Madison Hartup
Academic Advisor
Q: Where did you grow up?
I spent most of my childhood in Baraboo, WI–near beautiful Devil’s Lake state park.
Q: Where did you go to college/grad school and what was your major(s)?
I’m UW-Madison badger two times over! I received a BA in East Asian Studies, and a MS in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, specialized in Global Higher Education.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
I love cooking and baking–I have baked an incredible number of cookies this past year. I also enjoy taking long walks, yoga, biking, reading mystery novels, and cuddling my pet cat. This year I have picked up hula hooping. I’m hoping to learn a few tricks with it this summer.
Q: What is your favorite book or movie right now?
I’ve really enjoyed the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths this year–woman archeologist solving crimes in the U.K. My favorite movie series of all time is the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Q: What’s a favorite trip or vacation you’ve been on?
The trip I took with my host family to Sadogashima, Japan holds a special place in my heart. Beautiful scenery, yummy food, and lots of memories made with people I care about!
Alicia Johanning
Academic Advising Supervisor
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: Slinger, WI…. More cows than people, like most of small-town WI!
Q: Where did you go to college/grad school and what was your major(s)?
A: UW Madison for both. My UGRD major was English, with certificates in Education & Educational Studies, and Leadership MS was ELPA, emphasis in Student Affairs!
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
A: Looking at other people’s pets, over-loving my cats, cleaning excessively, and not following recipes while cooking and baking. As my UGRD time suggests, too, I love to read. Currently digging through The Wheel of Time, it’s excellent!… but my favorite book is The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)
Q: What is your favorite book or movie right now?
A: My favorite movie is V for Vendetta…… also love the books Life of Pi (Yan Martel), The Country of Pointed Firs (Sarah Orne Jewett), and obviously Harry Potter
Q: What’s a favorite trip or vacation you’ve been on?
A: I highly recommend going to the Austrian countryside! Mountains, fresh air, and trees for days.
Nick Bourke
Academic Advisor
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in Naperville, Illinois which is southwest suburb of Chicago.
Q: Where did you go to college/grad school and what was your major(s)?
A: I completed my undergraduate and graduate degrees at Northern Illinois University. As an undergrad I majored in Communication Studies, and I received my master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
A: For fun I enjoy playing video games. I have recently been playing Assassins Creed: Valhalla. When I’m not playing video games, I enjoy watching tv shows. With the new season of the Mandalorian going on I have been really into watching everything Star Wars. I just finished the Clone Wars tv show and now watching Star Wars: Rebels. The last big thing I like to do for fun is watch sports. Being from Illinois I am an all Chicago sports fan. Unfortunately, the Bears haven’t been “fun” to watch but that’s why there is NFL Redzone!
Q: What is your favorite book or movie right now?
A: Anything superhero related! It’s hard to pick just one specific comic/movie as my favorite, but if I have to pick one “right now” it has to be Avengers: Endgame.
Q: What’s a favorite trip or vacation you’ve been on?
A: My favorite vacation must be when I went to Italy for 9 day! My former supervisor told me about a Groupon deal (yes Groupon has vacation deals!) to travel to Rome, Florence, and Venice. Since that was literally my dream vacation, I scheduled it for after completing grad school as a gift to myself!
Brian Brannon
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: El Paso, Texas – so not too far from here!
Q: Where did you go to college/grad school and what was your major(s)?
A: I got a BA at the University of Texas – Austin, and an MA here at UW – Madison. I was a Classics major, which is the study of Ancient Greece and Rome. My MA was in Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
A: I love learning new things or skills that I can improve at. I recently started learning classical guitar to cope with the pandemic, it’s challenging but rewarding!
Q: What are your favorite hobbies?
A: I enjoy reading books – genres varying from pop-science to best-selling novels, and staying active through casual weight-lifting while listening to music.
Q: What is your favorite book or movie right now?
A: I recently re-read a book called Tin Man by Sarah Winman, it’s a short but beautiful story about the love and friendship between two men and a woman during the AIDS epidemic in Europe. It really is a uniquely touching read, and one of my favorites.
Q: What’s a favorite trip or vacation you’ve been on?
A: I don’t really travel to places, but I went to New York City one time in high school on a choir trip. That was cool!