From time to time we come across a distinguished alum whose story we just have to share. Jackie Judd is one of those people! She received her Elementary Education degree in 1963 then returned for her Master’s in 1971.
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Jackie Judd’s first experience at UW-Whitewater was as a two year Rural Education Student. After this she was “prepared” to teach elementary education in a one room school where she was the only teacher with thirty seven students combined in 1st through 8th grade. She later returned to UW-Whitewater where she received her Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education in 1963. In 1971 she returned again for her Master of Science in Teaching.
She taught 31 years in several schools, with the majority of her service in Janesville. She is very proud of her service and to have been named a Woman of Distinction in the Field of Education with additional listings in Who’s Who in American Education and Who’s Who in America. Now retired, she lives in southwest Florida with her husband of nearly 50 years, returning to their Vilas County, WIsconsin cabin every summer. She remains active in a multitude of organizations and says she “looks forward to each new day.”
Jackie has had a lifelong interest in astronomy and was a former member of the Janesville-Beloit Astronomical Society. She gave lectures to interested groups on astronomy and more specifically on Haley’s Comet. Because of this expertise, she was awarded a grant for telescopes and continues her evening moon watches she started as a teacher, held in the evenings for students and parents of elementary schools.
Jackie grew up on a small farm in southern Wisconsin along with a brother and two sisters. She was the only one in her family to go to college. She states that she cherishes the knowledge she gained at UW-Whitewater including the support of some wonderful educators that were “there when I needed them.” She fondly remembers Dr. Chop and Dr. Brown, each having a profound impact on her life. Her education was made possible initially by a small scholarship and later by the prodding of her husband, Stan Judd, after they were married. Without Stan, Jackie states “I would not have been able to accomplish most of my life’s achievements.” Stan attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Jackie and Stan have two children, both of whom attended UW-Whitewater. Her son followed his mother into teaching, and was awarded Sarasota County’s Middle School Teacher of the Year.
When asked about the most important things that have happened in her life Jackie responds “my marriage, my family and the knowledge I gained as a student at UW-Whitewater.”