Know your WUD Leader: Lily R. Hansen
All students have been told at one point in their lives to enjoy their time at college, because the experience goes by quickly. For Lily R. Hansen, the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) and Wisconsin Union vice president of external relations, this could not be more true.
Hansen, a journalism and environmental studies major, is from North Oaks, Minn. In her senior year of high school, she participated in a dual enrollment program. She earned college credits from an in-state university and arrived at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) with sophomore standing. Hailing from a family of Gophers, Hansen chose UW-Madison in an effort to branch out of her comfort zone.
“It’s bittersweet to only be here for three years, but it just means that I need to be much more intentional with the things I’m doing to make the most of my time here,” Hansen said.
Her first year on campus, Hansen joined Her Campus Wisconsin, a national online magazine for women at UW-Madison, as well as We Conserve, which is an Office of Sustainability program dedicated to conservation and waste elimination.
She also joined the WUD Publications and Music Committees.
“Joining WUD, I felt the most welcome I’d ever felt in a group on campus,” Hansen said. “While most of the students living in my dorm had been making friends with people in their classes, I found my friends in WUD.”
Hansen’s experience in the Publications and Music Committees inspired her to make WUD a big part of her undergraduate career. She even went on to serve as WUD Publication’s special events associate director during her second year at UW-Madison. From this, she gained leadership experience and met a variety of people from the many different WUD committees.
It was because of this positive experience that Lily decided to run for the 2016-2017 Wisconsin Union vice president of external relations position. Now, as VP of external relations, Hansen aims to expose other students to the welcoming WUD family. She markets and promotes programs and events, while also managing WUD’s website and social media accounts. She works closely with fellow students and elected Union officers Deshawn McKinney, president, and Adan Abu-Hakmeh, vice president of internal relations.
As part of her Union role, Hansen is also on the Union Council, the Wisconsin Union’s governing body. Plus, she serves as chair of the Council’s Program and Leadership Subcommittee.
Although her graduation is quickly approaching, Hansen is making sure she takes time to enjoy her last bit of time at UW-Madison.
“My advice for future students is that college really does go by more quickly than people expect,” Hansen said. “A lot of people wait until their sophomore year to get involved in student organizations, but your first year is when you can make a lot of connections. Also, definitely spend as much time at the Terrace as possible!”
For those looking to get involved in WUD, Hansen recommends just coming to an event or talking to someone in one of the committees. To learn more about WUD and its incredible student leaders, please visit union.wisc.edu/get-involved/wud/.
