In a record-setting cohort, University of Wisconsin–Madison’s UniverCity Year program will be partnering with nine communities across Wisconsin during the 2022–25 academic years and leveraging university resources to move forward their goals.
UniverCity Year (UCY) is the hallmark program of UniverCity Alliance — an initiative that connects local governments across Wisconsin with resources at the university. During the three-year program, UW students and faculty work with communities toward locally-identified goals.
“Communities are hungry to get fresh ideas and a jump-start on project ideas they have,” UniverCity Alliance managing director Gavin Luter said. “UW–Madison is a unique partner for these communities because we hopefully are perceived to be a neutral third party whose only interest is to help the communities improve.”
The nine communities include the villages of Cottage Grove and Shorewood; the cities of Marinette, Milton, River Falls, and Wausau; and Eau Claire, St. Croix, and Wood counties. Over the next three years, these partners will work with UCY staff to identify projects and partner with UW–Madison faculty as their students complete tangible deliverables that can be implemented into Wisconsin communities.
Partnerships at Work
UCY takes community-based scholarship and teaching to the next level by responding directly to community needs with university resources. Communities shape the deliverables that will meet their needs, and students receive a high-impact learning experience.
After the projects are identified, UCY staff will match them with faculty members and instructors who will incorporate the work into their courses, or find other ways to get UW faculty, staff, and students involved. UCY also provides support to participating faculty by facilitating meetings with the community and providing funding opportunities.
Students will present their recommendations to the community, but the partnership does not end there. UCY staff will continue working with the communities to evaluate the feasibility of student recommendations, improvement projects and report on outcomes.
The new cohort of communities applied to UCY to address a range of issues, including public health, sustainability, social support services, electric vehicles, historic preservation, and equity. While each community has unique needs, the UCY program has seen an increase in requests around child care issues, EMS recruitment and retention, affordable housing, program effectiveness, and environmental sustainability.
In the wake of the pandemic, Luter said communities have learned that the typical ways of doing business no longer holds.
“This is a huge moment for our local communities across Wisconsin as they come out of the pandemic,” Luter said. “The UniverCity Year program is here to help these communities rethink their standard ways of doing things.”
Wisconsin Idea in Action
Since its first partnership in 2016, 20 communities have partnered with UCY. The new cohort brings the total to 29 communities, with 15 counties and 14 cities, towns, and villages participating.
The program illustrates the Wisconsin Idea in action, fostering active engagement between UW–Madison and Wisconsin local governments.
“UniverCity Year can be a program that brings these on-the-ground issues directly to faculty and students,” Luter said. “This helps us continue to stay relevant across the state, while also improving how we train students in applying their fields to public issues.”
Meet the 2022–25 Cohort
City of Marinette
“We’re excited to work with UniverCity Year as they will bring a fresh perspective to our community’s needs. We hope this process will bring new and innovative solutions to the many projects we are working on.”
— Mayor Steve Genisot
City of Milton
“The city of Milton is proud and appreciative to be awarded the unique opportunity to have a UniverCity Year partnership in its future. We believe that these projects will be the catalyst that assists our city and partner organizations to meet goals that solidify our commitment to living ‘The Milton Way.’ ”
— Mayor Anissa Welch
City of River Falls
“We’re excited to partner with the UW System and tap into the innovative minds of our next generation of leaders. The resources provided by UniverCity Year will be invaluable in developing creative solutions to the complex challenges we face as a local government.”
— Jason Stroud, Assistant City Administrator
City of Wausau
“I’m super pumped to provide opportunities for students to gain true hands-on experiences working with us. I also hope they fall in love with our city and think about joining us in the future.”
— Mayor Katie Rosenberg
Eau Claire County
“We hope that the community will gain additional insight into the benefits of the UW System and the meaningful outreach that it can have to communities such as ours. We believe that the completion of the projects we have outlined will enhance the citizens of the county and be an example of how communities can partner with the UW System for the betterment of both parties.”
— Norb Kirk, Finance Director
St. Croix County
“Working with UniverCity will allow our justice system to take a fresh perspective on some of the challenges facing our community. Through this partnership, we are aiming to increase access to housing and treatment options for justice-involved individuals living in St. Croix County, improving their overall health and well-being. We are looking forward to working with the graduate students matched with our projects to help the communities we serve.”
— Phil Galli, Justice Services Director
Village of Cottage Grove
“I am eager to begin the partnership with the UW through the UniverCity Year program. Through our partnership, we will be able to provide experience, resources, and new connections to the UW students and bring innovations to staff and our residents alike.”
— Matt Giese, Village Administrator
Village of Shorewood
“The Village of Shorewood as an organization appreciates the lessons and progress that can be made from collaboration. This program will allow us to partner with talented, capable student groups on high impact projects that the Village Board has prioritized to be reviewed. We’re looking forward to the partnership and are excited for the work to start!”
— Ann McCullough McKaig, Village President
Wood County
“Working with UniverCity Year will elevate our health priorities and bring additional capacity to this important public health work. It will allow students to get real-life experience working on initiatives to improve the health of rural Wisconsin residents.”
— Kristie Egge, Supervisor of Strategic Initiatives