Student Jobs

Student Employee Forum

Introducing the Student Employee Forum!

Whether you are a current UW-Madison Student Employee or not, we all play a part in creating an inclusive Badger community for all. Join your peers in this thought-provoking forum which will provide an opportunity to exchange ideas while engaging in a variety of topics. The forum consists of a keynote address and 2 workshop session on Sunday, March 8, 2026. Students can attend all or any portion provided as part of the Student Employee Forum. All sessions will take place in person at the Gordon Dining and Event Center. This event is supported by grant funding provided by The Wisconsin Exchange: Pluralism in Practice.

Registration for the 2026 Student Employee Forum is now closed.

Goals

  • Communicate new perspectives and knowledge to participants, providing a foundation for mindful discussion.
  • Develop valuable skills that will foster and encourage an expanded awareness surrounding diversity, identity and inclusion.
  • Empower participants to express their identity and feel confident in their ability to create inclusive environments.

While each session has a student employee focus, all students are welcome to attend these free sessions! We encourage you to attend to assist you on your diversity, identity, and inclusion journey. Together, we can collectively contribute towards a more inclusive Badger community.

Agenda

12:45 – 1:00 PM │ Check-in

Location: Concerto/Overture Room; Gordon Dining & Event Center

1:00 – 1:10 PM │ Welcome & Overview of Day

Location: Concerto/Overture Room

1:10 – 1:40 PM │ Keynote Address

Location: Concerto/Overture Room

1:40 – 1:55 PM │ Break / Transition Time

 

1:55 – 2:40 PM │ Workshop #1

Choose one of two engaging sessions to attend:

    • Option A: Self Awareness: What do you need in a workplace?
      • Location: Concerto/Overture Room
    • Option B: Feedback Frenzy
      • Location: Symphony Room

2:40 – 3:10PM │ Snack Break / Transition Time

Location: Concerto/Overture Room

    • Food options: Cupcakes and Ice Cream (vegan and dairy free options available)
    • Beverage options: Water and Lemonade

 

3:10 – 3:55 PM │ Workshop #2

Choose one of two engaging sessions to attend:

    • Option A: Leading from where you are: Alumni Student Employee Panel
      • Location: Concerto/Overture Room
    • Option B: Level Up Your Student Job: Transferable Skills and How to Talk About Them
      • Location: Symphony Room

 

3:55 – 4:00 PM │ Closing

Session Descriptions

Navigating Change- Dr. John Dunne (Center for Healthy Minds)

On college campuses, change is inevitable and constant. Students are continually stepping into new roles and responsibilities as they prepare for life after graduation. Learning to navigate uncertainty with confidence is a skill that sets you apart. This keynote will empower students to embrace change, offering practical strategies to build resilience and stay grounded. Students will gain an understanding of adaptability, learning to cultivate a growth mindset that reframes uncertainty as opportunity. The keynote will also provide skills on transition management and embracing the unknown.

Option A – Self Awareness: What Do You Need in a Workplace? (Guided Leadership Opportunities and Development; Student Leadership Program; Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement)

Self Awareness is an essential skill for student employment and post-graduate careers. This session invites students to explore what it means to show up authentically and advocate for their needs in the workplace. By understanding what you bring to the table and what you value from others, you can identify experiences where you positively contribute to the community and where the community supports you as well. Students will learn how to play an active role in creating healthy work environments by understanding what they need to thrive in the workplace and what the workplace needs from them. By building a culture of community care, we can learn to bridge intergenerational differences and find common ground within diverse teams.

 

Option B – Feedback Frenzy with Ashley Unmacht (UW Housing Residence Life)

Communicating with empathy is essential for building trust within teams, fostering collaboration across departments, and navigating workplace change. This breakout session will introduce practical strategies for giving and receiving feedback in ways that strengthen relationships. Students will learn how to create environments that enhance customer service and team culture while adapting their communication to support both customers and coworkers experiencing change, uncertainty, or stress. By the end of the workshop, participants will feel more confident in their ability to communicate effectively in challenging situations while maintaining empathy and professionalism.

Option A – Leading from where you are: Alumni Student Employee Panel

Leadership is about more than titles and authority. Rather, it is about influence, impact, and the ability to drive change from where you are. This breakout session will explore how students can lead for change at all levels by focusing on what they can control and recognizing what is beyond their influence. Participants will gain strategies from our panel of alumni student employees for practicing inclusive leadership and fostering resilience to empower themselves and others. Following the workshop, students will understand how to be inclusive leaders within their current roles.

 

Option B – Level Up Your Student Job: Transferable Skills and How to Talk About Them (Office of Human Resources: Chris East & Anika Gilbertson)

Every campus job—no matter the role—builds real skills that employers value. In this hands-on session, student employees will learn how to recognize the strengths gained through their work, use AI ethically to refine their experiences, and confidently communicate their value to future employers in their chosen careers.

Objectives:

  • Recognize your marketable skill strengths gained through student employment
  • Use AI responsibly and ethically to clarify your experience and highlight your value to future employers
  • Communicate your transferable skills confidently into career-focused accomplishments

Resources

The following resources will help expand knowledge on unconscious bias and provide suggested strategies for reducing bias.

Pronoun Usage: 

“You can’t know what pronouns someone uses just by looking at them… Using someone’s pronouns correctly is important because it shows that you respect them. -UW-Madison Gender and Sexuality Campus Center Pronoun Guide

Inclusive Language Information

Social Justice aims to open the doors of access to everyone. Request a Social Justice 101 Workshop through the Student Affair’s Office of Inclusion Education to develop awareness, knowledge, and skills to start creating a welcoming and inclusive campus environment for all.

The following resources include events and readings/documentaries to help build an understanding on the topic of Social Justice. The following have been graciously compiled by the Social Justice Hub:

“The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center (GSCC) is a unit on campus that is aimed to actively address oppression in all forms and affirms, includes and celebrates people across the spectrum of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, including their intersectional experiences and perspectives.”

The GSCC provides a multitude of trainings, resources and guides for supporting the LGBTQ+ community:

For additional information or support, contact the GSCC at: lgbtq@studentaffairs.wisc.edu

Forum Partners

The Student Employee Forum is a partnership across the Office of Student Financial Aid, Recreation & Wellbeing, and University Housing.