In this episode we have the pleasure of chatting with Mary Beth Collins, the Executive Director at the Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Human Ecology. Her work involves utilizing university assets alongside community partners to promote and prepare change agents to create a better Wisconsin, and a better world.

Mary Beth’s primary responsibilities focus on developing coursework educational experiences including Community and Nonprofit Leadership, Nonprofit Operations and Infrastructure and service learning opportunities.

With previous experience in the civic engagement sector, education and further community-based work surrounding non-profit leadership, Mary Beth brings a lens of community, understanding, and improvement to her work everyday.

In this episode of GridgeFridge, we sit down with Esther Kang, an assistant professor of design studies in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

With a background in art, and social and civic design, Kang has built a career rooted in exploring how design shapes communities, public participation and the systems people interact with every day.

Before coming to UW–Madison, Kang spent over a decade working as a civic designer, strategist and researcher on projects with the federal government and other organizations. Today, she brings those experiences with her into her teaching and community-engaged research.

Kang's current research focuses on hyperscale data center proposals in Wisconsin and how they impact rural and low-income communities. Her work looks at how these projects and proposals take shape, who participates in the decision-making process and how communities experience and respond to changes in their surrounding environments.

In the first episode of GridgeFridge Season 7, we sit down with Dua Ci Khang, the lead for the Pre-Health Professional Development Programming at the Center for Pre-Health Advising at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

With a background in secondary education, multicultural affairs and educator training, Khang has built a career centered on community care, advocacy and social justice. As the proud daughter of two immigrants, her personal experiences and professional journey have shaped her commitment to creating more equitable opportunities for students and the communities they serve.

At UW–Madison, Khang works to prepare aspiring healthcare professionals through collaborative programming with campus and community partners. Her work includes initiatives such as the EMT Experience program and the Health Professions Shadowing Program, which provide students with opportunities to explore healthcare careers and gain firsthand experience in the field before graduation.