Class of 2022: Lead and Inspire

Zee Akanni

BS Health Promotion and Health Equity
"My most meaningful experience at UW was definitely all my work and experience in several multicultural student organizations. I've served in various roles, including presiding over the National Pan Hellenic Council and Diverse Fan Engagement Committee of AreaRED, while also interning at the Multicultural Student Center as the Black cultural programming intern."

Christopher Barnes

PhD Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
"In general, my research focuses on the lived experiences of learners from diverse communities and backgrounds. Specifically, my dissertation focused on the educational journeys and mentoring experiences of Black PhD students who attend predominantly white institutions."

Jackie Barrera-Gonzalez

BS Elementary Education
"Ever since I was in first grade, I have wanted to become a teacher and go back and teach at the elementary school I attended, Nuestro Mundo Community School."

Tessa Cockerill

BS Rehabilitation Psychology
"Come to college with an open mind. The greatest and most influential experiences I have had came from unexpected opportunities. I found my love for rowing, my passion for adapted fitness, and some of my best friends through activities that I never intended to join, or didn’t know existed prior to college."

Brooks Duff-Bowers

MS Special Education
"Being able to put theory into practice as I am learning has allowed me a lot of freedom with my classroom, and I could not be more thrilled with seeing how much my students have grown from the beginning of the year."

Mayrena Hernandez

PhD Kinesiology
"I feel that athletic trainers can play a larger role in disease and injury prevention. As professional health care providers, we need to advocate so we have a place at the table when decisions are made."

Dorcas Akinniyi Jansen

PhD Counseling Psychology
"Try to recognize your struggle as a part of the process rather than internalizing it as something only you are going through. You are not an imposter; you just have to find your people who remind you that you are safe and secure right where you are."

Christeena Maria Jojo

BS Health Promotion and Health Equity
"Be okay with failing because when you fail is when you learn the most. The lessons that you learn from failing will be the lessons that will keep you resilient for the next few years of your life."

Emma Lazaroff

PhD Educational Psychology
"I wanted to continue doing research because I enjoy the process of discovering new things and thinking through complex problems."

Na Lor

PhD Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
"First, never dim the light of others. The degree will have your name alone on it, but it takes the effort of so many to realize that achievement. Second, never dim your light for the sake of others. Embrace and aim to be your authentic self; you are more valuable to the institution than you know!"

Rosie Miesner

PhD Educational Policy Studies
"I decided to pursue a degree in educational policy to better understand the broader context of teaching in American public schools and to one day contribute to pragmatic, progressive educational policies."

Jessica Perez-Chavez

PhD Counseling Psychology
"The transformative power of mentorship allowed me to recognize that I could contribute to my immigrant community by becoming a researcher, clinician, and scholar-activist."

Caitriona Quirk

BS Dance
"Don't forget to live your life while you are pursuing your education. Go on a hike! Learn how to make kombucha. Get a pet. Your textbooks will still be there after you practice self-care."

Elizabeth Sheeler

MFA Art
"My practice is a reflection of my new positionality in life as a Blind individual. I create interactive spaces where participants are forced to encounter their own perception of the space and confront the way they choose to engage with their surroundings."

John Wang

BS Theatre and Sociology
"I am moving to Indiana and attending the Acting MFA program at Purdue University. I will further explore the traditional theaters of East Asia and hopefully become a stage actor in a regional theater after graduation."

Vivienne Wooldridge

BS Chinese and Elementary Education
"I am beyond excited to get the chance to live abroad and use my Chinese and teaching skills in Taiwan. Once I return to the U.S., I hope to teach at a Chinese immersion school or be somehow involved in Chinese language education."

Donny (Aoyu) Xu

BS Education Studies
"College life is meant to be fun and challenging. Do not lose your confidence, and try new things! Remember, today we are proud of UW–Madison, and tomorrow UW–Madison shall be proud of us!"