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Thousands of UW students stand on the football field at Camp Randall Stadium, most wearing red t-shirts, forming the shape of UW Athletic's Motion W logo.

New year, same Badger spirit

Badgers are back! Campus has reawakened as students settle in for a new academic year.

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Photos and video by Bryce Richter, Jeff Miller, Althea Dotzour, Taylor Wolfram, Amy Gill, Ma Vue, Jason Weiss, Xiaomeng Shen and Paige Valley. Words by Kristina LeVan.

Their new home

It’s a big moment for new Badgers: move-in. With red carts filled to the brim, the three-day event marks the official start of the UW–Madison experience for thousands of incoming students.

A students stands next to a red move-in card. She holds a stuffed animal in the shape of Bucky Badger and smiles at the camera.
Mallory Kreger holds up a Bucky Badger plushie that she plans to put on her couch in the Spark Learning Community in Bradley Residence Hall, nestled in UW’s lakeshore neighborhood. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A students stands in the doorway of her residence hall room and shakes Bucky Badger's hand.
First-year student Mina Hawkins, from Holmen, Wisconsin, responds to a surprise knock on her door in Leopold Residence Hall from UW–Madison mascot Bucky Badger. Photo: Jeff Miller / UW–Madison
A person pushes a red move-in cart filled with belongings while being followed by several people who also carry goods.
With a red cart and full hands, family members and guests help a first-year student move into one of several lakeshore residence halls. Photo: Jeff Miller / UW–Madison
Students and their family members stand in a residence hall room during move in and smile for the camera.
Having just met during move-in as incoming first-year students in the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program, Alana Browne (left) and Charles McDowell flash Ws with their hands. Photo: Jeff Miller / UW–Madison
People push red move-in carts filled with belongings.
First-year students move into Dejope Residence Hall. Photo: Jeff Miller / UW–Madison

The world’s largest W

Part welcome event, part hype-up for the year ahead, the W Project has become a new tradition and crash course in Badger spirit.

“If you want to be a Badger…”

A student takes a video of the light show overhead.
New students film a drone show on their cell phones during the W Project at Camp Randall Stadium on Aug. 27. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A group of students stand on the field at Camp Randall Stadium and flash a 'w' with their hands.
Drone-lit flamingos add a unique backdrop to a group a new students on the field during the W Project. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A birds-eye view shows the freshman class forming an iconic motion W at midfield in Camp Randall Stadium.
The freshman class forms an iconic motion W at midfield in Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the W Project on Aug. 27, 2025. The W Project is part of Wisconsin Welcome. Jason Weiss / UW–MADISON
Students dressed in red stand in the stands of Camp Randall Stadium and cheer.
Students learn UW traditions and hand motions as part of W Project programming. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Students dressed in red 'Badger Buddy' shirts walk onto the field.
The UW Marching Band leads new students in classic Wisconsin cheers. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison

Football is back

There’s nothing quite like a first Badger football game under the lights in Camp Randall. After a 17-0 shutout of the Miami RedHawks, it’s obvious why Madison is one of the best college football towns in America.

Bakke’s blockbuster

There aren’t a lot of places where you can climb a rock wall, challenge your friends to esports on a Jumbotron, ice skate in August and pet a dairy cow all in the same day. But then again, not every place is the Bakke Recreation and Wellbeing Center during its annual block party.

A burst of fun

Beats. Board games. Backyard Olympics — and a whole lot more. It was time for our “south campus living room” to shine at the Sunburst Festival in Union South.

A view of a climbing wall with students scaling one section.
Students dance at the silent dance party.
Students walk up the exterior stairs of Union South, which holds a banner that reads, 'Welcome to Sunburst Festival.'
Three students pose in front of a branded banner.
A DJ plays to a crowded room filled with students listening to headphones at a silent dance party.
A giant chessboard fills the floor of the room. Two students stand on either side in the midst of the challenge.

Photos: Jeff Miller / UW–MADISON

Can you dig it?

Wisconsin women’s volleyball kicked off the season in dramatic fashion at the Opening Spike Classic. Crowds filled the Kohl Center as the No. 8 team took on fellow top-ranked competitors over the long weekend.

Egan, in mid jump, spikes the ball across from two Texas Longhorn players who are jumping up in an attempt to stop the ball.
Outside hitter Grace Egan (#32) spikes the ball as the No. 8 ranked Wisconsin Badger volleyball team plays against the No. 5 ranked Texas Longhorns. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Bucky Badger holds up a guitar prop on the volleyball court. Behind him, the Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad stand in their cheer formations.
Bucky Badger and the Spirit Squad hype up the crowd ahead of an Opening Spike Classic game on Aug. 31. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
The Badger women's volleyball team gathers in mid-court to cheer each other on after winning a point.
The team celebrates a point after a heated rally with the Texas Longhorns. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A zoomed out photo shows the Badger women's volleyball team and the Texas Longhorns women's volleyball team on a volleyball court. The court is surrounded by cheering fans.
Students in AreaRED put up their hands to wish the Badgers luck as Mimi Colyer serves the ball. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
A zoomed out photo shows the Badger women's volleyball team and the Texas Longhorns women's volleyball team on a volleyball court. The court is surrounded by cheering fans.
The crowd cheers as the Badgers score a point against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison

Making it official

Thousands of UW–Madison’s newest students gathered in the Kohl Center for New Student Convocation, the formal welcome to campus for incoming students. “What you do with those days [from now until graduation] will help chart a course for the rest of your life, too,” Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin noted.

“Just come along with me.”

Three students pose with Chancellor Mnookin. One holds up her phone as they pose for a selfie.
Students pose for selfies with Chancellor Mnookin following New Student Convocation at the Kohl Center on Sept. 2. Photo: Althea Dotzour / UW–Madison
A close up of Chancellor Mnookin holding four copies of the Go Big Read book.
Chancellor Mnookin hands out copies of the Go Big Read novel “James” by Percival Everett. Photo: Althea Dotzour / UW–Madison
External photo of the Kohl Center on a sunny day.
New students walk into the Kohl Center for Convocation. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Students, wearing mostly red, fill the stands at the Kohl Center.
The UW Marching Band plays music for the crowd of new students before the ceremony. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Two students link arms in dance.
Students Abby Hansen (right) and Sienna Basso dance during Convocation. Photo: Althea Dotzour / UW–Madison

First in class

Badgers scattered across campus for their first day of class. For some, it was their very first school day at UW — including for campus’s newest building, Morgridge Hall. The new home to the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences was completed this summer.

Borrero sits surrounded by students who sit in a lecture hall and listen to someone speaking at the head of the room.
Sophomore transfer student Miguel Borrero attends his first class of the day, Math 319, taught in Van Vleck Hall by Assistant Professor Thu Le. Photo: Bryce Richter / UW–Madison
A view of students walking to and from class on North Charter Street.
Students walk and bike along North Charter Street during the first day of class on Sept. 3. Photo: Bryce Richter / UW–Madison
Third-year student Paige Valley takes a self-portrait while working on her laptop on Library Mall on the first day of the fall semester. Photo: Paige Valley / UW–MADISON
Students sit in a lecture hall and listen to someone speaking at the head of the room.
Alka Lakadia (left, in focus), a third-year student from India, and Rolla Al Hanaya (next to right), a fourth-year student from Saudi Arabia, listen to an Intro to Big Data Systems lecture in the new Morgridge Hall. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Students sit in a lecture hall and listen to someone speaking at the head of the room.
Students take in the Intro to Big Data Systems lecture under impressive lighting. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison


All fun and games

New and returning international students gathered in College Library for a night of all varieties of games — card, board and video — plus an introduction to snacks (and people!) from around the world.

Students play Uno at the International Student Game Night in College Library on Sept. 4. Photo: Xiaomeng Shen / UW–MADISON
Snacks from around the world are shared by student participants at the International Student Game Night. Photo: Xiaomeng Shen / UW–MADISON
Students play board games at the International Student Game Night. Photo: Xiaomeng Shen / UW–MADISON
Freshman Takumi Fujiwara from Japan poses with his friends at the International Student Game Night. Photo: Xiaomeng Shen / UW–MADISON
Students play Mahjong, a traditional Chinese board game, at the International Student Game Night. Photo: Xiaomeng Shen / UW–MADISON

It’s showtime

Members from more than two dozen student organizations lit up the stage in Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall for the annual MCOR event.

Three student wearing Vietnamese cultural attire dance to a song while holding fans in their hands.
The Vietnamese Student Association takes the stage for its MCOR performance in Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall on Sept. 5. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
KASPER Dance Crew, specializing in K-pop and hip-hop, performs during the event. Photo: Paige Valley / UW–MADISON
A group of students wearing cultural attire from the Punjab region of India dance to a song while holding fans in their hands.
Wisconsin’s School of Bhangra performs a folk dance form from the Punjab region of India. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison
Wisconsin Surma, a premier coed Bollywood fusion team, dances during MCOR in Shannon Hall in the Memorial Union at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on Sept. 5, 2025. Photo: Paige Valley / UW–MADISON
Students sit in the seats in Shannon Hall and cheer on fellow students who perform on stage.
Audience members cheer as the KASPER Dance Crew performs. Photo: Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison

Tags: academics, learning, student life

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