News

Frances Vavrus
Frances Vavrus, Dean and Vice Provost of the International Division at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Message from the Dean

As we begin this new semester, I want to extend a warm welcome to new and returning students, staff, and faculty at UW–Madison. I hope this semester opens a world of possibilities for each of you.

Referring to the past few months as summer “break” seems a misnomer to me as many of our International Division programs and activity were at their peak from June through August.

The Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes (WISLI) hosted almost 200 students on campus for intensive learning for more than 20 less commonly taught languages (LCTLs). Participants in WISLI see extraordinary growth during their time in Madison, acquiring two semesters of language learning in only eight weeks. I am proud that UW is a LCTL hub because even though these may be less commonly taught languages in the U.S., the cultural, diplomatic, and scholarly importance of each of them, from Arabic to Vietnamese, cannot be overstated. I invite all current and prospective language learners to consider the summer 2025 WISLI session and reach out for more information. Read more.

International News at UW