Association News
European (Re)unions
They may prefer vintage Bordeaux to Old Milwaukee, and perhaps they've traded their boiled lake perch for perche anglaise, but UW-Madison's European alumni are as loyal as any. And so WAA and the university are working to keep those graduates connected to the UW community.
Last December, Gilles Bousquet, dean of international studies, traveled with WAA's international relations specialist, Liz Stern '70, to Paris to meet with sixteen alumni from France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. There they discussed new ways to keep European alumni connected to UW-Madison and each other. One goal was to create an international alumni network across Europe, in addition to the alumni chapters already established in several European nations.
The idea grew out of a conversation between Bousquet and Anna Ikle '96, an expatriate American living in England. Ikle said that she'd like to have more contact with European alumni. UW-Madison has more than three thousand graduates living in Europe, but only two formal chapters — in Norway and Iceland. So Bousquet and WAA planners theorized that there might be opportunities for alumni activity to cross traditional boundaries and borders. "Because of the European Union, alumni in these countries are already used to working internationally," says Stern. "A pan-European network would provide them with valuable contacts and opportunities."
Last December, Gilles Bousquet, dean of international studies, traveled with WAA's international relations specialist, Liz Stern '70, to Paris to meet with sixteen alumni from France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. There they discussed new ways to keep European alumni connected to UW-Madison and each other. One goal was to create an international alumni network across Europe, in addition to the alumni chapters already established in several European nations.
The idea grew out of a conversation between Bousquet and Anna Ikle '96, an expatriate American living in England. Ikle said that she'd like to have more contact with European alumni. UW-Madison has more than three thousand graduates living in Europe, but only two formal chapters — in Norway and Iceland. So Bousquet and WAA planners theorized that there might be opportunities for alumni activity to cross traditional boundaries and borders. "Because of the European Union, alumni in these countries are already used to working internationally," says Stern. "A pan-European network would provide them with valuable contacts and opportunities."
A leadership team will come together this summer in Oslo, Norway, at Europe 2003 to
continue the process. "These alumni are excited about getting more involved and
are enthusiastic about sharing ideas," says Stern. "We're making an important trans-atlantic connection for UW-Madison."
Transatlantic connections will be a central topic for many who attend Europe 2003, WAA's international alumni conference. Alumni from around the globe will gather to duscuss such topics as recent developments in biotechnology and security, as well as hear a university update from Chancellor John Wiley.
"International alumni are ambassadors of Wisconsin to the world," says Bousquet. "A strong alumni network would be a resource for our study-abroad students and faculty overseas, and give international alumni a way to stay involved with the university."
continue the process. "These alumni are excited about getting more involved and
are enthusiastic about sharing ideas," says Stern. "We're making an important trans-atlantic connection for UW-Madison."
Transatlantic connections will be a central topic for many who attend Europe 2003, WAA's international alumni conference. Alumni from around the globe will gather to duscuss such topics as recent developments in biotechnology and security, as well as hear a university update from Chancellor John Wiley.
"International alumni are ambassadors of Wisconsin to the world," says Bousquet. "A strong alumni network would be a resource for our study-abroad students and faculty overseas, and give international alumni a way to stay involved with the university."
WAA, the Office of the Chancellor, and other sponsors of Europe 2003 are bringing to the conference a broad array of presenters, including such alumni as former Citigroup executive Paul Collins '58 and Richard Kilgust '72, MBA'72, senior partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Attendees will have the chance to hear from European business and scientific leaders, including Robert Chabbal, former director of the French Center for National Scientific Research, and Professor Steiner Finderud of the Norwegian Radium Hospital, as well as diplomats John Ong and Knut Vollebæk. UW-Madison is even sending entertainment, in the form of the School of Music's Galena String Quartet.
— Erin Hueffner '00
— Erin Hueffner '00
Badgers Remember the Alamo Bowl
More than three hundred WAA travelers witnessed a piece of history in San Antonio — and it wasn't just some long-ago battlefield. On December 29, the football Badgers became the first team ever to win in overtime at the Alamo Bowl when they defeated fourteenth-ranked
Colorado 31-28.
In addition to the cliff-hanger game, Badger fans who made the trip were treated to a floating parade along San Antonio's RiverWalk, the music of the UW Marching Band, appearances by the UW Spirit Squad, and a pep rally at San Antonio's Lone Star Station. "No matter what, Wisconsin fans are always full of energy," says Ken Ciriacks '58. "Everyone wears their red, and there's this great sense of camaraderie."
Though the Alamo Bowl victory capped an uneven season for the Badgers, fans were pleased with the opportunity to follow the team for postseason play.
"We've made some great friends on WAA trips over the years, and we love to go on bowl tours together because they're so much fun," says Mary Carbon, who went to the Alamo Bowl with her spouse, Ed Carbon '50. "The Badger fans, the team, the city — it was all wonderful."
— E.H.
Colorado 31-28.
In addition to the cliff-hanger game, Badger fans who made the trip were treated to a floating parade along San Antonio's RiverWalk, the music of the UW Marching Band, appearances by the UW Spirit Squad, and a pep rally at San Antonio's Lone Star Station. "No matter what, Wisconsin fans are always full of energy," says Ken Ciriacks '58. "Everyone wears their red, and there's this great sense of camaraderie."
Though the Alamo Bowl victory capped an uneven season for the Badgers, fans were pleased with the opportunity to follow the team for postseason play.
"We've made some great friends on WAA trips over the years, and we love to go on bowl tours together because they're so much fun," says Mary Carbon, who went to the Alamo Bowl with her spouse, Ed Carbon '50. "The Badger fans, the team, the city — it was all wonderful."
— E.H.
Travel Reunion
WAA's 2004 travel roster includes more than fifty trips, so adding another one may not seem extraordinary. Nevertheless, the new Wolves and Wildlife of Yellowstone adventure is making association history. The ecological tour is the first WAA journey to grow out of grassroots action.
Although the tour will take travelers to view wildlife in Wyoming, the journey began in Churchill, Manitoba, in October 2002. WAA has been sending excursions to view Churchill's polar bears for several years, but as last year's tour drew to a close, the group of fourteen travelers, who hadn't known each other before the trip, decided their time together had been too good to end — and so they wouldn't let it.
With the help of Sheri Hicks, WAA's travel director, the group decided to meet again on another animal adventure tour — one that wasn't on the WAA schedule. By January 2003, all fourteen had arranged for a brand-new trip to study wolves in Yellowstone in early 2004.
Although the tour will take travelers to view wildlife in Wyoming, the journey began in Churchill, Manitoba, in October 2002. WAA has been sending excursions to view Churchill's polar bears for several years, but as last year's tour drew to a close, the group of fourteen travelers, who hadn't known each other before the trip, decided their time together had been too good to end — and so they wouldn't let it.
With the help of Sheri Hicks, WAA's travel director, the group decided to meet again on another animal adventure tour — one that wasn't on the WAA schedule. By January 2003, all fourteen had arranged for a brand-new trip to study wolves in Yellowstone in early 2004.
"We have never previously committed to any trip this far [over a year] in advance," says Newell Smith '42. "We do love to dream and plan ahead, but we don't usually buy green bananas. However, we wanted to ensure having a hiatus with happy companions and howling wolves, so we got aboard."
Even Matt Kareus, who works for the tour provider, Natural Habitat Adventures, was caught off guard by the WAA travelers' proposed reunion. "I can say that this has never happened in my six-plus years at Natural Habitat ... nor anything remotely close."
Although the 2004 Wolves and Wildlife tour is full, WAA plans to offer the journey again in the future. If you'd like to learn more about wildlife adventure travel such as the Polar Bear Watch and Wolves and Wildlife of Yellowstone, or about the legendary camaraderie of WAA trips, contact our travel department at (888) 922-8728.
- Candice Andrews '77
Even Matt Kareus, who works for the tour provider, Natural Habitat Adventures, was caught off guard by the WAA travelers' proposed reunion. "I can say that this has never happened in my six-plus years at Natural Habitat ... nor anything remotely close."
Although the 2004 Wolves and Wildlife tour is full, WAA plans to offer the journey again in the future. If you'd like to learn more about wildlife adventure travel such as the Polar Bear Watch and Wolves and Wildlife of Yellowstone, or about the legendary camaraderie of WAA trips, contact our travel department at (888) 922-8728.
- Candice Andrews '77
Call to Badger Action
A family's first college graduate. A life saved by organ transplant. A small business that prospered thanks to new technology.
So many Wisconsinites have tales about how UW-Madison has influenced their lives, and we want to hear them. The Badger Action Network (BAN) is collecting stories about UW-Madison and its impact on both individuals and Wisconsin communities so that we can share them with state lawmakers.
Wisconsin's government faces extremely difficult fiscal times. The state is anticipating a $452 million budget deficit for the remaining months of the 2002-03 fiscal year, and projections estimate a $3.2 billion deficit in the 2003-05 budget biennium. Most elected officials have pledged not to raise taxes, so legislators are scrambling to make deep cuts in spending. As one of the larger allocations of state dollars, the UW System — and consequently UW-Madison — is expected to take a significant portion of the cuts.
So many Wisconsinites have tales about how UW-Madison has influenced their lives, and we want to hear them. The Badger Action Network (BAN) is collecting stories about UW-Madison and its impact on both individuals and Wisconsin communities so that we can share them with state lawmakers.
Wisconsin's government faces extremely difficult fiscal times. The state is anticipating a $452 million budget deficit for the remaining months of the 2002-03 fiscal year, and projections estimate a $3.2 billion deficit in the 2003-05 budget biennium. Most elected officials have pledged not to raise taxes, so legislators are scrambling to make deep cuts in spending. As one of the larger allocations of state dollars, the UW System — and consequently UW-Madison — is expected to take a significant portion of the cuts.
What can we as alumni of UW-Madison do to help protect the high quality of the educational institution from which we all benefited? Together, our 120,000 in-state alumni must make their voices heard. A recent study conducted by UW-Madison found that for every dollar the state invests in the university, it will receive almost $10 in return — in the taxes paid by graduates (who typically earn more than nongraduates), in the creation of new businesses and industries, and in the goods and services graduates purchase in every village, city, and county in Wisconsin.
While the university and WAA understand that we must shoulder part of the burden and take our share of funding cuts, we also believe that legislators and citizens throughout the state must be reminded of UW-Madison's impact on the state's economy and its important role in countless other ways. BAN is a grassroots legislative advocacy program that works to inform decision-makers of this impact.
If you would like to share your story about how UW-Madison has affected you or your community, or if you are interested in joining BAN, visit uwalumni.com/BAN. For information about BAN activities, contact Mike Fahey at (608) 263-2645 or by e-mail at MikeFahey@uwalumni.com.
— Eric Schutt '94
While the university and WAA understand that we must shoulder part of the burden and take our share of funding cuts, we also believe that legislators and citizens throughout the state must be reminded of UW-Madison's impact on the state's economy and its important role in countless other ways. BAN is a grassroots legislative advocacy program that works to inform decision-makers of this impact.
If you would like to share your story about how UW-Madison has affected you or your community, or if you are interested in joining BAN, visit uwalumni.com/BAN. For information about BAN activities, contact Mike Fahey at (608) 263-2645 or by e-mail at MikeFahey@uwalumni.com.
— Eric Schutt '94
