University of Wisconsin–Madison
The UW–Madison community was saddened by the passing of Marguerite Jacqmin Soffa (October 27, 1924–May 30, 2023), a stalwart supporter of the university and champion for human rights. Mrs. Soffa met her husband, J. Jobe Soffa at UW–Madison, where they both studied and received degrees. She received her Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in …
UW–Madison alumna Megan (Arendt) Manning ’10 is working as associate communications director for Action on Smoking & Health (ASH)—a D.C. based nonprofit implementing legal and policy measures to end the global tobacco epidemic. International issues have long been an area of high interest for Manning, who is originally from Kenosha. She participated in Model UN in high school (representing Rwanda) before enrolling at UW–Madison, where she double majored in international studies and political science with a certificate in African Studies.
Congratulations to all Badgers who are graduating from the University of Wisconsin–Madison! There are many outstanding Badgers who will be receiving degrees, each with their own unique stories and accomplishments. I would like to highlight two of our international students who have blazed their own trails during their time at the university. Jiayi “Joy” Chen …
UW–Madison’s Institute for Regional and International Studies National Resource Center is delighted to welcome Foreign Service Officer Lachlyn Soper to campus as its Spring 2023 International Visiting Practitioner in Residence. Lachlyn Soper is a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State, with nearly 20 years of experience in public service. She most recently served at …
Jessica Kosmider knew early on she wanted to pursue a career in foreign policy, declaring the major during her second week as a UW–Madison student. Selecting the major was the easy part, but making her dream a reality would be the challenge. Through educational opportunities, internships, mentors, and her own drive and willingness to explore …
Navigating tax season can be a frustrating for anyone—well almost anyone. When Archit Gupta, M.S. ’08, listened as his father, a CPA in India, described issues with filing taxes for firms and users, he heard what he thought was a “fun problem” to solve. In short, the process was complicated and difficult, even for the …
UW–Madison alumna Ulla Connor received an honorary doctorate of philosophy from Åbo Akademi University in Finland in May 2022. Connor earned her PhD in curriculum and instruction from the School of Education in 1978, and now serves as the Chancellor’s Professor of English at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). At IUPUI, she was the first director of …
Environmental conservation alumna Sumaiya Firoze applies skills learned in graduate program to home country of Bangladesh. Traveling from the opposite side of the world, Sumaiya Firoze came to the Nelson Institute determined to grow her conservation knowledge and skills to help her home country of Bangladesh. “When I saw the curriculum of the master’s program, …
UW–Madison alumna Yun-Wen Chan is the recipient of a prestigious award from the Taiwanese government. Chan, who earned her PhD from the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction in 2019, has been awarded the Ministry of Science and Technology’s 2022 Taiwanese Overseas Pioneers Grant for Young Scholars. The purpose of these grants is to encourage …
Recent graduate Daniel Ledin’s passion for international and domestic policy has led him everywhere from the Wisconsin Capitol to the office of former Ambassador to Guatemala Donald Planty and now to Washington, D.C.. One thread tying it all together—a global outlook and the means to realize it during his time at UW–Madison. Ledin began his …