Welcome to the Gender and Women’s Studies and LGBTQ+ Studies celebration of 2024 graduates.
Find more celebration on the campus Spring Commencement page and remember to hashtag your social media with #UWGrad. Best wishes as you graduate. Stay in touch. We love to hear how you are doing and what you are doing in post-graduate life.
GWS MAJORS
Ella Bachim
GWS has taught me...
community is essential!
Noelle Candler
GWS has taught me...
to fight for a better future. Care is one of humanities biggest strengths. Everyone is valuable without justification. Overall, GWS has helped me shape a set of values to live by that I feel truly align with me. This was made accessible to me by the interdisciplinary nature of the field. There are so many different was to approach a problem, all of which GWS asserts are uniquely valuable and necessary. On a smaller scale, GWS has taught me that a classroom can be a deeply uplifting space.
Jess Harlan
GWS and LGBTQ+ Studies has taught me...
the things that we learn or don’t learn about are subject to societal biases- there were so many connections that weren’t originally taught or thought of in some of my other classes, where in my GWS and LGBTQ+ Studies classes I learned how to critically examine the information we are given and bridge those divides.
Zoie Leitel
GWS has taught me...
the importance to consider any situation through an intersectionality lenses and be mindful of the personal experiences that make us all unique.
With my GWS education, I will...
continue on to PA school where I will serve underrepresented people and deliver the highest standard of care to my patients.
Fiona MacCrimmon
With my GWS education, I will...
GWS has given me the assurance that whichever direction I turn, I will be equipped with a unique and valuable perspective and knowledge I wouldn’t otherwise have. While I am uncertain as to if academia is where I will eventually reside, GWS has given me the space and opportunity to explore my personal interests and to develop a critical lens to take with me wherever I go. Leaving UW-Madison as a GWS major I feel proud and excited to pursue a path I never dreamed was an option that is deeply aligned with my values and personal beliefs.
Martino Mangano
GWS and LGBTQ+ Studies has taught me that...
present problems have past histories that inform them and we can solve them as a community! Both my GWS classes and professors encouraged me and my peers to constantly reflect on past and ongoing struggles through intersections of gender, race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, nationality, and ability and how social movements and community organizations can affect change. I have been able to be critical of gaps in general understandings of social issues and positive towards the compassion that any person can have towards making the world a better place for everyone. Our struggles are connected and everyday actions can create hope and can inspire each other and the world to care!
Ashton Reed
GWS has taught me that...
the learning and understanding of various lived experiences is a precious thing. Having the opportunity to increase my knowledge in multiple areas has changed my life and opened my eyes to how valuable communication is when we consider the different aspects that make up the human experience.
Natalie Steybe
GWS has taught me that...
my authenticity is limitless and unbound. That being authentic is not only discovering, loving, and growing into your nuances, but caring and encouraging it within others. Where community thrives in the wake of our unapologetic, messy and gorgeously imperfect presence and being.
Edie Veum
GWS has taught me...
we can imagine and create a world that is just, expansive, and celebratory of the many ways of being.
With my GWS education, I will...
bring the critical lens that GWS taught me to my future work in the library field, focusing on creating welcoming and accepting spaces with open access to information that uplifts and affirms all people.
Mia Warren
With my GWS education, I will...
my long-term goals for my commitment to sexual health and gender equity includes working with communities experiencing highest sexual health disparities, legislators, and conducting my own research to further minimize perpetuating disparities pertaining to sexual health. Immediately after graduation, I will take a gap year before attending a Master’s Program in Social Work to achieve my long-term goal of becoming a licensed trauma-informed sex and sexuality therapist. During this gap year, I aim to establish a national non-profit promoting sexual health equity and education. Eventually, I aspire to open my own practice and expand sexual health and educational outreach in my surrounding and greater communities through education and counseling on sex and disabilities, trauma-informed sexual assault therapy, sexual disorders, and additional specialty topics. Following my work in the field, I intend on obtaining my PhD in Human Sexuality Studies, devoting my research to reduce the many health disparities perpetuated by lack of access to sex education in the United States and lending my research to inform policy changes pertaining to sexual health and sexual violence, lead harm-reduction initiatives, facilitate shame-free conversations, and challenge misinformation surrounding sexuality and sexual health for a more inclusive and equitable society.
GWS/LGBTQ+ STUDIES CERTIFICATES
Starling Burch
GWS has taught me...
there are no two people in this world that are the same. It is best to approach life with the mindset of inclusivity and to be willing to learn more as the world constantly shifts. Also, that being comfortable in your own body is not a bad thing and instead it can empower more people to do the same.
Olivia Chang
With my GWS education, I will...
continue to learn and apply all the GWS theories we learned in the classroom and engage in media and culture critically.
Larissa Foley
GWS has taught me that...
diversity of thought and the ability to respectfully disagree with others is an important part of life.
With my GWS education, I will...
use the concepts of intersectionality and inclusivity in my legal career to provide an equitable experience for all.
Olivia Foli
GWS has taught me that...
I should always challenge the norms and to stay true to who I am, regardless of society's expectations or wants of me.
With my GWS education, I will...
Pursue a degree in Public Health in hopes to address the Black Maternal death rate and the reproductive crisis we are having in the U.S.
Samantha Hua
GWS has taught me...
there are many issues that have yet to be recognized and resolved. I hope that I will be able to contribute to the community as I go further into my career in social welfare to support them whether it is making policies or working in administration.
Maggie Konig
GWS has taught me that...
embracing the diversity of people's lived experiences enriches our understanding of humanity. I've learned about the importance of intersectionality in addressing issues of oppression and how crucial it is to recognize that multiple aspects of identity intersect to shape individuals' lives. GWS has empowered me to critically analyze power dynamics, challenge stereotypes, and advocate for social justice and equality for all genders.
Nadia Ougayour
GWS has taught me that...
there is a lot of value in what we learn in these courses and that everyone should be required to take a GWS class!
With my GWS education, I will...
be able to educate individuals on the different topics discussed in these courses!
Mara Rodewald
GWS has taught me...
to be aware of casualty, context and the fluidity of the body and identity across space and time.
With my GWS education, I will...
GWS has solidified my interest in meaning-making practices through symbol consumption and usage on/in/of the body and how that contributes to identity or belonging practices. I will continue joining others to advocate for a more equitable, inclusive future.
Mira Singh
GWS and LGBTQ+ Studies has taught me that...
my education in the GWS department has taught me that critical analysis of environments and contexts is vital in ensuring the safety and support of all groups. In my time here, I learned about the history of oppression against marginalized persons and communities, the joy and euphoria associated with these identities, and how to be a better proactive ally to their full inclusive and transcendence of current societal norms. I truly believe that my education would not had been the same without my involvement in GWS, and I think it has made me a more equipped future psychologist.
Brooklyn Stubblefield
With my GWS education, I will...
attend law school at the University of Houston and then work in employment or labor law protecting people facing employment discrimination or work in immigration law where racial minorities are facing discrimination at the border.
Grace Tarnutzer
GWS has taught me that...
in a world of oppression, there is hope and there are safe spaces for students to be heard and appreciated here at UW-Madison.
With my GWS education, I will...
help lift voices that deserve to be heard and empower other disabled activists to fight for what they believe in.
Katarina Thorsen
With my GWS education, I will...
continue working in women's health and use my education to advocate for women's health rights and policies.
Tonglu Yang
GWS has taught me...
to view the world through a lens of diversity and empathy, always considering underrepresented groups.
With my GWS education, I will...
enter the tech industry to enhance access and opportunities for women and nonbinary individuals.
GENDER AND WOMEN'S STUDIES AND LGBTQ+ STUDIES GRADS
MA Students in GWS
Dai, Ying
Hosfelt, Bailey
Steiger, Amber
GWS Majors
Bachim, Ella
Bell, Sean
Candler, Noelle
Divane, Madeleine
Engle, Lauren
Gallardo-Mambaje, Nautilus
Granec, Olivia
Hametta, Laura
Harlan, Jess
Her, Thavon
Holan, Carolyn
Koelsch, Skyler
Kohn, Savannah
Kundrat, Georgia
Leitel, Zoie
Lemke, Lane
GWS Majors (cont.)
MacCrimmon, Fiona
Mangano, Martino
Mayer, Sophie
Nelson, Anna
Nelson, Gracie
Onek, Olivia
Patton, Sophia
Reed, Ashton
Ryczek, Sarah
Slaybaugh, Rachel
Steybe, Natalie
Teske, Amelia
Thoresen, Natalie
Veum, Edith
Warren, Mia
Weaver, Abby
LGBTQ+ Studies Certificates
Ashton, Emma
Bell, Sean
Borchers, Claire
Burke, Lane
Gibbons, Miranda
Harlan, Jess
Hirshorn, Olivia
Kohn, Savannah
Lemke, Lane
Mangano, Martino
Mayer, Sophie
Niebuhr, Kaiden
Reed, Ashton
Rezach, Sarah
Singh, Mira
Steffens, Rowan
GWS Certificates
Abelson, Julie
Adhikari, Aayushma
Adler, Madelyn
Aguillon Jimenez, Nicte
Alvarado, Meena
Arreola, Vianey
Arroyo, Laura
Ashworth, Alexandria
Austras, Krista
Averkamp, Sophia
Bizal, Olivia
Bolhuis, Laura
Borchers, Claire
Boyle, Kara
Burch, Starling
Burke, Lane
Butenhoff, Hailey
Cain, Kayla
Chang, Olivia
Cole, Makayla
Conway, Emma
Coy, Asha
Czerwinski, Haley
Dargle, Suzanne
DeKeyser, Gracie
Debargue, Elsa
Dhawan,Iksha
Dinnerstein, Gabrielle
Dobson, Angelika
Donigan, Daphne
Dunn, Dunia
Dyner, Cori
Ebenhoeh, Emily
Erickson, Elissa
Fadele, Kehinde
Foeller, Taylor
Foli, Olivia
Fortney, Lauren
Fu, Jasmine
Gardner, Vanessa
Geppert, Josie
Gesner, Sarah
Gibbons, Miranda
Glasper, Aliya
Goldblatt, Hannah
Goldstein, Kaitlyn
Goonan, Bridget
Gorman, Charlene
Halvorson, Jennifer
Hartman, Teresa
Heikkinen, Megan
Herndon, Madeline
Hintz, Natalie
Holis, Kayla
Hooper Lofton, Astrid
GWS Certificates (cont.)
Houseal, Jane
Hu, Maddy
Hua, Samantha
Ilk, Eladia
Ingold, Natalie
Jacinto, Soleil
Jenks, Ashton
Jensen, Amelia
Johnson, Madeline
Kahn, Maggie
Kalscheuer, Rae
Kassinger, Ava
Khan, Iaza
Khang, Va
Konig, Maggie
Kotch, Emma
Kulperger, Caitlin
Kulwin, Francesca
Kurensky, Danielle
Lepold, Tori
Lepp, Jayden
Lesko, Ashley
Ludwig, Rachel
Mann, Grace
Martinson, Natalie
McDonagh, Grainne
McDonald, Maddy
McGrath, Gracie
Moher, Maddie
Moore, Isabella
Newble, Zariyah
Olson, Miranda
Ougayour, Nadia
Phung, Lili
Pieczynski, Andi
Pierre-Louis, Chloe
Portman, Destiny
Ramirez, Aliza
Reid, Celia
Robert, Pieran
Roder, Jessica
Rodewald, Mara
Rogers, Ella
Schachter, Sofie
Schoof, Kaylyn
Silver, Carly
Soberon-Chehade, Samir
Sommer, Talia
Stang, Isabel
Sterling, Rory
Stluka, Faith
Stubblefield, Brooklyn Rain
Tarnutzer, Grace
Teal, Autumn
Thompson, Jnae
GWS Certificates (cont.)
Thorsen, Katarina
Tronco, Lily
Trzebiatowski, Kayla
Vasquez, Sydney
Voss, Erin
Walsh, Julia
Wanless, Kayla
Watrud, Brooke
Weissman, Margo
Whitmoyer, Elise
Williams, Anna
Witthuhn, Rachel
Xiong, Yukie
Yang, Andrew
Yang, Tonglu
Zhagnay, Carolina
Zurfluh, Payton