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May 11, 2026

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‘You are worthy’: Nearly 8,900 students graduate from UW-Madison

Wisconsin State Journal

UW-Madison’s class of 2026 was left with a resounding message at its commencement ceremony at Camp Randall on Saturday: Find your purpose through times of uncertainty.

“Purpose is not a perfect plan, it’s a compass,” UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said to a sea of black graduation caps and gowns in the stadium. “It helps you decide what deserves your time, what deserves your courage, and what you may need to walk away from.”

Research

Neurodegeneration in Down Syndrome Begins at Birth

Technology Networks

Signs of neurodegeneration in individuals with Down syndrome may start as early as birth, a critical stage of brain development, a new study shows. The research, from investigators at the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides an atlas of early brain development in Down syndrome that could inform potential targeted treatments to address the developmental and degenerative aspects of the condition.

Higher Education/System

UW Madison holds graduation ceremony for doctoral, MFA and medical students

ABC 27

UW Madison hosted its first commencement ceremony of the year for doctoral, MFA and medical students on May 8.

Honorary degree recipient and UW graduate Speaker Tia Nelson spoke about her work in conservation and environmental protection. “The most complex problems we face will take more than persistence. They will take people with the courage to try something new,” Nelson said.

UW-Madison’s College of Computing and AI dean speaks with For the Record

Channel 3000

For the first time in 40 years, UW-Madison is launching a new college.

The university has named Remzi Arpaci-Dusseau as the founding dean of the College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence, set to officially open on July 1.

As artificial intelligence continues to grow, so do its criticisms.

Lifelong Learner: Resources, support can help with returning to college

Wisconsin State Journal

Being a student at any age is a challenge, but returning to college as an adult with a job, caretaking roles and other responsibilities requires a special kind of balancing act.

Leslie Wright knows this all too well. After an attempt at college in the 1990s, she left and later earned her associate degree. Wright entered the workforce but stepped away to raise children. Through volunteer work and as a school board member in Oregon, she saw a need for mental health support in schools. She overcame obstacles to go back to school, and she’ll finish her bachelor’s in psychology this summer.

Campus life

Health

UW Experts in the News

Wood ticks have been unusually active in southern Wisconsin this spring

Wisconsin State Journal

Already had a run-in with a tick this year?

You’re not alone.

Emergency room visits for tick bites hit their highest known level in southern Wisconsin and have been up across the state in recent weeks, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, which began tracking tick-related ER visits in 2022.

Most of the country has seen a similar trend, but it’s been especially pronounced in the Midwest, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

UW-Madison Related