When my parents dropped me off at Sellery Residence Hall in August of 2018, I was overwhelmed, nervous, and teary-eyed. I had been excited to go to college, but now that I was there, surrounded by strangers and unfamiliarity, I just wanted to go home. Fast forward to now, eight years later: I’m graduating from UW-Madison for the second time, earning my MBA, and feeling the most bittersweet emotions about leaving the city I’ve grown to love.
My first semester in Madison, I was so homesick that I basically only looked forward to the weekends I was able to go home. However, as my freshman year went on, I forced myself to go out of my comfort zone and meet people. I made friends (ones that are still my best friends to this day), and I went home less (a more normal amount). By the end of the year, I was actually sad to leave for the summer. I grew to love Madison in the summertime, and I stayed for all my summers after this, working in a snack shack with my roommate at a golf club, and then interning at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, which kickstarted my career in Human Resources. At the beginning of my freshman year, I couldn’t have seen this coming; I would never have guessed that when it was time to graduate in 2022, I wouldn’t be ready to leave! I decided to apply to jobs in Madison, and I secured a role as a recruiter for Beacon Hill Staffing Group, where I was able to experience Madison as a young professional.
Starting my career in staffing was exciting. It was fast paced, had tons of perks, and had a fun office atmosphere. However, it could also be grueling, and into my second year at Beacon Hill, I started to think about what was next for me. I wanted to work somewhere that I could contribute more to company strategy and think longer term. I was burnt out of the sales environment and needed a change that would be more fulfilling. I started looking into MBA programs as a next step, primarily in Chicago, since that was home. However, I kept coming back to the program at UW-Madison. I loved the specialization model where I could focus on HR but still earn a degree that would help me develop business acumen, deepen my understanding of the P&L, and give me credibility to be a strategic partner. I applied and was soon accepted into the program where I would go back to Grainger and be a student once again.
It was exciting getting to show my new MBA friends my favorite spots around town. I showed them what a Wisconsin tailgate is like and how lively Camp Randall is for “Jump Around.” We did all the fun Wisconsin things, but I’ve even enjoyed hunkering down with my classmates in the B-School to study for exams and work on group projects. The MBA program has been such a valuable experience, and I have learned how I can contribute to organizational strategy and grow to be an excellent HR leader. This program has helped me develop my skills in leadership, public-speaking, and data analysis. I’ve had the opportunity to advocate for women in business and network with incredible industry professionals. All these things are important takeaways for the next step in my career. However, it’s also just been so wonderful to be a UW-Madison student again. While I know I’ll continue to be a learner in my future endeavors, I also know this is my last time as a student in school, so I’ve consistently tried to stay present and just enjoy it. I’m so excited for my next steps, but I know that when I’m at my new job, there will be days that I’ll be longing for lunch in the SHR Center with my friends, a walk on the lakeshore path or around the capital, a pick-me-up coffee from Moka, and pitcher on the Terrace for sunset. UW-Madison is undoubtedly an amazing school to earn your degree at; it has fantastic professors, high rankings, a great campus, and it truly sets you up for success. These things are all important to me, and big reasons I decided to go back to school here. However, the reason it’s so special to me is because of the memories I’ve made and the people I’ve met. My next stop, Minneapolis, will have big shoes to fill!
I wish I could tell 18-year-old Hannah about how much she’d grow to love this city, but knowing how my journey here started makes me appreciate it that much more. I’ve grown up so much here, and I’ll really miss this chapter of my life. At this point, I’m ready to explore something new, but I know Madison will always be a place that I love to come back to.