Center for Educational Opportunity

What’s New This Week

University of Wisconsin - Madison 1155 Observatory Drive Madison, WI 16 Ingraham Phone: 608.265.5106 Fax: 608.263.1039 Email: ceo@cdo.wisc.edu

“The best thing I remember about CeO was that it was one of the fi rst places on campus where it felt like family. Laughing and sharing stories or meeting for assignments, someone was guaranteed to brighten your day in the offi ce, whether it was an advisor or fellow classmate. It helped me to feel emotionally stable, without which I may not have succeeded.”

Daylon Cottingham Racine, WisconsinCeO Alumni 2013

Lisa Yang

Gao Lou Yang

Andy Yang

Sheng Vang

Lisett Roman

UW-Madison CeO Program @UWMadisonCeOuwmadisonceo.tumblr.com

Check out this week’s newsletter featuring fi ve seniors graduating this spring.

Find out what Christian Hernandez was up to at Duke University. See what your CeO Scholars are up to in the world.

UW-Madison CeO Program @UWMadisonCeOuwmadisonceo.tumblr.com

Lisa Yang: Entrepreneurship has always been of interest to me even though I will be graduating with a Sociology degree with a GWS certifi cate! During my Freshman summer

I mustered up the courage to study abroad in Florence, Italy, then my Sophomore year I entered a business competition through DECA which earned me qualifi cations to nationals. Each year the UW brought many learning experiences and fun memories. Had it not been those supporting me 110% throughout my college career I know that my experience would

not be what it is now. I am planning on starting my own business while working alongside a startup company. My advice? Let yourself shine, baby. Color outside of the lines.

Andy Yang: As a graduating senior majoring in Philosophy and Political Science, including certifi cates in European and Classical Studies, the people I have met as well as the individual

discoveries made about myself actually are what truly shaped me as a student. One of the experiences which I would never forget is having taken the chance to study abroad in Rome. Leaving with zero expectations and only a huge curiosity for adventure, I’ve discovered myself more in four months than I had in fi ve years. This summer I will be interning at the

OCA National Center in Washington D.C. If you do happen to fi nd yourself in our nation’s Capital, be sure to let me know and perhaps you’ll get the chance to know me just a little more.

Lisett Roman: I am a fi rst generation college student and the fi rst in my family to graduate from college. I will graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Secondary Education in English. My journey here was not always easy as my freshman year I changed my major from Nursing to Education. I also did not acclimate to the UW campus very well, but with the help of CeO and my advisor, Marla Delgado-Guerrero, I found different spaces on campus to call my own. I am grateful for all the advisors and students that helped push me

out of my comfort zone so that I can be the best version of me.

Gao Lou Yang: I am the fi rst person in my family to attend a four-year institution. I will be receiving my degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a certifi cate in East Asian Studies. Next Fall, I will be attending graduate school at UW-Milwaukee majoring in School Counseling. Because of the support I received from UW-Madison and CeO, I have many opportunities to be grateful for. During my undergraduate experience, I founded the Southeast Asian Dance Organization with some peers, studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea, and joined Gamma Alpha Omega Sorority, Inc. UW-Madison has defi nitely provided me with lifelong experiences and knowledge.

Sheng Vang: As the fi rst member of my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, my parents could not have been any more proud. I will be graduating with a degree in Secondary Education with a focus on History. After graduation, I will be certifi ed and licensed to be a social studies teacher at the middle or high school level. College was such a roller coaster ride for me, and I defi nitely could not have done it without the support from my advisors especially those of CeO. UW-Madison has given me the most stressful yet most rewarding years of my life, and I would not trade my experience here as Badger with anything else!

Senior Spotlight

UW-Madison CeO Program @UWMadisonCeOuwmadisonceo.tumblr.com

Christian Hernandez Major: Biology Certifi cate: Chican@ & Latin@ StudiesFeel free to contact Christian at christianh@unidosagainstdv.org

Beyond the Stars Summer Medical and Dental Education Program

Christian Hernandez

What is the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program?The Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP) is geared to address the changing needs of medicine. We are coming to a time when there is a need for more culturally competent physicians that possess the skillset required to provide care for underserved populations facing systemic oppression on many levels. The purpose of the program is to diversify the face of medicine whether it is through economic, cultural or geographic diversity by increasing the enrollment rates of these students into professional programs such as medical or dental school.

How was your experience with the program and what did you learn from it?My experience with SMDEP at Duke University was life-changing. I made some of the most amazing life-long friends who have similar goals and experiences as me. We have stayed in touch for two years and have been working together to get through the medical school application process as well as one of the hardest times of a pre-medical students journey, taking the MCAT. Through the academic enhancement portion of the program, I managed to prepare for the upcoming year where I would take the most diffi cult classes at UW-Madison that all pre-medical students have to take and I managed to get A’s in almost all of them. I learned the skills I need to become a successful student, but most importantly for myself, I learned what I needed to become if I truly wanted to have the capacity to become

a catalyst toward working to improve the

conditions of the underserved. My performance in community

engagement and academic performance

increased ten-fold after my exposure with this program. Aside from the academic enhancement portion, we also had clinical shadowing experiences. A few of these experiences were in the Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Room, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and my personal favoite Oncology intensive Care Unit where I was able to reaffi rm my interest in the fi eld of medicine.

How does it help boost your experiences in the medical or dental fi eld? This program provides you with all the knowledge you will need in order to gain an acceptance into medical school. The program staff worked with us tirelessly in drafting practice personal statements, practicing mock medical school interviews (in front of everyone in your cohort which were really intense), and overall understanding what you still have yet to obtain to make yourself a more competitive applicant. Even to this day I have been able to stay in touch with some of the Duke University admissions staff, which has visited UW-Madison twice since my program participation to host a workshop on Duke’s medical school and to grab dinner with some of us who participated in the program.

UW-Madison CeO Program @UWMadisonCeOuwmadisonceo.tumblr.com

Awards & Achievement

Courtney McCourt has been honored as one of WALSAA’s Outstanding Sophomore Awardees! WALSAA is the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association.

Earlier this semester, Peter Moua was accepted into the College of Engineering - Biomedical Engineering.

Shannon Davis was accepted into the School of Social Work in March.

Devin Jones will be one of two Lead Mentors for CeO’s mentoring program next year (GPS 2015-2016).

Tshachee Lee has accepted a summer internship with the UW Hospital and Clinics at the American Family Children’s Hospital - Pediatrics department.

This past March, Samuel Park was elected to the ASM Student Council as an L&S Representative. He will be a part of a 33 seat Council that involves grassroots committees, and oversees funding of student organizations.

Don’t ForgetThe CeO Reception will take place at Lowell Hall on May 7th from 4:30 PM - 7 PM. Lowell Hall is located at 610 Langdon Street, Madison WI 53703. During the reception, you will have the option to give out three wards to those who you feel have been extremely infl uential to your academic/personal success. That can be your parents, an advisor, a friend, a mentor, or anyone. Be prepared to go up and make a speech about your journey and your awardees. All of this should be completed by emailing Carlos Lozano at Lozano2@wisc.edu. Also, be sure to RSVP at CeO’s Splashthat event http://ceoreception.splashthat.com or stop by the offi ce.