Years before upcoming "Bachelorette" and former "Bachelor" contestant Jenn Tran was looking for love on TV, there was something else she was trying to find:
A college with "a lot of school spirit."
She'd find it — in Wisconsin.
"Madison just seemed like the best college town — and it definitely was," she told the Journal Sentinel in a Zoom interview earlier this week.
Ahead of the premiere of Tran's season of "The Bachelorette" on ABC — it's just over a week away! — we took a trip down memory lane with her to her time as a Badger.
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From Tran's favorite hangouts to whether she plans on ever coming back, here's what she had to say about her former college town:
Badger games, the Terrace and her favorite Madison restaurants
Tran transferred in the middle of her sophom*ore year to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied molecular biology.
"I really just wanted a school with a lot of school spirit," she said. "I'm just someone who loves a big community and loves a really good college town."
With Madison having a "really good sports culture," Tran tried to make it to as many football and basketball games as she could. And, she was an athlete in her own right, playing club lacrosse.
She reminisced about sitting on the Memorial Union Terrace with a beer, brat or cheese curds. And, taking her paddleboard out on the lake.
"I love to just have a good time," she said. "There were so many good restaurants there."
Tran went to Eno Vino Wine Bar and Bistro "all the time," she said, and worked at its downtown location as a server in 2018. The downtown location, 1 N. Webster St., is on the 10th Floor of the AC Hotel and features breathtaking Capitol views.
Dana Thiel, Tran's manager at Eno Vino, had never tuned into "The Bachelor" before last season. But, with her former colleague on it, she got into it.
Tran would end up making it into "Bachelor" Joey Graziadei's top six.
"I felt like (Jenn) was very herself, as in really friendly, just genuinely a nice person," said Thiel, now the restaurant's GM. "It was definitely exciting to see that."
During "The Bachelor" season finale, when it was announced that Tran would be the next "Bachelorette," Thiel was "super-excited."
"I definitely hope she finds her person, finds love," Thiel said.
So, what was Tran like as an employee? No tea here. According to Thiel, she was memorable, reliable, friendly, really outgoing and brought great energy.
"Definitely how she was on the show, where she definitely just brings that positive energy," Thiel said.
Another one of Tran's Madison go-tos was TheCoopers Tavern, 20 W. Mifflin St. She recalled going there after finals to treat herself to some sliders, cheese curds and crème brûlée.
Being in May 2020, the spring commencement Tran's senior year was virtual. After moving to Boston, Tran and her gal pals would return to Madison in September 2021 for their in-person graduation celebration.
"It was so much fun to be able to finally graduate and celebrate," Tran said. "We went to The KK (The Kollege Klub) after and had a really good time."
A look at what 'Bachelorette' Jenn Tran has been up to since her UW-Madison days
Tran has been working toward becoming a physician assistant, but is taking a "little break" from PA school, which is in south Miami. In the words of her favorite artist Taylor Swift, Tran has "a lot going on at the moment."
"I want to be able to really focus on PA school the best that I can because the end goal is to be a good provider," Tran said. "I'm just pushing it off until I have a lot more time to dedicate to it."
Tran is "The Bachelorette's" first Asian American lead. She was born in New Jersey after her parents and brother immigrated to the United States from Vietnam.
"I never would've dreamed of becoming the role model I once needed when I was a kid," Tran said. "It's really quite full-circle and surreal."
Does 'Bachelorette' Jenn Tran plan to ever return to Wisconsin?
Yes — just not during the winter.
While she "loves summers in Madison," she called the winters "brutal."
Tran wants to make it back sometime during a summer and also for a UW football game.
"It's in the works," she said. "It's definitely in the plans."
How to watch UW-Madison grad Jenn Tran on 'The Bachelorette'
"The Bachelorette" Season 21 premiere is at 7 p.m. CT July 8 on ABC. It streams on Hulu the next day.
