This fall, Kate Hanf will start her third year at UW-Madison. As an agroecology major pursuing three certificates in public policy, global health, and Pilates, Hanf is studying human health and community well-being from many perspectives. She has continued this work outside of class by serving as a communications intern and now outreach director for UW-Madison’s chapter of Slow Food. Overall, Hanf’s studies and work provide her unique insight on supporting human health holistically.
Agroecology and Pilates are a unique combination of academic disciplines. What made you interested in studying both at UW-Madison?
I am a very physically active person and a lover of holistic well-being. I care about every person having access to both healthy, nutritious food and sustainable, fun movement.
From your perspective, how can agroecology and Pilates help human health and well-being?
Similar to the previous question, I think agroecology looks at food systems as a whole and how to improve individuals’ choices and options with food, supporting both nutritious, culturally appropriate food options and farming practices that are more beneficial for farmers’ well-being and the planet’s health. Pilates is also a mindfulness practice, helping human well-being by grounding people back into their bodies at a time when we are constantly being pulled out of our bodies and minds, away from the present.
What is the most interesting class you’ve taken so far at UW-Madison?
I honestly adored my sociology of community and the environment class (Community & Environmental Soc 140) because Michael Bell is a phenomenal, interesting, and exciting professor. That class really changed the way I look at human relationships with others and the planet.
What is Slow Food UW? And what kind of work do you do with the student organization?
Slow Food UW is a branch of the international organization, working to bring the emphasis of food back to its roots/origins, caring about where our food comes from/how it’s prepared, and fostering community connections over meals, eating with others, conversing, and building new relationships. We embody the idea that it is a universal right to have access to good, clean, fair food. This past semester, I was a communications intern, working on our social media accounts, promoting our weekly meals. Now, this semester, I will be the new outreach director, leading the launch of the new outreach branch, aiming to expand our organization’s impact in the Madison community.
What are you interested in doing after graduation with your degree in agroecology and certificates in public policy, global health, and Pilates?
I am considering multiple career paths right now! Part of me wants to go to a master’s in Public Policy program to help expand universal access to nutritious food and ways for Americans to move more! Ultimately, expanding Americans’ rights to welfare will lead to happier lives. However, I would also love to get a master’s in counseling and combine my love for nutrition and talk therapy with Pilates for holistic wellness. We shall see, but either way, I will be teaching Pilates or some sort of movement on the side of whatever I pursue. I think all of my passions boil down to ways for people to feel better in their bodies and happier.