Commencement speaker Julie Anding says love of learning is a lifelong pursuit
May 01, 2025
Written by Dave Fidlin | Photos by Craig Schreiner and submitted
When she first arrived on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s campus, Julie Anding was in unfamiliar territory as a first-generation member of her family pursuing higher education.
The nurturing environment interspersed throughout the campus, however, ignited a love of learning and serving other people that continues to this day.
“I love learning,” Anding said of the great awakening that transpired as she delved deeper into her coursework in those formative years. “Once I got to UW-Whitewater, I was able to start taking classes that I really enjoyed. I was having such a great time.”
Anding, who earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology in 1990 and a Master of Science in guidance and counseling in 1992, will share her inspiring story as commencement speaker for UW-Whitewater’s spring 2025 commencement ceremony at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 17.
Reflecting on her time on campus, Anding said she sees how relationships with faculty and staff, along with personal experiences played a pivotal role that helped define what she wanted to pursue as a career.
“I think UW-Whitewater did a great job of nurturing me along the way,” Anding said. “It gave me great experiences. The faculty and the staff are just outstanding, in terms of how they work with students.”
Anding plugged into campus life in a number of ways throughout her time as a UW-Whitewater student. Participation in intramural sports was one such avenue that eventually led to an on-campus job at the recreation center, where she refereed volleyball matches.
“I enjoyed it immensely,” Anding said. “It was one of my social outlets. That was a great social connection for me. I met a lot of great people that way.”
Anding volunteered as a peer mentor as an undergraduate student, an experience that played a part in her first post-graduation job at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where she was a career counselor and academic advisor for five years.
“It was through some of the relationships that I developed in that office that led me to continue on,” Anding said, referring to the peer mentoring opportunity at UW-Whitewater. “It got me thinking, ‘Oh, this is a career option. I could do this. I could help students.’ Before that, the possibility had never really entered my worldview.”
After UW-Parkside, her professional journey led her to a 26-year career with Harley-Davidson.
Anding arrived in 1997, and she followed the same core tenets that guided her through her time on the UW-Whitewater and UW-Parkside campuses — take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
“It was a great place to work because I felt like there were always opportunities to take on new challenges,” Anding said as reflects on her career with Harley-Davidson. “The business was constantly evolving, and it was exciting to be a part of such a legendary brand.”
She closed out her long-running career with Harley-Davidson two years ago after holding multiple titles within the C-Suite of the company. Her last role was as the motorcycle manufacturer’s vice president of inclusive stakeholder management before retiring.
Anding’s desire to give back has been demonstrated in numerous ways over the years, including serving a four-year stint as president of the Harley-Davidson Foundation.
Anding’s alma mater has always been close to her heart, as evidenced by her service as a board member on the UW-Whitewater Foundation and on the Dean’s Advisory Board in the College of Letters and Sciences.
Alumna Julie Anding '90, front, chief human resource officer with Harley Davidson, is among those who attended the dedication of the Mary Poppe Chrisman Success Center on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)
“It’s such a rich environment,” Anding said in describing UW-Whitewater. “It’s this little jewel of a place that will surprise you in all that it has to offer. Everything you need is there.”
Anding said she feels a sense of gratitude toward the university and has desired to give back in any way possible.
“Once I figured out that I could tap into all of these things that were available on campus, it changed my life,” she said. “There is so much to take advantage of, and Whitewater — for what it is and where it is — can compete with anybody, if you give yourself the grace to explore it.”
She added, “You can find something that you love, because it’s there. There are these incredible opportunities to meet amazing people, to get close to the faculty and get close to the staff. This is a place where you can get a world-class education.”