MADISON— The Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership is pleased to announce that it has selected their ‘Bridging the Divide’ campus leaders for the 2026 fall semester. ‘Bridging the Divide’ is a program that brings students of different ideological backgrounds together to foster civil discourse and reduce partisan division. Campus leaders will conduct civil discourse discussion groups once a month on their campuses. The Thompson Center received over 40 applications from all 13 campuses and selected 13 students to lead this year’s program.
The students range from sophomores to seniors with a wide range of academic backgrounds. Applicants were chosen not only on the strengths of their academics but on their written essays. Students are awarded tuition scholarships for their leadership positions in this program.
The Bridging the Divide program has engaged over 3,900 students in civil discourse across the UW System since the program began in 2024.
Please help promote the fall Bridging the Divide events on your campus. Students can register via the Thompson Center website: Bridging the Divide. Campus Leaders
Nora Zimmel UW-Eau Claire | Elementary-Middle Education
Jorah Somerville UW-Green Bay | Psychology & Philosophy
Avery Manthe UW-La Crosse | Public Administration & Communication Studies
Madeline Benson UW-Madison | Political Science
Chanayah Benson UW-Milwaukee | Biomedical Science
Abby Slieff-Vogt UW-Oshkosh | Communications
Dakota Cherry UW-Parkside | Art & Anthropology
Courtney De Blaey UW-Platteville | Criminal Justice & Sociology
Aine Crimmons UW-River Falls | Criminology
Annabelle Olmstead UW-Stevens Point | Community Sustainability
Brooke Zeman UW-Stout | Business Administration
Oreoluwa Sofolahan UW-Superior | Biological Sciences
Bryson Clarson UW-Whitewater | Social Work
