Level Up 2025

February 1, 2025

8:45am – 3:30pm @ Union South

Level Up is the academic and leadership development conference for PEOPLE and Mercile J Lee Scholars. Scholars participate in a series of large and small group workshops led by campus and community partners, program staff, alumni and scholars. Scholars will learn about their strengths and areas of growth, academic and personal identities, values, mental health and wellness, financial literacy, social justice and creative arts.

The dress code is business casual.

Questions? Contact Goodson Vue

Level Up Program

8:45AM – 9:15: Registration

9:15AM – 9:25AM: Welcome & Conference Overview

9:25AM – 9:30AM: Welcome Remarks

9:40AM – 10:40AM: Breakout Session I

10:50AM – 11:50AM: Breakout Session II

11:50AM – 1:00PM: Lunch

1:00PM – 2:00PM: Breakout Session III

2:10PM – 3:25PM: Feature Presentation

3:25PM – 3:30PM: Conference Closing Remarks

Feature Presentation

PEOPLE Alumna – Breanna R. Taylor

Breanna R. Taylor is a Milwaukee-based interdisciplinary artist passionate about dance, film, performing, and writing, specializing in film impact work and production. Breanna is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and New York University with a B.A. in Afro-American Studies with an arts emphasis and a Masters in Performance Studies. In 2020, she co-designed Langston League’s HBO ‘Lovecraft Country’ Unofficial Syllabus as well as the 2021 Companion Guide for Nia DaCosta’s ‘Candyman,’ which was in collaboration with Jordan Peele’s MonkeyPaw Productions and NBCUniversal.

She also co-wrote the curriculum for the Emmy Award-Winning Documentary ‘When Claude Got Shot.’ Breanna’s recent work includes co-writing a reparations toolkit and discussion guide for Colorfarm’s documentary, ‘The Big Payback,’ and the discussion guide for Netflix’s ‘African Queens: Njinga.’ To stay true to her love for horror, she wrote the curriculum for ‘The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,’ which was screened during the 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival. Most recently, Breanna served as the associate producer and curriculum coordinator for the short film documentary ‘Black Strings,’ directed by Milwaukee filmmaker Marquise Mays. She has previously served as the film co-facilitator for the Black Lens’ youth program ‘Souls of Young Folks.’ Currently, she is working on her first narrative horror short film, In Holding: A Love Story, which is set to be released by 2025!

BREAKOUT SESSION I: 9:40AM – 10:40AM

BREAKING OUT: Credit Management

Presenters: Pa Houa Xiong, Jer Her

Summary: Building and maintaining one’s credit is extremely important for financial well-being as companies and organizations (e.g. lenders, employers, insurance companies, etc.) rely on a person’s credit worthiness to determine the risk of doing business and offering services to them. In this engaging session, we’ll explore what credit is and how to build, maintain and protect one of the foundations of being financially well.

Connecting Values to Career

Presenters: Hannah Hatlan-Atwell, Jon Hetzel

Summary: Presenters will discuss the role of values in identifying important aspects of lifestyle, both as current students and thinking about the future. Students will complete a values card sort activity to help them identify and clarify values. Using the values they have identified, students will brainstorm action steps they can take that promote living out their values currently and as they continue their career development in the future. A key intention of the workshop is to consider career development more holistically than simply getting to the next step in the process, such as securing a job or completing graduate studies post-graduation.

Creating Purpose

Presenter: Ryan Bouchard

Summary: Join the Career Exploration Center and discover how your life purpose can play a role in your studies, your career, and beyond. In this interactive session, students will explore the definition and importance of purpose in their life and career path. Students will actively work to create their purpose through learning about the purpose formula, reflecting on what they value, where they excel, and what they love to do. This session is a can’t miss for students who want to see what majors and careers will allow them to experience their career path more deeply than just holding a job.

Going to Grad School Outside of STEM: What You Should Know

Presenters: Dr. Shawn Peters, Dr. Julie Janiak

Summary: For many undergraduates, the process of applying to graduate school can be a daunting and mysterious experience. They are often disappointed to discover that there is no easy how-to manual for selecting the right advanced psychology degree or picking the perfect educational policy program.

This workshop is designed to help students navigate this sometimes puzzling process. The presenters will provide advice, tips, and strategies for students who are thinking about attending graduate school outside of a STEM academic discipline. They will help students think about if and how they should approach graduate school if they are interested in pursuing further study in the social sciences, education, and the arts and humanities.

This session is designed to help students interested in pursuing graduate study in non-STEM fields like (for example) sociology, political science, anthropology, psychology, English, history, philosophy, educational policy, and curriculum and instruction. It will not cover applying to medical school or applying for graduate study in STEM fields (such as biology, genetics, mathematics, and engineering).

Students who attend this session will improve their ability to:  

Determine if graduate school is necessary

Decide on a specific field of study

Appreciate the differences between undergraduate and graduate academic training

Learn the difference between types of graduate degrees (such Master of Arts, MFA, Ph.D., and Ed.D.)

Navigate the application process and timeline

Create a resource network for the graduate school process

Learn common terms in graduate education (such as “terminal degree” and “A.B.D.”)

Obtain letters of recommendation from faculty

Strategize for obtaining funding for graduate study

Homebuying Workshop

Presenter: Dani Chavarria

Summary: This workshop will equip students with the essential information and tools needed to navigate the home-buying process. The following topics will be covered:

Understanding the Basics: Defining key terms (e.g., down payment, closing costs, mortgage types) and outlining the steps involved in buying a home.

Financial Preparation: Discussing the importance of saving for a down payment, building credit, and exploring potential financial assistance programs.

The Homebuying Process: Guiding participants through the process, from finding a real estate agent to negotiating offers and closing on a home.

Mortgage Options and Financing: Explaining different mortgage types, interest rates, and the role of lenders in the homebuying process.

Inclusive Networking

Presenters: Carley Gomez; Emmeline Prattke

Summary: Networking often has negative connotations: It’s competitive, it’s uncomfortable, it upholds a white supremacist patriarchal framework in career fields. However, networking doesn’t need to uphold a capitalist hierarchy that prizes the competitive individual above all else. By reimagining what it means to “network” using an inclusive lens, networking can become an intersectional practice that builds community and helps people of all identities find fulfilling careers. In addition to exploring why many people with marginalized identities don’t always feel comfortable participating in traditional networking, this session will also provide actionable strategies for doing so in a variety of professional settings and explore ways to rethink “networking” itself.

Leadership Transitions

Presenters: Jose Luis Ramirez, Jr.

Summary: This training is designed to guide students in organizing their transition out of their leadership role. Incorporating reflection, it aims to assist student leaders in handing down their institutional knowledge to their successor. It will provide a suggested guideline for an electronic transition binder that can serve as a reference for incoming leaders.

Making the Most of Your Degree: Making Impact in a Changing World

Presenters: Tom Browne

Summary: Over the years of my professional career, I have often discussed with students the impact of going to college and earning a degree. This is especially relevant today with the increased costs of college in a volatile economy. This is also a critical question for underrepresented students of color who have seen attacks on affirmative action-based programs that question their legitimacy at prestigious campuses across the country. It is easy to ask, “Is a degree worth it?” In this presentation, we will unpack the benefits and challenges of pursuing a college education, and more important, how a person, particular a student of color, can make an impact using gained knowledge to affect communities and those coming after them. We will also illustrate ways that any chosen endeavor is a pathway to service or “helping people,” which is a common goal we often hear.

Injury Prevention in the Life of a Student

Presenter: Doubara Stucki PT, DPT

Summary: This workshop will provide students with a better understanding of the breadth of the physical therapy profession, as well as an understanding of the importance of physical activity to both physical and mental health. The focus will be on identifying key exercises and recommendations for health including specific movement exercises, stretching exercises, micro-breaks, position changes, and proper posture. Current implications include posture and ergonomics during student study sessions and lectures, and wellness aiding college retention. Future implications include longevity in students’ chosen careers and overall health and wellbeing.

BREAKOUT SESSION II: 10:50AM – 11:50AM

Leadership in Action

Presenters: Jose Luis Ramirez, Jr.

Summary: A brief overview of programming offered by the Morgridge Center for Public Service, followed by a panel of current student leaders and ways in which they have utilized and leveraged their experiences to inform their course of study and potential next steps post UW.

Linking Experiences with Competencies in Healthcare: Developing Your Story Through the Application

Presenter: Dija Selimi, Dua-Ci Khang; Yer Lor

Summary: The journey to pursue a health professional program can be challenging, often leading students to question their own experiences and qualifications. This session aims to help students explore the connections between their academic and personal identities, values, mental health, wellness, and social justice within the context of health care competencies. By engaging in reflection activities alone and in groups, participants will gain insights into their unique experiences and how these inform their professional aspirations and translate into effective applications. Participants will leave the session with: Increased self-awareness and confidence in articulating their personal experiences. A clearer understanding of how personal values shape their professional identity. Strategies for reflection that will enhance their future practice in health care. Action steps for applying insights gained from self-reflection to real-world scenarios.

Progressing in STEM as Underrepresented Minorities

Presenters: Dadit Hidayat, Mikala Williams; Antonio Trujillo; Fernando Acosta

Summary: While managing our own and/or family life challenges, we (the panelists) have learned that surviving a white-male dominated culture in STEM requires a series of reflective and honest conversations with ourselves, friends, and mentors. Through this session, we hope to share our stories, and engage the audience about theirs, and help us all collectively normalize our diverse stories that are key to our progress. And with these, we want to introduce how we redefine progress with standards we set ourselves, not by others. We want to offer the audience the following learning goals:

Normalize the process of our search to our diverse and intersectional identities that may hinder learning

An opportunity for STEM-specific stories that may inspire the audience to explore their stories,

Identify groups on campus who have stories similar like theirs and help them to connect.

BREAKING OUT: Credit Management

Presenters: Pa Houa Xiong, Jer Her

Making the Most of Your Degree: Making Impact in a Changing World

Presenters: Tom Browne

Becoming People People

Presenters: Dr. Maria L Espino, Brian D. Le

Summary: This workshop aims to emphasize the value of networking in both academic and professional settings. Participants will develop practical networking skills, create an actionable plan to build their networks, and have the opportunity to practice these skills in a supportive environment. The overall objective is to help individuals harness the power of networking for their personal and career growth.

Injury Prevention in the Life of a New Grad

Presenter: Doubara Stucki PT, DPT
Summary: This wellness workshop will provide students with a better understanding of the breadth of the physical therapy profession, as well as an understanding of the importance of physical activity to both physical and mental health. Participants will practice “thinking like a PT” and apply an injury prevention model to their chosen future career, or to the work of being a college student. Our aim is to get students thinking about the part they can play in staying healthy on the job, especially with jobs requiring repetitive activity, which are a known risk factor for physical injury and disability and missed work or school days.

A Person & An Employee: How to Leverage Your Identity In Professional Spaces

Presenters: Rachel Rogers

Summary: In this workshop, students will celebrate their identities while working to think through and discuss how an intersectional understanding of their identity can impact their experiences in the workplace. Blending together individual reflection activities, active listening, and opportunities to critically analyze their past, present, and future as employees, this workshop will provide the foundation for a different sort of professional development, considering how identity shapes work even as work shapes the way that identity is experienced. With an overarching goal of preparing our community to bring all of who they are into the workplace, students will leave this workshop equipped to become leaders in their fields, not by fitting in, but by standing out.

Financial Literacy Bootcamp: Essential Skills for Money Management

Presenters: Jack Wilharm

Summary: The main topics covered in this presentation are budgeting/spending plans, cash flow, money saving tips for college students, credit cards and credit score. Learning goals include:

Identify fixed, variable, and discretionary expenses

Creating a realistic budget based on income and expenses

Understand the benefits and risks of using credit

Understand the components of a credit score

Explore apps and tools that can help with budgeting, spending plans, and credit tracking

Be Real: Intentional Steps to Prevent Burn Out & Overextending Yourself

Presenters: Sofia Garcia Garbuno, MS

Summary: Do you find yourself currently overwhelmed with your schedule and responsibilities? Do you want to be involved on campus and in the community but feel overextended with tasks and time management? Please join this session where we will be going over meaningful connections and involvement, being intentional with our time, and time organizing tips to help you be more efficient and protect your battery!

BREAKOUT SESSION III: 1:00PM – 2:00PM

Exploring Professional Medical Programs: Pathways and Costs

Presenter: Emma Hinker

Summary: In this session students will learn and understand the differences between the medical doctors/doctor of osteopathic medicine (MD/DO), physician assistant/associate (PA), and nurse practitioner professions (NP). These differences include scope and area of practice, education, financial considerations, and medical settings in which each profession can be found. This allows students to understand the different factors and considerations that should be taken into account when exploring professional medical programs. Additionally, students will learn about financial considerations and planning when it comes to professional schooling as well as strategies for maximizing your financial resources when planning for further education. This will allow students to understand what professional schools cost, learn strategies on how to plan financially for additional schooling, and gain knowledge on different financial resources available to students. Lastly, students will be introduced to the Physician Assistant Program that is offered through UW-Madison to display an option for students to pursue at their own campus. The hope of this session is to make medical professions more attainable for students and help them understand the variety of pathways they can pursue in the medical field.

Learning Goals

Understand the differences between the Medical Doctors/Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (MD/DO), Physician Assistant (PA), and Nurse Practitioner Professions (NP) medical professions

Explore the financial considerations and options for pursuing professional medical programs

Introduce the UW-Madison Physician Assistant Program.

Applying to Graduate School: Strategies for Success

Presenter: Mo O’Connor, Jennifer Unitan; Marie Koko

Summary: Students will learn the different components of a graduate school application, how to prepare to apply, to present each component accurately and to their best advantage, and to feel confident that applying to graduate school is an achievable goal. We will review the components of a graduate school application, provide insight into what reviewers may be looking for, provide strategies for building a strong application, and offer examples to illustrate our points. We will also discuss the benefits of researching requirements ahead of time to allow for building a compelling application package:

Preparing to apply: read the application section of a school’s website thoroughly and make sure you are aware of important deadlines, minimum requirements for admission, and documents which are required. If you have any questions, reach out to the institution to ask. It’s always a good idea to engage with the school in a more active way than simply looking at the website.

Look for events offered by the program which give you the opportunity to engage with staff or faculty from the school before applying.

Prerequisites: If a program has prerequisite coursework, knowing about them early enough to complete them before you apply is important.

General basic information application: Accuracy is key

Statement of purpose: Discuss how to write a statement of purpose that both answers the prompt and highlights your strengths.

Letters of recommendation: Know which types of recommenders are acceptable to the program (academic, professional, etc.) Reach out to recommenders well in advance of deadlines and remind them as necessary.

Resume: How to create a strong resume and tailor your resume to the program you are applying to

Transcripts: Double check they have been submitted

Additional Essays or supplemental applications: Thoroughly review the application steps to ensure you’ve completed all parts. If additional essay space is provided, be thoughtful about how to best use it.

Standardized tests: carefully consider whether a standardized test would be to your advantage.

Review, proofread

The Work of Working Together: An Interactive Activity

Presenter: Louis Macias, Rosie Gittens

Summary: The presenters will facilitate a session of Earthquake with participants:

This interactive activity focuses on group problem solving, consensus building and general dynamics. Following the activity, the presenters will facilitate a discussion about observations stemming from the activity, and how these apply to participants’ current experiences and future aspirations. The presenters both have extensive experience facilitating this activity with student and professional (faculty, staff, non-higher education professionals) audiences.

International Experiences: A Pathway to Career Success

Presenters: Ramona Washington, Nathaniel Liedl

Summary: “Studying or interning abroad can help you to build interpersonal and technical skills that employers are looking for such as: enhancing proficiency in a world language, gaining fieldwork or research experience, and strengthening adaptability flexibility, communication, and team-building skills. International experiences can also help you to stand out in job interviews and graduate school applications. Sharing your study or intern abroad experiences in these situations can help you be more memorable to employers and provide real life examples of having applied or developed skills that hiring committees are looking for. Employers look for candidates who can articulate and demonstrate (in their interview, cover letter and resume) these career readiness competencies. In this workshop, we will explore career readiness competencies and how you can leverage your international experiences in interviews and resumes. If you haven’t studied or interned abroad but are interested, we will also share steps you can take to choose a program or internship for your remaining time at UW-Madison.

By the end of this workshop, students should be able to:

Identify and define career readiness competencies

Reflect on study abroad/away programs or internship experiences and how they address career readiness competencies

Draft short descriptions for an application or interview to explain competencies developed through an international experience

Evaluating Job Offers

Presenters: Gene Chyou, Cecilia Cortez

Summary: By participating in this session, you will gain some insight on what can be a difficult process in evaluating multiple job offers. This can be a very personal process, but we will cover general factors to consider, such as, location, money, growth, work-life balance, etc. Additionally, we will cover common red flags to look for and learn crafty ways to ask questions to get real insight on the things that matter to you as a person and which job would be a good fit for you.

From Stress to Strength: Navigating Sources of Stress and Creating a Community of Care in College

Presenters: Nasitta Keita, Chi Pham

Summary: Students will explore the importance of recognizing the signs and contributing factors of stress, but also strategies to cultivate and maintain connection to community as a coping strategy. We recognize that stress in college, particularly for students from underrepresented backgrounds, is often heightened by external pressures, including systemic barriers, microaggressions, and feelings of isolation. Our goal is to help students not only recognize these sources of stress but also to build resilience through collective strength. The facilitators will take an ecosystem approach to stress, addressing how larger systems of inequality can contribute to increased stress, but spend most of the workshop focusing on how students’ unique identities and communities can be sources of strength. We will focus on the intersectional experiences that often amplify stress—like imposter syndrome and burnout—while also highlighting how background, culture, and community can be protective factors that buffer against these challenges.

Through icebreakers, small group discussions, and reflective activities, participants will examine their personal experiences with stress and well-being, while also identifying key support systems within their lives. By fostering open dialogue and peer-to-peer learning, students will be encouraged to share their insights, building a sense of connection and mutual support within the group. By the end of the workshop, students will have a deeper understanding of the importance of mental health, self-care, and community care. They will leave with practical strategies to recognize stress, enhance their well-being, and leverage the power of community to navigate the complexities of college life as students from underrepresented identities.

By the end of this workshop, students will be able to: 

Build connections with other students in a supportive group setting.

Recognize signs of mental well-being and distress and understand the basics of mental health.

Identify systems of oppression and explain how they contribute to stress.

Apply strategies for navigating inequalities, systems of power, and meritocracy myths, both individually and collectively.

Discuss the meaning of self-care and the importance of building a support system through community.

Generate actionable ideas for building community through campus organizations, activities, and communal spaces.

Identify and access campus resources for seeking support and fostering well-being.

Develop a personalized mental health toolkit

LEVEL UP Your Financial Future

Presenters: Elijah Holmes, Ross Matthews

Summary: Get ready to dive into an enriching workshop that will set you on the path to financial independence and success. We’ll start by showing you how to set clear, actionable goals for the short, mid, and long term, ensuring every step you take is purposeful and directed. You’ll master budgeting techniques and debt management strategies to maintain a healthy credit score and take control of your finances. Uncover the hidden gems in employee benefits and familiarize yourself with key financial literacy terms that will empower your career. Finally, we’ll guide you through the essential steps to secure a comfortable retirement. Equip yourself with these indispensable skills and launch into your financial future with confidence. 🚀

Topics: 

Goal Setting: Short/Mid/Long Term Goals

Budgeting / Debt Management

Employee Benefits & Financial Lit. Terminology

Retirement ( How to get there)

Leaving A Legacy: Becoming a Successful Student Leader on Campus

Presenters: Dr. Maria L Espino, Yessenia Garcia

Summary: This workshop focuses on enhancing leadership skills by helping participants understand the qualities of effective student leaders, develop practical leadership abilities, foster collaboration and community engagement, and create a personal action plan for continued leadership growth.

Empowering Change: Building a Social Justice Ecosystem

Presenter: Abbi Stickels

Summary: This interactive workshop is designed to empower students to understand and engage with the social justice ecosystem. Participants will explore how they can create measurable shifts towards their social justice goals and contribute to an equitable society by leveraging their unique leadership strengths and natural gifts.

Alumni Panel: Insights on Navigating Your Early Career

Panelists: Katrina Bell, Zainah Masri

Room Set-Up:

Availability:

Number of Sessions:

Summary: An alumni panel focused on sharing valuable insights and experiences from their first jobs. Panelists will discuss key lessons learned, including challenges faced, strategies for overcoming obstacles, adapting to workplace dynamics, and advice for career growth. The session aims to provide attendees with practical takeaways to help them succeed in their early career journeys.