‘Spark’ students learn civic engagement can start now

As a group of University of Wisconsin-Madison students made their way from campus to the Madison Municipal Building earlier this month, they walked on sidewalks, crossed downtown streets, and rode the bus.

Though they may not have known it at the time, they were experiencing just a couple of municipal government's many functions: the city, among a number of other services, maintains sidewalks and roads, plows streets, and oversees Metro Transit.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway emphasized this to the visiting students, most of whom are first-year students.

"Local government is the most impactful level of government. It's the most day-to-day. It's the most real life," Rhodes-Conway said. "Local government builds and maintains infrastructure. It underpins our economy and our quality of life."

Most of the students on the visit are residents of Spark , one of UW-Madison University Housing's learning communities , and are a little more than halfway through their first year of college. UniverCity Alliance worked with Spark and city staff to coordinate the event.

Learning communities are a partnership between Housing and a supporting school or college, and each one is organized around a theme that brings students, faculty, and staff together around a shared interest. Spark's theme is the Wisconsin Idea - the service-minded principle that what happens on the UW-Madison campus should benefit people across the state and around the world.

The history of the Wisconsin Idea sprung from a political movement that believed the government should serve the public through informed policy, public engagement, and close collaboration with the university.

"By spending time in the spaces where local decisions are made and with the people who make them, students were able to see how that vision continues to shape Wisconsin today," Mackenzie Hess, program manager for the Spark Learning Community, said. "My hope was that this experience would help them recognize how their own knowledge, passions, and future careers can meaningfully contribute to building stronger communities."

First-year student Sienna Pachla said the visit will benefit her as she continues her academic career on campus.

"As a political science major, in particular, this visit will help me connect what I learn in lectures to Madison specifically," said Pachla, who is also studying communications and is from San Francisco, California. "(The visit) inspired me to stay engaged in civic issues and use my education to make a meaningful impact."

Andrew Demmin, a first-year student from Denmark, Wisconsin, said he learned that change starts at the local level. Demmin said this became clear to him when Rhodes-Conway discussed how the city's new Bus Rapid Transit system is addressing transportation challenges and when Ald. MGR Govindarajan shared his experiences on the City Council.

"After hearing Ald. MGR Govindarajan ran for office while still in college, it showed me that I can influence change and become a leader even while young," said Demmin, who is studying mechanical engineering. "I will definitely remember this throughout my academic career."

In addition to Rhodes-Conway and Govindarajan, Performance Excellence Specialist and UniverCity Alliance Advisory Board member Kara Kratowicz, City Attorney Mike Haas, and Community Engagement Strategist Lorissa Bañuelos spoke to the students. The students learned about the City Council and role of an alder, the city's comprehensive plan, Robert's Rules of Order, and how to get involved in their community.

In particular, Rhodes-Conway encouraged the students to serve on a local committee, attend public meetings, apply for city internships and opportunities through UniverCity Alliance, vote in local elections, and consider working for local government in the future.

After the visit with municipal leaders, the students headed to the Wisconsin State Capitol to learn about the state level of government.

Hess said these experiences support building students' confidence as learners, thinkers, and contributors to public knowledge and change. She said it was powerful for the students to hear directly from city leaders that their voices are "not only welcome but necessary in local decision making."

"It reinforces the idea that civic engagement is not something reserved for later, but something they can begin practicing now," Hess said.

-Abigail Becker