The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA) honored six extraordinary Badgers with the 2025 Luminary Awards. The event took place in the Great Hall inside the Memorial Union.
The Luminary Award recognizes Badger alumni who serve as aspirational examples for others in the areas of leadership, discovery, progress, and service. Alumni who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their professions or in the areas of service and philanthropy at least 15 years from graduation are eligible for this award.
Jessica Arp ’04, WFAA’s senior managing director of communications, led the recipients on a spirited discussion of their journeys from students to trailblazers, offering inspiring insights into lives dedicated to innovation, service, and positive change.
From Campus to Career: Stories of Impact
Trevor Owens ’06, an expert in digital history, traced his evolution from an undergraduate studying children’s books about Marie Curie and Albert Einstein to his current role as chief research officer at the American Institute of Physics. His passion for preservation — literally demonstrated by the floppy disc tattoo on his forearm — has shaped his career, ensuring that today’s knowledge remains accessible for tomorrow’s researchers.
Kelly Senecal MS’97, PhD’00 brought the audience from his basement start-up in 2001 to the headquarters of Convergent Science, the company he cofounded that has transformed how engineers design cleaner, more efficient machines. “I got married two weeks before I defended my PhD,” he shared with a laugh, “which just goes to show I’ve been overbooked my whole career.” His journey through the 2008 financial crisis proved serendipitous — while others struggled, companies desperately needed the efficiency solutions his software provided.
Ericka M. Sinclair ’94 moved the room with her story of nearly leaving UW–Madison during her first semester after losing her grandmother. Thanks to mentors like Candace McDowell, founding director of UW–Madison’s Multicultural Student Center — who Sinclair now calls her “Badger mom” — she persevered, eventually founding Health Connections Incorporated in Milwaukee. Her clinic’s mission is simple but profound: to help people navigate a health care system she knows firsthand can be confusing, even for those who work in it.
Rom Stevens ’78, MD’82 brought a sobering perspective, sharing his work training medical professionals in war-torn Ukraine. The retired Navy captain spoke about cycling through Europe to understand the history that shapes current conflicts. “If you want to understand the present, you have to read history,” he emphasized. His dedication to defending democracy through medical education exemplifies service at its highest level.
Allison Auda Wagner ’02 shared the remarkable growth of All-In Milwaukee, the nonprofit she launched in 2018, just before the pandemic hit. What began with 40 students has grown to 600 current scholars, with 91 percent of graduates staying in Wisconsin to start their careers. “Know your why,” she advised her younger self and others in the nonprofit sector. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
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Make a GiftWhat Lights Them Up
When asked what inspires them beyond their professional achievements, the honorees revealed their human side. Owens spoke of traveling the world with his wife, Marjee, exploring art and culture.
Senecal confessed he nearly chose touring with a band over graduate school (“I don’t know if I made the right choice, but you all probably think I did”), though music still lights him up — along with his family and, notably, hugging engines.
Sinclair shared photos of her grandmother Mildred, who passed the year she came to Madison, and her extended family who taught her the importance of community.
Stevens described his love of cycling through Europe, reading the inscriptions on statues, and talking to locals about history and current events.
Wagner emphasized mentoring and the joy of seeing students cross the finish line into successful careers.
Lessons from the Wisconsin Idea
The Wisconsin Idea — the principle that the university’s influence should extend beyond campus borders — was woven throughout the evening. Wagner learned it “loud and proud” in the School of Education, while Stevens takes it international, bringing decades of medical knowledge to those who need it most.
Senecal emphasized the importance of fundamentals in an age of AI and instant answers: “Being able to take your knowledge of the fundamentals and apply it to those solutions and kind of sort through all of the noise out there, I think it’s really critical.”
Owens reflected on transformational feedback from a teaching assistant on his first paper: “I went and talked with Brent who was my TA for the class, and he gave me such detailed feedback about how I was missing the mark, and I was able to say, okay, I can do this.”
Advice for Future Badgers
In closing, each honoree offered wisdom to their younger selves — and by extension, to current and future students:
- Owens: Explore every opportunity on campus, from the music committee to distinguished lecture series.
- Senecal: Embrace uncertainty and failure — you learn from it and become better.
- Sinclair: Trust your instincts, your voice, your compassion, and your purpose are enough. You don’t have to shrink to make others comfortable.
- Stevens: Keep an open mind, read broadly, learn languages, and stay physically active.
- Wagner: Know your why deeply — it will sustain you through challenging times.
As Sarah Schutt, chief alumni officer and executive director of the Wisconsin Alumni Association, noted in her opening remarks, these Badgers exemplify the best possible version of our future: driven, tenacious, creative, resilient, and deeply committed to making a positive impact.
The evening concluded with a reception where guests mingled with the honorees, undoubtedly leaving them inspired by these remarkable individuals who truly light the way for others.
Note: Andy Konwinski ’07, cofounder of Databricks and president and cofounder of Perplexity AI, was unable to attend but was also honored as a 2025 Luminary Award recipient.
