Wisconsin Union welcome home WISCONSIN
UNION 2 0 1 6
ANNUAL
campus home sweet home INTERVIEW
WITH
PRESIDENT MCKINNEY MARK
UNION
D E S H AW N
AND
DIRECTOR
GUTHIER
How does the Wisconsin Union serve as a home to students, staff and faculty, and community members?
them. We have to be open to critique. We also have to let people know that we’ll follow-up and take action.
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: 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.
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 challenges did the Wisconsin Union overcome this past year?
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 1
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. l
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Five Years of Celebration, Innovation at Union South
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tudents, UW-Madison faculty and staff, Union members and other community members celebrated Union South’s fifth anniversary April 15. The celebration included nickel food and drink promotions, a cupcake mosaic with free cupcakes, a scavenger hunt and an acapella group performance. The event also featured movies, music, discussions, prizes, the 88th Annual Student Art Show and much more. The fifth anniversary commemorated the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) programming board, Wisconsin Union’s dining services team as well as the numerous other students and staff that make the events
and activities hosted at Union South possible.
technologies, which have
“Union South is more than just a building,” said Wisconsin Union director, Mark Guthier. “It is a place that tells the stories of our campus and serves as a hub for connections and experiences.” The event also celebrated the incredible achievements that the new and improved Union South has made possible in the last five years, such as showing 1,485 films in the Marquee to 163,235 movie-goers. It has also served more than 384,000 cups of coffee, held 117 weddings and hosted more than 111,000 hotel guests.
“UNION SOUTH IS MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING”
The current Union South opened in 2011 and features a 350-seat theater, two event venues, six restaurants, multiple performance stages, and meeting spaces. The building also hosts Badger Bashes, which bring Bucky, the Wisconsin Marching Band, the UW Dance Team and numerous fans together on game days. Moreover, the new, inviting Union South has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. It features a variety of sustainable materials and
significantly reduced the building’s consumption of energy and water. The building’s design was done hand-in-hand with students to ensure the space was designed with their wants and needs in mind. Overall, the new Union South has achieved much more in five years than the old one would have ever been able to. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Union South and celebrating many more anniversaries! l
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Three Sisters’ Stories of Outdoor UW Leadership 5
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veryone who has spent time at the Wisconsin Union knows it’s a place where strangers become friends and friends become family. For the Stutz sisters, it’s a home away from home. As Badgers and lovers of the
outdoors, Margaux, Ella and Laurel Stutz each found a place to belong in Outdoor UW and in the Wisconsin Hoofers community. Student leadership here at the Wisconsin Union helps create an inviting
atmosphere that tells even the shyest of freshman that he or she, too, can be a campus leader. Programs like Hoofers and Outdoor UW provide opportunities for students to find purpose in activities they thought to be merely recreational. The Stutz sisters each took separate academic paths, but their experiences with the Union have proven to be valuable across the board. Margaux Stutz participated in Hoofer Sailing Club and Hoofer Ski and Snowboard Club and was a dedicated member of the Wisconsin Sailing Team while she attended UW-Madison. She served as Sailing Team regatta coordinator, Sailing Team captain, Sailing Club commodore, Sailing Club youth coordinator and sailing instructor for the Hoofer Sailing Club. After graduating in 2011 with a degree in economics, Margaux landed a management position with Trek Bicycle. She, in part, attributes her success to the experience and skills she gained from Hoofers. “Without Hoofers, I wouldn’t have had the experience or skills to take on that role and more importantly, I wouldn’t have had the confidence,” she said. “I credit Hoofers with helping me get where I am in my career.” Ella Stutz graduated in 2013 with degrees in math and finance. Like Margaux, she was involved in Sailing Club, Ski and Snowboard Club and the Sailing Team. She held numerous leadership positions, including Outdoor UW office lead staff, Sailing Club youth coordinator, Sailing Club treasurer, sailing instructor, Sailing Team fundraising chair and Ski and Snowboard Club trip leader.
“Hoofers was what filled my free time in college, and my college experience would not have been the same without it,” Ella said.
“I CREDIT HOOFERS WITH HELPING ME GET WHERE I AM IN MY CAREER.”
As Outdoor UW office manager and a UW-Madison senior, Laurel Stutz plans to graduate in May 2017 with degrees in economics, strategic communications and environmental studies. She has been involved in Hoofers since she was a freshman. “I like to be outside as much as possible – whether I’m running, sailing, skiing, biking, or just sitting,” Laurel said. Margaux, Ella and Laurel benefited personally from the camaraderie and recreational activities the Wisconsin Hoofers offered. But, all the while, the Stutz sisters were giving back to the Union whether it was through their employment, their leadership in Hoofer clubs or simply by sharing their perspectives in order to improve the program.
“I love that Hoofers is still a part of my family. I love that my sisters got to have amazing experiences like I did with the clubs, though we all took our own paths,” Margaux said. “And I love knowing that there are so many more people whose lives are going to be forever changed because they joined a university club and embraced the outdoors.” Frequently serving as sites for weddings and reunions, our buildings are no stranger to friendships or family ties. It isn’t often, however, that three of three siblings consecutively participate in and contribute to a program as significantly as the Stutz sisters have. Margaux shares these cherished memories with her husband, whom she met through a fellow Hoofer member. She captures the magic of the Wisconsin Union perfectly saying, “You find lifelong friends, who become your family, and maybe you even find your spouse. And no matter where in the world your life takes you, you can always come back to the Union and feel like you have come home.” l
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Terrace: New Look, Same Soul
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he beloved Memorial Union Terrace is back. Students, staff and faculty as well as our esteemed Wisconsin Union members and guests have visited this cherished space since 1929. In its early years, the Terrace hosted a variety of gatherings such as Venetian night, Cap Night and University Sings. At one point, the Terrace was even flooded by the Wisconsin Hoofers to create an ice skating rink! Porter Butts, the first Wisconsin Union director, captured the Terrace’s appeal perfectly when he wrote, “Where, other than at Wisconsin, may one step from university soil into a canoe, see the crews sweeping by, watch a glowing marine sunset while music plays from nearby student houses or the Union Terrace?” This year, many excited students celebrated the reopening of the newly renovated Terrace by helping return these iconic chairs back to the beloved space. This event also kicked off a weekend of festivities. First, the University of Wisconsin Marching Band performed a lively concert on the Terrace’s brand new stage. Then, the Terrace After Dark concert series kicked off with shows by 16 Candles and Gin, Chocolate & Bottle Rockets. Thousands of people came out to celebrate the return of the beautiful Terrace, including many of UW Madison’s recent graduates. These new alumni reminisced about the fond memories that they made at the his-
toric spot and took pictures with their families and friends. The 2016 reopening featured a new and improved, yet familiar Terrace. One major goal of the Memorial Union Reinvestment (MUR) was to preserve the outdoor space’s historic integrity and charm. The Terrace renovations also included increasing accessibility so that all members and guests can enjoy the space, improving the stage for better programming and adding more seating. A second concession stand was also created to provide more expedient customer service. The 2016 Terrace season included new traditions including family movie nights, regularly occurring yoga classes and Wheelhouse on Wheels. These combined with time-honored traditions that have made the Terrace campus’s summer home for generations. One way that MUR was funded was through the now concluded Terrace paver campaign. Members and guests were given the opportunity to purchase personalized pavers, which are now displayed on the historic Terrace. The place where memories are made is now a permanent home for these members’ and guests’ stories. The rest of MUR was made possible by donations, student segregated fees and operating revenue. This past year of work on the Terrace will ensure that future generations will be able to visit this beautiful place and make memories at their lakeshore campus home. l
Paved with Memories “As a freshman in 1960-61, I didn’t know what to get involved in, and my roommate, a resident aide at Elizabeth Waters Hall, recommended that I join a committee at the [Wisconsin] Union. Since I had always liked to bowl and had belonged in a league, I joined the Tournaments Committee. I remained a member of the committee throughout my undergrad years becoming the committee chair both my junior and senior years and thus a member of the Union Directorate. The Union was my home away from home, and I spent many happy hours there both for my committee involvement and participating in much the Union had to offer. I am happy to provide some financial help for the renovations and hope the students of today enjoy the Union as much as I did.” -Joan Longmire, B.S. 1964, M.S. 1967 l Please visit terracpaver.org to view
the Terrace paver map.
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Almost 100 Years, Countless Stories
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e, at the Wisconsin Union, have the honor of carrying on traditions that our predecessors established over the past century and creating new traditions that make all who visit feel at home in their campus living room. We are the caretakers of these places that are home to countless stories and memories. This year, we highlighted the moments that make our Union home with a new oral history project called the Storyteller Series. Through this project, we are recording our history. The Storyteller Series features Union Director Mark Guthier and Emeritus Director Ted Crabb as they discuss the Union’s purpose and the lifelong memories made in the process of fulfilling that purpose. Here are some hightlights from those discussions. STUDEN T- LED U N I ON
The Wisconsin Union is proud to be shaped by the vision of our student leaders. The Wisconsin Union Di-
“THIS IS WHERE TRUE LEARNING TA K E S P L A C E ”
rectorate (WUD) is the driving force behind year-round Union events that range from concerts on the Terrace to distinguished lecturers in Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall. No matter what the event or project, WUD provides out-of-classroom education and brings people together.
“This is what makes a university unique, when the students and the faculty can get together and discuss issues outside of the classroom,” Crabb said. “That is where true learning takes place.” EVOLU TI O N O F TH E W I N TE R C A R N I VAL
This is evident at the Wisconsin Union’s Hoofers Winter Carnival. A tradition of the Wisconsin Hoofers, the carnival has brought people together since it first took place in 1940. As the largest and oldest student organization at the University of Wisconsin, Hoofers strives to maintain and grow traditions like the Winter Carnival. This celebration of winter evolved from “Winter Week” in the 1940s to annual events like Rail Jam, a snowboard stunt course on Observatory Hill, and the annual snowshoe trek across Lake Mendota to Picnic Point for s’mores and hot chocolate. M AG I C O F TH E TE R R AC E
We continue to uphold these traditions while evolving to meet the needs of students and members. Perhaps the most beloved of all traditions is summer at the Memorial Union Terrace. The Terrace reopened in May after nine months of renovation. Today, the Terrace meets the needs of a growing campus and community but maintains its nearly century-old charm.
“This iconic spot has transformed into a favorite for the entire city,” Guthier said. “This is now the place where town meets gown. It’s the campus, it’s the community and everyone comes together here.” The Wisconsin Union is home to the moments that seem small in the present, but make up the most cherished and valued times of our lives. The Storyteller Series preserves the Wisconsin Union’s traditions that serve as the backdrop to those experiences for a lifetime. None of these traditions would be possible without the support of UW Madison students, faculty, and staff, donors and Union members and guests. Today and always, we thank all those who’ve made memories with us and who have made the Wisconsin Union story part of their stories. Visit youtube.com/wisconsinunion to watch the Storyteller Series. l
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Enjoy the stories of thanks and growth shared by those directly, positively impacted by your contributions.
Basecamp Scholarship “I am very thankful for the opportunity to participate in the Wisconsin Basecamp experience, because it helped me transition into college with confidence.” -Basecamp participant
Basecamp Scholarship “Basecamp is a remarkable and unparalleled program, and I am so lucky to have been given the opportunity to participate in it. When I signed up, I requested a scholarship because I could not afford the trip’s full payment. Julie Brown and the Basecamp office were very helpful and kind in aiding me.” -Basecamp participant
Glass and Ceramic Kiln Purchase “The brightly colored glazes, the ability to paint on a mug or bowl, and then to have someone who knows what they are doing finish (fire) your piece for you is exciting and helps create confidence in your artistry, plus impress your friends!” -Wheelhouse Studios customer
Theater Staff Retreat “This was the first time in about two years that the entire staff was able to get together and talk in-depth. I found out about challenges and triumphs that my colleagues faced and that I didn’t know about.” -Theater staff retreat participant
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