Eight alumni of the WISCIENCE Peer Leader program received the UW–Madison Leadership Certificate this semester. One of these students, Kaylee Sweno, won the Anne Louise Martino Leadership Award, which honors an outstanding graduating senior who has distinguished themselves as a campus leader and has advanced women’s leadership.
The WISCIENCE Peer Leader program trains undergraduate students to support their peers in WISCIENCE programs and courses, offering them opportunities to strengthen their leadership capacity, empower their peers, and reflect on their own growth. The program is designed to build skills related to the competencies in the UW–Madison Leadership Framework.
The Leadership Certificate acknowledges students’ leadership contributions both inside and outside the classroom, and is open to all UW–Madison students who are actively involved in leadership roles and can document at least 100 hours of experience.
Students reflected on their experiences as peer leaders and what they learned. “Being a peer leader allowed me to grow my facilitation skills, which I applied to other student organizations and will apply to my future career as a Physician Assistant,” said Kaylee Sweno.
“Being a peer leader is one of the most rewarding experiences, especially if you enjoy helping others and building a strong sense of community,” said Sevilla Reed. “I learned that small actions like checking in on students or remembering little things about them build so much trust. There is no better feeling then when students trust you enough to ask for help with whatever they may need.”
The Peer Leader program alumni receiving the certificate were: Kate Curtis, Sophie Greene, Pate Lantz, Chloe Martin, Rina Mistrioty, Sevilla Reed, Atharvan Srivastava, and Kaylee Sweno. We are proud of these students for their commitment to having a positive influence on the STEM community at UW–Madison and serving as role models for other students. Congratulations to all!