For those of us who have the good fortune of working at a university, September is always one of the best months of the year.
The return of students on our campuses and online, arriving straight from high school or returning to the classroom years later, brings an infectious energy. They come eager to learn, filled with possibility, and they remind us why this work matters.
We hear their laughter echoing across our student unions and their voices joining conversations in classrooms, labs, and online.
We see their eyes sparkle with the revelation of new knowledge, whether they are sitting in the front row of a lecture hall or logging in after a full day of work.
We feel their anticipation in the air at kickoff, on a stroll under the autumn leaves, in the first musical notes at an outdoor concert, and in the countless moments of discovery that happen wherever learning takes place.
And that energy flows both ways. Our students draw energy and inspiration from their universities, but they give it back to us, too. Their curiosity, ambition and belief in what is possible renew those of us fortunate enough to teach, support and work alongside them.
That student-driven energy doesn’t stop at the boundaries of a campus. It rockets through our businesses and communities, too, like a shot of adrenaline.
This fall, our 13 Universities of Wisconsin are launching new programs in public policy, artificial intelligence, exercise science, and more, while christening new learning centers and labs and celebrating our excellent faculty and staff that inspire and educate.
We are proud to help develop the people who power Wisconsin and serve the state through research, service, and community engagement. As public universities, we belong to the citizens of Wisconsin. Every graduate we prepare, every breakthrough we advance, and every partnership we build is intended to strengthen our communities, our state, and Wisconsin’s future.
That public value is why we recently unveiled three promises to the people of Wisconsin:
- Ensure every Wisconsinite has access to an affordable, high-quality UW education.
- Build Wisconsin’s workforce and next generation of businesses.
- Advance life-saving discoveries and improve access to health care across Wisconsin.
And we are putting specific goals behind each promise that is our biennial budget proposal.
We will make college more affordable through a 4-Year Tuition Pledge with state support.
Over the next decade, we will graduate 300,000 new career-ready workers, help upskill 1 million workers, and support Wisconsinites in creating 2,500 new businesses.
And by 2037, we will help expand access to health care by increasing the number of health care professionals serving communities across Wisconsin by 35,000.
Working together with state lawmakers, we can open more doors for students, strengthen Wisconsin’s workforce and economy, improve the health and well-being of our communities, and create opportunities that reach every corner of our state.
As we welcome students from all walks of life, I am reminded that they are not just preparing for Wisconsin’s future. They will help create it.
And that gives me great optimism about what lies ahead.
About the Universities of Wisconsin
The Universities of Wisconsin serve more than 164,600 students. Awarding more than 37,000 degrees annually, these 13 public universities are Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state Universities of Wisconsin graduates stay in the state five years after earning a degree. The universities provide a 23:1 return on state investment. The Universities of Wisconsin also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy. Learn more at wisconsin.edu.