Meet some of the School of Education’s amazing spring 2023 graduates

On Saturday, May 13, UW–Madison will celebrate its Spring 2023 Commencement. We reached out to a few of our graduating students from bachelor’s to PhDs to learn more about their favorite memories, advice for incoming students, and future plans. Scroll down to learn more about these graduates — who are just a handful of the more than 600 amazing students who are graduating from School of Education programs across the arts, health, and education. We are tremendously proud of all of our graduates! Erin Besser BS Theatre and Drama Advice for incoming students — “Let your passion guide you to things that you love, and try something new if it sounds interesting.”   Diego Cisneros BS Health Promotion and Health Equity Choice of major — “I decided to major in health promotion and health equity because of its focus on trying to understand the patient beyond their illness. This major has allowed me to understand the stigmas, social determinants of health, implicit biases, and other factors to pay attention to when working with patients.”   Zubin DeVitre PhD Counseling Psychology Most meaningful experience — “It’s a rare thing to be surrounded by people from extremely different backgrounds, yet who all share common goals and values. Having the ability to be challenged, supported, and to grow with and for each other is an experience that I am forever grateful for.”   Emma Hinker MS Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis Most meaningful experience — “My most meaningful experience at UW–Madison is not one thing — it has been the relationships that I have built during my time here.”   Emma Huettl BS Kinesiology Making an impact — “The strong foundation I have built from UW’s courses and professors will allow me to put the Wisconsin Idea into action as a physical therapist.”   Maggie King BS Rehabilitation Psychology Making an impact — “I have learned how to be a better communicator, student, and friend through my time at Wisconsin. I have been able to take the lessons I’ve learned about perseverance, resilience, and inclusiveness into the different roles I play in my life.”   Praveen Maripelly MFA Art – 4D Reason for pursuing graduate studies — “My graduate studies at UW–Madison are a way to uplift deprived communities at the rural and urban levels through mediated social performances.”   Elaina G. (“Meier”) Meier PhD Counseling Psychology Most meaningful experience — “The people I have connected with have fundamentally impacted who and how I am. They have supported me in a wild adventure of growth and service to others.”   Walter P. Parrish III PhD Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis Reason for pursuing graduate studies — “My curiosity about certain topics and questions went beyond what was available in the existing literature. I recognized that obtaining a PhD would provide me with the tools and resources necessary to pursue these questions in greater depth and enhance my ability to make meaningful contributions to the field.”   Grace Peplinski BS Elementary and Special Education Making an impact — “Through my teacher education program, I’ve learned how to become a culturally responsive teacher who values all students, their experiences, ideas, and identities.”   Emma Senft MFA Art – 3D Reason for pursuing graduate studies — “I had been through a period of a lot of growth and change in my practice and I wanted to come back to school to push my work further, and to really learn to talk about my work critically and reflect conceptually.”   Zhan Shi BS Education Studies and Statistics Most meaningful experience — “Developing the first Chinese education student organization on campus as a co-founder is my most unforgettable and meaningful experience. It has enabled me to work with peers of all majors who are also passionate about education. This student organization has brought me closer to our School of Education and to the faculty here.”   Sasha D. Smith PhD Rehabilitation Counselor Education Reason for pursuing graduate studies — “I decided to further my education to develop skills in leadership, teaching, advocacy, and research that would be valuable for my continuous work in rehabilitation counseling in the Bahamas.”   Peighton Strasburg BFA Dance Favorite UW tradition — “There’s nothing like football, fall weather, and Jumping Around with the biggest Badger fans in the best college town!”    Maya Topin BS Dance and Health Promotion and Health Equity Future plans — “I love having the chance to introduce people to fitness and watch their confidence grow. Fitness is for everyone, and I am passionate about continuing to share it, especially for those who may not know where to start.”   Becca Voigt (Onken) MS Educational Psychology Making an impact — “During my time in the MSPE program my confidence as a professional educator and as an instructional coach has expanded. I’m much more prepared to advocate for students and work for increased systemic equity with my school district and community.”   Hanna Wagner MS Educational Psychology Favorite UW tradition — My favorite tradition is the Wisconsin Idea! Education should benefit everyone, and because UW–Madison has made this an integral part of its mission, I hope to do my part by taking my newfound knowledge to create meaningful change in my community.    Jiaming Xie BS Theatre and Drama, Sociology, Legal Studies Choice of major — “Deciding to major in theatre is one of the best choices that I have made. Not only did it allow me to immerse myself in diverse aspects of theatre, but I have also met some of the most wonderful human beings in my life!”