Blog
Return of the Terrace Chairs: Before and After
There are dozens of signs of spring and even summer blooming all over Madison. From the thawing of Lake Mendota to a bright green grassy Bascom Hill, Wisconsin Union Members can finally look forward to more enjoyable weather. Here at the Union, we have our own favorite sign of the warmer temperatures: The return of the Terrace chairs. Check out these before-and-after pictures of the Terrace, and see how hundreds of students, alumni Union members and more carried the famous Sunburst chairs to their rightful spot. ...
read moreAdventurer For Life: Dan York
Spending his summers in the family cottage in Amery, Wis., north of Eau Claire, Dan York fell in love with the waters of Pike Lake and the surrounding woods he traversed each day. The cottage was idyllic, York remembers. It didn’t have running water or a bathroom. Nor did it have a canoe or kayak, so York spent his time on the water in a rowboat, fishing and exploring the lake. When it was time to go to college, York decided to attend Northland College in Ashland, two hours north of his cottage along the southern shore of Lake Superior....
read moreBehind the Scenes at the Union: Courtney Byelich, Music Committee Advisor
You may recognize the names of performers at the Wisconsin Union like CRASHprez, Pat McCurdy and the Chainsmokers. But, you may not know the name of the Union team member helping make it all happen behind the scenes for the past five years. This master of performance planning is Courtney Byelich, Wisconsin Union music advisor. As an advisor, she helps the student leaders of the Wisconsin Union Directorate Music Committee bring music to campus. In this article, the East Lansing, Mich., native takes us behind the scenes and behind the music at...
read moreTerrace Trees Find New Life Inside Beloved Memorial Union
The Memorial Union Renovation (MUR) team has minimized the project’s environmental footprint through each phase of the process by staying true to a promise of sustainability. From reusing former Terrace trees as decor to installing an energy-efficient HVAC system, project leaders managed to mix eco-friendliness, preservation and modernization. During MUR, the team has had a goal to preserve and enhance the Memorial Union Terrace tree canopy. In Phase I of the project, alone, 90 new trees and shrubs were planted around the site. The team had...
read moreTribute Band Concert to Honor Late Drummer Clyde Stubblefield
The Terrace bandstand holds hundreds of concerts a year, but a May 13 tribute honoring the legacy of the late famous drummer and Madison resident Clyde Stubblefield hits even closer to home. Before the innovator and musical inspiration died Feb. 18 at age 73 to kidney disease, Stubblefield left his mark on the Madison community when he moved here after performing a concert with James Brown in 1971. Kelly De Haven, Director of Development at the UW Foundation, had a personal connection with Stubblefield, whom she met through the Madison music...
read moreGoing Green: Carte Restaurant Serves up Fresh Lettuce Grown Locally in Aquaponics
Carte, the sandwich and made-to-order salad shop in Memorial Union, is more than a place to enjoy a meal; it’s a commitment to eating green. The Wisconsin Union’s Dining Service’s partnership with Clean Fresh Foods, a Belleville, Wis. farm, provides sustainable produce to customers throughout the year. All of the greens offered at Carte from lettuce to microgreens are grown in Clean Fresh Foods aquaponics. Aquaponics is a type of farming system where waste produced by farmed fish supplies nutrients for plants grown without soil, which in turn...
read moreJackson Park Jazz Orchestra to Perform on Terrace
Various UW Marching Band alumni banded together for a performance by the Jackson Park Jazz Orchestra on the Terrace April 22 as a pre-show for the annual Varsity Band Show. The Terrace was buzzing with music and dancing from 1-4 p.m. and while the 19 member group filled the bandstand with toe-tapping beats full of trumpet, trombone and sax sections, plus a rhythm section and featured vocalist. Check out this video of a past performance above, and don’t miss your chance to see them live.
read moreBrush Up on Your Painting Skills at ‘Paint to Music’
The Wisconsin Union’s free Paint to Music event May 5 will be a picture-perfect experience for all members. As a part of Free Art Friday hosted by Wheelhouse Studios, all participants will be given the opportunity to use acrylic paints and canvas to paint their own, unique reaction to music by the Ben Ferris Quartet. “The theme is improvisation and flow, let the music tell you what to paint, what colors to use and let the final painting emerge without having an idea of an end product or image,” Wheelhouse Studios Director Jay Ekleberry said....
read moreWomen Changing the World
Since 1987, the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Distinguished Lecture Series has hosted many influential, world-changing women. In honor of Women’s History Month, we highlight some of those who have graced the stage of Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall. Laverne Cox, 2015-2016 lecture series Laverne Cox is an actress, television producer and LGBTQ+ advocate. In 2014, she was named Woman of the Year by Glamour Magazine and in 2015, she was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People. Jean Kilbourne, 2004-2005 lecture series Jean Kilbourne is...
read moreThinking Forward Together: Interview with the Union Deputy Director
What is the Wisconsin Union? Yes, we may be incredible buildings like the iconic Memorial Union and innovative Union South. But, we’re far more than brick and mortar. We are people, community and relationships. We are the heart and soul of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As we come to the end of renovation projects at both of our major locations, we, at the Union, are taking time to think about who we are, how we contribute to the campus community and who we should be in the future. Wisconsin Union Deputy Director Susan Dibbell recently...
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