UW-Madison graduates don’t get to celebrate in Camp Randall Stadium and the Kohl Center this year due to the pandemic. However, this didn’t stop UW-Madison from honoring the Class of 2020.
Category: Campus life
UW-Madison graduates make the most of virtual commencement
“We put the tv and the couch outside, and we put the ceremony on and we kind of just enjoyed each other,” UW-Madison Graduate Janell Voves said.
UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health
The 2020 graduates of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health virtually moved their tassels Friday morning at 10 a.m. A live ceremony was held on the school’s Facebook page.
UW-Madison graduates attend virtual graduation Saturday
The virtual commencement lasted about a half an hour on the UW-Madison’s Facebook page, starting at noon Saturday.
WATCH: UW graduates celebrate virtual commencement
It is a time of celebration and uncertainty for many in the Class of 2020.
After a virtual commencement, many UW-Madison grads are uncertain about future
Aguirre, who worked as a peer career advisor, said, “The tone of my graduating class is kind of scared.”
Patterson urges UW graduates to ’embrace life’ in Spring 2020 commencement speech
’No one will ever forget the class of 2020,’ Patterson said.
Lessons from senior class: Class officers discuss virtual commencement, uncertain futures
Class of 2020 celebrates accomplishments despite fear, stress over future.
Soyeon Shim is a big picture entrepreneur at the School of Human Ecology
When Soyeon Shim was young, she wanted to be a teacher.
“I’d come home and gather all the kids in the neighborhood and play like we were at school and I was the teacher,” she says.
For a girl growing up in South Korea, there weren’t many other options. “Teacher or nurse,” Shim says. “But in the back of my mind, I always wanted to be an entrepreneur.”
Zoom celebrations, speeches, lights display: UW-Madison gets creative with commencement amid COVID-19 pandemic
Thousands of UW-Madison students in the Class of 2020 imagined the culmination of their college career to end at Camp Randall Stadium. They pictured the moment they’d throw their mortarboards high into the sky and sit in Abe Lincoln’s lap for the quintessential photo opp.
UW Madison to hold virtual commencement Saturday
The ceremony is pre-taped, not live, and is available to the public. No password is needed. The video will remain on the website so that people can watch the ceremony at the time most convenient to them.
UW announces plans for a virtual commencement this Saturday
“The Class of 2020 has been resilient and adaptable, finishing their schooling in the midst of a global pandemic. I hope they will celebrate their accomplishments,” Chancellor Rebecca Blank said.
Virtual graduation for UW-Madison students overcoming adversity
The Odyssey Project on campus seeks to help adults, ages 18 to 71 over the years, overcome adversity through two semesters-long coursework. According to co-director of the program Emily Auerbach, students have experienced incarceration, teen pregnancy, domestic abuse, substance abuse, among other barriers to higher education.
With deadline nearing and 2020 season uncertain, Badgers fans weigh renewing football tickets
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there are questions about what a college football season will look like — if one happens at all. Will fans be allowed in stadiums? How many? What kinds of distancing practices will be in place, and how would they impact capacity?
57 more warnings and 6 citations for alleged ‘safer at home’ violations in Madison
Madison has issued 57 warning letters and six citations in a little under a month for alleged violations of the governor’s “safer at home” order to limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, including for several parties near the UW-Madison campus and to people “cruising” or racing the streets in souped-up cars.
UW Regents To Consider Dropping ACT Requirements For All Campuses But UW-Madison
ACT testing requirements will be temporarily suspended at all University of Wisconsin System campuses except UW-Madison under a proposed policy change aimed at easing college entrance requirements amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘I Need A Break’: With Schools Closed, Parents And Kids Are Struggling
Photo caption: One of the highlights of the drive to school for Anna Mullen’s son, Ryan, was looking for food delivery robots on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. In the second week of quarantine, they went on a socially-distanced outing to see robots up close on the library mall. Photo courtesy of Anna Mullen
UW-Madison professor reflects on virtually learning and online finals
NBC15 News checked in with UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication Burgess Chair in Journalism Ethics, Kathleen Bartzen Culver two months after virtual lectures and assignments began.
Annual UW water symposium shifts online, highlights Wisconsin’s water challenges
The fifth annual Water@UW-Madison symposium will take place virtually Tuesday, highlighting water challenges at the university and state levels.
UW professors rethink final exams, mark bittersweet end of year
To most fairly assess a semester that has been far from normal, professors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are taking liberties with final exams and projects.
Public History Project hosts live online event to honor 30th anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
Project assistant for Public History Project spoke about specific challenges students with disabilities faced throughout history of UW.
Wisconsin Colleges Are Offering Different Incentives To Attract Students
Quoted: UW-Madison anticipated a freshmen class of roughly 7,300 students, nearly 3,700 of those students would be in state.
André Phillips, director of admissions and recruitment at UW-Madison, said they should be able to surpass the 7,300 students anticipated by at least 100.
“We’ll likely have several hundred students that we’ll work with throughout the month of May leading up to the June 1 deadline, and that’s pretty significant,” Phillips said.
UW-Madison to mandate staff furloughs over the next six months
The furloughs will range from three days to six days over the next six months, UW Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank announced Wednesday.
Faculty union concerned UW furloughs will disproportionately hurt most vulnerable
For Franze, the furloughs add an extra layer of uncertainty. While she’s been teaching at UW-Madison for five years, Franze works on a semester to semester contract. She worries cutting salaries may escalate to cutting staff and she anticipates those without long-term contracts or low salaries will be hit the hardest.
UW-Madison orders furloughs through October
University of Wisconsin-Madison officials are ordering most employees to take furlough days through October and top campus leaders will take pay cuts as the school tries to absorb a $100 million loss due to the coronavirus pandemic.
UW announces furlough plan; top execs to take 15% pay cut
University of Wisconsin Chancellor Becky Blank announced today in an email to all staff and faculty a graduated furlough plan for most staff, a work-share program for some units and a 15-percent pay cut for Blank and all vice-chancellors. Under the plan, most staff will be furloughed just a few days over the next year. The number of days furloughed will depend on salary.
UW prepares fall semester instruction plans amid COVID-19 uncertainty
UW spokesperson Meredith McGlone said to the WSJ the current discussions revolving around the fall semester outline three plans, including a mix of face-to-face classes and online instruction — large lectures could possibly remain online while smaller classes would be in person.
UW announced 2020 Academic Staff Excellence Awards recipients
Though the in-person award ceremony has been postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, UW recognizes and celebrates the achievements and contributions of its academic staff.
UW-Madison announces furlough plan; UWM says more than 230 will take 4-month unpaid leave
State campuses in Milwaukee and Madison unveiled more information on their plans to furlough employees this week, with the aim of mitigating the mounting financial fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.
Planning for Camp Randall Stadium premium seating addition continues amid COVID-19 questions
Amid questions about how the coronavirus will affect the 2020 football season and the rest of college sports, senior associate athletic director for capital projects Jason King said UW isn’t changing course until it has a clearer picture.
Planned Madison Overflow Facility To Treat COVID-19 Patients On Hold
One isolation center is at the Lowell Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Since opening April 1, eight people have used it. The other state-run isolation facility is at a Super 8 motel in Milwaukee, where 37 people have stayed over the same time period.
UW-Madison geology professor tweets at The Rock, he responds with geological opinions
UW-Madison Department of Geoscience Professor Stephen Meyers tweeted at Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on Thursday asking the famous actor what some of his favorite geological topics are as a way to send his geology students off with a fun memory.
UW now offering new cybersecurity, liberal arts degrees for 2020-21 school year
The university says the 60-credit UW Associate of Arts and Sciences program provides students with a broad liberal arts background, and offers an online option that can lead to early graduations.
Wisconsin colleges weigh how to reopen campuses in fall amid COVID-19 uncertainty
“There may be some things we simply cannot do in the fall,” UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said Monday to the University Committee, a small group of professors representing faculty members on campus. “It is quite possible that 80,000 people cannot gather in Camp Randall.”
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, talks rocks with UW geology 101 class
If you’re overseeing a Geology 101 class and were seeking inspiration for your students whose class was disrupted by COVID-19, who would you call? How about actor Dwayne Johnson, who goes by the nickname, The Rock, since his pro wrestling days?
Police credit ‘commitment to public safety’ as students forego Mifflin Street Block Party
UW-Madison students appeared on Saturday to have listened to warnings not to attend the Mifflin Street Block Party for the sake of social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, police said.
Administrative Improvement Awards acknowledge innovations made for university community
Member of Student Information System Optimization Program Team speaks on specific improvements implemented to SIS.
Forced off campus because of COVID-19, UW-Madison students re-create college life online
No Frisbee-flying on Bascom Hill. No sunset-watching on the Terrace. No bar-hopping on the weekends.
Nelson Institute celebrates 50 years of utilizing UW to advance environmentalism
“It was really clear the environment was a priority, and it was really clear we needed interdisciplinary training and research, but it wasn’t clear how to do that,” said Professor Paul Robbins.
In live stream, Blank and Gard talk about navigating unprecedented disruptions at UW
In the earlier stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chancellor Rebecca Blank’s biggest priority was making sure UW-Madison finished its spring semester. As the university works to make that happen, Blank said it is taking the opportunity to tackle immediate concerns — including $100 million in losses — but also prioritize campus safety and prevention moving forward.
Mifflin Street Block Party ‘will not be tolerated’ amid COVID-19 pandemic, police say
The Madison Police Department has a short message to UW-Madison students mulling whether to attend the Mifflin Street Block Party slated for Saturday: Don’t.
UW-Madison faces census challenges during COVID-19 pandemic
“If you were a Badger and you are going to come back, please be counted,” said Brenda Gonzalez, Director of Community Relations at UW-Madison.
UW’s Nelson Institute holds online Earth Day conference to mark 50 years
“We thought we’d try an experiment, which was to put this thing online and hopefully reach an even larger and more diverse population of people who think about, work in and worry about the environment,” said Professor Paul Robbins, dean of the Nelson Institute, as he spoke to the participants in a recorded video from his home.
As political polarization, politicization of identity increases, UW attempts to balance free speech, inclusivity on campus
Offensive speech is free speech, causing students, experts to debate its place on campus.
Young Climate Activists Slowed by Pandemic, but Not Defeated
So does Max Prestigiacomo, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, who is set to take his seat on the city council of Madison, Wisconsin.
Music Students Find Ways To Play While COVID-19 Shuts Down Schools
Ana Tinder, a sophomore music performance major and violinist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told WPR in March that she didn’t know how her one-on-one lessons and music ensembles would go on.
How 3 high school seniors are making college decisions amid pandemic
Naperville North senior Rachel Hale decided where she’s going: the University of Wisconsin Madison to study journalism.
Wisconsin Students Team Up To Design Net-Zero Energy Homes
The Studio Zer0 team is made up of mechanical engineering students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and architecture students from UW-Milwaukee. It’s the fifth year that the two universities have joined forces for the contest.
Neighbors “Jump Around” to lift spirits during coronavirus pandemic, bring Badgers together worldwide
When neighbors Joe Lahti and Greg Thomson shared a video of them and their neighborhood dancing to a song beloved by Badger fans everywhere, they never expected it to become a worldwide movement.
COVID-19 may affect incoming freshman college choices, experience
With SOAR online this summer, team is committed to giving families ’warm welcome.’
UW-Madison Student Who Went Viral For COVID-19 Reflects On Experience
Less than a month ago, the healthy, 22-year-old senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, had a fever so high she was delirious and felt too weak to walk after contracting COVID-19 while on a spring break trip to Portugal in early March.
Wisconsin Attorney General: Power To Reopen Belongs To States
When asked about racist incidents related to the coronavirus pandemic, including racist chalking on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, Kaul said it’s important for people to speak out.
UW-Madison launches COVID-19 research webinar series
The webinar is part of the university’s Crossroads of Ideas series, which is typically held in-person at the Discovery building. Tuesday’s webinar is part one of a three-part series tackling COVID-19.
Sex[Positive] Education
With no federal mandates on sex ed, students receive vastly different information, affects college experience.
Dane County Board sees turnover in election with few contested races
Madison City Council’s District 8 seat also has a new representative. UW-Madison student Max Prestigiacomo, 18, was the only candidate who ran to replace Sally Rohrer.
Dreamers of UW-Madison to expand statewide
“Originally, it started in Madison but we’re shifting our focus from UW-Madison to statewide so we’re changing our name from Dreamers of UW-Madison to Dreamers of Wisconsin,” UW-Madison senior and Dreamers of Wisconsin President Cristhabel Martinez said.
Coronavirus pandemic presents UW Odyssey Project with unprecedented challenges
“This pandemic has really highlighted the discrepancies, especially for students of color who have already been struggling with lower incomes and fewer resources, and now are being hit disproportionately hard by schools closing and jobs laying them off and lack of support systems around them,” UW Odyssey Project Director Emily Auerbach tells Madison365.
While World War I Ended, UW-Madison Endured A Deadly Pandemic
When cases of COVID-19 started accelerating around the United States, the University of Wisconsin-Madison was among the first wave of universities to take action. Its administrators suspended in-person classes and directed students and staff to avoid campus in the interest of slowing the contagion’s spread. One century earlier, though, the school faced another pandemic and responded in a very different way.
Food delivery robots stay busy on UW campus
“Right now we have a little over 500 students still living on campus with us, about 550ish, and we’re doing around 60-70 orders a day,” Director of Dining and Culinary Services Peter Testory said.
Winners of Distinguished Teaching Awards discuss community engagement, social justice in classroom
UW honored 13 professors with Distinguished Teaching Awards.