4 Things You May Not Know about Free Wisconsin Union Lectures
Dr. Jane Goodall, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Angela Davis, Maya Angelou: some of the thought leaders that shared their perspectives, stories, and knowledge as part of the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) annual speaker series. You may have seen this series on our event calendar before. Here are four things you may not know about the series.
- It’s free to attend.
Yes. You read that correctly. All WUD DLS lectures are completely free for our patrons to enjoy. Most DLS events offer seating on a first-come, first-served basis, so arriving early can be advisable to ensure that you have a seat and that you have the seat you want. - These events are completely UW-Madison student-run!
WUD DLS makes these free lectures happen, from voting on who will speak to day-of event coordination. Throughout it all, they gain hands-on skills in many fields, such as marketing, event management, and finance. All UW-Madison students are eligible to join WUD DLS and make these lectures possible.
Some student leaders receive academic stipends for up to 80% of their tuition for their work with WUD. (Psst, tell a student you know to learn more here. Some applications are open right now but not for long! If the student misses leadership application deadlines, the student can still join as a member at any time or apply for other leadership roles open at other times of the year.)
While the events are student-run, you do not need to be a student or be a UW-Madison staff or faculty member to attend! - How can we hold these for free? Well, because of you.
While the events are free, you’re still helping make them happen with your purchase at our buildings Memorial Union and Union South, our online Terrace Store, and our markets and cafes throughout downtown Madison. You can also give to support Wisconsin Union leadership opportunities and experiences at union.wisc.edu/donate and support our efforts by becoming a Wisconsin Union member. - You can suggest future speakers for the student programming team’s consideration!
WUD DLS accepts suggestions for future speakers year-round! Click here, then click “Suggest A Speaker“. Submissions can be anonymous. Who knows? Your hero could be on the Shannon stage next year because you read this story.
What’s Free Lectures are Coming Up
Check out two upcoming WUD DLS lectures. If you love movies, you may be very excited about one of our speakers…
Feb. 28: Yoga, Diversity, and Empowerment: A Journey with Jessamyn Stanley
Jessamyn Stanley speaks about body positivity, inclusivity, and self-acceptance
March 20: Reshaping Destiny: An Evening with Danny Trejo
Entrepreneur and actor Danny Trejo will share his story of fighting addiction and changing his destiny.
