The On Wisconsin Society is an annual award honoring exceptional student leaders exemplifying the Wisconsin Experience.
Winners have contributed in a meaningful and lasting way to the UW campus, made notable achievements in their academic, volunteer or professional life, and have demonstrated Badger spirit in terms of energy, initiative, creativity and drive in their accomplishments.
On Wisconsin Society award recipients will be recognized at events and activities throughout Homecoming week, honored on the field of Camp Randall during the Homecoming football game and receive a Life Membership in the Wisconsin Alumni Association.
Apply now! All applications are due by September 24, 2012.
Read below to learn more about the On Wisconsin Society and the inaugural class members.
Winners have contributed in a meaningful and lasting way to the UW campus, made notable achievements in their academic, volunteer or professional life, and have demonstrated Badger spirit in terms of energy, initiative, creativity and drive in their accomplishments.
On Wisconsin Society award recipients will be recognized at events and activities throughout Homecoming week, honored on the field of Camp Randall during the Homecoming football game and receive a Life Membership in the Wisconsin Alumni Association.
Apply now! All applications are due by September 24, 2012.
Read below to learn more about the On Wisconsin Society and the inaugural class members.
Emily Kesner x'12
Emily Kesner, a native of Wauwatosa, Wis., has always believed that both the Wisconsin Idea and the Wisconsin Experience are fundamental aspects of every student on campus. “We all have this shared love of what it means to be a Badger,” she said. To better involve herself with the Wisconsin Alumni Association, Kesner applied to the On Wisconsin Society with the goal of showcasing her undergraduate accomplishments with other campus leaders.
A foundational organizer of Dance Marathon, Kesner is proud of how she has been able to connect students and the greater university through this cause. Though Dance Marathon is just start its fourth year on campus, she can only imagine the effort students will give in the future to make a huge effort in others’ lives.
“It’s not about how much money we raise,” she said. “It’s about the individual families and helping them get the services they need.”
Kesner is also a tour guide supervisor with Visitor and Information Programs, sharing her love and passion for the university with others on a daily basis.
"I relish in the fact that I can see the light turn on in perspective students’ eyes when they feel they belong here."
Cara Ladd x'13
Cara Ladd of Delafield, Wis., wanted to delve into the aspects of the great tradition of the WAA after experiencing UW Homecoming for the past two years. Motivated by her diverse involvement and eagerness to stand alongside Badgers who are just as accomplished, Ladd applied for the On Wisconsin Society.
Ladd’s diverse involvement on campus has allowed her to experience much of what is offered at UW. “Experimentation during my freshman and sophomore years allowed me to grow,” she said. “Through focusing on different aspects of community service and being involved in numerous student organizations, I found students of all different backgrounds and experiences.”
In addition to being a tour guide supervisor with Visitor and Information Programs and past involvement with UW Health Occupation Student Association, Ladd has immersed herself in Slow Food UW, an organization dedicated to education about sustainable and local food. After working tirelessly in the spring semester, Ladd and her colleagues won the Wisconsin Idea Undergraduate Fellowship Award. She looks forward to applying this grant to local projects about food in the social justice system. Seeing lots of her work come to fruition, Ladd has high hopes about the future of Slow Food and its impact on the community.
“An important part of positive change in society is education.”
Steven Olikara x'12
Involved since his freshman year with campus-wide university initiatives, Steven Olikara of Brookfield, Wis., has a passion for advancing UW’s service mission, known as the Wisconsin Idea. As a member of the On Wisconsin Society, he hopes to share his passion for the university and inspire other Badgers to capture the “magic” of the Wisconsin Experience.
This year’s Senior Class President, Olikara sees UW as a campus with myriad opportunities for students to bridge their campus involvement with the community.
During his time on campus, he has been a leader in envisioning how the university can address complex societal challenges while creating unique opportunities for its students. He has recently helped to create and launch the Office of Sustainability, as well as a new international service-learning initiative called Wisconsin Without Borders. Last year, he designed a new field program in China, which he piloted over the summer. “Our programs represent a new Wisconsin Idea that is more interdisciplinary and more engaged around the world,” he says.
Representing Wisconsin as a Truman and Udall Scholar—two of the nation’s highest honors for public service and leadership—Olikara was also involved in establishing this year as the Year of the Wisconsin Idea and has been invited to speak with alumni groups and prospective students around the country. He hopes the sum of his legacy on campus will help secure what he describes as the “unparalleled opportunity of the Wisconsin Experience” for future generations of Badgers.
“As the university’s business model evolves for the 21st century, its service to the state and globe has never been more important.”
