From One Union to Another: Hank Walter Bids UW-Madison Farewell
Associate Director Hank Walter discussing Union budgets. Photo courtesy of The Badger Herald
From building the new Union South to the Memorial Union Reinvestment, the Wisconsin Union has experienced an incredible amount of change over the last 10 years, and Hank Walter has been there to see it all.
Hank will not be going too far as he joins our Big 10 rival, Indiana University, as the executive director of their student union.
“Some of what I’ll be doing is similar in terms of daily management and some will be crafting a vision for how the IU Union moves forward,” Hank said. “I will also be doing just as Mark Guthier has done here, reaching out to alumni for support, bringing things up to date and improving and growing the Union.”
The move from an associate to an executive director can be daunting, but with a decade of experience at UW under his belt, Hank will have no trouble bringing the successes of the Wisconsin Union to Indiana.
On what mindset he’s walking into Bloomington with, Hank stated, “The Wisconsin Union has done a better job than any union I know in the country of remembering its mission as a membership organization. Its first priority is not about being a university department, it’s about meeting the needs of members.”
Hank’s time at the Wisconsin Union solidified this very idea, that Union South and Memorial Union remained the living room of campus. The building of the new Union South as a versatile and welcoming space was one of the most rewarding projects.
“I think the new Union South is much more embraced by students, community members and special events attendees than we imagined,” Hank stated.
With the Sett and other spaces being a central destination for watching sports, hosting events and listening to live music, we couldn’t agree with him more.
Reflecting on his time at the Wisconsin Union, Hank highlighted the student leaders in programs like WUD and Hoofers as parts of the organization he’ll miss most.
“They’re bright and challenging. If you don’t do a good job they will let you know, as they should. They are peers of the student body and campus,” Hank said.
Seeing as the Union has only a handful of executive and assistant directors at the Union in its entire history, it’s always a sad occasion to see a leader like Hank wave goodbye. We cope by knowing that Hank is going to do great things at Indiana with his extensive time and dedication to making the Wisconsin Union an integral part of campus and the community.
“When there were opportunities to update the Union, we took a step back and said, ‘What are the needs of not just today’s campus but tomorrow’s as well?'” Hank said.
On behalf of the whole Union, we congratulate Hank for your exciting new position, and thank you for shaping Memorial Union and Union South into the communities they are today. With warm wishes, don’t expect us to be rooting for the Hoosiers come game day!
What’s been your favorite addition to the Union over the last ten years? Let us know in the comments below!
