Badger Precollege
Badger Precollege provides academic precollege programs for elementary, middle and high school students to explore the UW–Madison campus while pursuing their interests in the fields of music, art, STEM, recreation and more. We introduce students to the college environment and promote lifelong learning by offering programming to students throughout their K-12 experience. In addition to being immersed in the college experience, our students benefit from interacting with UW–Madison’s outstanding facilities, resources and faculty. As an integral part of our mission, we strive to bring underrepresented students to campus through scholarship opportunities, partner organizations and culturally aware curricula.
Questions?
What We Do
- Facilitate immersion into the Badger experience
- Run residential and commuter academic precollege programs
- Prepare students for the college admissions process
- Provide scholarship opportunities for students with financial need
- Community engagement
- Precollege outreach fairs
- Design precollege programs and opportunities
Our Team
Carrie Backman
Assistant Director of Badger Precollege Arts Programs/Program Director of Summer Music Clinic
Sara Bembenek-Saborio
International Education Coordinator
Katie Effertz
Associate Director of Operations and Residential Programs
Jeanne Hammes
Badger Precollege Arts Coordinator
Payton Welling
Summer Special Project Coordinator
Aphra Mednick
Associate Dean
Lauren Oldenburg
Precollege Commuter Program Specialist
Danny Puser
Badger Precollege Project Coordinator
Kate Ryan
Badger Precollege Program Coordinator
Olha Skyba
Associate Director of Academics and Development Department:
Sarah Sobek Ozburn
Divisional Data Analyst
Tracy Spraetz
Summer Academic Program Manager
Jamison Wendlandt
Badger Precollege Program Coordinator
Read Badger Precollege Stories
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International precollege programs build skills, confidence and connections
For high schoolers across the globe, studying in the U.S. may seem like a faraway dream. Thanks to the Wisconsin International Precollege Academy (WIPA), WIPA Online and other programs for…
Celebrate 140 years of summer learning by enrolling for Summer Term 2025
Summer Term at the University of Wisconsin–Madison turns 140 this year! You can be part of that legacy while shaping your future with more than 1,000 courses — including hundreds…
Rising stars embrace creativity at Summer Arts Clinic
An aspiring actor at Auburn High School in Rockford, Illinois, junior Alexander Powell is used to displaying confidence on the stage. But when it came time to attend the Summer…
Help available for low-income students
Explore educational resources and financial aid options for low-income students, including scholarships, state aid, online education and more.
Scholarships fuel success for returning adult students
The eldest of 11 siblings, Zalissa Zongo Kafando embarked on a life-changing journey in 2018. Fleeing the increasing political instability of Burkina Faso, West Africa, she sought a better life…
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