Alum Cathy Sandeen Shows Working-Class Roots as University of Wisconsin Chancellor

Monday, April 13, 2015
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL -- She went on to earn a Master’s in broadcast communication from San Francisco State University, a Master of business administration in management from UCLA, and a Ph.D. in communication from University of Utah. It wasn’t until years later, Sandeen said, that she realized: “It’s not that easy being a first-generation college student — feeling that you don’t quite belong; knowing that it’s OK to interrupt your professors and have a conversation with them in their office; keeping it a secret that most of your family is working class; changing your vocabulary and your communication style, based on your environment ... at family gatherings, not talking too much about school or your accomplishments because you don’t want to appear arrogant or appear to be showing off in other ways.”
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