Badger Tracks

WAA’s new chair of the board of directors is Jay Sekelsky ’81, MBA’87. He succeeds Nancy Ballsrud ’75. His term began on July 1, 2013, and will run until June 30, 2014. “There is a tremendous sense of pride with having a connection to such a great university,” he says. “I really have a strong sense of ownership about the Wisconsin Idea. The more you can get people from Wisconsin and beyond to understand and embrace the Wisconsin Idea — I think we’re all going to benefit from that.”

Red Shirt #6

The Sixth Edition of WAA’s The Red Shirt generated more than 8,000 votes as alumni and students turned out in record numbers to choose its design. Since The Red Shirt program began in 2008, WAA has sold 20,862 T-shirts, raising $200,000 for 74 scholarships. Visit uwalumni.com/TheRedShirt for more information.

WAA gave out free cream puffs at the state fair on August 7. The first 100 takers who visited the association’s booth and showed their WAA member cards were given vouchers for the sweet treats. Alumni were also encouraged to bring school supplies to benefit Milwaukee-area school children. The event marked the fifth time that WAA has participated in UW–Madison Day at the Wisconsin State Fair.

A record 1,352 participants from 33 states and six countries (including Australia, Slovakia, Brazil, Israel, and Canada) attended the thirteenth annual Grandparents University (GPU) this summer. They brought the total number of “degrees” awarded to participants to 8,934. Jaimie Krueger x’14 and Erika Krueger x’15, who were themselves GPU attendees back in 2002, served as student guides for the program. Highlights were a new major in cartography and the introduction of GPU’s Amazing Race as an evening activity, inspired by the television show of the same name.

Published in the Fall 2013 issue