CONTACT: Elizabeth Tryon, etryon@wisc.edu, 608-890-3334
MADISON – The Morgridge Center for Public Service and American Family Insurance are announcing an award for student innovation that leaves a post-graduation legacy.
As part of the Year of Innovation Celebration at UW-Madison, American Family Insurance contributed $10,000 through the Morgridge Center for Public Service to the Wisconsin Idea Undergraduate Fellowship competition in social innovation.
This yearly competition honors undergraduate students who choose to use and expand their knowledge conducting projects that address a complex social or societal need. The students work with community organizations to propose a creative, innovative plan to address the social need and then work to implement the plan.
Community organizations may include public agencies, nonprofit or for-profit organizations working on issues of education, health or environment. The students work under the direction of a faculty advisor and community partner. Funding from the special competition will augment those projects that demonstrate a plan to sustain themselves after the student graduates. Two students will win $5,000 each.
Informational sessions for students will be held Nov. 12 at 4:30 p.m. and Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. with drop-in advising from 1-5 p.m. on Nov. 13. All sessions will be in the Morgridge Center, 154 Red Gym, on campus.
“New generations of leaders bring forward fresh ideas and innovative approaches,” says Dawn Mortimer, American Family’s innovation director. “American Family sees this award as a way to encourage the emerging generation of leaders at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to innovate for the greater public good.”
Nancy Mathews, director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service, says American Family’s gift underscores the Center’s mission of “bridging campus and community through service and learning.”
This award joins more than $35,000 from the Office of the Provost for the existing Wisconsin Idea Undergraduate Fellowship competition, and an additional $20,000 in prizes contributed by other private partners for special competitions as part of the UW Madison Year of Innovation. For more information, go to http://yearofinnovation.wisc.edu/ or contact the Morgridge Center for Public Service at 608-263-2432 or info@morgridge.wisc.edu.
