Recreation & Wellbeing

Photo by Jeff Photo by Jeff Miller / UW–Madison

Play Hard. Get Fit. Live Well.

Donate to Recreation & Wellbeing

Your support will help continue the tradition of excellence in teaching, research, and public service.

Make a Gift
At Recreation & Wellbeing, we move Badgers to play hard, get fit, and live well. Our facilities, programs, and services are designed to remove barriers, build community, and support student wellbeing. From group fitness classes to intramural sports, personal training, massage therapy, and more, we offer a variety of opportunities for students to find their fit on campus.

In 2014, students passed a referendum approving our facilities master plan, allowing us to design and build two state-of-the-art buildings and two synthetic turf fields. With the Near West Fields and Nicholas Recreation Center officially open, our sights are now set on the new Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center and Near East Fields, both of which are expected to open in 2023. Join us in building state-of-the-art facilities and developing programming to help Badgers play hard, get fit, and be well.

Priority Area — New Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center

The future of health and wellbeing at UW–Madison is bright. Now that the state-of-the-art Nicholas Recreation Center is open, we’re looking ahead to the next building project of our master plan, the Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center, a $113 million facility that will replace the Natatorium. Construction began in early 2021, and the new building is expected to open in 2023, featuring eight courts, a 25-yard recreational pool, four multipurpose studios, an indoor jogging track, an ice rink, and cardio and strength spaces. The Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center will also include a dedicated area for wellbeing services, where students can enhance their physical and mental health through programs like yoga, meditation, massage therapy, and peer wellness coaching. Make a gift today.

Priority Area — Mental Wellness Peer Education Program

With generous donor support, peer wellness coaching launched in spring 2021. The program trains students in motivational interviewing, mindfulness, and peer education so they can successfully coach other students on their wellbeing journeys in both one-on-one and group formats. Grounded in the seven aspects of wellbeing, the program was designed in partnership with the Samaritan Family Wellness Foundation and the Center for Healthy Minds. We are excited to see the future growth and impact of peer wellness coaching on campus. Make a gift today.

Recreation & Wellbeing and Student Affairs

Above all, we exist to help students build healthy habits. Whether they come to us to relieve academic stressors, learn a new skill, or find their campus community, students need our support, and we are excited to continue building the facilities, programs, and services that can serve them best. Learn more.

DONATE TO THE RECREATION & WELLBEING FUND

Recreation & Wellbeing inspires Badgers to play hard, get fit, and live well through fitness centers, athletic clubs, and intramural sports at UW–Madison. Support student access to premier facilities and wellbeing programming.

MAKE A GIFT