About CAE

The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) is home to several initiatives that support L&S student success, including the Summer Collegiate Experience (SCE); the L&S STEM Scholars Initiative, and the CAE Cohort program. These programs work together to offer an enriching, inclusive community for L&S students who are the first in their family to attend college or from low-income or rural backgrounds. CAE provides a variety of engagement opportunities to students, including holistic academic advising, academic mentoring, paid research opportunities, health and wellness events, social events, graduate school and career preparation, and connection with learning communities to facilitate learning and collaboration.

CAE is proud of its rich history of supporting student success efforts at UW–Madison for a half of a century.  Starting as the Five-Year Program in 1966 it evolved into the Academic Advancement Program in 1979. In 2007, AAP joined with Pathways for Excellence, followed by CAE taking on its current structure in the College of Letters and Science in 2013. Throughout the evolution of program names and structure, CAE remain true to its central focus: supporting and enhancing student success at UW–Madison from admission through graduation.

CAE Vision
To provide an enriching community that fosters engagement and life-long learning.

CAE Mission
To promote the values of a liberal arts education and find new ways for students to make a difference locally, nationally, and globally by partnering to make the Wisconsin Experience a reality for all students.

CAE Goals
CAE strives to:

  1. Increase access to higher education
  2. Increase graduation rates and promote academic excellence
  3. Build a safe, validating community for our students that is engaged with the larger campus and
  4. Partner with students to co-create the Wisconsin Experience by providing a student-centered approach to student development.