The Daily Cardinal has been UW-Madison’s premier independent news source for over 130 years. In fact, we’re the sixth-oldest student newspaper in the entire United States.
Our reporters and photographers go far and wide to find intriguing stories and provide our community with the truth. And our success isn’t limited to college — Cardinal alumni have gone on to win over 20 Pulitzer Prizes.
But we can’t do it alone, and we never have. That’s why we’re launching Cardinal Wings, a new donation program that invites parents and community members to directly support our award-winning student reporters.
With your monthly or annual donation, the Cardinal Wings program will help support our staffers as the field of journalism continues to evolve.
You’ll also get to build the future of journalism.
Cardinal reporters, photographers and artists gain an insurmountable level of experience they can’t find anywhere else in college. The stories they write and the connections they make are foundations for a fruitful journalism career.
This past year alone, Cardinal reporters were on the field at Camp Randall Stadium, covered major speeches and events at the state Capitol, reviewed more than two dozen concerts at local venues and provided to-the-minute updates in the streets amidst high-profile protests. One of our reporters even got to meet President Biden (yes, the President Biden).
The Daily Cardinal Features Editor Ellie Bourdo interviews Wisconsin state Rep. Melissa Ratcliff during Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to Pleasant Prairie, Wis., on August 3, 2023.
We were also honored to win the Wisconsin Newspaper Association’s General Excellence award and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence award last year, once again cementing our paper as the best in the Upper Midwest.
The Cardinal is primed to keep producing award-winning coverage and future leaders in local, state and national newsrooms.
So, we invite you to join the Cardinal as we cultivate an environment of positive professional development for the next generation of journalists.
Your support will provide new equipment, top-quality training seminars with professional journalists, official press credentials and election night pizzas for our burgeoning journalists.
There are some great perks involved, too: Cardinal Wings members will receive an exclusive monthly newsletter featuring writers of the month, interviews with current and former Cardinal staff and behind-the-scenes updates on our award-winning coverage. Supporters will also receive a December holiday card from Cardinal staff and a year-in-review video at the end of the 2023-24 academic year.
To become a member, go to https://www.dailycardinal.com/page/membership. Members also receive a tax deduction receipt for qualifying 501(c)(3) donations at the end of the calendar year.
Every young Cardinal needs a pair of wings. Your Cardinal Wings donation helps our award-winning student journalists soar to prolific careers and ensures the future of journalism remains in safe hands.
Tyler Katzenberger is the former managing editor at The Daily Cardinal. He also served as the state news editor, covering numerous protests, elections, healthcare, business and in-depth stories. He previously interned with The Capital Times, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and is an incoming POLITICO California intern. Follow him on Twitter at @TylerKatzen.
Drake White-Bergey is the former editor-in-chief and photo editor of The Daily Cardinal. As a photojournalist, his coverage focuses on politics and protests. Drake is a 2024 graduate with a degree in History and Journalism.
You can follow him on Instagram at @whitebergey.photography and on Twitter at @DWhiteBergey. You can view his portfolio at https://drakewhitebergeyphoto.wordpress.com/
