‘On Wisconsin!’ event to welcome chancellor to campus

The University of Wisconsin–Madison will officially welcome Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin aboard with food, beverages and campus performances on Thursday, Oct. 23.

The event, “On, Wisconsin! A Great University and Its Friends Welcome Chancellor Martin,” is scheduled from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the Kohl Center and is free and open to the public. The event will feature an address from Martin regarding university priorities and the future of UW–Madison.

UW System President Kevin Reilly will introduce Martin, who will speak at 4:30 p.m.

The atmosphere will be set with iconic photos representing the university’s history, culture, geography and excellence in teaching, learning, research and public service.

“Since 1901, UW has had only five chancellors named from outside its own faculty, the last time being in 1988 when Donna Shalala was appointed,” says Paula Bonner, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Alumni Association. “Twenty years later, we have the opportunity to come together: students, faculty, academic and classified staff, alumni, donors, community leaders and special friends and guests to celebrate the totality of who ‘we’ are.”

Adds Bonner: “This celebration will provide a wonderful platform from which Chancellor Martin can deliver a major public address about the future, what she sees at this point in her time here as the priorities going forward into the next decade of the 21st century.”

Before the event, the attendees will be greeted at the Kohl Center outside of Gate A by the World Percussion Ensemble and afterwards can stay to watch performances in the concourse by student a cappella groups Fundamentally Sound and Redefined and a jazz trio.

The UW–Madison Wind Ensemble, the UW–Madison Concert Choir and the spoken word student group, First Wave, will perform in the bowl during the main event. Patrick Sims, a theatre and drama assistant professor, will emcee.

“We need to start the next chapter in our history with a sense of pride and unity about our heritage and with confidence about what we can each do to be part of making it even greater,” says Bonner. “It is an individual but also collective effort that will help us overcome challenges and be part of creating new solutions and new opportunities for the campus, community, state and, indeed, the world. It is our hope that this event is but the first of many steps in this journey.”

The event is made possible through the engagement and support of many campus and community members, with financial support from the UW Foundation, the Wisconsin Alumni Association and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.