UW product licensing program produces financial-aid success stories

David and Mary Lundquist had a vision for their three daughters. Living in Mellen, Wis., (pop. 845), one of the most economically challenged areas in the state, the Lundquists were determined to defy educational odds.

Those odds, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, are represented in the fact that only 6.8 percent of Mellen residents hold bachelor’s degrees.

And the Lundquist daughters did exactly that: Sarah and her younger sister Lisa set their sights on UW–Madison, and the eldest sibling Jessica headed off to Northland College.

When Sarah (now Sarah Lundquist Nuutinen) arrived for summer orientation, she learned that out of 6,000 incoming freshmen, she was among the 150 eligible for UW–Madison’s Financial Aid Security Track (FASTrack) program. It proved to be a financial lifeline.

“[That] really nailed it home to me how economically disadvantaged I was because my parents did a really good job of camouflaging it,” Lundquist Nuutinen said.

The FASTrack program helps low-income Wisconsin undergraduates pay for college through grants, small loans and work. Lundquist Nuutinen received what is known as the “Bucky Grant,” a program funded exclusively through royalties from the sales of licensed Wisconsin Badger merchandise.

Those Bucky window decals, Badger water bottles, “W” hats, Wisconsin sweaters and other officially trademarked items help contribute funds to the UW–Madison Athletic Department, as well as the “Bucky Grant” program.

“We use the grant to fund our neediest students,” says UW–Madison Financial Aid Assistant Director Rollie Weeden. “We sign a contract with them and we agree to meet their full needs.”

The financial aid office determines need by looking at family circumstances, income and assets. “It’s been a very beneficial program over the years,” adds Weeden. “We depend on it.”

During the 2005 fiscal year ending June 30, the licensing program had one of its most successful years ever, generating just over $1.6 million in royalties. It is the second-highest total in the licensing program’s 18-year history. UW–Madison’s best year was 1999-2000, when it generated $1.65 million after winning the Rose Bowl, Heisman Trophy and advancing to the NCAA Final Four.

“If you go into Hat World or Lids stores in the mall in Detroit or Atlanta, you’ll find a Badger hat. I’d be surprised if you didn’t find one,” says UW–Madison Trademark Licensing Director Cindy Van Matre. “Wisconsin is becoming a national team.”

Wisconsin’s national status is reflected in the Collegiate Licensing Company’s recent rankings, according to www.clc.com. UW–Madison ranks 16th, just behind fellow Big Ten Conference schools Penn State (14th) and Illinois (15th). Michigan is the top-ranking Big Ten school and is ranked second overall. North Carolina sold the most collegiate merchandise for the fifth straight year.

“We had a very successful all-around sports season last year,” Van Matre says. “Also, the updated marks that we introduced three years ago are all being used now and are quite popular.”

With the “Bucky Grants,” Van Matre can add another factor to her list: Helping hard-working, well-deserving students like Sarah attend UW–Madison.

Sarah and her sisters fulfilled their parents’ vision by earning their college degrees. The youngest, Lisa, was also a UW–Madison FASTrack student and Sarah also earned a graduate degree in international relations.

Lundquist Nuutinen, 28, says she is eternally grateful to the university for the financial support. Without it, she knows her path would have been much harder and more debt-filled.

Now, in her work as an aide to State Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar), Lundquist Nuutinen has a vision to help others in her former situation.

“You have to get past the idea that you’re not smart enough because you went to a really small school,” she says. “You have to get past the idea that you cannot deal with that many people. I did well compared to my peers in college. So, clearly, poor students from rural areas are able to pass muster here.”

Adds Lundquist Nuutinen: “[Faculty and staff] need to continue to stay involved in politics so when [financial aid] issues come before the state … let the government know it’s not okay to keep cutting back. We all can’t afford to go.”