University of Wisconsin-Madison students and staff discussed U.S. Secretary of Education Michael Cardona’s intentions for making UW-Madison safe and as in-person as possible for the future on his "Return to School Roadtrip" on Tuesday.
Cardona started off the school year on a five-day tour, visiting schools for pre-kindergarten through higher education across the Midwest to explain President Joe Biden’s plan for a safer and more “normal” school year. Madison was the second stop on the secretary’s trip.
Cardona centered around a theme at each location he visited. UW-Madison’s theme was “celebrating public service” and its importance to every community, including the greater Madison area.
Public service has been a large part of student involvement at UW-Madison, as approximately 83% of UW-Madison students report to have participated in volunteer opportunities, according to a report from the university. The report also noted that 1,060 UW-Madison students volunteered within the past year.
As part of his commitment to public service, Cardona spoke with students in the Special Education teacher certification program at UW-Madison.
The special ed teacher program provides participating students with $38,800 during their residency in return for a three-year teaching commitment. The U.S. Department of Education has provided $2.5 million in funding for the program.
“Secretary Cardona was very passionate about education in general, and special education in particular,” said Bo Blocker, a graduate of the program, and special education teacher in Wisconsin. “He was so positive and thinking of ways to make positive change through policy and culture, and about ways to uplift the teaching profession. It was a great conversation.”
Cardona also spoke with students from the Latinx Community Center to commemorate Latinx Heritage Month, as he is the first Latinx person to hold the position of education secretary. He finished his tour by attending the Public Service Fair.
