The WAA - Seattle Chapter 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 Scholorship Fund was awarded to Elizabeth Conrad. She has sent us the following notes.

Dear Badgers!

I write to you from the far off land of Croatia, about which most of my Wisconsin friends knew absolutely nothing. I'm doing a special experiential learning program on social issues and civil society here in the former Yugoslavia and am having an amazing time! It was hard to leave Wisconsin behind, but I think one semester abroad is a good idea to see other parts of the world. I am excited to go back for next fall though, because as you probably all know going to school there takes over your life, and really I have become a Madisonian in the last 2 and a half years. I wanted to thank you again for your support. My time here and in Wisconsin has been very fulfilling and I appreciate your helping me finance all of this. I am seeing remarkable work here in Croatia, from NGOs reviving the country after the war to students creating their own programs to better their schools and end the brain drain. I will be doing a month-long research program on these issues very soon involving field research about which I am especially excited. If anyone is particularly curious about the region feel free to contact me at betsyconrad@gmail.com. Thank you again!

Sincerely,
Betsy Conrad

Date: Subject:

May 21, 2003 Thank You for Scholarship

Thank you so much for the generous scholarship for the past year. I have been having a wonderful time at Madison and a large part due of it is due to this financial support. I did a lot of things this year, among them organizing the Entertainment Committee for my "house" at Ogg Hall (every two floors of our residence hall were called a house). Our activities included Tuesday night movies, holiday parties, and other fun things. I also organized a ski trip for the whole of Ogg Hall (I was eager to get out on the lifts, although they were a bit different from those in Seattle.) I joined the Distinguished Lecturers Committee that organizes visiting speakers on campus and then shares dinner with the speaker. Among these speakers we had former South African President F. W. De Klerk, African American Activist and Singer Chuck D, and Texan Columnist Molly Ivins. I also joined the Madison Rugby Team until a knee injury prevented my further participation, and, finally, I started writing for the Badger Herald (the better of the two papers if you ask anyone on the Herald Staff...though the Cardinal writers might say otherwise...). It really has been a great year, and while I am back in Seattle for the summer I eagerly await returning to Madison for more adventures in the fall. Thank you again.

Sincerely,
Betsy Conrad