Global Alumni, Wisconsin Connections

Our alumni are a vital network of Badgers advancing global collaboration and innovation. Whether you’re exploring transformative opportunities like Peace Corps and Fulbright, reconnecting through regional alumni chapters, or finding inspiration in the stories of fellow graduates, you’ll find ways to stay engaged and make a difference.

CONNECT

Fulbright

Fulbright offers students, alumni, and faculty chances to explore research, teaching, and art.

Peace Corps

Join your local alumni chapter to stay engaged with UW. Don’t see a chapter near you? Start one today!

Badgers Near You

Continue your lifelong learning with UW-Madison. Check out our alumni learning programs.

Profiles in Global Achievement

Across industries and continents, UW–Madison alumni are leaving their mark. These stories spotlight graduates whose global vision, leadership, and impact exemplify the Wisconsin Idea on the world stage.

Kang Seok-hoon

Kang Seok-hoon chairs the Korea Development Bank and has led in academia, government, and finance—advancing Korea’s tech-driven economy while staying closely connected to UW.

Tai Sik Lee

Tai Sik Lee, president of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, is a leader in Korea’s science and tech sectors, advancing space innovation and global collaboration, including a NASA Mars habitat project.

Karndee Leopairote

Karndee Leopairote, chief foresight officer at Thailand’s FutureTales Lab, drives innovation through data to tackle global issues like sustainability and inequality.

Varawut Silpa-archa

Varawut Silpa-archa serves as Thailand’s Minister of Social Development. He leads with purpose in politics and sustainability, earning UW Thailand’s 2023 Badger of the Year.

Joel Baraka

Joel Baraka co-created 5 STA-Z to make learning fun. With fellow alum Anson Liow, he launched My Home Stars to bring games and hope to Ugandan classrooms.

Pongsak Payakvichien

Pongsak Payakvichien, executive media director and former WAAT president, has led Thai journalism, advanced press freedom, and supported UW–Madison journalism for over 40 years.

Krishna Ella

Krishna Ella cofounder of Bharat Biotech, received an honorary UW degree for advancing global health with vaccines like Covaxin, improving access in over 120 countries.

Sumaiya Firoze

Sumaiya Firoze leads USAID conservation efforts in Bangladesh, applying UW training to protect biodiversity, build climate resilience, and empower communities through local partnerships.

Archit Gupta

Archit Gupta founded Clear, one of India’s top fintech firms, after studying computer science at UW–Madison. His platform now serves 6M+ users and 80K+ tax professionals.

Penny Lukito

Penny Lukito leads Indonesia’s drug and food agency, BPOM, focusing on regulatory reform, safety, and global partnerships—including with UW and the U.S. FDA—to improve public health.

Mohamed Amin

Mohamed Amin develops tools to help pharmacists deliver culturally sensitive care to Muslim patients fasting during Ramadan, improving health outcomes in growing Muslim communities.

Rattavut Teerakapibal

Rattavut Teerakapibal helps develop long-acting HIV treatments at GlaxoSmithKline's ViiV Healthcare, aiming to reduce dosing frequency and expand global access to care.

Sandhiya Karunagaran

Sandhiya Karunagaran blends global experience, authenticity, and collaboration in her leadership approach as she begins her consulting career at Deloitte after graduating from the Wisconsin School of Business.

Nelson Tansu

Nelson Tansu, professor at Lehigh University, credits UW–Madison for shaping his scientific career, leadership values, and lifelong passion for research and mentorship.

Mehrad Arjmand

Mehrad Arjmand cofounded Novomoto to deliver solar-powered energy to off-grid communities in Congo, replacing kerosene lamps and improving safety, education, and quality of life.

Yoshiyuki Kasai

UW alumnus Yoshiyuki Kasai, chairman emeritus of JR Central, is shaping future leaders by opening doors to Japan’s high-speed rail industry through a one-of-a-kind internship for UW students.

Kyoko Michishita

UW alumna Kyoko “Michi” Michishita used writing and translation to bring feminism, art, and history to Japan, introducing icons like Gloria Steinem and Georgia O’Keeffe and sharing her own wartime story.

Takeo Fujikura

UW–Madison alumnus Takeo Fujikura blends mime, sound, and storytelling to captivate modern audiences—bridging art and education through performance, innovation, and active learning in Japan.