News: Donations and Scholarships

Kaubin Neupane can make sense of the duality in his life only if he studies in the United States with the intent of contributing to help people in his native Nepal and in other developing countries. "When I was growing up in Kathmandu, I took the local environmental problems for granted and accepted them as another facet of difficult life," the first-year student says.

Alisha Bower has a plan that will take her to Latin America and then bring her home to the United States, ultimately to run a farm. "I want to work in international agriculture development," the first-year student says, "then I will return to the U.S., put down roots and work on sustainable agriculture issues, eventually transitioning into farming myself."

The Kikkoman Foods Foundation has donated $50,000 to the University of Wisconsin–Madison Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs for student scholarships in the name of former Gov. Patrick Lucey.

After years of working as an outside observer with peripheral influence, Matt van Buren decided to involve himself more deeply in the policymaking process. The former journalist and political fund-raiser is in his second semester at the La Follette School, exploring public management and nonprofit leadership in addition to the school's core courses in microeconomics and statistics.

Dana Gavrila was surprised the first time she drew on her economics training gained at the La Follette School of Public Affairs. As a tax attorney for Cheniere Energy in Houston, Texas, the 2012 alum helped to secure private letter rulings on specific tax issues at the state and federal levels.

Ben Emmel is looking forward to gaining more skills to help people. "I am interested more in the bigger picture, in issues and public policy," the first-year student says.

Lindsay Read's career has been just the right blend of domestic and international, letting her explore how U.S. public policies affect people from other countries and how other nations approach their domestic programs.

Rob Stupar turned to public policy for graduate school because no matter which professional field he considered as an undergraduate, he felt that there was no better way to help solve national problems than through public policy.

Ann Drazkowski wants to do something about the extreme inequality and poverty she has seen. The first-year student brings to La Follette School a blend of domestic and international experience in social policy.