Student Spotlight: Kade Erickson

School of University Transfer-Liberal Arts

Kade graduated with an associate degree from Nicolet College in Fall 2025, and started at UW–Madison in Fall 2026.

Intended major at UW–Madison: Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies
Future career goal: Work in a marketing department for a professional sports organization, fashion brand, or film company.

How did you arrive at the decision to attend Nicolet College?
I was moving from Canada back to the US with my family and wanted to continue my post-high school education, but didn’t know where I’d be living next. Thankfully, Nicolet College offered a great online curriculum with fantastic faculty and kind students.  

What did you enjoy most about your time at Nicolet College?
Interacting on discussion forums with classmates and learning about things I didn’t know I was interested in. Before Nicolet, I had never been educated in sociology, and while there, I took a class that opened my mind to it and taught me about how it is used in everyday life. 

How did your time at Nicolet change you—personally and/or professionally?
I never really had confidence in a classroom setting, online or in person, but Nicolet helped me develop that confidence and apply it to my schoolwork. I went from a failing student to a Dean’s List recipient, with a 4.0 GPA through spring, summer, and winter classes. Nicolet helped solidify my confidence in my learning abilities and helped me prove to myself that I could achieve great things in a learning environment.

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What was your path to UW–Madison? When did you decide that was your goal?
My path to UW-Madison took a while to pave. I began my post-high school education in Canada. After leaving, I enrolled online at Nicolet College for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024, then took a break for Summer 2024.  I enrolled for a single semester at Madison Area Technical College in Fall 2024 for an in-person classroom experience. This lit the match of me enjoying learning again. Finally, I returned to Nicolet in Spring 2025 and finished my Associate’s Degree in Fall 2025. My goal to be admitted to UW-Madison began in Fall 2024, then became attainable in 2025. I applied for the Spring 2026 semester, but did not get in. This hurt, but was a minor setback. I persevered and applied once more for the Fall 2026 semester and was accepted.

What does being accepted to UW–Madison mean to you personally?
Being accepted to UW-Madison means the world to me. I went from failing just about every class I took to getting accepted to one of the top public universities in the country with one of the most dedicated consumer behavior majors offered in the US. I am proud of myself and grateful for all of those who helped me get to where I am.

How did your experience at Nicolet College prepare you for transferring to a university like UW–Madison?
My experience at Nicolet College helped me gain a newfound confidence in a classroom setting that eventually granted my admission to UW-Madison. Without this confidence, I never would have gotten the grades I worked hard for and the necessary GPA to be admitted to UW-Madison. 

Anything else you'd like to add?
Look into scholarships and see what you may be eligible for. If there aren’t many at the start, continue to care about your classes and seek help if needed, so you can get better grades to then better your chances at some scholarships. Ask your Success Coach about them and come up with a plan to receive them.