Hirsch Family
Award

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Memorial Union
800 Langdon St.
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 265-3000
map/directions

Breese Terrace Union
1552 University Ave.
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 263-2600
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Hirsch Family Award

Background

HirshJames (Jim) and Judy Hirsch love the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Jim, an alumnus of the University, and one of Hollywood’s most successful writer-producers, teaches a screenwriting class for the Department of Communication Arts.  Judy is the director of admissions for the John Thomas Dye School – an independent school in Los Angeles, California.  Over the years, Jim and Judy have commented that their trips to Madison were amongst the most rewarding and exceptional experiences they ever had.  They were overwhelmed by the richness of the projects underway in various areas and disciplines – from the Health Sciences to the Humanities.  The Hirsch’s also noticed a lack of synergy between many of these departments.  They surmised it was because the very attributes that enabled faculty, staff and students to excel – the intense focus and dedication required in their own respective areas – can often lead to myopia. 

The Hirsch’s wanted to facilitate a “connective tissue” between varying areas and disciplines on the campus.  They sought to create a collaborative process that would enable students and colleagues from various disciplines to present the diversity of ideas present at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in a positive light to each other and the outside world, thereby furthering the Wisconsin Idea. 

Therefore, they established the Hirsch Family Award to induce undergrads and their professors to collaborate with others across campus and disciplines to showcase both of their talents.