Day of the Badger, UW–Madison’s annual day of giving, is a chance to celebrate everything we love about this great university. While its primary purpose is to raise critical funds for the College and its programs, it’s also about creating a deep sense of affinity and pride among soon-to-be, recent and longtime alumni. But at its core, Day of the Badger is really about students — giving them memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that open their minds and expose them to careers and research opportunities that will shape the rest of their lives. Gifts by generous alumni make those experiences and opportunities possible. So as the fifth annual Day of the Badger approaches — if you haven’t done so already, mark your calendars for April 16-17 — let’s zoom in on seven of them. And don't forget to learn more about how you can support the College's Annual Fund.
1. Scholarship support is one of the major keys that unlocks the door to unforgettable experiences for our students. Funds raised on Day of the Badger support Freshman Scholar Awards that go to outstanding incoming students entering the College of Letters & Science, many of whom come from underrepresented groups.
2. Expanding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives continues to be one of Dean Eric Wilcots’ top priorities. The College’s Annual Fund supports key programs like the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), which provides academic support and community for low-income and rural students, and those who are the first in their family to attend college.
“CAE is your first step to getting where you want to be,” says Demetrius Thomas, a 2021 L&S graduate.
3. The College is justifiably proud of its Letters & Science Summer of Excellence in Research program (LASER), a now four-year-old effort that links underrepresented students with faculty researchers in L&S departments like astronomy, physics and psychology, as well as cancer research programs in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Funds raised on Day of the Badger have helped students spend summers doing hands-on research in areas such as space exploration and childhood language development. That’s the kind of research that can spark new career paths.
Sophomore computer sciences major Zuheb Mohamed Ibrahim discovered that last summer during his LASER experience, spending six weeks in a UW–Madison lab studying black holes and calibrating the equipment that makes research at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in the South Pole possible. “I learned a lot of new skills,” says Ibrahim. “I’d never basically had my own choice of direction on what to do and where to go with the project. I started off with a clean slate. I was told this is what we were looking for and these are the tools you use — let’s see what you can do.”
4. It’s difficult to navigate four years at UW–Madison without encountering the UW Marching Band. Led by Director Corey Pompey, the band features more than 200 UW students, and is a mainstay at Badger football games. The College’s Annual Fund helps to support special programs like the band’s annual Spring Concert. Sing it with us: On, Wisconsin!
5. The College of Letters & Science has been engaged in some major construction projects over the past few years, including the new Computer, Data & Information Sciences building (scheduled to open in 2025) and the new Irving and Dorothy Levy Hall, which will house several of the departments currently located in the soon-to-be-retired Humanities Building. While funds raised for the College of Letters & Science Annual Fund on Day of the Badger don’t directly support construction costs for those projects — those funds come from the State of Wisconsin and private philanthropy — they do support important things like updates to the technology and student learning spaces that will be key parts of both spaces.
6. Did you join us at this year’s L&S Student Night with the Badger women’s basketball team in January? If not, you missed a great time and a resounding win over the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. The College’s Annual Fund makes it possible to offer all L&S students free tickets to this annual event, creating a great community-building opportunity for students from all the College’s majors while supporting UW Athletics at the same time.
7. No L&S student should graduate without having collaborated with the dedicated staff at SuccessWorks, the College’s career services program. Through career advising, online and in-person workshops and internships, SuccessWorks empowers student success through career preparedness. The College’s Annual Fund has supported SuccessWorks since its inception more than five years ago, and makes resources like the SuccessWorks career closet, a free service that provides interview clothing to students in need, possible.