Meet Scott: Fly Fishing Fan and Membership Program Assistant
When he’s not fly fishing, chances are, Scott is processing your membership requests. Scott, the Program Assistant for Wisconsin Union Membership, has spent nearly a decade keeping membership data up to date.
Scott joined the Wisconsin Union first as a limited-term employee, working on the 5th floor as a project assistant for the Wisconsin Union Directorate. He then joined what was at the time called the “Mini Courses,” where he helped run courses in ceramics, dance, and even cooking, similar to the classes offered by Wheelhouse Studios today. When working in that department, Scott often spoke of the value of membership to curious guests, so it seems fitting that he became the program assistant for Wisconsin Union Membership. Scott jokes that he has made a loop around the Union, “now working just down the hall from where I first started.”’
As Program Assistant, his responsibilities consist primarily of processing membership applications and requests. Scott handles anywhere from 3500-4500 membership requests annually. Unfortunately, due to COVID, membership, like so many other departments, has been severely affected. Scott says membership sales this year are maybe 30% of what they are normally.
Ever wondered who gets you a replacement membership card after you’ve misplaced it? One of the things Scott takes care of on a daily basis is exactly that. Scott also handles updating member information to make sure it’s accurate and up to date. It’s the one aspect of his job that is often overlooked. As he says, “There are a thousand ways to do things wrong, but only one way to do it right!” P.S. If you’ve misplaced your membership card, click here to get a replacement!
Scott finds interacting with members to be the most rewarding part of his job. He says, “getting feedback from members, interacting with them, reading their thank you emails, all of that is what makes this job so special.” Scott notes that membership is incredibly important because it allows the Wisconsin Union flexibility in programming and the ability to provide unique experiences to members, such as distinguished lectures, lively art classes, delicious culinary delights (and so much more!), that other unions may not provide.
Scott, Membership Program Assistant
Getting feedback from members, interacting with them, reading their thank you emails, all of that is what makes this job so special.
Beyond the support it provides in funding the great programming members enjoy, membership is crucial in “bringing the community into the university. It invites community members, especially those who may not have any other affiliation with the University, into the Union’s activities.” Since its grand opening in 1928, Union membership has provided discounts on event tickets, room rentals, and this past summer, access to unforgettable sunsets on Lake Mendota. As Porter Butts, the first director of the Wisconsin Union, used to say, the Wisconsin Union membership initiative is quite simply put, “a connection of town and gown,” in the best way possible.
