to expand their skills and serve their community. In doing so, they discover both who they are and who they want to become. As we say at SuccessWorks, our graduates are Madison Made, World Ready.
This is what makes me so proud to serve as Dean of L&S. Our students are not only preparing themselves for the future — they are preparing to lead. And they are able to do so because of a community of alumni, parents and friends like you, who believe in our mission and support the work of helping every student make their L&S journey truly their own.
With best wishes for the season,
Eric M. Wilcots, Dean
Mary C. Jacoby Professor of Astronomy
College of Letters & Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison