Exactly 169 years ago today, a group of Badgers attended UW-Madison’s first classes. Now, Feb. 5 — Founders’ Day — is celebrated by students and alumni around the world.
UW-Madison has since grown from 720-square-foot room of 20 students learning Latin and arithmetic and into a 936-acre institution with over 43,000 students. On Monday, Badgers as far as Chile and Mumbai started to celebrate Founders’ Day.
Back home in Madison, however, alumni and students gathered at One Alumni Place Monday with food, drink and reflection.
Founders’ Day tradition boosts alumni outreach
Founders’ Day provides alumni all over the world with the chance to reconnect and celebrate their love for UW-Madison, according to Lisa Schutt, the executive director of the Wisconsin Alumni Association.
Schutt said this event does not only celebrate UW-Madison, but also “all the wonderful things” that have come from the university, like research and outreach.
“There are many many things we have to be proud of as alumni, faculty and staff of the university,” Schutt said.
According to Schutt, Founders’ Day is one of the university’s widest-reaching alumni-engagement events, with more than 60 events that occur between February and May across the globe that raise money for scholarships.
“It is sometimes the one time of year where folks in more remote areas of alumni — almost like a reunion — and their great work helps to raise more than $15,000 in scholarship funds to support students to attend UW-Madison,” she said.
Chancellor praises progress, looks to future
Chancellor Rebecca Blank said Founders' Day is not only about a chance to reconnect with alumni and to reflect on UW-Madison’s history, but also an opportunity for current faculty and staff to thank alumni.
According to Blank, UW-Madison’s alumni serve as recruiters, mentors and advisors whose contributions to the university have helped expand its faculty and attract top students. Blank cited scholarships such as Badger Promise, which helps first-generation college students afford their education.
“[These scholarships] ensure that every person who is qualified, who is admitted to this university, can afford to come,” Blank said.
In addition to the programs made possible by alumni funding, Blank also highlighted UW-Madison’s achievements over the past year. She underscored the increasing number of applications, a steady student retention rate and a growing graduation rate as indicators of the university’s success.
According to Blank, the university’s 169th year is poised to further the school’s recent record of success.
“We have had an outstanding year here in education,” she said. “We are providing students with outstanding preparation to become engaged citizens and to be part of the future of this country.”
First Wave co-creator accepts award as part of festivities
For the past nine years The Forward under 40 Award has been a part of the Founders' Day celebration, given annually to alumni under the age of 40 who are living the Wisconsin Idea through their work and contributions to society.
While there will be eight awards given out this spring, the first was given out Monday to Roberto Rivera.
Rivera, who graduated from UW-Madison in 2004, made it his mission to engage at-risk youth who struggle with school and life challenges, just as he did growing up. While at UW-Madison, Rivera designed his own major — Change, Youth, Culture and the Arts — and helped create the First Wave Program, a four-year, full tuition hip-hop scholarship.
Rivera eventually founded The Good Life Organization, which supports the positive development of youths by connecting with them through hip-hop to reduce dropout and incarceration rates. The company aims to reach and positively influence two million youths in the next five years.
During his speech, Rivera announced that he and his wife will be starting a scholarship fund for DACA recipients to attend UW-Madison.
“We believe these DACA students have ideas that can revolutionize different industries,” he said.
