This past year was transformational for the La Follette School, marked by incredible growth, exciting new opportunities for our students, and important milestones that will shape La Follette for years to come.

As you will read in this year’s report, inspiring highlights from the past year include:

• The launch of our new undergraduate major in public policy, the first of its kind in Wisconsin. The major officially begins this fall and features a distinctive curriculum focused on civil dialogue, working across differences, and finding common ground.
• The announcement of Herb Kohl Philanthropies’ historic $30 million gift, which will support the renovation of Music Hall and its transformation into Herb Kohl Hall, the future home of the La Follette School. The first phase is expected to open in 2029 and will provide a state-of-the-art environment for our growing community.
• Serving nearly 1,000 undergraduate students, with 935 students enrolled in La Follette undergraduate courses and 219 undergraduate certificates awarded; both reflect the continued growth of our undergraduate programs.
• Graduating 38 master’s students in 2026 and preparing them to make an impact across government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector.
• Connecting our students and our work with communities across Wisconsin and beyond. La Follette hosted 48 public events that brought together more than 2,650 community members, while students engaged directly with policymakers and worked on real-world projects for partners including the Madison Metropolitan School District, the City of Milwaukee, and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin.
• Continuing our commitment to thoughtful dialogue on important public policy issues, with events featuring former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, free expression advocate Greg Lukianoff, and MIT scholar Sendhil Mullainathan, among many other distinguished speakers and policy leaders.

We are at a pivotal moment in the La Follette School’s history. As our academic programs expand, our community grows, and we prepare for our future home in Herb Kohl Hall, we are grateful for your support.

Thank you for all you do for La Follette, our students, and our mission. Your engagement is an important part of our continued success.