University of Wisconsin–Madison

Wisconsin Idea Fellowship: For Academic Advisors

Wisconsin Idea Fellowships are awarded annually to undergraduate student projects working towards addressing a challenge identified along with local or global community partner. Fellowships are awarded to semester-long or year-long projects designed by an undergraduate student (or group of students) in collaboration with a community organization and a UW-Madison faculty or academic staff member.

Faculty and staff mentors are a key component to the Wisconsin Idea Fellowship program.

What Potential Mentors Should Know

Potential academic advisors should consider a request to serve as a mentor carefully as the commitment requires close mentorship. Academic advisors receive the project funds directly in their home department, and play a central role in advising students on the management of their project and its associate funds. 

Academic advisors can encourage undergraduate students to submit projects that are embedded within their current projects, so long as those projects benefit from additional undergraduate support in ways that are consistent with the goals of WIF.

During the application process, academic advisors are expected to do the following:

  • Review the student’s draft of their proposal. Students are expected to write their own proposals, but academic advisors may suggest changes and advise on the direction of the proposal.
  • Advise students on their project implementation budget that can be applied to project-related costs such as supplies, equipment, travel, or other project expenses. We encourage students to discuss proposed expenses with the financial contact in their academic advisor’s department to ensure their proposed budget meets any compliance requirements.
  • Provide a written letter of support to be included in the student’s application. The letter of support should be written on letterhead and signed by the academic advisor. Letters of support help provide the selection committee with information about:
    • The relationship between the student, academic advisor, and/or the community members
    • How will this project benefit the community, the academic advisor, and/or the student
    • How the community, the academic advisor, and the student work together to identify project priorities
    • How the community or academic advisor is supporting the project
    • Who the other people and/or organizations that are going to be impacted by this project

Academic Advisor Roles and Responsibilities

If funded, academic advisors are expected to support the student and their project implementation:

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  • Academic advisors will work with the WIF Program Team to prepare the transfer of project funds from the Morgridge Center for Public Service to a financial account the advisor can access, typically one within their home department. Project funds cannot be transferred to students directly. Instead, academic advisors must receive and coordinate the distribution of all project funds associated with their students’ WIF project. Academic advisors should work with their unit’s financial team to create or identify an appropriate account in which project funds can be received, held, and distributed.
  • Once project funds have been transferred to the appropriate account, students will work directly with their academic advisor to access the project funds in accordance with their approved project proposal.
    • We encourage students and advisors to track purchases throughout the WIF project. At the end of their project, students must submit a final budget report that accounts for all project expenses and spending. While the WIF Program Team does not always require copies of invoices or receipts, financial teams typically will require such documentation. 
  • The Morgridge Center for Public Service may request the return of any unspent funds at the end of the WIF program year.

  • Academic advisors are encouraged to fill out periodic evaluation surveys that will be sent by the WIF Program Team. These brief surveys will be distributed via Qualtrics at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Advisors may also be asked to participate in a focus group or interview, time and schedule permitting. The WIF Program Team uses data collected in these ways for program improvement efforts.

  • Advisors should support students’ beginning project work by reviewing their students’ proposals and making recommendations for revisions.
  • Advisors should support their WIF student(s) in meeting project goals outlined in their proposals.
  • Advisors should be available for regular communication and meetings with their WIF student(s) about their project, as mutually agreed upon.
  • Advisors should help their WIF student(s) engage respectfully and equitably with all project stakeholders. Advisors should help their WIF student(s) identify all potential stakeholders related to their project, including everyone likely to significantly influence or be impacted by the project. 
  • Advisors should help their WIF student(s) keep all community partners informed of their project’s process and ensure that all community partners have a meaningful voice in relevant decision-making processes. 
  • As needed, advisors should provide and solicit feedback for their WIF student(s) and community partners.
  • Mentors will assist students in preparing for the project, in implementation and after the experience by facilitating opportunities for the students to engage critically in the habits of critical service-learning.
American Family Insurance

The Wisconsin Idea Fellowship in Social Entrepreneurship is generously supported by American Family Insurance.

The Michael Thornton and Nora Medina Social Innovation Award proudly supports projects targeting the opportunity gap in Madison.

Make a gift to the Michael Thornton and Nora Medina Fund.