For Jack Cousineau, creating community has always been a priority in his personal life and education.
Originally from Appleton, WI, Cousineau is a junior in UW–Madison’s School of Human Ecology, majoring in consumer behavior and marketplace studies.
Alongside his studies, he serves as president of Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc. and is a scholar at the Center for Academic Excellence. Starting this fall, he’s adding a new position to his resume: peer advisor at the Morgridge Center for Public Service.
His decision to become a peer advisor is rooted in his desire to help other students find community on campus. Having previously served as a peer mentor, Cousineau’s commitment to supporting fellow Badgers is evident.
“I really care about students on this campus, and I always want to give people the resources they need to feel better about the world they’re living in,” Cousineau says.
Now at the Morgridge Center, his behind-the-scenes work is mainly centered around modernizing student access to volunteer opportunities. This means taking information and resources that historically have existed on paper and making them accessible online.
Simultaneously, Cousineau is always on call to meet with students, helping to get them set up with advising appointments and connecting them with opportunities that align with their studies and individual interests.
During this one-on-one work, he prioritizes tailoring these service learning opportunities to every individual. This means that if he is working with a pre-health student, he would likely suggest volunteering at a hospital or nursing home in order to fulfill experiential career requirements as well as personal interest.
“I want to evaluate their major or their interests and ask, what kind of impact do they want to make?” Cousineau says.
Though still early on in his career at the center, he already has some memorable experiences to reassure him he is in the right place. At the resource fair for the Center for Academic Excellence, Cousineau spent time meeting with first-year students who showed interest in getting involved on campus.
“Seeing their faces light up like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know this was available to me on campus,’ was so enriching,” he says. “This campus is so big, and a lot of people lose sight of the opportunities they really do have. It was rewarding to be part of connecting them to those resources.”
He added one of his guiding mottos he’s used to keep him grounded for much of his life: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.”
For Cousineau, being a peer advisor isn’t just about providing technical guidance, it’s about the process of building a stronger, connected student body.
“The best way we can keep this campus, and honestly the whole community, going is just to keep getting involved.”
To schedule a session with Cousineau, visit during his drop-in hours listed below. Visit this link to learn more.
DROP-IN ADVISING
Tuesdays: 10:30am – 2:30pm
Wednesdays: 10:30am – 2:30pm
Thursdays: 10:30am – 2:30pm