Former vice president and Badger Richard “Dick” Cheney PhDx’68 passed away on November 3, 2025, at the age of 84. He was a distinguished public servant and will be remembered for his strategic leadership and enduring impact on American politics.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and raised in Casper, Wyoming, Cheney pursued higher education at Yale University before earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in political science from the University of Wyoming. He later attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison as a doctoral student in political science from 1966 to 1968. Though he did not complete his degree, Cheney’s time at UW–Madison was foundational. He was a full-time student for three semesters, part-time for one, and was a dissertation shy of finishing his doctorate. He left the UW to accept a prestigious congressional fellowship in Washington, D.C.
Cheney’s professors at UW–Madison recalled him as a serious and mature student. Professor and former chancellor Bernard Cohen, then chair of the political science department, helped facilitate Cheney’s fellowship and described him as “earnest, serious, and hard-working.” Professor M. Crawford Young, who taught Cheney during his time on campus, remembered him as “a quiet and competent member” of his class. Cheney also worked for Wisconsin Governor Warren P. Knowles LLB’33 during his studies, further demonstrating his early dedication to public service.
I can draw a straight line from my decision to study at the University of Wisconsin to the career in public service that I’ve found so deeply rewarding. … To look back on those years in Wisconsin is to draw upon many fine memories — the great intellectual challenges, the warm friendships and even the birth of my first child. I never did finish that PhD, but I’ll always count my arrival in Madison as one of life’s happiest turning points.
— Dick Cheney in comments to the Department of Political Science
Cheney’s legacy remains part of the university’s broader history of producing influential leaders. He will be remembered for his life of service, values of leadership, and the civic engagement he exemplified.
