UW–Madison’s summer snapshot
Camp Randall was filled with music again, several new buildings rose up, students learned both indoors and out and research continued.
What’s that sound? If you were on the UW–Madison campus this summer, you might have caught yourself asking that question.
After all, mega concerts returned to Camp Randall Stadium for the first time in nearly 30 years. Major constructions projects were in full swing as campus prepares for a trio of new, state-of-the-art academic buildings.
And between those big noises, you could still hear the consistent hum of campus life — quieter than in the fall and spring, perhaps, but there all the same in the chatter of friends at the Terrace, the vibrant discussions in summer classes, and the collaborative discoveries in research labs.
If you were too far from campus to hear any of it, don’t worry — we’ll catch you up to speed.
Camp Randall rocks again
This summer, Camp Randall Stadium opened its gates to concertgoers for the first time since 1997, with country pop star Morgan Wallen performing in June and rock band Coldplay in July. The concerts provided an important revenue source for the UW Department of Athletics as it navigates a new landscape of college sports. Camp Randall is the second-largest venue in Wisconsin, with a seating capacity just behind Lambeau Field.
UW gets stellar report cards
UW–Madison stood out in a series of rankings, doing especially well among those that looked at career preparation.
It was named by Princeton Review as one of 209 “Best Value Colleges” for 2025, a ranking that recognizes universities for their stellar academics, affordable cost and strong career prospects for graduates. It was also ranked 30th worldwide and 20th in the United States in the 2025 edition of the Global 2000 list by the Center for World University Rankings.
Building the future
Work on three key campus building projects progressed, causing some traffic detours but also building excitement for UW’s future as they took shape.
That included the construction of Irving & Dorothy Levy Hall on Johnson and Park streets as a new hub for the humanities. Ground was broken in April on the planned Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center on the engineering campus.
And finally, in July, construction wrapped up on Morgridge Hall to house the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences. Faculty and staff will be moving into the building soon.
Learning never stops
Badgers stayed busy during Summer Term with a wide range of in-person and online courses, with some enrolling to fill requirements for their majors while others explored new topics. This summer’s top 10 courses with the most enrollment covered topics such as media studies, retailing, microeconomics and biochemistry.
We also followed Summer Term students as they tackled projects on the lake, hands-on engineering and chemistry tasks, neon art sculpting, and Pilates exercises.
Research progress
Even as federal funding changes threaten important work, research on campus has continued to produce life-changing results. Did you know that UW–Madison virologists are at the forefront of efforts to keep tabs on avian influenza in dairy milk? Or that kidney transplant patients are returning to a healthy life without the need for daily meds, thanks to a cutting-edge clinical trial on campus?
Learn more about these efforts and the impact of UW–Madison’s federally funded research.
Summer fun
As always, the campus community reveled in the beauty of a Madison summer, with everything from play excerpts at Allen Centennial Garden to bands at the Memorial Union Terrace to students simply relaxing on campus lawns.
