CALS Ambassadors

Meet the CALS Ambassadors

CALS Ambassadors are current CALS students who are eager to share about the CALS student experience. They connect with prospective first-year, transfer, and admitted students to help them learn about CALS and share their personal experiences as part of the CALS community. Ambassadors would love to answer questions about the transition to college, coursework in their major, getting involved in student organizations, and more on campus!

	Name: Nathan Buckley (He/Him) Hometown: Lakeville, Minnesota Major: Biology (Pre-Med) Certificate: Science Communication CALS Programs to Ask me About: I am involved in the Honors Research program, and I am a QuickStart alumni! Favorite Class: My favorite class has been LSC 251: Science, Media, and Society because I am able to learn how to effectively communicate scientific information and also link what I'm learning about to other courses.
	Name: Katie Cervenka (She/Her) Hometown: Delafield, Wisconsin Majors: Life Sciences Communication and Wildlife Ecology Certificate: Environmental Studies Why I Chose UW-Madison: I loved it’s impressive reputation and location. Specifically, UW-Madison is close to my hometown that has a great college atmosphere. CALS offered lots of majors that interested me, and I felt really comfortable exploring academics in this school.  My Favorite Part of Being in CALS: The incredible network of people that are available to support students in every aspect of the college experience. Fun Facts, Hobbies, and Student Orgs: My favorite color Gatorade is light blue, I have a puggle named Maple who has a really aggressive under bite, and my Mario Kart character is always Shy Guy.
	Name: Patrick Colegrove (He/Him) Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Major: Biology Certificates: Science Communication and Biocore Favorite Part of CALS Campus: The Microbial Sciences Building is an amazing place to grab coffee to take to your classes, learn about on-campus microbio research, or just to study. I also love to take breaks with my friend and walk though Allen Centennial Garden when weather is nice. Favorite Class: I love LSC 314: Intro to Digital Video Production because it allows you to communicate the STEM topics you feel so passionate about in a unique and purposeful way. Fun Facts, Hobbies, and Student Orgs: I love to go to concerts, museums, and explore new foods in Chicago. I’m also getting involved in beach volleyball, both in Madison and Chicago. CALS Programs to Ask Me About: CALS Honors in Research and I served as a peer leader for Inter Ag 155.
	Name: Alli Dawiedczyk (She/Her) Hometown: Lake Orion, Michigan Majors: Global Health and Spanish (Pre-Law) Favorite Part of CALS Campus: My favorite part of CALS campus is the Microbial Sciences building! It has a delicious cafe and a beautiful study area. It is also where I have some of my favorite microbiology labs. Favorite Class: My favorite class I have taken is Microbiology 345, Introduction to Disease Biology. This class was extremely interactive, and the professor was extremely engaging and passionate about her work. Fun Facts, Hobbies, and Student Orgs: I am vice president of BVA (Badger Volunteering Association) and volunteer as a tutor for 7th grade students at Black Hawk middle school (through the Morgridge Center). I am also involved in the Track club and various intramurals (soccer, flag football, basketball, and volleyball). CALS Programs to Ask me About: I have utilized QuickStart, study abroad (with 2 scholarships), and pre-law advising.
	Name: Caitlin Hanley Hometown: Watertown, Wisconsin Major: Animal Sciences (Pre-vet) Certificate: Food Systems Favorite Part of CALS Campus:. My favorite part of the CALS campus is the amount of green space available for studying and how close it is to the Lakeshore trails Favorite class: One of my favorite classes I've taken is Meat Science, or An Sci 305. This was a super hands-on course, and a lot of time was spent in the USDA meat processing facility learning about different muscle types. We even got to brine a chicken to bring home! Fun Facts, Hobbies, and Student Orgs: I took an internship credit last year through Slow Food UW and am now the South Madison Director. I'm also the CALS Representative for the Pre-Veterinary Association and am involved in the Wisconsin Admissions Volunteers. When I'm not at school, I spend time working as a vet assistant at Fitchburg Veterinary Hospital or going home to visit my 2 German Shepherds. Fun fact - I also have a chinchilla named Buddy who has three legs, no tail, and a lot of attitude! I also love hiking and have been able to visit 42 of the 49 State Parks. CALS Programs to Ask Me About: Quickstart, the Honors in Research program, campus research, and scholarships.
	Name: Meghan Reimann (She/Her) Hometown: Buffalo, New York Major: Animal & Veterinary Biosciences (Pre-Vet) Favorite Part of CALS Campus: Not a place, but the people that make up this close knit community in CALS.  Fun Facts, Hobbies, and Student Orgs: Skiing, horseback riding, and playing with my dog.  CALS Programs to Ask Me About: QuickStart!
	Name: Quinn Thomas Hometown: Millburn, New Jersey Major: Biology (Pre-Vet) Certificate: Environmental Studies Favorite Part of CALS Campus: My favorite part of CALS Campus is the Allen Centennial Garden. Whether you go in between classes and studying or just to enjoy the greenery, it is a great place to sit and relax on a warm day. I love to stroll through the garden and sit on one of the benches with a good book. Favorite Class: My favorite class that I have taken so far was SOC 248: Environment, Natural Resources, & Society. The class explores contemporary relationships that we have with the natural world, especially in the context of societal responses to environmental issues. I found the class very interesting and relevant to current political, societal, and environmental issues. Fun Facts, Hobbies, and Student Orgs: I am a member of UW-Madison's Pre-Veterinary Association and currently work as a vet assistant at WisCARES and a volunteer vet tech assistant at Dane County Humane Society. I love reading, going on hikes, cooking, and my two cats, Ozzie and Murphy, and my dog, Coda. CALS Programs to Ask Me About: QuickStart!
	Name: Mackenzie Twomey (She/Her) Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri Majors: Biochemistry and Global Health Certificates: Gender and Women’s Studies Favorite Part of CALS Campus: My favorite part of the CALS campus is the Steenbock Library and the BioCommons in the basement because it is a comfy place to relax and study.  Favorite Class: My favorite class I have taken for my certificate is Gender and Women in World History because it is a whole new way to look at history and there is so much interesting information. Fun Facts, Hobbies, and Student Orgs: I have an unhealthy obsession with Taylor Swift and Noah Kahan and I've seen both in concert twice.  CALS Programs to Ask me About: CALS QuickStart, CALS Honors in Research, study abroad advising.
	Name: Amal Vellani (She/Her) Hometown: Houston, Texas Majors: Global Health and Health Promotion and Health Equity Fun Facts, Hobbies, and Student Orgs: I am in a sorority on campus and am also a member of the Global Health Alliance. CALS Programs to Ask Me About: QuickStart and Study Abroad