Momentum Leadership students conduct service project in South Woods

Student members of the Momentum Leadership Fellows Program completed a service project in South Woods on the morning of Oct. 30. With the help of Professor Emeritus of Biology George “Skip” Wittler and representatives of the South Woods Park Association, the students assisted with clearing the woods of three invasive plant species.

“Among other things, we learned that the South Woods Park Association is the oldest conservation group in the state of Wisconsin and for the first several decades of its existence was exclusively a female-led initiative,” says Nicholas Eastman, assistant professor of educational studies and Momentum coordinator.

Momentum launched this year and is a summer bridge to an academically enriching, community-minded and culturally diverse environment for highly qualified students from historically underrepresented and first-generation populations. The aim is to increase their opportunity to succeed. This honors program is partially supported by a $275,000 grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation and is scheduled to run for three years, including summer programs and additional leadership activities throughout the academic year.

(Photo: Bella Opelt ’25 of Neillsville, Wisconsin, left, and Gwen Frei ’25 of Antigo, Wisconsin, work together.)