Kaitlin Koehler: A born leader

Kaitlin Koehler was destined to become a leader with the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD).

While in high school, Koehler participated in a trip to pitch in and help with the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and loved the experience. When the freshman from Green Bay, Wis., arrived for her first year at UW–Madison, she was looking for ways to get involved with the campus and attended a kick-off meeting of WUD’s Alternative Breaks Committee. That meeting led to joining the committee, another trip south and then another trip, this time to Boston to work at a homeless shelter. From there, there was no turning back.

Seeing her ability, commitment and enthusiasm, the Alternative Breaks committee director encouraged the then-freshman Koehler to apply for the Alternative Breaks committee director position for her sophomore year. She got the job and, with her committee, planned and implemented 25 service-learning opportunities for fellow students. Trips included helping with flood relief in Iowa, working at an organic farm and vineyard in West Virginia, and volunteering at a charter school for underserved youth in Philadelphia.

For her current junior year, she took on more responsibility and is spending some 30 hours each week as vice president of public relations for WUD. In addition to marketing and managing WUD’s outreach and communications, the VP position makes her one of the four WUD officers and a voting member of the Union Council. These days she has her hands full overseeing and managing the recruitment, application and selection process for next year’s leadership positions.

It’s a lot of work, but the junior majoring in strategic communications and Spanish is picking up experience and skills that will position her years ahead of her peers after graduation. “I hope to work in the nonprofit sector eventually. I consider my WUD experience as a quasi-internship. I work with staff, I’m learning about university policy and I’m really stretching my skills,” says Koehler, who will step away from WUD next year to study in Peru.

And those skills would be the envy of anyone at any age: being organized, ease with public speaking, nurturing others, delegating duties, keeping people motivated, fundraising, running a good meeting, and learning when to listen and when to talk. “I have a greater appreciation for my education and have gained a lot of confidence from mastering new skills. I am learning what I love and will apply my WUD experience wherever I go,” says Koehler.

A highlight for her has been running the marketing team, a group of eight students that represent a variety of WUD committees. “These students would not miss the marketing meeting for the world. We put it all out on the table to see what we can do to help the organization,” she says. “We get a lot done in a short time.”

Her duties do require going to a lot of meetings, but from her VP seat she sees the complete organization. “We can have all kinds of ideas and know that we are backed up by the Union. The students have a voice. There is a real team mentality and we can grow within the organization. They want us to learn and become leaders. These lessons are not found in books,” says Koehler.

But it’s not all work and meetings. “WUD is my family and has become a home away from home. Participating is a great opportunity to meet other students. My identity with the university comes from WUD, and the experience is worth more than I could ever give back,” she says.