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Shamsul Bahari
177 Jalan Sungai
10150 Georgetown
Penang, Malaysia
artistbahari261@gmail.com
+60 17-591-2114

Date: 23 April 2025

To:
The Dean
Office of the Dean
Graduate School
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Bascom Hall
500 Lincoln Drive
Madison, WI 53706
USA

Subject: Request for Academic Recognition of Lifelong Independent Scholarly and Artistic Contribution

Dear Dean, Sir,

I write to you not merely as an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin System, but as a lifelong seeker, educator, artist, and journal-keeper who once proudly participated in the visionary University Without Walls (UWW) program at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay during the early 1980s.

The UWW initiative offered me the freedom to pursue an interdisciplinary, experiential path of learning, unconfined by the traditional classroom. That formative experience shaped the entire course of my life, inspiring me to document decades of creative and spiritual exploration—through sketching, painting, writing, and deep engagement with both marginalized communities and ancient traditions, from the American Southwest to Southeast Asia.

Today, I maintain a blog titled Cheeseburger Buddha, a continuation of the sketchbooks and journals I began during my time at UW–Green Bay. Spanning over 45 years and nearly 3,000 entries, the blog has reached readers around the world and stands as a living document of personal transformation, cross-cultural exchange, spiritual reflection, and creative evolution.

In this season of my life, I am completing a reflective autobiographical work titled The Aleutian Blues, a memoir that integrates these experiences into a cohesive narrative of artistic inquiry and spiritual search. This work is both an offering to future generations and a testament to how a life shaped by inquiry, creativity, and service can flourish even outside conventional academic structures.

I respectfully request that the University consider my body of work—published writings, artworks, community engagements, and forthcoming memoir—for formal academic recognition. Whether in the form of a Master’s degree or an honorary Doctorate, such recognition would affirm the original vision of the University Without Walls: that learning can take place beyond institutional borders, and that a lifelong pursuit of truth and self-expression is, in itself, a worthy academic contribution.

This request is not made in vanity, but in deep respect for the ideals that first nurtured my journey. I would be honored to submit a complete portfolio in both digital and print formats, including:

• Selected blog entries and visual journals

• Completed chapters from The Aleutian Blues

• Sketches, photographs, and spiritual reflections

• Documentation of community outreach and informal teaching

• Letters of support from collaborators, readers, and fellow artists

If there is a formal process for such a submission, I would be most grateful for your guidance. I remain ever thankful for the foundation I received at the University of Wisconsin and would be deeply honored to reconnect with the institution in this meaningful way.

With sincere respect and warm regards,

Shamsul Bahari
Former Student, University Without Walls
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay