Blog
Der Rathskeller Comfort Food Brings Warmth to Winter
We don’t need Groundhog Day to tell us Wisconsin winters are long and cold. With the warm, sunny Terrace days still out of reach, it’s the perfect time to turn inside and warm up with cozy comfort food at der Rathskeller. The renovations at der Rathskeller brought not only new spaces to hide from the cold, but new delicious dishes in addition to the return of your favorite classic meals. Participate in Wisconsin traditions and order delectable deep fried cheese curds. With a perfect crunchy outside to gooey melted cheese ratio, the curds are...
read moreBehind the Scenes at the Union: Joe the Painter
Joe Padgham, known as “Joe the painter” around the Union, sits down to admire the 90-year-old ceiling of the Founder’s Room in Memorial Union. He’s dressed in white painter’s pants and a white button-down shirt, speckled with paint and plaster. Joe is a defender of history, a champion of the cracked, faded and crumbling, and a historical conservationist in his own right. He appreciates detail. Joe is a painter by trade, but he is also a storyteller who works to keep the Union together – literally. He sat down with us to share his...
read moreMembers Invited to Second Annual Hearts & Drafts
Words cannot express how grateful, we, at the Wisconsin Union, are for our members’ support. So, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we are showing Union members how much we appreciate them through chocolate. Fine chocolates and drafts will come together once again at the Wisconsin Union’s member-exclusive event Hearts & Drafts on Feb. 19 at Union South. Interested in attending? Wisconsin Union Membership Director Jan Viney recommends purchasing a ticket early as last year’s 200 tickets sold out quickly. The membership team increased the number...
read moreYou’re Invited to a Union Housewarming Party!
We’ll soon open three restaurants in Memorial Union, making our first floor complete. Wisconsin Union members are invited to celebrate with us at our Housewarming Party on Jan. 20. Like any good host does, we’re offering hors d’oeuvres, a warm ambiance and special party favors to our guests. All Wisconsin Union members are encouraged to visit the Membership table in the Gekas Lounge (formerly the Trophy Room) between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to receive a limited time, members-only gift from our team. We want to thank you for your contributions to...
read moreDer Rathskeller Features New Food, Same Comforting Feel
Gemütlichkeit (noun): a feeling of warmth, friendliness, good cheer and belonging. This German term has come to guide the role of Memorial Union’s der Rathskeller as a social space to gather and unwind in good company. With the opening of whole first floor of Memorial Union Jan. 17 the historic and beloved der Rathskeller is once again open to students, staff and community members. Above all, while visitors will notice some new features in der Rath, its rich history and traditional German beer hall remains. MUR planners and builders have made...
read moreGekas Lounge Murals Display Stories of Diverse Historical Figures
As current Badgers and alumni celebrate the start of a new year, they can also celebrate the new and renovated Gekas Lounge. Formerly known as the Trophy Room in Memorial Union, the space was renamed after a generous donation from alumnus Ted Gekas. The room located just behind der Rathskeller is known for its large, colorful murals created in the mid-1990s as a lasting representation of students of color at UW-Madison. The murals share stories of historical events and specific individuals from multiple ethnic groups whose lives serve as...
read moreFormer Union Intern to Continue his Professional Journey at NPR in D.C.
Former Wisconsin Union team member Jake Witz is bringing the experiences and skills he gained at the Union to our nation’s capital as a National Public Radio (NPR) music editorial intern. Witz gained these skills during a Union membership communications internship and throughout his time as a Memorial Union Terrace ambassador. As a membership communications intern, Witz developed his interviewing, audience analysis and writing skills to craft newsletter articles for the Union’s popular newsletter, called Terrace Views, which the Union sends...
read moreRenovated Memorial Union First Floor: The Ideal Study Spot for Finals Week
As if finals week weren’t stressful enough, finding a place to study is a battle all its own. Fortunately, the doors to Memorial Union’s first floor have opened just in time for finals season, and it is now equipped with all your necessities so you can sit in one spot all day like the finals gods intended. You might remember a little space called Lakefront on Langdon, a.k.a. the closest thing to the Terrace during the long Wisconsin winter. Today, it is known as Lakeview Lounge and it has everything the college student could hope for during...
read moreHome is Family
By Kelsey Pulera Everyone who has spent time at the Wisconsin Union knows it’s a place where strangers become friends and friends become family. For the Stutz sisters, it’s a home away from home. As Badgers and lovers of the outdoors, Margaux, Ella and Laurel Stutz each found a place to belong in Outdoor UW and in the Wisconsin Hoofer community. Student leadership here at the Wisconsin Union helps create an inviting atmosphere that tells even the shyest of freshman that he or she, too, can be a campus leader. Programs like Hoofers...
read moreHome is Anniversaries
Students, UW-Madison faculty and staff, Union members and other community members celebrated Union South’s fifth anniversary April 15. The celebration included nickel food and drink promotions, a cupcake mosaic with free cupcakes, a scavenger hunt and an a capella group performance. The event also featured movies, music, discussions, prizes, the 88th Annual Student Art Show and much more. The fifth anniversary commemorated the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) programming board, Wisconsin Union’s dining services team as well as the numerous...
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