Division of Enrollment Management Annual Awards Gala

• 2026 Winner: College Possible Wisconsin
• 2025 Winner: Centro
• 2024 Winner: Graduation Plus Program
• 2023 Winner: All-In Milwaukee

Recognizes any individual community partner or community-based organization who has demonstrated excellence in partnering with the Division of Enrollment Management in advancing the mission of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Nomination Materials:

• • Nominator’s Information (name, title, email address)
  • Nominee’s Information
    • Individual Nomination: name, title, workplace/community-based organization, email address
    • Team Nomination: community-based organization, main point of contact, main point of contact’s email
  • Nomination Letter
    • Word of PDF format
    • No longer than two pages
    • Describes how the community partner has demonstrated excellence in partnering with the Division of Enrollment Management in advancing the mission of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Letter must note:
      • Length of the partnership with DEM
      • Individual or team who the community partner collaborates most with in DEM
      • A key project or milestone that occurred in the partnership during 2025

Community Partner Nomination Form

• 2026 Winner: Dr. Julie Janiak, Director, Center of Educational Opportunity (CeO)
• 2025 Winner: DAPIR
• 2024 Winner: Global Gateway Initiatives Team
• 2023 Winner: School of Education Dean’s Excellence Scholarship Project Team

Recognizes any person, unit, department, or division who has demonstrated excellence in partnering with the Division of Enrollment Management  in advancing the mission of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Nomination Materials:

• • Nominator’s Information (name, title, email address)
  • Nominee’s Information
    • Individual Nomination: name, title, school/college/division/department, email address
    • Team Nomination: school/college/division/department, main point of contact, main point of contact’s email
  • Nomination Letter
    • Word of PDF format
    • No longer than two pages
    • Describes how the campus partner has demonstrated excellence in partnering with the Division of Enrollment Management in advancing the mission of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Letter must note:
      • Length of the partnership with DEM
      • Individual or team who the campus partner collaborates most with in DEM
      • A key project or milestone that occurred in the partnership during 2025

Campus Partner Nomination Form

• 2026 Winner: Jennifer Kempf
• 2025 Winner: David Clarke
• 2024 Winner: Len Mormino
• 2023 Winner: Marnie Weis

Recognizes an outstanding educator who has supported and inspired their students to achieve at high levels.

Nomination Materials:

• • Nominator’s Information (name, title, email address)
  • Nominee’s Information (name, title, high school, email address)
  • Nomination Letter
    • Word of PDF format
    • No longer than two pages
    • Describes how the high school educator has supported and inspired their students to achieve at high levels
    • Letter must note:
      • A UW-Madison current or prospective student who they supported or inspired
      • The impact on that current or prospective student

H.S. Educator Nomination Form

• 2026 Winner: Mary Gulbrandsen
• 2025 Winner: Will Hsu
• 2024 Winner: Marion Brown
• 2023 Winner: Terry Ruzicka

Recognizes long-term, exemplary efforts made by the nominee to advance the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s mission to increase access to higher education. Any person who has been associated with or collaborated with the Division of Enrollment Management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for over ten years whether as an employee, campus or community partner, or donor.

Nomination Materials:

• • Nominator’s Information (name, title, email address)
  • Nominee’s Information (name, title, organization, email address)
  • Nomination Letter
    • Word of PDF format
    • No longer than two pages
    • Describes the long-term, exemplary efforts made by the nominee to advance the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s mission to increase access to higher education
    • Letter must note:
      • Type of relationship the nominee has had with the Division of Enrollment Management (e.g. employee, campus or community partner, donor, etc.)
      • Length of the relationship with DEM (only nominees with over ten years will be considered)
      • A key project or milestone that occurred in the past ten years that increased access to higher education

Lifetime Achievement Nomination Form

• 2026 Winners: Katie Gagliano & Kelly Layton
• 2025 Winner: Kent Emerson
• 2024 Winner: Brittany Elandt
• 2023 Winner: Emma Sutkay

Recognizes an individual who consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the successful execution of essential business practices that support the student lifecycle.

Qualifications: Any individual that has been a member of DEM for at least one year.

Nomination Materials:

• • Nominator’s Information (name, title, email address)
  • Nominee’s Information (name, title, department, email address)
  • Nomination Letter
    • Word of PDF format
    • No longer than two pages
    • Describes how the nominee consistently goes above and beyond to ensure the successful execution of essential business practices that support the student lifecycle
    • Letter must note:
      • The importance of the business practice(s) the nominee executes regularly
      • Support from nominee’s direct supervisor

Crushing It Daily Nomination Form

• 2026 Winner: In-House Financial Aid Review Project Team
• 2025 Winner: Maggie Nowicki & Priya Sachithanandam
• 2024 Winner: FAFSA Simplification Team
• 2023 Winner: Integrating WAA Chapter Scholarship Project Team

Recognizes exceptional work by an individual or team that helped to advance multiple pillars of DEM’s Forward Focus:

• • Increasing access to higher education
  • Fostering an equitable & seamless experience for students and families
  • Valuing & supporting research-practice partnerships
  • Engaging in responsible stewardship of resources
  • Providing inclusive support throughout the student lifecycle
  • Collaborating with the teaching and learning community

Qualifications: Any individual that has been a member of DEM for at least one year or any team with at least one DEM Team Member who has been a member of DEM for at least one year. The project or work should have started on or after January 1, 2025. If the project was initiated before January 2025, the nominator should provide evidence of continuous improvement or cite project sustainment in the nominations.

Nomination Materials:

• • Nominator’s Information (name, title, email address)
  • Nominee’s Information
    • Individual Nomination: name, title, department, email address
    • Team Nomination: team name, main point of contact, main point of contact’s email
  • Nomination Letter
    • Word of PDF format
    • No longer than three pages
    • Describes the exceptional work of the nominee that helped to advance multiple pillars of DEM’s Forward Focus
    • Letter must note:
      • Names, titles, and departments of all members of the team
      • Which pillars of DEM’s Forward Focus were advanced and how
      • When the project or work took place
      • Evidence of continuous improvement or project sustainment, if the project began prior to January 1, 2025

Forward Focus Nomination Form

• 2026 Winner: Kristina Coopman
• 2025 Winner: DARS Team
• 2024 Winner: OAR Frontline Services Team
• 2023 Winner: Name in Use on Diploma Project Team

Recognizes efforts by an individual or team to transform a policy, procedure, or practice to be more inclusive and/or equitable.

Qualifications: Any individual that has been a member of DEM for at least one year or any team with at least one DEM Team Member who has been a member of DEM for at least one year. The project or work should have started on or after January 1, 2025. If the project was initiated before January 2025, the nominator should provide evidence of continuous improvement or cite project sustainment in the nominations.

Nomination Materials:

• • Nominator’s Information (name, title, email address)
  • Nominee’s Information
    • Individual Nomination: name, title, department, email address
    • Team Nomination: team name, main point of contact, main point of contact’s email
  • Nomination Letter
    • Word of PDF format
    • No longer than three pages
    • Describes the efforts of the nominee in transforming a policy, procedure, or practice to be more inclusive and/or equitable
    • Letter must note:
      • Names, titles, and departments of all members of the team
      • If and how any trainings or experiences from DEM’s DEI Curriculum influenced the project or work
      • When the project or work took place
      • Evidence of continuous improvement or project sustainment, if the project began prior to January 1, 2025

Transformative Change Nomination Form

• 2026 Winner: Anne Eckenrod
• 2025 Winner: Liz Root
• 2024 Winner: Paul Compton
• 2023 Winner: Ally Bartelme

Recognizes achievements and innovations made by new DEM team members that advanced the overall mission of the Division of Enrollment Management.

Qualifications: Any individual that has been a member of DEM for less than 5 years.

Nomination Materials:

• • Nominator’s Information (name, title, email address)
  • Nominee’s Information (name, title, department, email address)
  • Nomination Letter
    • Word of PDF format
    • No longer than two pages
    • Describes the achievements and innovations made by the nominee that advanced the overall mission of the Division of Enrollment Management
    • Letter must note:
      • Length of time with DEM (only nominees with less than five years will be considered)
      • A key achievement or innovation that they accomplished in the past year
      • Support from nominee’s direct supervisor

Outstanding New Contributor Nomination Form