Bucky Badger™ Banks Here

With his mechanical engineering and data science degrees from UW-Madison (and pilot’s license!) in hand, Jacob Laing is getting ready to embark on his next adventure with the military. But that means saying goodbye to a lot of good friends and his alter ego, Bucky Badger. 

“I have a healthy amount of memories here,” says Jacob. “After five years, it’s time to start the next chapter.”

Jacob already had a bank in his hometown when he came to UW-Madison as a freshman, but his mom and older brother (also a UW alum) encouraged him to open another account at UW Credit Union. 

“I wanted to start building some credit on a credit card,” says Jacob, who adds the exclusive Motion W card was a big selling point, as was the convenience of using the app for things like transferring money for rent and opening his credit card. 

“I love the app,” says Jacob. “I know where everything is – there’s easy menus to navigate through if I want to submit my travel plans, cash a check, anything like that.”

His UWCU credit card has served him well traveling abroad throughout Italy, Spain, Dublin and Banff (where he ran a half marathon). He appreciates that the currency conversion with UWCU is more favorable than letting the vendor do the conversion (something he experienced in Madrid last summer). 

“I was able to use [my card] anywhere and never ran into any issues.”

Having two branches within steps of Camp Randall became even more beneficial once he joined the Spirit Squad as a Bucky.

“I’ve stopped in for random things like cash withdrawal or deposit, or exchanging for quarters,” says Jacob. “Because online banking is so convenient, I haven’t come in much but it’s nice UWCU’s here if I need a bank for any reason.”

While some of his most impactful memories happened on the field at Camp Randall, Jacob cherishes the visits he made to the American Family Children’s Hospital. Some kids were a little hesitant around Bucky, but he fondly remembers others being aggressively loving. 

As he heads off into the sunset for the next chapter, Jacob has this advice for students:

1. Treat your credit card like a debit card – only spend what you can pay off each month.
2.  Set up auto payment through the app. 
3. Think local.

“One of the perks of being a member,” says Jacob, “is some level of being a part of a community. You can join your clubs, go to school. And then you can also bank here, supporting a local business and being a part of the community.”

UW Credit Union: Proud Partner of Wisconsin Athletics

Founded on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus in 1931, UW Credit Union remains deeply connected to the UW community. UW Credit Union is a proud partner of Wisconsin Athletics, supporting programs and experiences that benefit Badger student-athletes, students, alumni and fans throughout Wisconsin. Our longstanding relationship with the university reflects a shared commitment to education, leadership, community and lifelong success.