To become part of the NDGNS UW program, incoming undergraduate students who have been admitted to UW-Madison must participate in at least one of the following campus engagement options during the Fall and Spring semesters of your first year at UW-Madison:
1) Apply to a Learning or Theme Community – due May 1st:
- We highly suggest the NDGNS Community
2) Apply to one of the following programs – due in April:
OR
3) Enroll in one seminar series, or in one course from any of the following departments:
Our top suggested seminar series and courses:
- Counseling Psychology 125 NDGNS UW Section 028
- Earth Partnership: Indigenous Arts & Sciences
- Listening to Land: Indigenous Education & Foodways
- The Art & Science of Human Flourishing
- American Indian & Indigenous Studies
Additional courses and series to consider:
- Any other First Year Interest Group (FIG)
- Spring Interest Groups
- Leadership Studies or Global and Cultural Competence
Additional info in Suggested Courses, below.
OR
4) Participate in one of the following:
Please note that some of these options are for one semester – in which case you will choose one option per semester.
How to Get Involved
Please review the participation options above and come to Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) prepared to discuss which option(s) you are interested in. You should also review the information under “All NDGNS UW Scholars” for additional program expectations.
At SOAR, an academic advisor will help you enroll in courses, including any you choose for NDGNS UW participation. They can also advise if a particular course is appropriate to your overall academic plan. You can refer them to this webpage to see our program structure and expectations.
NDGNS UW staff will also meet with you at SOAR to get to know you, answer any questions you may have, and to confirm your first-year NDGNS UW participation plan.
Don’t forget to reference this page when meeting with your SOAR advisor and enrolling in classes! Incoming students should also contact NDGNS UW to arrange to meet with us at SOAR:
Get started by meeting with NDGNS UW staff at SOAR!
Other questions? Email us at Indigenous@cdo.wisc.edu
These optional summer programs are a great way for incoming students to begin your transition to campus life:
Click here to see what participation looks like for second-year students and above, and see a sample four-year NDGNS UW participation plan!