The Louis Korenman Badger Volunteers Award honors a student who exemplifies the spirit of the Badger Volunteers community and, like Louis, considers volunteering a central part of their college experience.
The Louis Korenman Badger Volunteers Award is presented to a Badger Volunteer for whom volunteering was a central part of their college experience and excels in the following areas:
Commitment to Service within a Community: the nominee embraces service as a central part of their UW experience, and recognizes the importance of contributing to the community in a meaningful way that respects the organization while honoring the civic and social issues they aim to work with.
Awareness of Self and Others: the nominee is dedicated to self-reflection to identify strengths and areas of growth to inform ongoing personal development as well as understanding of others. The nominee works to build meaningful mutually beneficial relationships.
Embodiment of the Badger Volunteers Spirit: the nominee exudes the spirit and energy of the Badger Volunteers community and serves as a positive ambassador and model of Badger Volunteers within both campus and the broader community.
The application form is now closed.
Any questions or concerns? Email: specialevents487@office365.wisc.edu.
Award recipient receives a $400 one-time scholarship payment and will be honored during the spring semester Be The Change Bash.
2022: Emily Merkel
2021: Akshay Kalra
2020: Chandler Krajco
2019: Kimberly Baeb and Grace Swanson
2018: Gabrielle Heytens
2017: Carol Silva
2016: Dean Bowen
2015: Kaitlyn Shaughnessy
2014: Aaron Vogt
2013: Jewel Rose
2012: Andrea Radi
2011: Jessica Boebel
As a student at UW–Madison, Louis dedicated much of his time to helping others, including his friends. Service and caring for his community was central to his way of life. Even while studying abroad in London, he volunteered to provide support to the homeless and to tutor disadvantaged students.
As a Badger Volunteer, Louis spent two years empowering and supporting youth at Madison community centers. Those who worked with him appreciated his patience and dedication to the students. However, perhaps more remarkable, was his sincere commitment to building relationships and demonstrating genuine care for his community. One particular example involved Louis’ childhood Lego collection. After several weeks of volunteering, he asked his family to mail his enormous collection to UW, all the way from New Jersey. Louis then donated them to the center so the kids could enjoy them as much as he had. He took joy in giving joy to others.
The recipient of this award is encouraged to carry on Louis’ goodwill by touching others’ lives in a meaningful way. Louis saw the good qualities of people first, rather than making quick judgments. If people give others a chance, the possibilities for positive change are endless.
> ACHIEVEMENT CONNECTIONS VOLUNTEER AWARD
> BADGER VOLUNTEERS TEAM AWARD
> ENGAGED ALUMNI AWARD
> EXCELLENCE IN ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD
> FRED RISSER EXCELLENCE IN ENGAGED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT AWARD
> GINSBERG FAMILY AWARD
> LOUIS KORENMAN BADGER VOLUNTEERS AWARD
> NEWMAN CIVIC FELLOWSHIP
> OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY PARTNER AWARD
> STUDENT ACTIVISM AWARD
> WISCONSIN WITHOUT BORDERS AWARDS
2023 Recipient Sabrina Oh
Sabrina Oh has brought her warmth, curiosity, and dedication to the Badger Volunteers team this academic year. Sabrina serves as an education interns, acting as a main contact for volunteer teams serving at education sites, planning and implementing education sessions for these volunteers, and collaborating on programmatic marketing and social media outreach.
When Sabrina first came to UW-Madison last year as a freshman, she immediately looked for opportunities to get to know her new home and began volunteering with an afterschool program at Henderson Elementary School through Badger Volunteers.
As an out-of-state student, it allowed her to learn, explore, and understand Madison outside of the “campus bubble”. She loves the ongoing opportunity Badger Volunteers provides students to feel an integral part of the wider community they live in through mutually beneficial relationships built-in service.
Sabrina continues her Badger Volunteers experience this year by not only being part of our student staff, but also serving as team leader for one of our Badger Volunteers teams at Red Caboose Day Care Center this semester.
The Be the Change Bash is the Morgridge Center’s annual end-of-the-semester celebration. The Bash honors students, staff, faculty and community partners who contribute their time and talents to both the community and the UW-Madison campus through service.
The event also includes the Morgridge Center’s annual award ceremony.