News: Donations and Scholarships

Avid debate about health-care reform gave Alex Hartzman the career focus he was looking for. Daily discussions with co-workers about the pros and cons of the federal health reform inspired the astrophysics major that he decided to study health policy in graduate school.

Nearly 2.5 years ago, many of you accepted a challenge from your alma mater to help us continue to attract the top students who apply to our public affairs program. As our admissions committee meets in the spring to weigh our o­ffers of support to students, we find we have more resources thanks to the gen­erosity of our financial supporters.

Joanna Marks still thinks about the families she met in Kentucky as a volunteer coordinator for a nonprofit agency that helped people navigate the court system.

Even as Scott Williams shifts his career from journalism to energy analysis, he finds his communications skills coming in handy as he researches and organizes information for the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Wisconsin–Madison Energy Institute.

A missive from the Wisconsin Secretary of State's office and another from the bank led to a donation to the La Follette School. When Carolyn Heinrich was going through files after taking office as director, she found an official notice that the La Follette Institute Alumni Association had been decertified. Then a bank statement appeared at the school showing a $491.01 balance for the association.

Our alumni and friends are one of the La Follette School's greatest assets. The prestige and reputation of the school grows with your accomplishments.

Sarah Hurley finds she has little trouble pacing herself as she starts her pursuit of a Master of Public Affairs degree with a focus on education policy.

Thanks to a generous donation to the La Follette School, students can compete for a $250 prize for the best paper in the area of science and public policy. Professors teaching La Follette School courses in 2008-09 can nominate a paper (which can be co-authored) and a selection committee will make the award at the end of the academic year.

A labor shortage at the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development created the opportunity for two La Follette School students to analyze employment patterns and opportunities.

Thanks to a generous donation from Lockheed Martin to the La Follette School, student Nicole Kibble was able to do more than just survive during her summer in Washington, D.C.