Puzzles and polymers with Megan Leiterman

The University of Wisconsin-Madison was an obvious choice for Megan Leiterman, now a junior majoring in chemical engineering. She heard countless praises about UW-Madison from various Badger alumni in her family. Growing up in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, she also spent a lot of time downtown and on campus and fell in love with the community here. With a love for chemistry in high school and multiple family role models with careers in engineering, Leiterman naturally gravitated towards the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. “I have gotten to know so many amazing people through the program! My classes have been very interesting and I’m excited to get more in-depth in the next few years,” says Leiterman.

But she’s been solving more than just chemistry problems on campus. In the Fall of 2023, Leiterman and her friends decided to start the Puzzlers of UW-Madison student organization!

The first piece…

In Memorial Library, Leiterman and her friends were looking for a much needed break from studying for an organic chemistry exam. So they went onto the Wisconsin Involvement Network and registered Puzzlers of UW-Madison as a student organization. Puzzlers of UW-Madison is where both undergraduate and graduate students can come to work on jigsaw puzzles together, both casually and competitively.

At every meeting, they serve snacks and also play music from a curated playlist that many members of the organization contribute to. They also frequently work on large puzzles over the course of multiple meetings, and some members participate in speed puzzling with smaller puzzles. A few members also had the unique opportunity to attend the national puzzle convention where they were able to meet many amazing people from all over the world with a passion for puzzles. Leiterman and other members look forward to continuing to go to the convention and making connections!

While the organization started first as a fun activity with friends, it grew to more than that. “This organization means a lot to me because doing puzzles has always been a way for me to unwind after a long or stressful day, and being able to connect with other people that enjoy puzzles to create a community has been amazing,” says Leiterman. One member even had a first date at one of their meetings.

How can someone get involved if they want to? We communicate mainly through Instagram and email! To get involved, follow our Instagram @puzzleclubuw to see future meetings! To get added to our email list, DM us on Instagram!

Fun facts with Megan Leiterman

Flamingos or Badgers Badgers

Favorite Babcock Ice Cream flavor Bits & Bytes

Sweet Caroline or Jump Around? Jump Around

Favorite study spot? Business library

Favorite place for lunch grub? Ian’s Pizza

Photo credit: Justina Wang