The
R OBERT M. L A F OLLETTE
S CHOOL OF P UBLIC A FFAIRS
Commencement
Sunday, May 17, 2015
11:00 A.M.
Assembly Chamber
Wisconsin State Capitol
THE LA FOLLETTE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is a highly ranked program that offers domestic and international degrees in public management and policy analysis.
The La Follette School first started as the Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration. The Center, founded in 1967 by Dr. Clara Penniman,
was a part of the Political Science Department. In 1983, the Wisconsin legislature formally separated the Center from the department and renamed it the
Robert M. La Follette Institute of Public Affairs. Named after former Wisconsin governor, US Senator, and proponent of progressivism, the school
began offering a master of public affairs degree. Dr. Dresang was its first director. In 1999, the Institute was once again renamed the La Follette School
of Public Affairs to create a master of international public affairs degree program. La Follette prides itself in the continued practice of the Wisconsin Idea,
a century-long commitment of the University of Wisconsin to extend its expertise beyond the campus borders to solve the problems of the world at
large.
In the early decades of the
twentieth century, while Wisconsin's great biologists were
discovering the major vitamin
groups to improve the nutrition
of cows, Wisconsin's great social
scientists were inventing and
adapting the programs of Social
Security, Unemployment Compensation, and Workers Compensation so the general society
could benefit from the gains
made possible by a rapidly changing free market industrial structure. These
social scientists worked closely with political leaders like Robert M. La Follette
to help enact legislation that embodied the best social science research.
Today, the La Follette School faculty, alumni, students, and staff extend the
practice of the Wisconsin Idea across the state and around the world through
research and outreach on issues that include the design and management of
social welfare programs, international currency and trade, analysis of the effects of welfare reform, determinants of health and health care reform, environmental regulation, public management and finance, Social Security, and
science and technology.
THE PERILS OF PASSIVE CITIZENSHIP
Washington, D.C., August 11, 1924
Robert M. La Follette
America is not made. It is in the making. It has today to meet an impending crisis, menacing as any in the nation's history. It does not sound a call
to arms, but it is nonetheless a call to patriotism and to higher ideals in
citizenship—a call for the preservation of the representative character of
the government itself.
If we would preserve the spirit as well as the form of our free institutions,
the patriotic citizenship of the country must take its stand and demand of
wealth that it shall conduct its business lawfully. That it shall no longer
furnish the most flagrant examples of persistent violation of statutes
while invoking the protection of the courts. That it shall not destroy the
equality of opportunity, nor the right to the pursuit of happiness guaranteed by the constitution. That it shall keep its powerful hands off from
legislative manipulation, that it shall not corrupt but shall obey the government that guards and protects its rights.
It is a glorious service, this service for the country.
Mere passive citizenship is not enough. Men must be aggressive for what
is right if government is to be saved from those who are aggressive for
what is wrong. The nation has awakened somewhat slowly to a realization
of its peril, but it has responded with gathering momentum. The Progressive movement now has the support of all the moral forces that the solution of a great problem can command. The outlook is hopeful. There is
no room for pessimism.
Mere passive citizenship is not enough.
Every man should have faith. Advance ground has been secured which
will never be surrendered by the American people. There's work for everyone. The field is large. It is a glorious service, this service for the country. The call comes to every citizen. It is an unending struggle to make
and keep government representative. Each one should count it a patriotic
duty to build at least a part of his life into the life of his country, to do his
share in the making of America according to the plan of the fathers.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
PRIVATE TOUR INFORMATION
Please Join Us for a
Post-Commencement Tour:
Wisconsin State Capital
Two East Main Street Madison, Wisconsin, 53703
Phone: (608) 266-0382
A Private Tour has been arranged for graduates and their
families following the 2015 Commencement:
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
THANK YOU
The 2015 La Follette graduating class would like to thank our
families and friends. Without your support and encouragement,
this day would not have been possible.
We would also like to thank the professors and staff at the La
Follette School of Public Affairs. We are sincerely grateful for
your instruction, guidance, and assistance. Finally, the class would
like to thank our classmates, past and present. Through all the
team projects, study groups, and social gatherings, it is the student community that helps make the school a home. We now
look forward to all that is coming in the future, knowing that the
La Follette School has prepared us for the adventure.
In achievement and prestige, the University of Wisconsin–Madison has long
been recognized for its eminence. On a lakefront campus that is considered one
of the nation’s most picturesque, this public, land-grant institution includes a
complete spectrum of liberal arts studies, professional programs and student
activities. Many of UW–Madison’s programs are hailed as world leaders in instruction, research, and public service.
The university traces its roots to a
clause in the Constitution of the State
of Wisconsin, which decreed that the
young state should have a prominent
public university. In 1848, legislators
passed a bill that formally created the
university, and its first class, with 17
students, met in a Madison school
building on February 5, 1849.
From those humble beginnings, the university has grown into a large, diverse
community, with over 40,000 students enrolled each year. These students represent every county in Wisconsin and all fifty states, as well as countries from
around the globe, making for a truly international student body. Both throughout its history and today, the university has sought to bring the power of learning into the daily lives of students through innovations such as its residential
learning communities and academic service learning courses.
UW–Madison is the oldest and largest campus in the University of Wisconsin
System, a statewide network of two doctoral and 11 comprehensive universities,
13 freshman-sophomore transfer colleges, and an extension service. One of two
doctorate-granting universities in the system, UW–Madison has the specific mission of providing “a learning environment in which faculty, staff and students
can discover, examine critically, preserve and transmit the knowledge, wisdom
and values that will help insure the survival of this and future generations and
improve the quality of life for all.” The university strives to achieve these ends
through innovative programs of teaching, research and public service.
Scholarly inquiry and research at UW–Madison has fed a steady stream of discoveries and life-improving ideas, from biofuels to medical technology to stem
cell research. Students, faculty and staff are motivated by a tradition known as
the “Wisconsin Idea,” described by UW President Charles Van Hise in 1904 as
the compelling need to carry “the beneficent influence of the university … to
every home in the state.” The Wisconsin Idea permeates the university’s work
and helps forge close working relationships between university faculty, staff, and
students, and the state’s citizens, industries, and government.
ACADEMIC ATTIRE
Significance of the formal academic attire worn for the
commencement ceremony
GOWNS: Robes or gowns represent the three principal levels of academic
achievement. The bachelor’s gown, symbolizing the first degree, is made of
black material and has a closed front and long, pointed, open sleeves. Master’s candidates wear a black gown with a closed front and long, closed
sleeves. The gown worn by doctoral candidates has an open front with bellshaped sleeves. Doctoral gowns are further embellished with velvet trim in
the form of crossbars on the sleeves. These are generally black but may be
colored to represent the profession or major field of interest. Some doctoral
gowns are colored to represent the distinctive identity of a particular institution. These types of gowns are generally worn without the hood.
CAPS AND TASSELS: Candidates for the bachelor’s degree wear the black
mortar board cap with tassels of their course color. The tassel is worn on the
right side until the formal conferral of the degree. At that time the tassel is
moved to the left side. Candidates for all higher degrees wear the regulation
cap with black tassel. Some holders of foreign degrees may wear special hats
which are distinctive to their degree and institution.
HOODS: Academic hoods are used as a further means of identifying the level of degree attainment. The bachelor’s hood, worn only by those who have
previously received a baccalaureate degree, is rather short with a narrow velvet edging the color of the appropriate discipline and a lining in the color of
the institution—cardinal at Wisconsin.
The velvet edging on advanced degree hoods is wider, and the lining is considerably longer. Master’s degree hoods are edged with yellow for science,
white for arts, and brown for fine arts. Hoods for a Master of Public Affairs
are teal. Doctoral hoods have the widest velvet edging, greater length, and a
fully exposed lining. The colors of the edging are blue for philosophy, pink
for musical arts, green for medicine, physical therapy and audiology, purple
for law, gray for veterinary medicine, and olive for pharmacy.
HONORS: Candidates who have been awarded honors in general scholarship
are distinguished by cardinal stoles, which consist of panels draped over the
shoulders. White stoles with cardinal bars distinguish honors degree candidates. Some members of the Phi Alpha Alpha, the National Honor Society
for Public Affairs and Administration, are wearing cords around their necks.
STUDENT SPEAKER
KATE AUSTIN is a 2015 graduate of the La Follette School of Public
Affairs and the Master of Public Health programs. She is
a native Madisonian, and graduated in 2007 with a
Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a minor in
Spanish Language and Literature from The George
Washington University in Washington, DC. Prior to
starting at the La Follette School, Kate held a variety of
positions in domestic and international organizations,
including three and a half years as a Peace Corps
Volunteer/Leader in Guatemala. During her time at UW,
Kate has held a Project Assistantship, working as an
Evidence Analyst at the Population Health Institute.
STUDENT AWARDS
THE PENNIMAN PRIZE is awarded to the graduating student who has
written the most outstanding paper while a graduate
student in public affairs. La Follette School faculty
nominate the papers, which best demonstrate the writing and analytic skills the school emphasizes. A specialist in taxation and public finance, Clara Penniman
was the founder and director of the La Follette
School's predecessor, the Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration. She was the first female
chair of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's (then
otherwise all male) political science department. She
retired in 1984 and passed away in 2009.
DIRECTOR’S AWARD is given by the La Follette School at graduation to
recognize a student for her or his outstanding academic record. The major
criterion for the award is attained GPA, but there also must be evidence of
being an outstanding public policy thinker and communicator. The school
started the award in 1991 when Bob Haveman ended his term as director.
PIORE PRIZE FOR BEST PAPER IN SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY
Named for Emanuel R. Piore and Nora Kahn Piore, the prize was awarded
for the first time in 2009 to recognize the best student paper in the area of
science and public policy. Dr. Emanuel R. Piore was a research physicist who
marshaled federal dollars for scientific research and helped IBM develop a
new generation of digital computers. Nora Kahn Piore was a New York economist and health policy expert. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa in economics
in 1933 from the University of Wisconsin, where she received an M.A. in economics a year later.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
KIMBERLEE WRIGHT is the Executive Director of the Midwest
Environmental Advocates. Her professional experience
includes serving as the director of conservation programs
for The Nature Conservancy and as the executive
director for Domestic Abuse Intervention Services. Prior
to joining MEA, Ms. Wright managed a statewide grant
program for land trusts working in partnership with the
Wisconsin DNR to protect critical habitat and natural
areas. Ms. Wright’s community service has benefitted
children and adults with disabilities, access to affordable
housing, environmental protection and the preservation
of pristine natural areas. She is grateful to the many generations of
Wisconsin conservation leaders who’ve advocated for the protection of our
natural heritage.
Ms. Wright received a law degree and a bachelor of science in rural sociology
from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since graduating from law
school she has worked statewide in the public interest on issues ranging from
elder law, environmental protection, conservation and support for people
affected by family violence.
FACULTY SPEAKER
DONALD MOYNIHAN is a Professor of Public Affairs at the La Follette
School. A native of Ireland, Professor Moynihan
graduated from University of Limerick before
completing his PhD at Syracuse University. His research
examines the management of public organizations, with
particular focus on the implementation of performance
measurement systems. He has presented his research to
policymakers U.S. Office of Management and Budget,
the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
In 2014, Moynihan was awarded the Kershaw Award,which is provided every
two years by Mathematica and the Association of Public Policy and
Management to one scholar under the age of 40 for outstanding contributions
to the study of public policy and management. He is a fellow of the National
Academy of Public Administration and has received research awards from the
Russell Sage Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the Graduate
School of UW Madison.
2015 GRADUATING CLASS
MASTER OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Andersen,Virginia Anne
Austin,Katharine €
Austin,Sarah Nicole ^
Babal,Christopher John
Behm,Andrew Jacob ^+
Bowman, Allison ^
Brenner,Kayla Jean ^€Δ
Cao,Shiyao
Christiansen,Carl +
Cochlin,Lauren €=
Coelho,Richard William
Daily,Drake R
Doucette,Joel Robert ^
Drazkowski,Ann Marie
Dumas,Aaron #
Eggert,Donne Dee
Elzinga-Marshall,Gabrielle
Emmel,Benjamin Grant
Eskrich,Sara Elizabeth €
Filer,Angela Hope
Fischer,Sierra
Hedtke,Isaac John
Hildebrand,Ellen M ∞
Holtzman,Julian Amo-Sum €
Javenkoski,Bennett Breidel
Kopitzke, Benjamin James €
Lick, Andrew David §
Lo,Keo T
Manes,Matthew Leonard
Matteson,Samuel Gillstrom
McKnight,Forrest Sinclair
Monahan,Brianne Clara
O'Shaughnessy, Eric Jon +
*Ojiaku, Princess *
Palmer,Mallory Kaye
Petershack,Katherine ^
Proctor-Brown,Patrick #
Racine, Annie *
Schroeckenthaler,Kyle †
Schwartz,Travis Robert
Staskunas, John Anton
Stupar,Robert Jeffrey +
Van Buren,Matthew Smith
Vogel,Hannah Charleen
Will,Megan Elizabeth
Wood,Scott Ronald
Zich,Tyrel J
MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Albino,David Anthony ∞†
Ale,Debaki +
Blake,Dylan Peter
Butler,Olivia Lee
Chaudary, Tahira
Christopherson,Michael Carlson
Dolson,Erik William
Dunk,Ryan J
Duren,Michelle Lynn
Easa, Asma∞
Jenkins,Katie Marie ^∞
Lashmore,Joel Alan
Mayeshiba,Matthew Shepard
Peterson,Ian William
Rosales Mitte,Diana Mercedes
Sambo,Allison Rose α
Straka,Alexander John
Traverse,Andrea Marie^
Wild, Kimberly ^
Additional Degrees, Certificates and Honors
α
*
#
§
∞
€
=
+
†
Δ
^
Ph.D Human Ecology
Ph.D Neuroscience Dual Degree
Juris Doctor (Law) Dual Degree
MS, Environment and Resources
MS, Urban and Regional Planning
Master of Public Health (MPH) Dual Degree
Certificate of Leadership
Energy Analysis and Policy Certificate
Transportation Mgmt. and Policy Certificate
Certificate in Patient Safety
Not walking at commencement
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
PRELUDE
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Kimberlee Wright
Director of the Midwest Environmental Advocates
Entrance of La Follette faculty
The audience is to rise.
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
PROCESSION OF GRADUATES
OPENING REMARKS
Susan Yackee
Hilary Shager
Associate Director, La Follette School of Public Affairs
Greg Nemet
Associate Professor of Public Affairs and Environmental Studies
Director, La Follette School of Public Affairs
Professor of Public Affairs and Political Science
PRESENTATION OF GRADUATES
STUDENT SPEAKER
Kate Austin
Master of Public Affairs/Master of Public
Health Dual Degree
Mary Treleven
La Follette Student Services Coordinator
The audience is to hold their applause until the end.
RECESSIONAL
FACULTY SPEAKER
Donald Moynihan
Professor of Public Affairs
The audience is to remain until all officials and graduates have left the room.