UW–Madison class president, vice president create a senior year worth sharing
By Kaity Steinman
A Super Bowl party might not be where one expects to meet their running mate for Senior Class Office, but that was the case for Amelia Alvarez x’27 and Steve Perkins x’27.
Juniors at the time, the UW–Madison students had been in and out of each other’s orbits through the Mercile J. Lee Scholars Program. Their paths connected when Alvarez decided to host the scholarship program’s Super Bowl party, and Perkins asked to help plan the event.
“It was a lot of QDOBA [fast-casual Mexican food chain] and not a lot of people,” Perkins says of the party. “I’m not complaining! The five of us had a great time playing board games and getting to know each other.”
Alvarez also recalls the “insane amount of food” (she didn’t want to order too little) and how collaborating with Perkins gave her a front-row seat to his charismatic energy and work ethic. It was right around the time she was learning about the Senior Class Office and considering a run for president.
“Whenever I thought about who would make a good vice president and running partner, my mind kept going back to Steve,” Alvarez says.
A text from Alvarez asking him to run as vice president was not on Perkins’s 2026 Bingo card. Candidly, he didn’t even know the role existed. Planning a party was one thing, but representing their entire graduating class took teamwork to a new level. After learning more about the role (and with a little nudge from his older sister), Perkins saw an opportunity to give back to peers who had made his time as a Badger so special.
At UW–Madison, the senior class president and vice president run as ticket. They campaign as juniors for a March election among their fellow rising seniors. Alvarez and Perkins platformed their passion to make senior year meaningful, memorable, and representative of all students. While campaigning, they brought forth plans centered on connection like inviting seniors to walk with them in the homecoming parade, partnering with UW–Madison administration to better support students with resources, and coordinating an alumni connection event.
“I hate losing, so when Amelia and I teamed up, I was like ‘we have to win!’ We campaigned — something I had never done before — and it was exciting to see how hungry Amelia was for this. I believed in her and all her ideas, and as it turned out, so did the rest of our senior class!”
Bringing the senior class together
After winning the spring election, Alvarez and Perkins reviewed applications and appointed four senior class officers to add to their team: Rachit Dadu x’27, special events chair; Nadia Gitau x’27, philanthropy chair; Genesis Liriano x’26, winter grad chair; and Katie Wang x‘27, communications chair.
“I feel lucky to work with all of the class officers,” Alvarez says. “Every single person has great campus connections specific to their role, and they are very diligent and hardworking.”
The class officers strive to make senior year at UW–Madison memorable and rooted in community. That can be a tall order when there are thousands of students in the graduating class.
“We can deliberate forever on what an entire class wants to do for fun,” Perkins says. “Eventually, you just have to trust your gut and make a decision. That’s the fun part for me, digging into different perspectives and then coming together as a team to make awesome events happen.”
The beginning of the fall semester was a flurry of meetings, brainstorms, phone calls, and emails. On Tuesdays, Alvarez leads the Senior Class Office’s weekly meeting where the team digs into the moving parts of planning commencement, senior-focused events, and a class gift. For Alvarez, staying present and being a delegator is key. This means acting as a bridge between class officers and campus partners, ironing out logistics, and navigating the bureaucratic nature of a college campus.
A recent win came at the crack of dawn — 6:30 a.m. to be exact — when more than 300 seniors attended Senior Sunrise at Memorial Union Terrace. The free event offered early-risers donuts, Bucky Badger magnets, and golden views of Lake Mendota. Instagram posts and emails from the class officers encouraged students to bring their blankets and besties. Yawning classmates showed up in droves.
“It was amazing to see how many seniors wanted to make connections and create community,” Alvarez says. “It’s only going to be your senior year once, and I think it’s beautiful that people decided to get up super early to make this memory together.”
Finding belonging
It’s no coincidence that Alvarez, a political science major, has a penchant for building communities. Born and raised in Idaho, she arrived as an out-of-state student acutely focused on finding belonging on campus. Before attending SOAR (Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration) as an incoming freshman, she had never been to Wisconsin. Nonetheless, she was ready for the change in scenery and eager to make connections.
“If I could tell my younger self that I would go on to be UW–Madison senior class president, I honestly think I would believe it, because that’s something I’d totally do!” says Alvarez, who found interest in policy work and leadership roles through high school speech and debate club.
“As senior class president, I’m able to create communities, meet more people than I typically would, and use my voice. It all comes back to feeling connected in a place I wanted to make my own.”
On the other hand, Mequon, Wis., native Perkins knew UW–Madison well. His sister (the one who pushed him to run for senior class office) is a Badger alum. Like Alvarez, when Perkins received a full-ride scholarship through the Mercile J. Lee Scholar Program, choosing UW–Madison became a no-brainer. Perkins now sees parallels between his role as senior class vice president and his future career in wealth management.
“There was a student leaders dinner at the chancellor’s house a few weeks ago, and I found myself in the same room as deans and heads of departments from all around campus,” Perkins says. “Figuring out how to relate to people I’ve just met and finding common ground, no matter how different we are — I’m definitely taking these skills into my career.”
Leaving a legacy
Before year’s end, Alvarez, Perkins, and fellow class officers will announce the senior class gift, a fundraising campaign to support a campus resource. Past gifts have raised funds for the Open Seat Food Pantry, University Health Services’ mental health programming, and the Institute for Diversity Science. Senior year is fleeting, and legacy is important to the class officers. Choosing a cause that benefits the most people and leaves a lasting impact is top of mind.
“I want to look back at my time at UW–Madison and know that I gave as much as I possibly could,” Alvarez says. “I’m blessed to be in this position, and I’m excited for our graduating class. I’m happy we’re all taking on this year together!”
Founded in 1885, the UW–Madison Senior Class Office works in partnership with Student Affairs, the Office of the Chancellor, and the Wisconsin Alumni Association & Foundation to create an unforgettable senior class experience. This includes helping to plan both winter and spring commencement ceremonies, selecting the class gift, hosting senior-inspired events, and advocating for the entire class. For more than 140 years, the Senior Class Office has brought together diverse passions, united the senior class, and cultivated Badger pride. Learn how you can get involved.