Ambassadors are current human ecology students that are eager to give you the inside scoop on what it’s like to be a part of our community. They’d love to share their personal story with you and talk about the transition to college, what a class in the major is like, how to get involved on campus and more!
Current student ambassadors
Name: Aakriti Bagchi
Hometown: The Colony, Texas
Major: Textiles & Fashion Design
Involvement: President of Apparel and Textile Association, Sustainability Committee, Posse Leadership Scholarship, Greenhouse House Fellow in Leopold Residence Hall
What do you love most about SoHE?: I love the immediate community that comes with being a student in the SoHE program. My peers feel like family especially with all the time we spend together in the Studios after class hours. My professors and I are on a first name basis and I really feel like I can connect with them on a personal level.
Name: Makenna Cox
Hometown: Hortonville, Wisconsin
Major: Human Development & Family Studies
Involvement: Student Leadership Program (SPL) Member, Collegiate 4-H Club of UW Madison Member, and Badger Hunting Club Social Chair (BHC), and the Child Development Lab.
What do you love most about SoHE?: What I most love about SoHE, is the connections and opportunities that I’ve had thus far that have helped nurture the person I am today. Connections with professors, advisors, peers, and young children at the CDL have made me extremely welcomed and appreciated. There are so many opportunities to take part in and my favorite thus far is having an internship with a community program related with the CDL internship. SoHE has supported me along my academic journey and I feel prepared for my future!
Name: Lucy Cuff
Hometown: Poynette, Wisconsin
Major: Personal Finance
Involvement: F.O.C.U.S., Intramural basketball, Peer Diversity Mentor, Badger Wellness Ambassador during COVID-19
What do you love most about SoHE?:I love SoHE because the courses and professors challenge you to consider how theory deviates from reality. While there might be an optimal way to live, humans often respond deferentially because of their life experience. I am better prepared to work in the financial planning profession after graduation because of SoHE courses and professors that share industry experience.
Name: Alaina Gorman
Hometown: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Major: Interior Architecture
Involvement: Interior Design Organization (IDO) member, Alpha Phi Omega Brother (a co-ed community service fraternity)
What do you love most about SoHE?: I love the opportunities that SoHE provides for all of its students! As an Interior Architecture student and member of the Interior Design Organization here at UW-Madison, I have been presented with many experiences and opportunities to tour design firms from many places, network with designers and vendors, attend resume/internship workshops, and more. There are many resources provided for those who act on them. I also really appreciate the small atmosphere of the SoHE classes, while still attending a large school. Because of this, I have been able to build strong relationships with my professors, classmates, and receive guidance/advice from upperclassmen in my major.
Name: Shani Hasson
Hometown: Calabasas, California
Major: Consumer Behavior & Marketplace Studies
Involvement: Posse Foundation, Shift Lead at Forage Kitchen
What do you love most about SoHE?: One of the most enjoyable aspects of SoHE is the positive energy that surrounds the entire building. This atmosphere fosters a sense of community and support among the students, enabling them to pursue their academic passions with enthusiasm and confidence. Personally, I’ve always felt at ease asking questions and being myself, whether in class or while studying in the building. Also can’t discuss my love for SoHE without talking about the Robins Nest, you will probably catch my around there if I’m not in class!
Name: Evelyn Kirner
Hometown: Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin
Major: Community & Nonprofit Leadership
Involvement: Community and Nonprofit Leaders UW Executive Board Member, Mind Body Badger Member, Planned Parenthood Generation Action Member, Abby Marlatt Scholarship Recipient
What do you love most about SoHE?: I love SoHE because it is a community of support. No matter how my goals have evolved over the past three years, SoHe staff, students, and academic programs have supported me. I have been able to take on a second major, study abroad, intern with the Red Cross, and build a strong campus community. These opportunities have allowed me to grow as a person while also increasing my passion for CNPL. I never feel alone in my endeavors because I know SoHE will always have my back.