Alumni and Students Enjoy 2008 Badger Sendoff Celebrations
September 5, 2008
WAA chapters around the nation have completed another successful season of Badger Sendoff Celebrations, helping new UW students and their families get a great start to their college experience.
Approximately 20 WAA chapters greeted more than 4,000 incoming students at celebrations this summer. The events often featured picnics or tailgate parties where alumni taught students about UW traditions, such as how to sing time-honored songs like “On Wisconsin” and “Varsity.” Incoming students also had the chance to meet fellow newcomers before classes began, and parents met other students’ families.
Here are just two stories about these successful events.
Have you attended a Badger Sendoff Celebration in your area? Log in at the end of this page and leave your comments about the fun!
WAA chapters around the nation have completed another successful season of Badger Sendoff Celebrations, helping new UW students and their families get a great start to their college experience.
Approximately 20 WAA chapters greeted more than 4,000 incoming students at celebrations this summer. The events often featured picnics or tailgate parties where alumni taught students about UW traditions, such as how to sing time-honored songs like “On Wisconsin” and “Varsity.” Incoming students also had the chance to meet fellow newcomers before classes began, and parents met other students’ families.
Here are just two stories about these successful events.
Have you attended a Badger Sendoff Celebration in your area? Log in at the end of this page and leave your comments about the fun!
WAA: Brown County Chapter
More than 150 people attended the 2008 WAA: Brown County Chapter's Badger Sendoff Celebration.
The freshmen heard from two UW sophomores and 2007 chapter scholarship winners, Andy Buss and Ben Ruh, who related experiences from their first year and answered questions from students and parents.
Students test their Badger IQ.
The evening ended with door prizes donated by campus area businesses and several practice versions of “Varsity.” Students took home a supply kit of items that they would need for their freshman year, including toothbrushes, advice from last year's scholarship recipients and other supplies.
Twelve members of the WAA: Brown County Chapter assisted in planning and running the event, and were pleased to hear several students and parents comment on the success of the event and how it flared their passion for the coming year. Isn't that what the whole event is about?!
— Erin Elliott ‘03, President, WAA: Brown County Chapter
— Erin Elliott ‘03, President, WAA: Brown County Chapter
WAA: Milwaukee Chapter
The UW Alumni Band made an appearance at the WAA: Milwaukee Chapter’s 2008 Badger Sendoff Celebration on Thursday, August 14 at Hart Park in Wauwatosa, Wis.
More than 155 people, including 120 students and parents, enjoyed a buffet dinner of barbequed chicken, brats, burgers, salads and fruit. Students dined at tables according to the residence hall they are living in this year, giving the students an opportunity to meet some of their new neighbors.
The evening kicked off with a UW-Madison trivia contest for the students, followed by a formal program with introductions from alumni volunteers. The crowd then heard from student Whitney Bauer of the Homecoming Committee, who gave an excellent talk summarizing her experiences with tips on what new students can do to be successful at the university.
Erin Morrison ’98, the chapter’s scholarship chair, introduced six of the nine students who won $3,000 tuition scholarships from the WAA: Milwaukee Chapter in 2008. Then UW Marching Band Director Mike Leckrone addressed the new Badgers, offering humorous but wise insights on how to succeed on the Madison campus, followed by lessons with help from the UW Alumni Band on all the Badger songs and proper hand movements.
The evening ended with door prizes, including two $500 tuition scholarships, six $100 gift certificates for Bucky's Locker Room and a number of other prizes. Overall, it was a great evening with a lot of fun for the new Badgers and their parents.
— Ray Eisemann '70, Secretary, WAA: Milwaukee Chapter
More than 155 people, including 120 students and parents, enjoyed a buffet dinner of barbequed chicken, brats, burgers, salads and fruit. Students dined at tables according to the residence hall they are living in this year, giving the students an opportunity to meet some of their new neighbors.
The evening kicked off with a UW-Madison trivia contest for the students, followed by a formal program with introductions from alumni volunteers. The crowd then heard from student Whitney Bauer of the Homecoming Committee, who gave an excellent talk summarizing her experiences with tips on what new students can do to be successful at the university.
Erin Morrison ’98, the chapter’s scholarship chair, introduced six of the nine students who won $3,000 tuition scholarships from the WAA: Milwaukee Chapter in 2008. Then UW Marching Band Director Mike Leckrone addressed the new Badgers, offering humorous but wise insights on how to succeed on the Madison campus, followed by lessons with help from the UW Alumni Band on all the Badger songs and proper hand movements.
The evening ended with door prizes, including two $500 tuition scholarships, six $100 gift certificates for Bucky's Locker Room and a number of other prizes. Overall, it was a great evening with a lot of fun for the new Badgers and their parents.
— Ray Eisemann '70, Secretary, WAA: Milwaukee Chapter
Events
- Ethics and The Future of Democratic Media - December 2
- Twin Cities - Volunteer with Loaves and Fishes - December 3
- WAA-Chicago Holiday Party 2008 - December 4
- UW & Marquette Young Alumni Holiday Happy Hour - December 4
