In December 2018, UW–Madison alumni Tashia and John Morgridge provided a lead gift to the School of Education’s Impact 2030 initiative. The Morgridges both graduated from the university in 1955. Tashia majored in education and John majored in business before going on to become the chairman of Cisco Systems. Tashia is a retired special education teacher who has been a volunteer teacher for students with learning disabilities. Both have been involved at UW–Madison for many years.
Over the next year, a small group of donors joined the Morgridges in making leadership gifts to the initiative, allowing Impact 2030 to become a reality.
Through the generosity of the Impact 2030 Dean’s Leadership Circle, the School officially launched Impact 2030 on Aug. 18, 2020, with a transformational commitment to its students, faculty, and staff — and an invitation to alumni and friends to join them in supporting our top-rated School of Education.
When asked about their decision to support Impact 2030, the Morgridges explained: “We believe in the power of education and big ideas. Our decision to participate was inspired by our desire to ensure the next generation of Badgers have access to high-quality teaching and research at a top-ranked School of Education, and ultimately are able to go out and make an impact on communities throughout the state of Wisconsin and around the world. Impact 2030 is a bold initiative that will further strengthen an institution we care so deeply about now and into the future.”
In addition to the Morgridges, here are the donors who played a leading role in making Impact 2030 a reality:
- Ginny and Mike Conway
- Susan Shannon Engeleiter
- Karen and Tom Falk
- Mary Gibb
- Mary and Ted Kellner
- Susan and James Patterson
- Jim and Georgia Thompson
The Wisconsin Center for Education Products and Services (WCEPS), which disseminates the educational innovations created at the UW–Madison School of Education, also provided leadership support.
To learn more, visit this Dean’s Leadership Circle web page.