As we welcome longer, brighter, and warmer days in Madison and embrace a new semester, many on campus are also looking with enthusiasm to the Lunar New Year. On February 17, we begin the Year of the Horse, and the energy, joy, creativity, and industriousness associated with the Horse are qualities we embrace in the International Division.
There are several recent examples of this spirit that immediately come to mind:
A few weeks ago, I had dinner with members of the International Student Services Advisory Board (ISSAB). As they spoke of their multiple majors, research projects, and community engagement, I was reminded yet again of the vitality and inventiveness that our international students and scholars bring to our campus. We welcomed more than 300 new international students in the spring semester, and I have no doubt that they, like their counterparts on ISSAB, will make a mark on Wisconsin and the world.
I also had the pleasure of attending a talk last month sponsored by our Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies (LACIS) Program and delivered by George McReddie, one of the members of the International Division’s Board of Visitors. His enthusiasm for Latin America, where he spent most of his career, was evident in his discussion of political developments in his former home of Argentina. It was inspiring to see students and senior scholars engaging in lively discussion about this important region. LACIS, like each of our nine area studies centers in the Institute for Regional and International Studies, has an incredible array of offerings, and I encourage you to peruse the websites of these vibrant centers.
In the next few weeks, we will celebrate Peace Corps Week, Fulbright Week, and participate in the International Festival at the Overture Center. The hard work that goes into these events is commendable, and I’m proud to be part of a team that embraces the boldness, change, and rare energy of a Fire Horse year as we will see throughout 2026. Happy New Year, and On, Wisconsin!