SoHE and the Study of HAPPINESS
HAPPINESS is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions. — Dalai Lama In 2011, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution declaring the pursuit of happiness “a fundamental human goal” and urging countries to factor happiness into their measures of national well-being. While happiness may be a fundamental goal, it can also be elusive. […]
100+ Years: SoHE & the Wisconsin Idea
The Wisconsin Idea first sparked to life in 1914. That was the year federal funding established Cooperative Extension at UW-Madison. The same funding expanded home economics education—the field of study that became the seed of today’s human ecology. The goal of that 1914 initiative was to bring health and development research into Wisconsin farmhouses, and […]
Ann Neviaser, 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner
Widely recognized by an assortment of titles, B. Ann Neviaser (MS ‘85) is first and foremost the President of Neviaser Investments, Inc., a company that owns and operates commercial real estate. As well as being managing partner of the DoubleTree Hotels in Madison and Milwaukee, she maintains a variety of roles within the community. Far […]
Albert “Al” Toon, Jr., 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner
Since graduating from the School of Human Ecology, Albert “Al” Toon (’95; pictured second from right) has had many notable accomplishments. Between an outstanding career in the NFL, his successful entrepreneurial endeavors, and being a devoted husband and father, Toon has always found time to give back to his community. [Adapted from the nomination statement] […]
Kim Sponem, 2018 Wisconsin Idea Alumni Award Winner
Kim Sponem (’90) is committed to improving the financial well-being of families and cares deeply about her community at all levels: professional, local, and national. As CEO and President of one of the largest credit unions in Wisconsin since 2002, Sponem has received numerous awards for her leadership and community engagement. She regularly encourages women to […]
Seamus Fitzgerald, 2018 Early Career Alumni Award Winner
Seamus Fitzgerald (’12) has spent the first five years of his career in the field of philanthropy and fundraising for higher education. He has progressed through four positions at Northwestern University and currently serves as Assistant Director of Major Gifts, Alumni Relations, & Development for the Chicago Region. In this position Seamus is impacting higher […]
SoHE News and Events: January 19-January 25
Professor Poehlmann-Tynan Cover Story | CNPL Alumna’s Path to Nonprofits | MFA Candidate Awarded Fellowship When Parents are Incarcerated “Surreal…stressful…” When young children visit a parent who is incarcerated the experience may be highly emotional. “It’s great for children to have a positive visit and positive connections with their incarcerated parents. It can reassure them that […]
Linda Ahlers joins WFAA Board of Directors
Human ecology will once again have an alumni ambassador and advocate on the University of Wisconsin Foundation Board of Directors. Alumna Linda L. Ahlers (Retailing ‘72) was elected to UW-Madison’s official fundraising and gift-receiving organization board. The retired president of Marshall Field’s is serving a first three-year term. “Something that I enjoy and have experience […]
SoHE News & Events
Back to School welcomes alumni to NNH SoHE’s signature alumni event returned Last Friday, SoHE’s signature alumni event, Back to School, welcomed over 100 attendees to Nancy Nicholas Hall, including the ultimate Badger–Bucky! SoHE alumni and friends attended hands-on workshops lead by faculty as well as a mindfulness lecture by Dr. Larissa Duncan. Check out […]
Interview with Alumna Brittany Zoll
Brittany Zoll is a 2010 graduate of the Consumer Science-Retailing program. In this interview, Brittany provides her background as UW graduate and advice for future leaders of the retail industry. What was you favorite part of your program? I loved having the opportunity to travel to different corporate headquarters and going to New York for […]
Golf outing raises $20K for SoHE student internships
The first annual SoHE Golf Scramble took place on September 11 and exceeded expectations by raising $20,000 for SoHE student internships at local non-profits, including The Playing Field. More than 100 SoHE alumni, friends and staff attended the event at Maple Bluff Country Club, which was hosted by SoHE alum and UW Men’s Hockey coach […]
Project 72 Features SoHE Supporters and Alumni
The updated Project 72 website is now live and highlights three new stories on SoHE alumni and partners. Developing Delavan SoHE alumna and BoV member Deb Alder (Home Economics, ’77) and husband Jeff Scherer outline their redevelopment projects in the town of Delavan in Walworth County. Read the full story. 4-H Leadership Alumna Deb […]
SoHE Grad Gives Tips on Landing Dream Job
Lisa Johnson (’17), an Interior Architecture major, has made big moves since graduating this past May. Just months after getting her degree, Lisa now lives and works in New York City at a successful design firm called ICRAVE. Finding a steady job after graduation is a stressful prospect for many students, so Lisa filled us […]
SoHE Alumnus Honored by NBC NEWS with First #Pride30
Photo courtesy of Steven R Dewberry “Pride is a semblance of the courage that it took for people to stand up for themselves. All of it stems from the nightclub brawls that trans women were fighting in New York City on Christopher Street.” –Anaré Holmes Anaré Holmes (’10), an alumnus of the School of Human […]
Emily Ostertag, 2017 Early Career Alumni Award Winner
In 2012, interior design grad and student athlete Emily Ostertag (’06 BS, ’08 MS) landed her dream job at a world-class architecture and interior design firm in Kansas City. That same firm was recently granted the $84 million project to rebuild UW-Madison’s SERF recreation center and swimming pool. While some may see Ostertag’s connection back […]
Carol L. Anderson, 2017 Wisconsin Idea Alumni Award Winner
SoHE grad Carol Anderson (’65 BS, ’69 MS) is a Midwest leader with a lifetime of consumer science experience, from 4H and farming to educating and consulting. Her national and international activities reveal a deep dedication to the promotion of the human sciences while her civic involvement is devoted to helping the citizens of her […]
SoHE News & Stories: March 3 -10
Take a look at what’s happening at SoHE this week! Stacy Igel Receives Forward Under 40 Award SoHE alum Stacy Igel (99’) continues to rack-up UW accolades. This month she was announced as the winner of the 2017 Forward Under 40 Award. The Boy Meets Girl fashion line founder also received the 2016 Wisconsin Idea […]
Career Ecology: Linking Students to Professionals
A blog by Lisa Johnson | Interior Architecture ’17 As a student, we have all been told a million times about the power of networking and how crucial it is when starting a career. Well as a second semester senior going into Career Ecology, I thought that I had so far built a solid network […]
2016 SoHE Alumni Award Winners
The School of Human Ecology Alumni Awards honor the tremendous achievements of SoHE students post-graduation. From early-career entrepreneurs to renowned scholars, the recipients of the annual School of Human Ecology Distinguished Alumni Award, Early-Career Award and Wisconsin Idea Alumni Award exemplify the indelible mark SoHE alums make across diverse fields and communities. Together their achievements cross boundaries and solve problems when others give up. A […]
2016 Distinguished Alumni Winner: Elizabeth Schar
It has been said that human ecologists have been quietly and humbly changing the world for centuries. Because of Elizabeth Holloway Schar’s (BS ’75 Family and Consumer Journalism) many and varied contributions that continue to affect the lives of others, this year’s awards committee has recognized her as the 2016 School of Human Ecology Distinguished […]
Stacy Igel Receives 2016 Wisconsin Idea Alumni Award
SoHE is proud to announce Stacy Igel (BS ’99 Retail) as the 2016 recipient of the Wisconsin Idea Alumni award. Change by Design From the moment Stacy Igel stepped onto the UW-Madison campus she knew this school is where she belonged. Entrepreneurship runs in her veins, and what better place to push boundaries than in […]
Kari Temkin Awarded 2016 Early Career Alumni Award
Badger Kari Temkin (BS ‘09, Double Major: Community & Nonprofit Leadership and Women’s Studies) has been awarded the School of Human Ecology 2016 Early Career Alumni Award. Kari’s experiences as an undergrad at the UW-Madison School of Human Ecology propelled her into a life of public service. In her current position as the Badger Volunteers […]
New Hockey Coach Sets Goal at SoHE
On July 13, Granato read to children in the SoHE Preschool Lab on chameleons and crocodiles. New Hockey Coach Comes Back to the Badgers & SoHE The new men’s hockey coach, Tony Granato, has returned to UW-Madison and the School of Human Ecology to finish his Human Development and Family Studies degree. Granato played […]
Alumni Spotlight: Emily Ostertag Working to Design New SERF Building
Who better to help design the UW-Madison South East Recreational, or the SERF, than former UW-Madison swimmer and SoHE alumna Emily Ostertag (’06, ’08)? Eight years after finishing her masters in Interior Architecture at SoHE, Emily gets to work with her firm, HOK, to combine her passion for swimming, design and her alma mater in a”dream project.” […]