As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the impactful work that has taken place across the School of Education throughout 2025.
Below are just a few highlights from the hundreds of stories we shared this year, showcasing efforts across the arts, education, and health. While this small sampling only scratches the surface, it offers a sense of the many ways our faculty, staff, students, and alumni continue to make a meaningful difference in the world.
Art and engineering forge partnership for practical learning in Art Department foundry
Mechanical engineering students gained practical experience casting screwdriver handles in the Art Department’s foundry in a collaboration between the two departments.
University Theatre presents ‘Joe Turner’s Come and Gone’
Set in a Pittsburgh boarding house in 1911, the play captured the lives of Black migrants seeking new opportunities in the North during the Great Migration, as well as people running from their pasts.
UW–Madison School of Education again ranked No. 1 by U.S. News
UW–Madison is home to the top-ranked school of education in the nation for a second consecutive year, according to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Education Graduate Schools rankings. In addition, 11 graduate programs housed within the UW–Madison School of Education were also highly rated by U.S. News.
Celebrating a ‘lifelong belief in the power of education’: Pulvino family endows School of Education department chair
In an effort to provide visionary support and honor their parents’ lifelong dedication to education and counseling, Todd and Katie Pulvino established the first endowed department chair in the School of Education’s history. In February, the School celebrated the Pulvinos’ $2 million gift with the investiture of Professor Mindi Thompson as the inaugural Charles and Carol Pulvino Chair in Counseling Psychology.
UW–Madison launches innovative Dance MFA as department nears 100th anniversary
As the UW–Madison Dance Department prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2026, it is also stepping boldly into the future with the launch of a new Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Dance program.
New game from UW–Madison researchers aims to broaden teachers’ understanding of testing
Assessment Party aims to help educators think differently about the way they measure their students’ learning.
Book artists converge on Madison for national conference
The printmaking, book art, and paper area of UW–Madison’s Art Department proudly hosted the 2025 national conference of CBAA: The Association for Book Art Education, drawing more than 200 artists, librarians, students, educators, and book art enthusiasts from across the United States to campus.
More than moves: Omari Carter’s Dance 115 changes perspectives and perceptions
Assistant Professor Omari Carter’s hip hop dance class isn’t just about learning choreography — it’s about unpacking a culture, challenging assumptions, and building a sense of community.
Improving college access: UW–Madison’s Odle helps launch one of the largest education research studies of the century
In a groundbreaking project led by UW–Madison’s Taylor Odle could reshape the national college admissions landscape, the state of Tennessee launched TN Direct Admissions, a pilot program offering automatic college admission and personalized financial aid estimates to approximately 41,000 high school seniors.
Game Changers: Badger Inquiry on Sport breaks ground on the science of leadership
Badger Inquiry on Sport (BIOS) is an innovative new program that aims to bridge the gap between athletics and research at UW–Madison – including a deep dive on the science of leadership.
‘Almost magical’: Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum empowers young people with disabilities
The Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum is a six-day residency program that aims to help youth with disabilities learn more about leadership, self-advocacy, and career awareness.
‘Trailblazers in Motion’: New virtual history exhibit showcases UW–Madison women in physical education
The women of UW–Madison’s Department of Physical Education for Women — which existed from 1912 until its merger with the men’s department in 1976 — pushed boundaries and broke new ground in women’s academic and social relationships with sport and science. Their work is at the heart of a new virtual history exhibit, “Trailblazers in Motion,” created at UW–Madison.
Adapted Fitness hosts Irish disability advocates sharing message of joy and inclusion
A son-and-father duo from Ireland, better known as “Fionnathan,” shared a powerful message of inclusion with UW–Madison’s Adapted Fitness community.
Finding joy and confidence in writing with new ‘Whoopensocker’ collection
Whoopensocker, a creative learning program housed in the School of Education, is now partnering with PBS Wisconsin Education to provide new resources that get upper elementary learners writing through play and guided lessons.
Field Day blends art and science to create new learning games for Wisconsin classrooms
Field Day recently launched its newest learning game, Project Hercules, and announced the concept for its next educator-driven game.
The future of AI in the classroom: Researchers partner with rural Wisconsin school district to support teachers, boost learning
Researchers at the UW–Madison School of Education are partnering with a rural Wisconsin school district to explore how artificial intelligence can support teachers and boost learning.