The Wisconsin Alumni Association hosted the first Grandparents University® (GPU) session of the year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on July 10–11, 2014. This award-winning outreach program was the first of its kind and has inspired similar activities at universities nationwide.
GPU is an annual program that brings grandparents and grandchildren ages 7-14 from across the country to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, where they complete a “major” under the direction of top faculty and staff members.
Two additional GPU sessions are set to take place at UW-Madison on July 17-18 and July 24-25.
According to organizers, all three of this year’s sessions filled in record time. Capacity was expanded to almost 1,400 total attendees in 24 majors, making 2014 the largest ever in the program’s 14-year history.
“Grandparents University is really a one-of-a-kind experience for grandparents to pass on a love of learning to their grandchildren and inspire an interest in higher education,” says program manager Kate Prehn ‘09. “Each year, it’s a privilege to watch children’s eyes open to new subjects, like engineering, entomology, computer science and photography. ”
For more information about GPU, visit uwalumni.com/grandparents.
