I write to you on a chilly February day during which I am starting to wonder if winter will ever end. While there is no snow on the ground, last week I was tricked by what I have heard described as “Fake Spring” and had started to get used to it. Alas, winter temperatures returned a couple days ago…

For the full letter from the Chair, visit Letter from the Chair Nick Syrett – Alumni Newsletter Spring 2026.

I hope you are finding some sun and soaking up some joy in these trying times. Springtime is upon us! A time for growth! This season brings feelings of inspiration and renewal as the warm weather buzz returns and students and community alike converge on campus. The chairs at the Memorial Union will be out on the terrace before we know it!

For the full letter from Dr. Kate, visit The Scoop from Dr. Kate – Alumni Newsletter Spring 2026.

To listen to the latest episodes of the GWS IN ACTION podcast, check out our GWS IN ACTION page! This season, Dr. Kate has been exploring the exciting chronicles of students, alumni, faculty, & staff and the way in which gender studies continues to inform their work and lives. From exciting conversations about the behind the scenes impacts of GWS, to exploring and bringing this work to new horizons, the GWS IN Action podcast continues to follow the story wherever it leads us. 

The Stories Between is an alumni-focused reading community that explores important texts in feminist theory, speculative fiction, queer studies, identity and more! If you're interested in joining our community as we meet monthly, fill out our The Stories Between Alumni Virtual Reading Group - Fall 2025 Registration form.

To learn hear about our exciting updates, past readings, upcoming sessions, and new book recommendations, visit our The Stories Between Reading Group page!

The spring is full of exciting programming for the CRGW! With dedicated events for students, alumni, faculty, and staff, the Center is working hard to highlight important research, build spaces for community, and to cultivate new opportunities for learning, leadership, and engagement. To learn more about future CRGW programming, visit the Center for Research on Gender and Women webpage!

Grace Atherton (she/her) is a Madison native and self-taught communications & marketing professional with a deep passion for gender equity, economic and social justice, and servant leadership. She double-majored in Gender and Women’s Studies and Spanish, and her time in the GWS Department was (and is) foundational to all aspects of her life today. She lives in Middleton with her husband Kevin and their toddler. Shannon Patterson, PhD (she/her), is a licensed psychologist specializing in eating disorders and health psychology, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2010 with degrees in Psychology and Sociology, along with certificates in Gender and Women’s Studies and Gerontology. Her clinical training focused on the intersection of physical and mental health, and she was trained in both health psychology and eating disorder treatment.

Our current GWS and LGBTQ+ students come from across campus and from around the world. Read about some of them here. Sofia Thao is majoring in Gender & Women’s Studies. GWS helped Sofia narrow down the sort of work they aspire to do in law by illustrating the critical importance and impact of local work. Since then, Sofia has refocused their studies and career on integrated community development on a legal level! Ella Kuba-Schuenke is majoring in Gender & Women’s Studies, Environmental Studies, and Mathematics. GWS has fully transformed how Ella wants to frame their future. It has fully transformed their dreams into endless possibilities of ecofeminism and potentially interested them in pursuing graduate school to continue to learn and collaborate with others!

Join us for the Women’s and Gender Studies Consortium Conference on April 9th and 10th, 2026 at the Memorial Union on the UW-Madison campus. The April 9th keynote featuring past NWSA president Heidi Lewis is at 4:00 p.m. in the Great Hall. The keynote is free and open to the public! Early bird registration ends on March 20. We offer sliding scale options. Alumni can reach out to srrytilahti@wisc.edu for additional waiver options. We also offer access to our vendor room for any alumni who have a non-profit, feminist organization, or small business they would like to promote. Please fill out this form for more information.

Day of the Badger takes place this spring on April 14th and 15th, 2026! Save the dates and be on the lookout for more information from us on how to show your support for Gender and Women’s Studies and LGBTQ+ Studies! To learn more about Day of the Badger, visit Day of the Badger.

Visit our website and follow us on Instagram to hear about current department happenings! You can also fill out this survey to connect with Alumni Engagement Coordinator, Kate Phelps, to share your ideas about alumni programming.