The Louise Troxell Award and Edna Kernwood Glicksman Award were created to honor the cause of women on this campus. Informally known as the Troxell-Glicksman Awards, they recognize outstanding junior or senior self-identified female students from across UW–Madison, nominated by faculty or academic staff.
Nominees demonstrate excellent intellectual ability and curiosity, community engagement, appreciation of the broader world and participation in its affairs. These awardees are of high academic caliber, deeply engaged in campus and community activities and aspire to continue their education in graduate or professional schools.
Glicksman Award
Maggie Konig x’24 | School of Human Ecology Bachelor of Science, majoring in Community and Nonprofit Leadership; certificates in Gender & Women’s Studies and Asian American Studies | Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin
“As a programming intern, I have hosted uniquely-themed sessions of signature events at the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Student Center. During the 2023 season, I surveyed UW–Madison students and compiled suggestions to select three books that span a variety of topics such as exploring the generational and global effects of Asian immigration to the United States, navigating the intersection of one’s queer and Asian identities and subverting stereotypes of Asian American immigrants through the use of historical fiction. This program ultimately served more than 80 students and fostered multiple substantial conversations that allowed me and others to think critically about APIDA representation, reclaim our narratives, and consider what it means to be Asian in America.”
Honorable Mention: Angela Maloney ’23 | School of Human Ecology Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Community and Nonprofit Leadership and International Studies.
Troxell Award
Mildred Chome ’23 | College of Engineering Bachelor of Science, majoring in Mechanical Engineering; certificate in Gender and Women’s Studies | Nairobi, Kenya
“I founded the Ashrafu Interactive STEM and Mentorship Program for young girls in Kilifi, Kenya. As a native of Kilifi, I have witnessed the issues facing girls in the region, including high rates of teenage pregnancies, which lead many girls to drop out of school and hinder their educational progress. I saw the impact of the program when I discovered that the high school I worked with didn’t allow girls to study physics. This revelation highlighted the need for a broader focus on gender equality and access to education. I want to address the economic, social and political barriers that prevent girls in Kilifi from accessing and excelling in STEM education, with the goal of nurturing the next generation of female African leaders in STEM.”
Meghan Horan x’24 | College of Engineering Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biomedical Engineering | Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota
"As a student project manager for Engineers Without Borders (EWB), I have led a team of passionate and dedicated individuals in creating sustainable engineering solutions for international communities in need. This experience has been transformative for me, forever changing my perspective on service, leadership and community. I learned that leadership doesn’t mean having the answer to every question or the personal skills to solve every problem: it means leveraging the collective strength of the team, making a commitment to provide them with the resources they need to succeed and persevering through hard times. The lessons I have learned helped shape me as a person, engineer and leader.”
Madison Mormino x’24 | Bachelor of Arts with Honors in the Liberal Arts, College of Letters & Science, majoring in French, Gender & Women’s Studies, Psychology, and Global Health; certificate in Biocore Curriculum Honors | Middleton, Dane County, Wisconsin
“I volunteer at Madison Street Medicine, which provides medical care and resources for people experiencing homelessness, where I have helped run clinics as well as day and night street rounds. This experience has taught me about healthcare accessibility and inequity issues and has sparked my passion to work with underserved populations. Along with my interest in global health, it has fueled my longtime dream of working with the Peace Corps in a francophone country. As sexual harassment and violence continue to be a serious problem worldwide, working as a helpline volunteer at the RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center has allowed me the opportunity to listen to survivors’ stories, offer emotional support and empowerment and learn about the impacts of sexual violence, trauma, power and control dynamics.”
Hope Ngirwe ’23 | College of Letters & Science Bachelor of Science, majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders; certificates in African Studies and Global Health | Spencer, Marathon County, Wisconsin (born in Democratic Republic of Congo, lived in refugee camp in Kenya, moved to Wisconsin)
“I volunteer with Bright Start—Africa, a nonprofit organization supporting the development and education initiatives of other nonprofits that work in different communities in Africa. As Director at Large of Bright Start—Sierra Leone, I raise awareness and plan fundraisers for projects such as a technical and vocational training center in Devil Hole, Sierra Leone. These experiences have prepared me for my plan to earn a Master of Public Health degree. My involvement in community service and commitment to social justice will be invaluable in my future endeavors as a public health professional, as I seek to address issues of health access and access for underserved communities.”
Yelih Powless ’23 | School of Human Ecology Bachelor of Science, majoring in Human Development and Family Studies BS; certificate in American Indian Studies | Green Bay, Brown County, Wisconsin
"This year I have been the president of UW–Madison’s Indigenous student organization, Wunk Sheek, after first getting involved with its programming and events in my freshman year. Wunk Sheek and the community that surrounds it has been extremely significant in my success as an Indigenous woman in college. Given the complexities of Indigenous identities, Wunk Sheek’s leadership works toward inclusive and intentional workshops for our members. I used my knowledge to effectively spread awareness and resources to Indigenous students and community members at UW as well as to educate the broader UW community on Indigenous issues.”
Edna Kerngood Glicksman was an early twentieth-century leader in the state’s League of Women Voters and the State Federation of Women’s Clubs. The award was created by her husband, Harry Glicksman, an assistant dean in the College of Letters & Science, to recognize students with “intellectual attainments, high womanhood and service in the college community.”
Louise Troxell was Dean of Women at UW–Madison from 1931 until 1956. Her award was established to honor her years of outstanding leadership and devotion to the cause of women on UW–Madison’s campus.
The competitive selection process for these awards is overseen by Prof. Susan Brantly, Dept. of German, Nordic, and Slavic+; Claudia Guzmán, director of the Multicultural Student Center; Lesley Sager, Dept. of Design Studies; Frieda Zuckerberg, director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Office of Undergraduate Advising; and Prof. Bret Larget, Depts. of Statistics and Botany.