Through conversations with UW students and staff, affordable housing advocates, mental health professionals, and community leaders, we examine how rising rents, limited availability and unstable living conditions are reshaping life on and off the UW–Madison campus.
Community Engagement
How Genevieve Lambert Found her Voice Through Civic Engagement at UW–Madison
Genevieve Lambert didn’t come to UW-Madison expecting civic engagement to be the defining factor of her college experience. Four years later, Genevieve has spent her time on campus helping students navigate election cycles, advocating for more accessible pathways towards civic engagement and promoting policy change.
2026-27 Wisconsin Idea Fellowships Awarded to Nine Projects
The 2026-27 Wisconsin Idea Fellowships have been awarded to nine outstanding undergraduate projects at home and across the globe.
Register for the 4th Annual Wisconsin Idea Conference
Focusing on the theme of “Building Creative and Committed Partnerships,” this year’s conference aims to reaffirm the importance of collaborating across organizations to make a positive impact in our shared neighborhoods on issues that matter to residents.
The Morgridge Center’s 30th Year
With the year coming to a close, the Morgridge Center is grateful to look back on 30 great years of community engagement. Through pillar programs such as Badger Volunteers, impactful Community-based Learning courses, and the annual Wisconsin Idea Fellowship only continuing to grow, the Morgridge Center looks forward to the next 30 years to come.
From Coastal Ecuador to Snowy Madison: Redefining What it Means to Serve Your Community
Journeying to the U.S. awakened something inside her and taught her that in America, she isn’t just a Black woman — she is an Afro-Latina woman. Looking forward, Kristhel Maholy Vernaza Sanchez is steadfast and dedicated to becoming a politician back in Ecuador and holding public office where she could make real change.
When the Whispers of UW-Madison Speak, Who Do We Hear?
Join us on the GridgeFridge for a spooky walking tour through UW–Madison’s haunted history, from Science Hall’s rumored “cadaver chute” to the ghosts buried beneath Bascom Hill. These chilling tales demonstrate how tragedy and rumor shape campus memory, prompting us to ask whose stories are preserved — and whose fade away over time.
Bolstering Innovative Engagement: Student Journalists get Hyperlocal
With help from a community-based learning grant from the Morgridge Center, Sue Robinson works to create meaningful relationships between student reporters and community partners while providing journalism students with hands-on, real-world experience.
Showcase Your Work at the Wisconsin Idea Conference
The Morgridge Center for Public Service is currently seeking submissions for proposals and student posters for the Wisconsin Idea Conference.
Community Engagement Means Continuous Learning with Jenna Harb
Jenna Harb’s passion for community engagement only deepened through her discovery of one-on-one, hands-on community work during her time as the Student Organization Partnership Program intern. Harb’s time at the Morgridge Center set the tone for the rest of her career, fostering empathy and emphasizing the power of connection—values she continues to carry into every community that she serves.