Campus Home Sweet Home
Union President Dashawn McKinney and Director Mark Guthier have worked to make a positive difference in the campus climate. Photo by Andy Manis.
An interview with Union President Dashawn McKinney and Director Mark Guthier.
How does the Wisconsin Union serve as a home to students, staff and faculty, and community members?
DESHAWN: I think in a lot of different ways, first and foremost, it is the availability of space for people to congregate and engage with the Union. It’s just the vast spectrum of opportunity that exists here and that allows people to engage with spaces in ways that they feel comfortable. They can see themselves represented in the Union’s events.
MARK: I think the Union serves as the home for all of our community because it is hopefully that one place on campus that says you can be who you are. The minute you walk in the door, you can leave all of life’s stresses behind you. It’s familiar to you. It belongs to you, and you belong here.
What do you think the Wisconsin Union can do in the future to make members and guests feel more at home?
DESHAWN: I think a big part of it is making sure people’s voices are heard. Everyone has their own vision for how the Union can be useful. We have to collect those stories and be receptive to them. We have to be open to critique. We also have to let people know that we’ll follow-up and take action.
MARK: Moving into the future, to make the Union feel even more comfortable and welcoming, we will ask students and members, “What would make the Union feel more like home?” We want members’ feedback. We want to build programs and services around those responses. We want to embrace all people and all cultures so that people see themselves in the Union.
What challenges did the Wisconsin Union overcome this past year?
DESHAWN: An ongoing challenge that we’re contributing to overcoming is campus climate. There are a lot of conversations happening about how we can actively engage in this. We’re talking about how we not only provide spaces for these conversations but how we actively contribute to building these spaces into something that confronts racially motivated incidents on campus and works to overcome them. I think that’s something the Union is doing really beautifully.
MARK: One programmatic challenge the Union is investing time and effort in is diversity and inclusion. The Union is dedicated to being part of the campus’s larger diversity and inclusion efforts. This is a challenge we are leaning into. We want to be a force for positive change on campus and make a positive difference in our campus climate.
What are you looking forward to most this year?
DESHAWN: I’m looking forward to contributing and to growing both myself and my team. I’m looking forward to building relationships with people at the Union. I’m also looking forward to strengthening our outreach in order to make the Union home to more people. I want people to realize they have the chance to contribute to campus culture through the Union.
MARK: I am honestly looking forward to der Rathskeller being open again. The Memorial Union is not the Union without der Rathskeller. It is the heart of the Union in many ways. I’ve heard this from longtime Union members and UW-Madison alumni, too. By far, having students, food and programming back in that space is what I’m looking forward to the most.
The Wisconsin Union helps student leaders learn and grow every day. To make it happen, we rely on our greatest resource—the loyalty and generosity of alumni, members and friends. Every gift helps us do more for our students and members. To give, please visit union.wisc.edu/give.
