My dear friend and fellow WASB, Mihika, recently said something that I found so profound, yet based on the simplest of truths. When I asked her why she’d deleted Instagram, she responded along the lines of, “I have everyone I love in my life within a mile of me, and that’s not always going to be true. So, I want to take advantage of that and truly spend time with them while I can.”
I think this act of disconnecting to connect is a major accomplishment. Especially in an age when phones are an extension of our being, and a short moment of freedom is often pervaded by scrolling on social media. During this interaction, I wondered aloud if she herself feels proud of this cleanse. She confirmed that yes, she does, because it leaves her with more time to explore her friendships, hobbies, our wonderful city, and generally just exist in the present moment.
This conversation led me to question what the rest of WASB is proud of this semester. In an org filled with such talented, hardworking, and passionate people, I knew I was bound to learn of some really cool achievements. Whether it serves as a way for you to reflect on your own feats, inspires you to set new goals, or just reminds you that deep down, us students are all striving to do better and be better, I implore you to keep reading.
One thing I love so much about WASB is its ability to bring together people from all different academic backgrounds. We have students studying business, engineering, pre-med, poli-sci, art and everything in between. This makes for an extremely diverse array of goals and accomplishments! For example, after a long journey of determining her path, senior India Leinweber was accepted into the UW Nursing School. After facing obstacles with difficult classes, following her dream of studying abroad in Seville, Spain, and committing to the nursing path a bit later on, she is now officially on track to becoming a nurse. Through all of those experiences, she says she learned so much and doesn’t regret her less traditional journey at all.
On the note of healthcare paths, junior WASB Jaclyn Copeland is studying for the MCAT. I have borne witness to her long study sessions, hundreds of flashcards, intense whiteboard diagramming, and yet she maintains a drive and excitement for her future that I find so admirable. New member Ugo Adarve was also just accepted into the Doctor of Pharmacy program as a sophomore! Knowing Jaclyn, India, and Ugo personally, there are few that match their positivity and kindness, and they are going to make a true difference in the lives of future patients.
Another new member, Zoe Cole, says she’s proud of creating new connections with people in her major. Studying Electrical Engineering, she says it’s been a bit hard to find people she connected with in class. So, she started going to the Society of Women Engineers and has met so many more people. All of the new friendly faces help make her identify more with what she’s studying, and she’s proud of herself for carving out time in her busy schedule to foster new relationships!
Outside of class and studies, several WASBs participate in the many research labs on campus. Nina Anglim, a junior on WASB, was just promoted to first author on an abstract at the Social Media and Adolescent Health Research Lab. She will hopefully be traveling to Boston in April to present her findings! It’s beyond cool to see my peers contributing to our growing understanding of the world.
Something WASB heavily promotes is holistic involvement on campus. Our members are a part of so many different communities on campus, which helps inform the perspectives they bring to WASB. Namely, new WASB Isaac Solverson is also the President of TEDxUWMadison, where he is in charge of bringing people to talk to the student body. He recently confirmed the CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to come speak with attendees next semester. With the architect’s ties to our state and influence on architecture in Madison and all across the world, this is absolutely a moment to be proud of!
A second-semester WASB, Sydney Wood, also recently began a radio show with her friend Reagan on WSUM. Called Hot Seat, they intertwine guest interview questions with an awesome set of music, making for a super fun listen. I even got the chance to go on, and now I listen every Monday at 8 PM!
Many of our members are also champions of non-profit fundraising efforts. Among them is another second-semester WASB, Riley Sarsany, who served as VP of Philanthropy for Alpha Chi Omega, and whose work helped raise over $40,000 for Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS). She put countless hours into planning events to help accomplish this goal over the last year and the pride she takes in helping others is so commendable.
And I could never discount the athletic accomplishments of WASBs! Senior Annabel Allen ran the Madison Half-marathon in November, a goal she’s had since her first year at UW-Madison. Taking on solo-training, school work, and braving the sub-freezing weather on race day, she successfully completed 13.1 miles of running. That is no easy feat. What’s more is so many members of the org came out with signs and motivational energy to cheer on all of the WASB runners that day!
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention all of the work our members have done through and for WASB itself. Current members Annie Lysek and Sabrina Dean, along with now WASB graduate Carol Gross, were in charge of planning our org’s largest event during All Campus Party last spring, Lake Street Bash. Despite complications with company partners and some unfortunate weather, the event remained an incredible success and Annie cites it was “one of the best days of [her] college career, 100%.”
Two members of our Executive Director Team, Kathryn Stuckey and Seth Kruger, also point to a few things they are proud of. Katherine leads the All Campus Party team, and says she is so proud of both how hard her team is pushing themselves to go outside the box with their events and of her co-director, Will Parrilli, who puts so much intention into the relationships he builds and events he helps plan. Seth, our Marketing Director, highlights how proud he is of revamping the WASB LinkedIn after years of inactivity. He notes that now “current members can share their professional accomplishments pertaining to event planning and executions, and alumni get a deeper dive and feature into some of the great things happening on campus.” That is truly what WASB is all about: connecting Badgers past, present, and future!
Now, in a way, writing this post has been an exercise in gratitude. I can’t believe how lucky I am to be surrounded by this many driven and achieving people – it’s a genuine testament to the community that WASB strives to create and nurture. What is most special about this organization is that one WASB’s accomplishment, one member’s pride, is a group win. Through it all, we can count on the support of our fellow WASBies, whether they’re wearing their white- and red-striped rugby or not. And that is what I am most proud of: that this community exists on the UW-Madison campus, and that I get to be a part of it.
by Mason Dean
Badger Voices Co-Chair, Campus and Community Engagement Team