Blog
Thank you, Service Members and Veterans
Since the very beginning, our building Memorial Union has served as a memorial to University of Wisconsin-Madison service members. Etched in the stone at the building’s entrance is the following: “Erected and Dedicated to the Memory of the Men and Women of the University of Wisconsin Who Served in our Country’s Wars.” Since 2018, on Veterans Day, our team has acknowledged our country’s service members, including UW-Madison students and alumni who have served, in different ways; this year, the Union team did so with red, white and blue...
read moreBabcock Ice Cream, Lifelong Friendships, and Golden Opportunities
Babcock Dairy HallPhotograph Credits: Channel 3000 Jackson Comeau, a 2016 UW-Madison political science and international studies graduate, loves cookies and cream Babcock Ice Cream. He’s been buying it at the Wisconsin Union’s Memorial Union and Union South for as long as he can remember. From the first time his grandparents took him to visit campus, through his three years serving on the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD), and even now, as a Wisconsin Union Association trustee, it’s always been a favorite of his. But cookies and cream...
read moreGive a Little More This Giving Tuesday
Thanksgiving Thursday, Black Friday, Cyber Monday…The new few months so easily become about receiving for a lot of us. The introduction of Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement that began in 2012, provided the opportunity to shift the focus from what we can get to what we can give. This new tradition encourages us to think beyond ourselves and to make a difference for others. Giving Tuesday began as an initiative to start off the holiday season on the right foot: through acts of generosity and kindness to others. Whether...
read moreFall-ing Into a Routine: A New Campus Normal
Student Spaces, Familiar Faces This fall has been one to remember. From virtual classes to physical distancing, University of Wisconsin-Madison students have tackled it all. But, our Wisconsin Union team, and in particular our student leaders, have stepped up to the plate to continue to provide our campus community with one-of-a-kind experiences and access to spaces they know, love and need. Since the spring, our team has worked tirelessly to make sure that we could support our students. We knew students would still need a place to eat,...
read moreGratitude Month Wallpapers
National Gratitude Month begins Nov. 1, and, as we approach the end of an unusual semester, we, at the Wisconsin Union, are reflecting on gratitude. We are grateful for every moment you spend with our team and every memory you make in our buildings. We know that your time is precious, and cannot begin to express our gratitude that you choose to spend time with us and for the opportunity to serve you. Our design team created wallpapers with gratitude in mind as well as a printable journal with which you can track daily the things and people...
read moreBadger Bash-ify your Virtual Backgrounds
Badger Football season is also Badger Bash season! What is Badger Bash, you ask? Well, we’re so glad you asked. It’s our free tailgate party at Union South, which we host for the 2 1/2 hours before every home football game. Some sing “Sweet Caroline” with us at the Union South Plaza. And let’s Zoom into the gameday spirit by using the images below as our virtual backgrounds in meetings. classes and other online gatherings. Click on each image below to download your backgrounds. On, Wisconsin! Need instructions to...
read moreThe Local Impact of your Wisconsin Union Support
You like supporting local companies? We do, too, at the Wisconsin Union! We do our homework to make sure we find quality, ethically sourced local ingredients, foods and beverages. And, with so many fantastic, innovative companies in Wisconsin, it’s not hard to find the best of the best right in our state’s backyard. Let’s back up a little and give you some background on the Union. We’re a non-profit organization that anyone 18 and over can join. We run two buildings at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus that have more than a...
read morePets in Costumes and 4 More Ways to Safely Celebrate Halloween
On Oct. 23, 2019, WUD Global Connections hosted its annual pumpkin carving event at Union South. Photo by Sam Scribner. Halloween centers around spooky stories, creative costumes, and confectionary delights, of course. Every year, children look forward to dressing up and going trick-or-treating around the neighborhood to get yummy treats to last for the cold months ahead and many of us look forward to celebrating with friends. While that may not be possible this year due to COVID-19, the spirit of Halloween can still be celebrated safely with...
read more‘I Can’t Breathe’
In his last conscious moments, George Floyd pleaded for the chance to breathe and called out for his mother as a Minneapolis police officer held a knee against his neck for seven minutes. Floyd, a Black man, died on May 25 at the age of 46 while in police custody. The world would soon hear his last words. Not in the moment he spoke them, but throughout the months to follow, his words echoed across the world, in news stories, in conversations, in courtrooms and in minds. Witnesses to his final moments filmed his arrest and uploaded the videos...
read moreOctober Wallpapers: Celebrating your You-Ness
We are celebrating you and all your you-ness with this month’s Wisconsin Union-designed wallpapers. Our graphic design team created these wallpapers in honor of October being “I’m Just Me Because Month.” It’s a month that’s all about celebrating what makes you YOU and how great you are. We hope you take some time this month to reflect on and to appreciate how wonderful you really are. Computer wallpaper Computer wallpaper Phone wallpaper
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