Wisconsin Badgers

Badger Affinity Groups were created to cater towards specific underrepresented identities that badger student-athletes identify with. These groups help student-athletes explore and build upon their identities outside of being a student and an athlete. Each Affinity Group is an exclusive safe space for student-athletes to connect with others who share a similar identity and is a place to create community.

All four Affinity Groups serve student-athletes through four pillars of community building, personal identity development, campus connection, and community engagement:

• Community Building: building connections within the group and getting to know each other, finding familiarity and forming relationships with those that have a similar identity is crucial to development and creating belonging.
   
• Personal Identity Development: These groups help student-athletes explore who they are outside of being a student-athlete and the unique identities and experiences that they each have. We want to build inclusive thought leaders that have positive impact.
   
• Campus Connection: These affinity groups give student-athletes a chance to connect with groups and individuals across campus and broadens their student-athlete experience. These connections are crucial to success beyond their time in college.
   
• Community Engagement: Each group finds ways to connect student-athletes with the Madison community and to have meaningful engagement. Through this, student-athletes are able to give back to the community based on collective effort through the group.

There are leadership opportunities for student-athletes within the affinity groups along with opportunities to attend conferences/workshops. Meetings for each group take place 2-3 times per semester.

Badgers Beyond Borders	Badger Pride
Minority Student-Athlete Union	Women of Wisconsin