On April 8-9th, thousands of alumni and friends of UW-Madison came together to support the university and the many departments and initiatives across campus and—thanks to our incredible community of supporters—financial aid and scholarship support for students had a banner year!
It total, between the three funds the Division of Enrollment Management promoted this year (the Great People Scholarship, Emergency Student Support, the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program),we raised $108,832 from over 900 supporters (including matching funds). We cannot express enough our sincere gratitude for your generosity and compassion for our students. Thank you!
Leading the charge were Kristen Kadner ‘91 and Brian Roddy ‘92, who made a generous $25,000 matching gift to garner enthusiasm for the Great People Scholarship, the university’s flagship need-based scholarship fund that fuels high-priority aid initiatives like Bucky’s Tuition Promise and Bucky’s Pell Pathway for Wisconsin residents as well as BANNER for students residing outside the state. These initiatives offer critical support that enable talented students from low-income households to attend the UW, and they are a major reason why 66% of UW students graduate without student loan debt. We are thrilled to share that we far surpassed our matching goal this year, raising $83,529 from nearly 800 supporters.
The Emergency Student Support Fund is an invaluable resource that helps students get through times of unforeseen hardship. In some cases, it can be a key factor in helping them stay enrolled during this challenging period by offering support for financial emergencies such as food insecurity, emergency travel home, and other unexpected bills or expenses. Thanks in large part to a $10,000 matching gift by Susan Kirkpatrick ’87 made in memory of her husband, Bill Kirkpatrick ‘89, we raised $21,088 from 87 individuals.
And, for the first time, Day of the Badger featured the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise Program, UW – Madison’s commitment to Wisconsin residents who are enrolled members of federally recognized Wisconsin American Indian tribes. This monumental new initiative meets the full in-state cost of attendance for Wisconsin Native Nations students pursuing their first undergraduate degree—a program dependent on donor support. You helped build upon the momentum this year, with 37 individuals making gifts totaling $4,215 for the program.