Global Day 2024 a Success!

Attendees listen to opening speaker Jonathan Øverby speak during Global Day, an event hosted by CALS Global, at Union South at UW–Madison in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. Photo by Michael P. King/UW–Madison CALS

Global Day 2024: Wisconsin & the World was held on February 27^th at Union South. Global Day is an annual UW-Madison event that showcases the breadth and depth of UW-Madison’s international expertise and communicates our collective impact on addressing global challenges.

The event kicked off with a video welcome from Dean of CALS Glenda Gillaspy who highlighted the impact that international activities have had on advancing the mission of the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences. The first speaker of the day was Dr. Jonathan Øverby, who hosts, The Road to Higher Ground with Jonathan Øverby on Wisconsin Public Radio. Dr. Øverby gave a talk titled “The Womanist Foundation of Roots Music and The Global Understanding of Diverse Groups”, that discussed his passion for world music and the inspiration behind his passions.

Ankur Desai, professor and department chair in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, right, speaks during a panel about transdisciplinary collaborations during Global Day, an hosted by CALS Global, at Union South at UW–Madison in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. Other panelists from left are Jorge Osorio, professor in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences in the School of Veterinary Medicine, and Jo Handelsman, director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and a Vilas Research Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology. Photo by Michael P. King/UW–Madison CALS — Ankur Desai, professor and department chair in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, right, speaks during a panel about transdisciplinary collaborations during Global Day, an hosted by CALS Global, at Union South at UW–Madison in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. Other panelists from left are Jorge Osorio, and Jo Handelsman. Photo by Michael P. King/UW–Madison CALS

Keira Obert is a senior majoring in wildlife ecology and pursuing certificates in environmental studies, photography, and leadership, speaks during a panel about international opportunities for students, during Global Day, an event hosted by CALS Global, at Union South at UW–Madison in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. Other panelists, from left, are Brandon LaBeau, Sydney Bamdad and Jill Goldwasser. Photo by Michael P. King/UW–Madison CALS

Marie Koko of the La Follette School for Public Affairs speaks during a panel about global career opportunities during Global Day, an event hosted by CALS Global, at Union South at UW–Madison in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. At left is panelist Andrea Poulos. Photo by Michael P. King/UW–Madison CALS

The event then transitioned to the panel, roundtable, and contest sessions of the day. The Transdisciplinary Initiatives panel featured leaders from around campus who shared best practices and emphasized the importance of transdisciplinary approaches. The Student International Opportunities panel was presented by several returned study abroad students where they discussed the decisions behind choosing their specific programs and the things that future study abroad students should consider before choosing a semester-long program, field experience, or international internship. The Global Career Opportunities panel highlighted various career pathways for people interested in global engagement and the best resources for how to find a global career.

There were thirty-five roundtables hosted by various offices and programs from around campus that provided resources, networking opportunities, and helped attendees plan for their own global experiences. Some tables had a student-oriented focus, such as the study abroad advising drop-in tables, while others focused more on faculty and staff, such as the international partnerships table. The depth and breadth of the roundtables demonstrated the robustness of international engagement at UW-Madison.

The poster contest provided an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to share their international research or international experience with the wider campus community. This year’s poster contest winners were:

Dante Pizarro: Perceptions of changes in agroecological practices of dairy farms by smallholders in Mexico and Peru
Trang Tran: Tiny Earth: Student Sourcing Antibiotic Discovery
Genevieve Kell: Water Distribution – Las Pencas & Las Mesas, Nicaragua
Geoffrey Siemering: From Coca to Cacao in the Colombian Amazon

The photo contest provided the opportunity for attendees to vote for their favorite photo that showcased Wisconsin & the World. The winners were:

Allie Weber: Walking in the Sahara
Moldir Oskenbay: Learning Kazakh at UW-Madison
Sylvia Miller: Tuesday at the 시장

Photos and poster abstracts can be found on the Global Day website.

Meghan Horan, facing, and Betsy Wood, right, chat in the poster exhibit area during Global Day, an event hosted by CALS Global, at Union South at UW–Madison in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. Photo by Michael P. King/UW–Madison CALS

Attendee Michael Gay of the Center for Dairy Research peruses the photo contest exhibit during Global Day, an event hosted by CALS Global, at Union South at UW–Madison in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024. Photo by Michael P. King/UW–Madison CALS

Mr. William Hsu (BBA ‘00) provided the afternoon talk titled “Hsu’s Ginseng: The Wisconsin Idea in Action Globally”, where he discussed the importance of ginseng as a global crop and Wisconsin’s leadership role in that industry, as well as his family’s journey to create Hsu’s Ginseng. Mr. Hsu also provided ginseng tea samples for all the attendees.

The keynote address was delivered by Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez who discussed her time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Samoa and the important role that international experiences have in life, at UW-Madison and in the state of Wisconsin. She recognized International Peace Corps week and the important relationship that UW-Madison has had with the Peace Corps through the decades as a top volunteer-producing university. The Lieutenant Governor recognized the Global Day 2024 attendees’ impact by saying, “With your help, we are well on our way to building the future that we want to see for ourselves, for our state and the world.”

The closing remarks were delivered by Vice Provost and Dean of the International Division, Frances Vavrus, who celebrated the international contributions that UW-Madison has made in its 175-year history.

CALS Global would like to thank the co-sponsors of this event: 4W Initiative, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, CALS Study Abroad, Global Health Institute, International Division, Mead Witter School of Music, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Office of Business Engagement, School of Education Global Engagement Office, School of Medicine & Public Health Office of Global Health, School of Nursing, Visiting International Students Program, and the Wisconsin Alumni Association.