Editor’s note: The following announcement was received from UW-Madison.

About 7,700 students received degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on May 13 and 14, including students from your area. 

There were two live ceremonies: one at the Kohl Center on May 13 for doctoral, MFA and medical students; and one at Camp Randall on May 14 for undergraduate, law and master’s students. 

The commencement speaker was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who encouraged students to take risks.

“If you stay comfortable – if you stay in your comfort zone, sticking to what you know – then you are making a bet,” she said. “You are betting that your life, and the world, will stay the same. And let me tell you, you will lose that bet every time.”

It was the last Badger commencement for Chancellor Rebecca Blank.

“In my nine years leading this great university, some of my most memorable moments have been with our students,” Blank told graduates Saturday. “You have inspired – and occasionally challenged me – with your passion, enthusiasm, and curiosity. And I’ll admit you’ve given me a good laugh with some of your ‘Becky Blank’ memes.”

Barni Shiferaw, the senior class vice president and Saturday’s student commencement speaker, said the celebration came with mixed feelings.

“In the past few days, there have been a lot of lasts,” he told his fellow graduates. “The last class. The last test. The last day at The Terrace. The last night out on the town. And I’m not going to lie, it’s a bittersweet feeling. But that feeling means something. It’s a testament to the place this university holds in our hearts.”

For more information about UW-Madison, visit http://www.wisc.edu.

Whitewater, WI

 Jesenia Cuevas, School of Nursing, Bachelor of Science-Nursing, Nursing
 Ali Ketterhagen, School of Business, Bachelor of Business Administration, Business: Marketing
 Rebecca Littlefield, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Bachelor of Science, Genetics and Genomics