Blog
A historical walking tour of the Memorial Union main entrance
By Jake Heyka ’14 “Down the forest aisles of France. Hear the green-clad column singing! Noonday beems from rifles glance down the forest aisles of France. In these haunts of old romance how we set the echoes ringing! Down the forest aisles of France hear the green-clad column singing!” –John Herbert Culnan ’21, from the pamphlet given out at the Memorial Union Cornerstone Ceremony Between phase 1 of the Memorial Union Reinvestment, the food and drink to be had, and friends to be made on the Terrace, it’s easy to...
read moreWUD Art mural adds color to the Humanities Building
By Francesca Bonifacio ’13 Erected in the 1960s and rumored to have been designed to “withstand attack,” the Mosse Humanities Building now lives in infamy as something of a blemish on the east side of campus. It may come as a surprise that this labyrinthine eyesore – referred to by some as “the bomb shelter” – is actually home to some of the most culturally rich disciplines at UW-Madison. Housed within the walls of the Humanities building are classrooms where students learn about foundational works of philosophy; how to craft furniture...
read moreThrowback Thursday: Refreshments on the Terrace
Take a look back in time each week with Throwback Thursdays as we post photos and snapshots from the Union’s amazing history. Find out interesting facts and stories from some of the Union’s favorite people, places and things. We’re eager to hear your stories and memories from the Union as well, so share in the comments section below!
read moreYou can’t Terrace anywhere else
By Francesca Bonifacio If you’ve thought for even a fraction of a second that roaring jackhammers, steel fences, and waves of dust and dirt would deter us from the Terrace, I hate (or maybe “love” is more appropriate in this case) to break it to you, but that couldn’t be any further from the truth. Stepping out into Memorial Union’s backyard, I can say for certain that the Terrace is still the place to be. Overflowing at all hours of the day with vacationing families, new grads celebrating the end of a journey with their families, and those...
read moreHoofers Riding Club constructs a new, larger outdoor arena
The following is a piece written by Andy Holsteen and is one of several published in Hoofers’ latest edition of Hoofprints. The publication features colorful spreads and photos documenting Hoofers’ countless journeys outdoors. To enjoy the issue in its entirety, click here. By Andy Holsteen In order to ride a horse, one needs ample and adequate space. Before October, the Hoofer Riding Club’s outdoor arena was not up to par. Riding Club President Fran Theisen remembers when it became obvious they needed to build a new space. “Last...
read moreACUI President Mark Guthier talks 100th anniversary festivities and the college union idea
Earlier this month, we sat down with Mark Guthier, director of the Wisconsin Union and now president of the Association of College Unions International (ACUI). Here’s what he had to say about his vision for the association in conjunction with the Wisconsin Union. By Francesca Bonifacio What does your becoming president of ACUI mean for the connections you hope to make between the association and the Wisconsin Union? Well certainly, I guess the most obvious connection would be that I’ll have a lot of contact with the 580 member schools...
read moreCelebrating the 10th annual Wisconsin Visual Art Lifetime Achievement Awards
By Lauren Ayala The visual arts have long been a rich tradition at the Wisconsin Union. Beginning with the first Union president and famed art-lover Porter Butts, the Union’s unwavering devotion to the arts continues today. By receiving honors at this year’s Wisconsin Visual Art Lifetime Achievement Awards (WVALAA) this past weekend, the galleries of both Memorial Union and Union South have proven to be significant contributors to the artistic achievements of the campus, community and state. The annual WVALAA, which take place...
read moreMay the 4th be with you: Revelry premieres as UW-Madison’s first music and arts festival
By Francesca Bonifacio Cue the foam machines. Bring out the jumbo chalk. Slap on a wristband. Now turn up the music. Welcome to Revelry. For the first time in UW-Madison’s extensive history, a group of dedicated students gave a bombastic edge to the meaning of an end-of-year celebration by establishing what could very well be the university’s newest longstanding tradition. Held on May 4th, Revelry was born when Union President Sarah Mathews joked about how British pop sensation, One Direction, should come perform on campus. Instead of...
read moreThrowback Thursday: Terrace summer band concert
Take a look back in time each week with Throwback Thursdays as we post photos and snapshots from the Union’s amazing history. Find out interesting facts and stories from some of the Union’s favorite people, places and things. We’re eager to hear your stories and memories from the Union as well, so share in the comments section below!
read moreThrowback Thursday: Village Fair in springtime
Take a look back in time each week with Throwback Thursdays as we post photos and snapshots from the Union’s amazing history. Find out interesting facts and stories from some of the Union’s favorite people, places and things. We’re eager to hear your stories and memories from the Union as well, so share in the comments section below!
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