From winter welcomes to spring milestones, the 2026 semester reflected the many ways UW–Madison’s global community connected, learned, and grew together. New students arrived and found their footing, scholars advanced research with international impact, and programs created meaningful opportunities for cross-cultural exchange. As the semester comes to a close, we’re highlighting a selection of moments from across the International Division that brought global perspectives to campus and extended the Wisconsin Idea beyond it.
JANUARY
International Student Services (ISS) hosted their annual International Student Welcome and Information Fair (ISWIF) to welcome incoming international students and connect them with student organizations and campus resources.
At the height of Wisconsin Intensive Summer Language Institutes‘ (WISLI) outreach season, the team hosted a two-day “Discover WISLI” event. 140 students stopped by to learn more, with conversations highlighting enthusiasm for studying languages such as Arabic, Burmese, Nepali, Portuguese, Tamil, Thai, Vietnamese, and Kazakh.
FEBRUARY
Vice Provost and Dean Frances Vavrus participated in a panel with three of her fellow deans as part of the Kauffman Seminar. The deans discussed their leadership journeys, challenges faced, and the importance of collaboration.
Madeleine Connolly, an international scholar from Australia, was featured for her research on the psychological barriers to exercise. By studying the intersection of mental health and physical activity, Connolly explores why it can be so difficult to stay active during periods of anxiety or depression—and how to overcome those hurdles.
MARCH
CREECA co-sponsored the “Embroidered with Pain” traveling exhibit of six reproductions of tapestries encoded with embroidered symbols telling the stories of Ukrainian wartime sexual violence survivors. The exhibition featured QR codes next to each wall hanging, and attendees were invited to “Read the Cloth” which provided the stories behind each image and “Read the Ornament,” which explained the meaning of recurring motifs in the embroidery.
Elsa Cardenas Canales, an international researcher from Mexico, was featured in the LACIS Lunchtime Lecture: Living with Vampire Bats. The event covered her work on managing the rabies virus in vampire bat populations with a “sticky” vaccine gel that utilizes the bats’ natural grooming habits.
The 54th annual Wisconsin High School Model United Nations (WHSMUN) returned to Ingraham Hall, bringing student delegates from across the state to practice the art of diplomacy. The event serves as a living example of the Wisconsin Idea by sharing the university’s global resources and expertise with the broader Wisconsin community.
UW–Madison students studying in Europe this spring traveled to Italy to attend the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
APRIL
Rajdeep Khangura, an international faculty member from India, was featured for his research on disease resistance in cereal crops. Khangura’s work is driven by a lifelong connection to the Wisconsin Idea, rooted in his childhood on a family farm in Punjab where his community relied on the dairy technology developed at UW–Madison.
IRIS and the Wisconsin Film Festival hosted the annual World Cinema Day, which brought over 800 K-12 students from across the state to campus. The program featured a collection of global short films, allowing students to see a wide range of storytelling styles and cultures.
MAY
ISS hosted the International Student Graduation Celebration honoring the Class of 2026. Students, along with their families and friends, came together to celebrate the graduates. The event featured remarks from International Division leadership and two student speakers.
The International Division celebrated graduates whose outstanding achievements and global perspectives have left a lasting impact on the UW–Madison campus and beyond.
