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A CELEBRATION OFOutstandingAdult StudentsTUESDAYAPRIL 26, 2022UNION SOUTHUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MADISON
Outstanding Adult StudentCelebration and ReceptionWelcomeMartin Rouse, associate dean and director, Adult Career and Special Student ServicesOpening remarksNidia Bañuelos, assistant professor, Liberal Arts and Applied StudiesRecognition of Badger Ready graduates and transfer studentsAutumn Sanchez, Badger Ready Program manager, Adult Career and Special Student ServicesAce Hilliard, Badger Ready Program outreach coordinator, Adult Career and Special StudentServicesTRANSFER STUDENTS(successfully completed Badger Ready requirements)Eligh AlvarezStephanie CalvertAlex ForsethNolan FrankJeff GniadekEdward HerzbergKristy JorgensenAnnie LewisJoshua MillerJessi MirickJaime WendtAlexander YelinekJeffrey HickelTyler JohnstonAlex SmithGRADUATESAshley Fearn-SemenasJason GlompPresentation of ScholarshipsMartin Rouse, associate dean and director, Adult Career and Special Student ServicesAnne Niendorf, scholarship coordinator, Adult Career and Special Student ServicesThe following scholarships are funded by the listed organization and private donors to the Adult StudentScholarship Fund.2 Outstanding Adult Student Celebration and Reception
ALMA BARON SECOND CHANCE FOR WOMEN SCHOLARSHIPPhadrian GlennAshley MillsAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN-MONONA/MADISONBRANCH SCHOLARSHIPMeg MercyMARY K. ROUSE AND ROGER P. BRUESEWITZ BEYOND BARS SCHOLARSHIPRobert HallJOE CORRY AND BARBARA WESTON CORRY SCHOLARSHIPDiana ThomawongMelady VueCRANKSTART REENTRY SCHOLARSHIPAmy BartosiakTami Elizabeth BurnsNolan FrankRobert HallJed HeckmanNicole KnutsonChristopher MaleckiMeg MercyRebecca ParmentierZalissa Zongo KafandoSTUART DAILY SEEDS OF LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPEmily AkinsMelady VueNANCY W. DENNEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPMeg MercyRebecca ParmentierKINDNESS MATTERS SCHOLARSHIPShue GottschalkBERNICE D. KUNEY SCHOLARSHIPDiana ThomawongJenna RiediPLATO (PARTICIPATORY LEARNING AND TEACHING ORGANIZATION)SCHOLARSHIPEmily AkinsNolan FrankKristi KimoteMary PulchinskiRETURNING ADULT SCHOLARSHIPEmily AkinsVera Leone BrownNicole GregorichAshley MillsMolli PauliotMelady Vue3
PROGRAM continuedBritt-Marie ZeidlerSINGLE PARENT UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPTierney CushmanMichelle KelleyAmanda SauriUNIVERSITY LEAGUE SCHOLARSHIPAshley MillsCYNTHIA MCCREARY HOLBROOK YOUMANS UNIVERSITY LEAGUE SCHOLARSHIPKelly JohnsonBERNARD OSHER REENTRY SCHOLARSHIPAmy BartosiakTami Elizabeth BurnsTierney CushmanAmy ElbeRobert HallJed HeckmanMichelle KelleyNicole KnutsonAli LuedkeChristopher MaleckiJoshua MillerJoseph NicgorskiNathaniel ShaverAmie SwansonZalissa Zongo KafandoOutstanding Undergraduate Returning Adult Student AwardsThese awards were established in 1981 by the Dean of Students Office to honor returning adults whohave arrived at senior status while juggling all the commitments of adult life. As the call for nomineesstates, these are students “whose unusual determination and perseverance have enabled them to pursue academic goals and to contribute to the community by demonstrated leadership and/or service.”Presentation of Adult Student AwardsMari Magler, director, McBurney Disability Resource CenterAutumn Sanchez, award coordinator, Adult Career and Special Student ServicesNOMINEESMariah AntigoneLawrence GannFINALISTSKathy KemnitzJessica WardWINNERSChristine GerbitzCarly MajorDanielle Tolzmann4 Outstanding Adult Student Celebration and Reception
Student Stories(In alphabetical order)After making the difficult decision to take abreak from school due to financial challenges,Emily Akins was able to return to her studiesin the fall of 2021. She is currently a graduatestudent in the master of social work program atUW–Madison with a focus on mental health.After she graduates and earns her license as aclinical social worker, Emily will open her ownprivate practice. Emily’s goal is to serve a widerpopulation as a Spanish-speaking psychotherapist, and wants to make her services accessibleand affordable to all clients. She also has astrong desire to work on social justice issues asshe breaks down the walls of mental-health andsubstance-use stigma.Eligh Alvarez’s first experience with collegeat Northwestern University did not go ashe had hoped. He left school and joined theAir National Guard to train as an ExplosiveOrdnance Disposal technician; one of the mostdifficult training programs provided by themilitary. He worked hard and learned reliability,discipline, and professionalism; all skills he knowswill help him succeed at UW–Madison. Hestarted with the Badger Ready program and wasadmitted to start this spring as a transfer student.As a paramedic, Mariah Antigone began toquestion why their most vulnerable patientsstruggled to get the health care that theyneeded. They decided to become a nurse withthe hope it would give them a better understanding of the health of communities. Theygraduated with a registered nurse (RN) licensebut found they still didn’t have answers to theirquestions, so eventually they came to UW–Madison. While working towards a BSN, theystarted taking classes through the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies where they finallybegan to learn how to seek out and understandthe causes of structural health problems. Theywill graduate this year with a bachelor’s degreein nursing and environmental studies along withcertificates in food systems and global health.They achieved a 3.86 GPA while continuing towork, volunteer, and maintain their certificationas a paramedic.Amy Bartosiak is a determined, resourcefulsingle female student who loves the outdoors,her faith, and healthy living. She has not alwayshad those values but over the years she hascome to embrace their simplicity and power inher life. She has always been sensitive and neverwants to see any living thing suffer. She knowswhat it feels like to suffer in different ways. If shecan help alleviate suffering of a plant, animal,or person, she is there. She realizes every livingthing is connected and deserves a healthy lifeto coexist in. She hopes she is resilient as shereaches middle-age and continues on her journey of education.Vera Leone Brown lived and worked in eightstates across the United States—as well as inChile, Belgium, and Italy—before making herhome in Madison to pursue dual degrees in lawand Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberianstudies at UW–Madison. Along the way sheorganized with peace and justice activists fromacross the Americas to resist U.S. imperialism,joined a worker-owned hostel in the Blue Ridgefoothills, solo toured the TransAmerica Bicycle5
STUDENT STORIES continuedTrail, advocated for marine wildlife from thecoastal redwoods of California, and supportedthe local food movement in the Ozarks. Shehopes to become an environmental lawyer fighting for collective liberation alongside frontlinecommunities at home and abroad.Tami Elizabeth Burns is a transfer student inthe RN to BSN@Home program. She earnedan associate degree in nursing in 2015 fromMadison Area Technical College. Since graduation she has worked at Mercyhealth Hospitalin Janesville as a clinic nurse in neurology, inMadison as a dialysis nurse, and is working atUW Health as a bedside nurse in their vascularprogressive care unit. These past two years she,like many nurses, has had an abundance of newexperiences when all intermediate care (IMC)prepared nurses were needed to assist in staffingCOVID—19 units. She plans to continue workingbedside while pursuing first a bachelor’s degree,then a master’s degree in nursing.Stefanie Calvert has been fascinated withweather since she was just shy of age five. Experiencing a tornado inspired her desire to studymeteorology. She attended community collegebut had to take a break from school when shedeveloped serious health issues. When sheregained her health she started back at school.After a visit to UW–Madison and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies(CIMSS) building she knew she wanted tomajor in atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Sheapplied as a transfer student and was referred toBadger Ready. She successfully completed theprogram requirements and was admitted as atransfer student starting in fall 2021.Tierney Cushman is a single mother to abeautiful 8-year-old boy named Jax. Aftergraduating from high school, she moved amongthree states for work. In 2013, she delivered her6 Outstanding Adult Student Celebration and Receptionson one month earlier than his due date. Aftera traumatic delivery, he suffered from two spotsof brain damage. Tierney and her son workedtogether to fully recover from the complicationsof his delivery. When he was ready for school,she moved home to Wisconsin to pursue herlifelong dream of attending UW–Madison. Sheis a competitive bodybuilder and strives to continue her education in kinesiology and nutritionalsciences, and potentially work as an occupationaltherapist in a neonatal intensive care unit.Amy Elbe’s family has attended and graduatedfrom UW–Madison for generations, includingher grandfather, father, uncle, and both children.Being UW alumni is a goal and source of pridefor her entire family. Amy moved to Madisonafter high school to attend the UW. Aftercompleting general education courses, shetransferred to Madison Area Technical Collegeto complete two associate degrees. She took abreak from college to raise a family and start acareer as a veterinary technician. She has beenactive in the veterinary community working inprivate practice, doing community work withMadison Cat Project, helping educate veterinarystudents at Madison College and UW–Madison,and working on the Access to Veterinary CareCoalition Project.Ashley Fearn-Semenas was a nontraditionalundergraduate student who graduated inDecember 2021 with a major in human development and family studies. She hopes to applythis degree to a career in higher education; morespecifically, advising or career engagement.Ashley is married with three children, all underthe age of eight—it’s a crazy house! Her family isfrom Middleton where they love to be outsidedoing just about anything. She loves to read anddance, but above all her favorite thing is being amom.
Alex Forseth took a gap year abroad in theUnited Kingdom after graduating from highschool in 2009. He continued his travels abroad,settling in Shanghai, China. Alex enrolled inintensive language courses in preparation fora bachelor’s program at Shanghai InternationalStudies University (SISU). In 2011 he took abreak from academics to focus on his health. Hewent on to open Fluidhause LLC, a hydrauliccomponents distribution business and enrolledat UW-Milwaukee. Reevaluating his plans whenCOVID-19 started, Alex decided to apply forBadger Ready. Today he finds that his studiesclick in a way they hadn’t previously and hecredits this to his focus and persistence. He wasadmitted as a transfer student at UW–Madisonfor fall 2021 after completing his Badger Readyrequirements.Nolan Frank is a loving, growth-based individual, intimidated by life, and currently studyinghuman development and family studies (HDFS)within the School of Human Ecology. He is a creator, networker, healer, and facilitative educatortrying to meaningfully respond to both the largescale and niche problems facing his sphere ofinfluence. He is excited by the way values-basedjudgement-and-decision-making inspires hispersonal and social practices of innovation andcreative problem solving. Recently he began anindependent study with Professor Burkholder inHDFS and is learning more about methods ofqualitative research (like interviewing) and techniques of analysis. Nolan is an adult child whostill naively cleaves to the power in heart-basedcognition. He wants to remind you that you’re abeautiful but very mortal organism, and exhortsyou to live according to your deepest valuesnow, today, and in all your relationships.After successfully completing two years atthe University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignLawrence Gann left college simply becausehe and his family could no longer afford it. Heworked various jobs—retail, food processing, andbattery packaging—before a friend helped himsecure a job in IT. After five years in that field, herelocated to Madison from Peoria, Illinois. A yearlater he enrolled at Madison Area Technical College where he graduated with honors in spring2021. He started at UW–Madison in fall 2021and will graduate this fall. He works full time andmaintains a 4.0 GPA. He loves the exposure tonew ideas and people that the university offersand intends to pursue graduate studies aftercompleting a bachelor’s degree in English.Christine Gerbitz comes from a family ofteachers and always wanted to be a teacherherself. After two years of college, she met herhusband and assumed she’d be able to complete her education after marrying but it didn’twork out that way. For the next 30 years sheraised their five children, helped her husbandrun their farm, got involved with 4-H leadership,taught Sunday School, volunteered, worked asa bank teller, and taught fourth graders aboutthe importance of the Wisconsin agriculturalindustry for the Rock County Farm Bureau. Butsomething was missing and she felt her talentsand abilities were not utilized to their fullest. Shetook a Gallup strengths assessment, as part ofthe Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Leadership Institute, and her strengths all pointed to teaching.She started at UW–Madison in January 2020just before the pandemic. She has a 4.0 GPAand will graduate this year, finally realizing herdream of becoming a teacher.Phadrian Glenn is a special education teacherresident at Cunningham Intermediate School.She uses differentiated instruction to facilitatelearning in different classroom environments.She is working on attaining a master’s degree7
STUDENT STORIES continuedin special education at UW–Madison. Hercumulative GPA is 3.8. She received a big star asan award for her outstanding special educationservices, and an item as a token of appreciation for her work with students in the generaleducation classroom. Phadrian works diligentlyto teach students math, reading, and Englishconcepts. While working as a tutor for Sylvan,she instructed students according to the designof the Sylvan program, and managed students,tasks, and time to create robust instructionalsessions.Over the 20 years he worked in the transportation industry Jason Glomp found himselfinterested in politics. It was while serving aspresident and business manager of a worker-owned taxi cooperative that he discovered hispassion for grassroots organizing and defendingworkers’ rights. He previously studied film atUW-Milwaukee until an accident forced him totake a break from school. He always wanted toreturn to school, and Badger Ready gave him theopportunity to do just that. After completing theBadger Ready program requirements, he went8 Outstanding Adult Student Celebration and Receptionon to finish a degree in only four full semesterswith a GPA over 3.8. He graduated in May2021, and plans to use his education to addressissues of inequality and advocate on behalf ofwork cooperatives, labor unions, and nonprofits.After completing an internship in the office ofWisconsin State Rep. Samba Baldeh, Jasonaccepted a position as a legislative aide in therepresentative’s office.Interested in computers from a young age, JeffGniadek took computer programming classesin high school. He graduated in 2004 and brieflyenrolled in community college before joining themilitary where he was trained in radio electronicrepair. In 2007 he enrolled at Illinois State University (ISU) but left in 2009 to deploy to Iraqin support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Whenhe returned to ISU, chronic stress started tonegatively impact his motivation. He left schooland worked as a network and systems administrator for four years before joining Badger Readyin 2000. He successfully completed programrequirements and was admitted to UW–Madison as a transfer student for fall 2021.
After a 30-year absence from UW-Madison,Shue Gottschalk returned to complete a bachelor’s degree in communications arts. Inspiredby her rural roots and Midwestern do-it-yourselfethic, she has spent decades exploring 45 Statesmaking a home in 10 of them. A lifelong loverof art and photography, she’s passionate aboutdocumenting the way humans express theiruniqueness and connect with each other. Herthirst for culture and far-flung places have pavedher exploration of 25 countries, culminating in aseven-month sabbatical circling the Mediterranean and living out of a backpack. Shue aspiresto use visual communication and digital media todrive social justice and environmental change inan increasingly polarized world.Nicole Gregorich is a first-generation studentwho returned to UW–Madison to completea medical degree after spending four yearsworking as an ophthalmic technician andclinical research coordinator. She was inspiredto become a physician by her sister who hascerebral palsy. Nicole is in the Training in UrbanMedicine and Public Health Program (TRIUMPH) for which she will complete her clinicaltraining in Milwaukee. She is also working on alongitudinal community health project workingwith medically complex children at Penfield Children’s Center. Nicole is completing the graduatecertificate in global health and is an activemember of the Medical Students Association.In her free time she enjoys art projects, cooking,and spending time with her family and cats.Robert Hall occupies a unique position inacademia with a storied past. Just like his fellowstudents he has a unique background and wantsto do well for others by earning his education.His life was marred as a young adult by nonviolent convictions which radically altered his life.When he changed his life he took to academiato pursue science and writing. Despite difficultieshe now is planning on graduating with a doublemajor in genetics and history. Additionally, he isdeveloping a group for the formerly incarceratedto help pave the path toward college so thatothers can be afforded new opportunities in lifemuch the same as Robert has been.Jed Heckman grew up in central Wisconsinand moved to Madison to attend UW–Madisonin 2000. Lacking certainty in what academicdirection he wanted to pursue, he decided toleave school after three semesters. He worked inthe landscaping industry and played music withmany local bands in Madison over the intervening years. He has been blessed with four children,Elias (14) and Rory (10), and twins Ira and Isaacborn the summer of 2020. With the encouragement of his partner Elizabeth, Jed decided toenroll again at UW–Madison for the spring 2021semester.Edward Herzberg enlisted in the UnitedStates Marine Corps after high school, servingfour years and two deployments in the infantrybefore being honorably discharged in 2015.Returning to his home state of Wisconsin, hepursued a degree in journalism at Madison AreaTechnical College until deciding he wished tofollow a different career path, and left school.After several years outside academia, Edwardreturned as a University Special student at UW–Madison through a program with the school’sMissing in Action Recovery and IdentificationProject, eventually moving to the Badger Readyprogram, and finally as an undergraduate transfer student. An avid reader and history buff, he ismajoring in history with plans to pursue a careeras a historian.After graduating from high school, JeffreyHickel attended UW-La Crosse but decidedcollege wasn’t for him at the time. An athlete9
STUDENT STORIES continuedin middle school, Jeffrey took up guitar whilerecovering from an ankle injury. That led to asuccessful music career that took him on tourall over the world. He enrolled in UW–Madison’s Summer Intensive Portuguese Institutewhich led him to learn about the Badger Readyprogram. He began completing the BadgerReady requirements in spring 2020 and went onto major in communication arts. He graduatedwith distinction in December 2021. He seeks tocontinue sharing his passion and love of musicwith the world while entering a career in communications. Jeffrey has a few words for inspiringmusicians, “Never give up on your dreams!”family, but always wanted to return to schoolto finish a degree. After joining the WisconsinAir National Guard in 2015, she completed anassociate degree in liberal arts at Madison AreaTechnical College in 2018. She took a few classesat UW-Whitewater but it wasn’t a good fit. Shefound out about the Badger Ready program atUW–Madison which fit well with her busy life,and provided the flexibility needed to studywhile being deployed all over the world. She isworking on a degree in personal finance whilebalancing two jobs, parenting, and significantmilitary commitments with the goal of becominga certified financial planner.Kelly Johnson is a graduate student at UW–Madison in the part-time master of social workprogram. She is currently a research specialistat the university, but aims to become a socialworker to assist youth who have experiencedtrauma. After experiencing a gap in educationand overcoming mental health barriers, shelooks forward to pursuing her dream of helpingchildren from underrepresented populations whoneed support.Michelle Kelley never dreamed she wouldattend college. She spent years traveling theworld, interpreting her experiences throughmusic, movement, photographs, and words. Shenow has the privilege of exploring entirely newways to express herself as she earns a communication arts degree at UW–Madison. Afterlong days in class and evenings at work, she hasthe pleasure of coming home to her plants andgardens, books and records, quirky dog, lovingpartner, and two young children in her cozycorner of Madison’s northside.Coming to Badger Ready, and by extensionUW–Madison, was a life-changing secondchance for Tyler Johnston. At age 28, hecame from a background of academic strugglein his earliest adult years. In his time at UW, hemanaged to thrive, achieving a 3.7 GPA afterapproximately 58 credits. This culminated in hisDecember 2021 graduation with a bachelor’sdegree in computer science. He is forever grateful to Badger Ready and Bucky’s Tuition Promisewithout which he may have never gotten thechance to rewrite his story.Kristy Jorgensen is originally from Madisonand attended classes at UW-River Falls beforereturning home to work at the height of theGreat Recession. She married and started a10 Outstanding Adult Student Celebration and ReceptionKathy Kemnitz will graduate in May with abachelor’s degree in social work, a few days afterturning 52. School had always been challengingfor her, and she remembers a chemistry lectureat Madison Area Technical College duringwhich she realized she did not learn like the otherstudents. She sought out testing for learningdisabilities but it wasn’t available to her at thetime. About the same time she discovered shewas pregnant with her first son and left school.Eighteen years later, after a shift in employmentleft her at a crossroads, her oldest son encouraged her to go back to college. She started backat Madison College and then was accepted to
UW–Madison. She finished her first semesterwith a 3.0 GPA despite feeling like she was stillstruggling with how to learn. Finally receivingan ADHD diagnosis, she was able to get thesupport she needed to thrive in school. She looksforward to becoming a social worker and eventually pursuing a master of social work.Kristi Kimote is a full-time social worker andmom, and a part-time master of social work(MSW) program student. She loves working inthe school environment and being an advocate, especially for those students who may bestruggling emotionally, behaviorally, and/or academically. She enjoys forming relationships withstudents and their families to ensure that theyfeel welcome and valued at school. Throughthe part-time MSW program, Kristi has gainedpractical knowledge such as how to researchevidence-based practices as well as values suchas honoring student and parent voices and experiences. She is excited to be entering her finalyear of school as balancing life can be especiallychallenging for nontraditional students.Nicole Knutson first enrolled at UW–Madisonin the fall of 2008, but her academic journeycame to an abrupt halt due to the overwhelmingpresence of mental illnesses. Throughout theyears after leaving college, she worked diligentlyto overcome the many obstacles she faced.She persevered and her success propelled herto return to finish the adjourned educationalquest at last. She is now fervently pursuing herlifelong dream of obtaining a bachelor’s degreein personal finance. She hopes one day toprovide education and guidance to others thatwill impact their financial futures and help themachieve their financial goals.Annie Lewis is a first-generation studentpursuing a bachelor’s degree in health promotionand health equity. She is a licensed aestheticianpracticing in the Madison area and is passionateabout holistic wellness. After graduating highschool, Annie attended UW Oshkosh, butdegree plans were put on hold when she wasdiagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Now Annieplans to incorporate her career as an aestheticianwith her future work as a wellness practitioner.Given her personal experience, she hopes toconnect with individuals living with chronic illnessand help them live their healthiest, fullest lives.Annie lives on the east side of Madison with herpartner and their two fur babies. After graduation she plans to continue working in Madisonand is excited to begin her integrated practice.Alison Luedke loves to learn, and she’s gratefulthat she has many opportunities to do so atUW–Madison. She has always been a little nontraditional, graduating high school a year earlyat the age of 16 and starting college for the firsttime when she was only 17. Sometimes thingsdon’t always work out the way you plan them,but Alison doesn’t regret any of the life experiences she has gained that have led her down hercurrent path. Alison is now a full-time Badgerwith high academic honors. She works part timein a biotechnology lab which has inspired herto pursue a career in science communicationswhere she can help educate others on important,potentially life-saving, topics.Carly Major is passionate to become anadvocate and changemaker for the healthcareindustry. Her personal history of chronic illnesshas fueled her desire to fight for social justiceand equity, especially for women’s pain. Shewishes to use her health promotion and healthequity education to pursue the creation of aholistic healing center with a multidisciplinaryand diverse team—a community of care providers dedicated to helping people improve theirphysical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbe11
STUDENT STORIES continueding. Essentially she wants to build the sanctuarythat she couldn’t find when she was at hergreatest need. With support from her campusresource team, Carly has been able to exploreher role as a disability advocate and has earnedher spot on the School of Education’s Dean’s listwith a 4.0 GPA. She will graduate this year and isexcited to see what door will open next.Christopher Malecki returned to his scholastic journey after a 13-year struggle with mentalillness that was fueled by substance abuse.Returning to university has provided him withthe tools and experiences to build a future thatseemed so far from the realm of possibilitywhen he first began his journey in 2016. Afterdiscovering a latent interest in mathematics andcomputer science, Christopher was able to parlay his passion for creative problem solving. Hehas been immensely grateful for the opportunityto help others in recovery navigate their transitions to community college. As he embarks onthis new chapter at UW–Madison, Christopheris committed to balancing his responsibilities as aparent, and sharing his inspiring story of recoverywith others.Meg Mercy is a first-generation college studentwho spent nearly ten years as a low-incomesingle mother to two daughters before returningto UW–Madison to finish her education in 2020.During the interim she became a domestic violence advocate, educator, author, public speaker,and filmmaker. Since returning to school duringthe pandemic, Megan has been taking courses,studying for the MCATs, and homeschooling.After completing a bachelor’s degree in socialwork, she aims to pursue a master of social workand then pursue a doctor of medicine degree.Megan plans to continue advocating for policychanges that protect the vulnerable while raisingher girls to promote justice and compassion. All12 Outstanding Adult Student Celebration and Receptionthree are looking forward to traveling internationally together as soon as they can.As a teenager, Joshua Miller sought help forhis personal struggles through social servicesbut these could not provide adequate help forhim. Fast forward and the teenager is an adult.He gained some new titles father, husband, parttime student, and assistant store manager. TheBadger Ready program was his goal throughall of those long hours. He has found success inmultiple facets of life and has the extreme passion to become the best version of himself. Hewill acquire a degree in rehabilitation psychologyand hopes to one day be a pivotal role model forall young adults in recovery.Ashley Mills has dreamed of being a socialworker for many years yet her mental healthchallenges kept her from fulfilling this dream ata younger age. She is excited to return to theclassroom at her dream school UW–Madison,and to be learning about all the wonderful waysto affect positive change in today’s world. Shehopes to be an advocate for oncology patientswhen she graduates with a master of social work.Jessi Mirick is a first-generation undergraduate student who returned to university after adecade-long hiatus. After years of mismanagedADHD, she was finally able to put the piecestogether and properly “adult.” Part of thatjourney has been learning how to manage herfinances, and she hopes
2 Outstanding Adult Student Celebration and Reception Welcome Martin Rouse, associate dean and director, Adult Career and Special Student Services Opening remarks Nidia Bañuelos, assistant professor, Liberal Arts and Applied Studies Recognition of Badger Ready graduates and transfer students Autumn Sanchez, Badger Ready Program manager, Adult Career and Special Student Services
