When You Say Wisconsin in Song Stephen Thompson ’94, editor of National Public Radio’s music Web site, didn’t miss a beat when we asked him to pick five songs that say the UW. His advice for how to defend a song you like? “If you think it’s awesome, it’s awesome.” | For All the Right Seasons During its seventy-five years and the changing of the seasons, the UW Arboretum has told stories to those who will listen and learn. Even as visitors escape the demands of city life to enjoy its beauty and tranquility, it has taught researchers just how much human forces shape the land. |
Global Views Today’s students know that by graduation, their portfolios of knowledge and skills need to include global competence. But the UW, along with its peers, is grappling to define what that means, exactly, and why in the world it matters. | This is Your Copilot Speaking In January, US Airways Flight 1549 made an unscheduled landing in the Hudson River. Quick action by the crew, including copilot Jeffrey Skiles ’84, ensured survival for all aboard. Skiles now shares his experiences. |
Reflecting on Joyce Carol Oates An academic setback at the UW propelled Joyce Carol Oates MA’61 on to the pinnacle of literary achievement. Read how Madison changed her life, and find an excerpt from “Nighthawk,” her campus memoir. | Tele[re]vision Conventional wisdom says that TV is bad for kids, but research is finding that good messages can prevail — if parents choose programming wisely. |
The Godmother of Goat Cheese Anne Topham ’63, MA’65 didn’t set out to become a trailblazer, but her pursuit of award-winning chèvre helped launch artisanal goat cheese in Wisconsin. | |
A Matter of Degree(s) How much is enough when it comes to education? Some UW alumni are gluttons for coursework. Meet the candidates in the competition to become UW-Madison’s most-graduated graduate. | |
Truth, Death, and Taxidermy Errol Morris’s documentaries, which reflect a lifelong obsession with truth and death, are also known for being quirky — and brilliant. In the words of film critic Roger Ebert, “After twenty years of reviewing films, I haven’t found another filmmaker who intrigues me more … Errol Morris is like a magician, and as great a filmmaker as Hitchcock or Fellini.” | Weight of the Words When tribal elders die and take their languages with them, it’s akin to a culture burning its libraries. Henning Garvin ’03, other alumni, and UW researchers are hoping to put out the fire by pairing generations and creating enduring records of Wisconsin’s five native tribes. |
Gifts in Action Donations fund a new music performance center. | Capitan Courageous A descent of Yosemite Park’s El Capitan, which is twice the height of the Sears Tower, is daunting enough at nighttime. But with an injured climber on a stretcher in tow, it drew on all the climbing skills that park ranger Eric Gabriel ’88 could muster, and won him a medal of valor for his efforts. |
Lean on Me Although The Oprah Winfrey Show has only one name in its title, pulling off the details to produce one of the most-watched daytime television programs takes a team with creativity and persistence — and, in this case, eleven Badgers. | Cold Digger Fifty years ago, UW scientist Charlie Bentley made his maiden voyage to frigid, faraway Antarctica –
and he’s been returning ever since.
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WARF's New Wrinkle Missing out on Botox helped change the way the UW evaluates the commercial possibilities of research. | Walking the Walk After witnessing the damage from an oil spill, John Francis gave up driving and talking for years
on end — all to raise awareness about the need to protect the environment. |
Hollywood Badgers Wisconsin alumni work together to open doors in show biz. |