Congratulations CALS Winter 2025 Graduates!
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Spring 2026 Graduation Celebration
CALS Graduation Celebration
Saturday, May 9| 8:30–10:30 am
Allen Centennial Garden
620 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706
Join families, staff, and friends from the UW–Madison College of Agricultural & Life Sciences to celebrate our spring and summer 2026 graduates on May 9th at the Allen Centennial Garden!
The celebration is an informal gathering without formal remarks. Graduates and their guests can come anytime between 8:30-10:30 am to mingle with faculty and staff, take photos throughout the garden, pick up gifts for the graduates, and enjoy light refreshments. Bucky and Dean Glenda Gillaspy will both be in attendance to take photos with graduates and their guests! Graduates must be at Camp Randall Stadium by 11:10 am.
Please note, this celebration is not the official commencement ceremony, and degrees are officially conferred at the university-wide commencement events. Due to the high number of graduates in attendance and limited time available, graduate names will not be read at the CALS Graduation Celebration but they will be read at the campus-wide ceremony for winter graduates. Find more information on the campus-wide UW Commencement website.
Parking: Complimentary parking will be available in several campus parking lots.
Accommodations: CALS is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible event. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact academicaffairs@cals.wisc.edu. Requests should be made by April 20, 2026, though reasonable effort will be made to support late accommodation requests. Please review this webpage for accessibility information for the campus-wide commencement events.
University Commencement Ceremony
Doctoral, MFA, and Medical Professional Degree Candidate Ceremony
Friday, May 8, 2026 at 5:30 pm
The Kohl Center, 601 W. Dayton Street
Doors open at 3:30 pm. Graduates are asked to arrive no later than 4:50 p.m. to check-in and pick up their name reader card.
Bachelor’s, Law, and Master’s Degree Candidate Ceremony
Saturday, May 9, 2025 at 12 pm
Camp Randall, 1440 Monroe Street
Doors open at 10:00 am. Graduates are asked to arrive no later than 11:10 a.m.
Questions?
Graduates should consult the University’s Commencement website regularly for updates. You may also email commence@chancellor.wisc.edu with any questions regarding the University’s Commencement ceremony.
CALS Major-Specific Commencement Activities
Many of our majors and departments have their own recognition programming for graduating students, details for those will be provided below. Graduating students should contact their advisor with any questions about graduation activities for their major.
Featured Graduate Profiles
Lucy Wersinger
Microbiology, BS
Lucy Wersinger, who grew up in Maple Plain, Minnesota, is graduating this winter with a bachelor’s in microbiology. Lucy was selected to be the CALS flag bearer at the winter 2025 commencement ceremony. In this Q&A, she talks about her interest in microbiology and her research on campus. Lucy plans to complete a post-grad research program with the goal of getting her PhD in the future.
Nathan Sorensen
Biological Systems Engineering, BS
Nathan Sorensen, who grew up in Fall Creek, Wisconsin, is graduating this winter with a bachelor’s in biological systems engineering. In this Q&A, he talks about why biological systems engineering was a perfect fit for him, his involvement in student organizations, and his time as co-captain of the Quarter Scale Tractor Team. After graduation, Nathan will start his career at Komro, an agricultural engineering company in Wisconsin.
Gracie Krahn
Life Sciences Communication, MS
Gracie Krahn, who grew up in Albany, Oregon, is graduating this winter with a master’s in life sciences communication. In this Q&A, she talks about her passion for agricultural communication, her involvement in the National Agri-Marketing Association, and the relationships she has made through CALS. Gracie plans to work at the intersection of dairy, sustainability and communications.
Sanshray Vallecha
Nutritional Sciences & Neurobiology, BS
Sanshray Vallecha, who grew up in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, is graduating this winter with a bachelor’s in nutritional science and neurobiology. In this Q&A, he explains what inspired him to choose his majors, his volunteer work on campus, and the networking opportunities within CALS that impacted his college experience. Sanshray plans to attend medical school to become a physician.
Katharine Hubert
Genetics, PhD
Katharine Hubert, who grew up in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, is graduating this winter with a PhD in genetics. In this Q&A, she talks about her motivations behind researching genetics, her experience co-founding the UW organization CHAMP, the Chronic Health Allies Mentorship Program, and her work to make lab equipment more accessible. Katharine will be staying in Madison to pursue a postdoc with hopes of having her own research lab.
Libby Carroll
Life Sciences Communication, BS
Libby Carroll, who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, is graduating this winter with a bachelor’s in life sciences communication (LSC) and certificates in global health and political science. In this Q&A, she talks about why she chose LSC, the relationships she’s built on campus, and her experience in the CALS Food Insecurity First-year Interest Group. Libby plans to explore career options in communications, marketing, PR, and medical device sales.
Pranav Karra
Biology, BS
Pranav Karra, who grew up in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, is graduating this winter with a bachelor’s in biology. In this Q&A, he discusses his experience as a transfer student, why he decided to pursue the biology major, and his interest in physiology, genetics, and cellular biology. Pranav plans on applying to medical school.
Maryann Gudenkauf
Dairy Science, BS
Maryann Gudenkauf, who grew up in Watertown, Wisconsin, is graduating this winter with a bachelor’s in dairy science. In this Q&A, she talks about her involvement in student organizations and the hands-on experiences she gained throughout her undergraduate career. After graduation, Maryann plans to return to her family dairy farm as fourth generation farmer and to start as a Field Representative for Rolling Hills Dairy Producers Cooperative.