Blog
An artistic tour of Union South
Union South is truly a special place. Along with the innovative design of the building itself, a myriad of local artistry, generous donations, and student dedication helped bring artistic touches to every corner of the building. The Union’s many works of art and the stories behind them could fill a book, but below we highlight just a few of the most prominent installations and the people that made them happen. A recurring naturalistic theme winds its way through most of the building’s permanent art installations, picking up on the...
read moreHoofprints: Sailing Club kicks off summer season
The Hoofers Sailing Club will hold its First Annual Instructor Auction on June 3 to kick off the summer sailing season. The evening’s festivities will begin at 5:00 in the Memorial Union Great Hall with a reception followed by hors d’oeuvres. Silent bidding for the many prizes on the ticket will last until 8:30 at which point the winners will be announced. Prizes include a wine and cheese sunset cruise, private lessons with a Hoofer’s instructor, a dinner cruise on Lake Michigan, tickets to Wisconsin Union Theater shows, and...
read moreRecap of Union South opening weekend
Grand opening video filmed and edited by Capture House Video. The huge orange ribbon waited patiently until just noon on April 15. In a rush, it was cut multiple times and more than 2,000 students, faculty, staff, and Union members hurried in to discover the wonder that is the new Union South. Without exception, jaws dropped as guests moved quickly throughout the building, exploring every nook and cranny they could reach. Exclamations of ‘amazing’ and ‘awesome’ echoed throughout every level. Crowds filled halls and...
read moreUnion South: An unparalleled success
We are nearly a month in from the Union South Grand Opening and the students and staff of the Wisconsin Union are still riding high from the April 15th celebration! By now, I’m sure many of you know that the response we received from students, faculty, staff, Union members, and the Madison community was beyond our wildest expectations. From an hour before the doors opened on that Friday at noon until we closed on Sunday night, Union South was literally a buzz with people, activity and life on its opening weekend – and it really hasn’t let up...
read moreWisconsin Union Hotel welcomes first guest
While thousands of people rushed the entrances April 15th to get their first look at the new Union South, a member of the Memorial Union Building Association’s board of trustees became the lucky first to try out the Wisconsin Union Hotel. Walter Pancoe arrived the afternoon of April 14th and checked in as the hotel’s inaugural guest. “Thanks to all of you for a most memorable event and my particular thanks to Jessica Johnson for her ‘beyond the call of duty’ in making my stay in the Wisconsin Union Hotel so great...
read moreUnion South dedication ceremony video
The Union South dedication ceremony was hosted by Union Director Mark Guthier and featured speeches from the executive director of the Association of College Unions International, Marsha Herman-Betzen, Madion Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, building architect Jan van den Kieboom, UW-Madison Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin, and Union President Patrick Callan. If you were unable to attend you can watch a video of the ceremony below. Union South Dedication Speech from Capture House...
read moreFirst impressions of #UnionSouth
People today are able to post their thoughts and impressions of anything for the world to read on the internet, for better or worse. These online first impressions of Union South were overwelmingly outstanding. We just couldn’t resist sharing some of these fabulous photos and posts with you! Before the building was opened, Facebook fans were polled to see what they were most excited for in the new building: #1 New movies in the Marquee #2 Bowling & billiards #3 Music in the Sett #4 Wine & coffee from Prairie Fire Here is a small...
read moreThe return of seasonal Terrace beer
As the days get longer and sleeves and hemlines begin to get shorter, it is a favorite Wisconsin tradition to enjoy a refreshing beer on the Terrace after a long day at work or playing in the sun. While it often catches out-of-state visitors off guard, the Memorial Union Terrace has a long history of serving up cold ones, and always features a wide variety of tastes. From rich dark lagers to refreshing pale ales, the Terrace has a beer for every enthusiast. Though the menu always always includes local classics like Leinenkugel’s and Ale...
read moreIsthmus Jazz Fest has many new offerings
This year’s Isthmus Jazz Festival, June 3-4 at the Memorial Union Terrace, will feature many artists never before seen on the Isthmus Jazz Festival stage. New to the festival this year is Grupo Candela, a twelve member Latin group featuring utterly danceable rhythms. In addition to Salsa music, the band also plays Merengue, Bachata and Cumbia. The group recently performed for the grand opening of Union South, in conjunction with salsa dance classes. On the stage earlier in the day will be another very exciting new ensemble, The Mike...
read moreFive years in the making, Union South: an icon for a lifetime
Ever since the first issue of Terrace Views in the fall of 2006, we have been sharing the news about rebuilding Union South. With the grand opening just a few days away, we thought we’d take a moment to remember the long journey and explore all that members have to look forward to. It all started with a vision The story begins in 2006 with the student referendum to build a brand new Union South and renovate Memorial Union–which passed with nearly a two to one majority. Students not only led the referendum’s campaign and passage,...
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