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Single red leaf lying on top of green grass

A vibrant transition

Experience UW–Madison’s autumnal peak in motion, music and golden light.

Photos by Althea Dotzour, Jeff Miller, Bryce Richter, Xiaomeng Shen and Taylor Wolfram. Video by Amy Gill, Elise Mahon, Ariadna Márquez, Ma Vue and Jason Weiss. Words by Angela Barian.

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Ever heard the saying, “the only constant is change”? That’s especially true of campus in autumn. The semester settles in, midterms loom and winter edges closer. We hurry through it all, trying not to fall behind.  

But there’s beauty in the in-between.  

So take a breath. Join us for a journey across campus as UW–Madison transforms for autumn, where color, light and life shift before our eyes. 

The Texture of Fall

Pause. Look closely. A kaleidoscope of color and detail abound in UW’s autumnal season. You can almost feel the crunch of leaves under your feet and the crisp breeze that carries them away. 

Colorful fall leaves on a tree with a tower in the background
Golden light illuminates prairie grasses and plants
Sunlight illuminates a detail of a leaf
A mix of yellow- and green-hued ivy plant leaves cover a patterned privacy fence
A person with headphones walks past a building covered in colorful fall leaves
Fallen leaves on the ground with red sneakers
Mix of colorful fall leaves, flowers, and grasses in front of a stone building
Silhouette of a metal deer cutout with fall leaves on trees in the background
A pumpkin broken in half resting at the base of a tree trunk
Milkweed and prairie plants backlit by sun
A person walking on a bridge surrounded by trees with colorful fall leaves
Sun shines through a canopy of trees with various shades of fall colors
Reflection of fall leaves on a tree in water
Yellow leaves and small green plants float on surface of water

The In-Between

It’s not just the seasons that change. Students, faculty and even campus wildlife are in motion. Settling in, adjusting, growing. The in-between moments reveal the true spirit of fall on campus. 

Back of a jogger running in the woods of colorful fall leaves
Two people walking at night with a small tree illuminated by a street light
Pedestrians and a person on a bike traveling in front of a building covered in colorful plants
Two people playing frisbee
Two people walking framed by a canopy of fall leaves
A person on a bicycle with leaves and grass in the foreground
Crew team rowing on the water with fall leaves in the background
People walking through campus
A single pedestrian walking with colorful fall trees in the background
Many pedestrians and bikers in motion with a canopy of yellow leaves above them
Students walking on campus with sunlight shining through trees

The Familiar, Transformed

At an institution 177 years in the making, even our most time-honored landmarks evolve with the season. Buildings, paths and gathering places take on new color and character, reminding us that change touches everything.

Reflection of colorful chairs in a puddle of water
Two windows covered in a red climbing plant
Historic building in the glow of sunlight with flowers in the foreground
Tower structure at sunset
Illuminated building at night
UW–Madison crest logo on the side of a building with yellow leaves framing it
A row of athletic flags on poles with red leaves behind them
Campus building with trees
Building facade with the Chazen Museum of Art signage
Experience the height of fall at Picnic Point, from leafy trails to rippling waves to the sweeping sky. Press play, raise the volume and let the color carry you.

Tags: campus, recent sightings

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