Dean Olsen was in the midst of his career when he got the idea for a start-up business in online mapping. To make this change in direction, he realized he would need more education.
“My skills were no longer a good match to my ambitions,” Olsen says.
Going back to school presented a financial challenge, but Olsen got a boost from a Continuing Education Grant from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Every semester, UW-Madison’s Adult Career and Special Student Services offers grants to adults who have experienced a significant break in their formal education and demonstrated financial need. The Continuing Education Grants are for those entering or currently attending the university on a less than half-time basis.
Olsen made good use of his return trip to college. His additional education at UW-Madison allowed him to pursue his dream of creating an interactive mapping app that helps people share their life histories.
“Formal credentials matter in our world,” Olsen says. “I was fortunate to be able to get the skills I needed from a reputable institution to improve my prospects.”
Apply for a Continuing Education Grant
The Continuing Education Grants for fall and spring semesters cover in-state tuition for one course (up to five credits) for undergraduate and Special students. They cover in-state tuition for one course (up to three credits) for graduate and Capstone Certificate students.
The application deadline for fall semester is July 1; the application is available here. Applications for spring semester will be available in September, with a November 1 deadline.
For more information about Continuing Education Grants, contact Jane Schimmel, jschimmel@dcs.wisc.edu, 608-262-2862.