Lucky to be a Badger; make that blessed

I am the only child of four to go to college.  No scholarships, no visits, no help, no trips home.  I enrolled at Platteville and transferred to the University of Wisconsin Madison.  I enjoyed being a student but I somehow needed UW for my unique skills.  I now know that my mom and step dad did not understand the University of Wisconsin and my dad definitely did not appreciate a UW education.  

I liked getting involved on campus.  But the fall semester ended with the Army informing me that 16 credits from Platteville did not transfer.  I did not meet the credit requirements of a full time student and I must report for duty in the Army.  I had my physical and was waiting for the call.  I did not have a contingency plan.  (Contingency plans were not invented).  To my relief the war and draft ended on my birthday, January 27^th.  I decided to request late enrollment.   It is hard to turn down an optimistic person.   My request was approved.  Either the UW needed the tuition or I invented the contingency plan.

My plan did not include taking exams for courses that I had not attended.  The results were not good.  But I will always remember 1974 as a terrific year for me at UW Madison.  I know I was blessed. 

I chose to join a fraternity and held many offices.  One was social chairman of Delta Sigma Pi fraternity.  I invited Alpha Phi sorority to a party.  I met a girl.  My first experience with community service and I liked it!  On April fool’s day I pinned her.  I fell in love immediately and that has not changed.  In short order we finished classes, got jobs and we got married!  I know I was blessed. 

Soon after moving into an apartment we received a letter from UW that I did not graduate.  I did not complete all my required courses.  My Spanish classes transferred but did not meet the required standards.  Life was good we had good jobs and we started a family.  Jo Ellen and her parents encouraged me to get the job done.  We did and I am proud to be an alumni!

The skills I have learned and the drive that I have I learned at UW Madison.  I noted at our planning meeting that to make this program run smoothly we should skip the invocation.  Too bad.  I have been blessed.  I am proud to be a Badger and thank you for the recognition.       

Melissa Knoll - A Life Lived Fully but Wisely

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