Lynn Binnie

MADISON. Wis. (February 27, 2020) – More than 1,770 students received degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the winter commencement ceremony on Dec. 15, 2019. About 1,200 graduates took part.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank told graduates she’s been following closely the national debate over whether a college degree is worth the cost. As an economist who has spent much of her life studying the U.S. labor market, she said she finds the question mystifying.

“Simply put, you have just made the best investment you will ever make,” she said, to applause. “The monetary returns on a college degree are higher now than they have been in the past 50 years. College graduates earn far more than non-college graduates. It’s clear that university training gives you skills that this global economy values more and more each day.”

Keynote speaker Jason Gay, the sports columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a 1992 UW-Madison graduate in political science, stressed the messiness of life. Embrace the uncertainty, he said.

“My friends, you’re about to step out into this beautiful chaos,” he told graduates.

Student speaker Lisa Kamal, a highly accomplished geology major, told the graduates that their everyday human experiences give weight and substance to the diplomas they are about to receive.

“Every sacrifice, every bit of energy you dragged out of you every morning – even if all you managed to do was scratch the bare minimum. You are graduating today. You did enough and I am proud of you. I am immensely proud of you.”

For more on the graduation, see https://news.wisc.edu/at-2019-winter-commencement-grads-step-into-the-beautiful-chaos-that-awaits/

For more information about UW-Madison, visit http://www.wisc.edu.

Whitewater, WI

 Alegra Holt, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, ,
 Gabriel Taveira, College of Letters and Science, Bachelor of Science, Computer Sciences,

The Dwight Foster Library will screen the new documentary film A Towering Task: the Story of the Peace Corps on Monday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m. This event will take place in the FCCU Community Room on the first floor of the library at 209 Merchants Avenue, Fort Atkinson.

Founded during the Cold War, the Peace Corps stands as an icon of American idealism. From the beginning its mission of world peace and friendship proved to be a towering task. Imbued with the unbounded energy and vision of its charismatic leader, Sargent Shriver, and thousands of vigorous volunteers, the story of the Peace Corps is a uniquely American tale. From the political machinations to establish not just a brand new government agency, but a new concept in international relations, to the growing pains of an agency striving to define its mission, A Towering Task takes viewers on a journey of what it means to be a global citizen. The film was directed by Alana DeJoseph and is narrated by the actress Annette Bening.

The screening will be followed by a brief Q & A session with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. This program is supported by the Friends of the Library so it is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Contact the library at (920) 563-7790 for additional information.

City Partners with Whitewater Community Foundation to Raise Funds for New Amphitheater

The City of Whitewater is excited to partner with the Whitewater Community Foundation to make it more efficient for residents to contribute towards projects they want to see in Whitewater. The Whitewater Community Foundation has set up a fund for the first city project, a new amphitheater planned to be built in Cravath Lakefront Park. The amphitheater project has been approved by the city council and is moving forward. The structure has been ordered by Polygon and site preparation has begun, with the expectation of the structure being ready by the 4th of July. Additional items to enhance the amphitheater would include landscaping, lighting, and a new projection screen.

Citizens can donate by credit card on the Whitewater Community Foundation website to help with these additions to the new Cravath Lakefront Amphitheater. A company, organization or individual can choose to be the title sponsor and display their logo and/or name for the next 20 years at the top of the Cravath Lakefront Amphitheater for a $50,000 donation. Donations over $10,000 will be recognized on a plaque at the base of the structure.

“The City of Whitewater is excited to have a facility to bring people to the downtown and lake front,” said Eric Boettcher, Parks and Recreation Director. “This new amphitheater should truly enhance existing events and music and we couldn’t be happier to see it move forward.”

To make a donation, click here. Click the Donate Now button and the site will direct you to choose a dollar amount, how often you wish to donate and which cause you wish to support. Donors can also choose to share a note of why you are supporting the cause.

Choral Union Rehearsing An American Portrait

     ​Janesville Choral Union will begin rehearsals for a spring concert, An American Portrait.  The concert traces the history of our country in music, from the Revolutionary War through the 20th century, in a number of short pieces from various periods.

     Rehearsals begin on Monday, March 9th, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Cargill United Methodist Church, 2000 Wesley Avenue, Janesville, WI.  A single concert will be given Sunday, May 17th at 2:00 p.m.  Registration costs $20 to help defray costs (waived for students) and starts at 6:15.

     Singers of all abilities are welcome.  If you can carry a tune and keep count, please join us.  There are no auditions.  Newcomers sit next to more experienced singers who help out.

UW-La Crosse announces December 2019 graduates

LA CROSSE, Wis.(February 25, 2020) – The following area students completed degree requirements at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in December.

UW-La Crosse, founded in 1909, is one of the 13 four-year institutions in the University of Wisconsin System. UWL has more than 10,500 full and part-time students enrolled in 101 undergraduate, 28 graduate and two doctoral academic programs.
      
UW-La Crosse – www.uwlax.edu – is the state’s top-ranked public or private higher education institution by U.S. News & World Reports for master’s degree institutions and has been ranked among the top four Midwestern public institutions for more than a decade. UW-La Crosse remains one of only two Wisconsin colleges to consistently make Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s list of the top 100 best values nationwide in public colleges.
      
Students earning degrees in December included:
Whitewater, WI

 Peter McCrea, Bachelor of Science, Psychology Major

Chills are an inescapable part of this year’s Wisconsin winter, but another kind of chill – the spine-chilling, terrified excitement variety – is in store for everyone taking in a performance of the Whitewater High School Players production of “Tale of Poe” Feb 27-29 at 7:30 p.m. and Mar. 1 at 2:00 p.m. in the Whitewater High School Auditorium.

Of course … attending the performance on leap year’s extra day on Feb. 29 would be even more memorable!

Reserved seat tickets ($9 adult, $5 students) can be purchased an hour before the performances at the box office or ordered by calling 262-472-8178.

Based on six faithful adaptations of some of Edgar Allan Poe’s most haunting works, the stage curtains open to Poe’s wonderfully creepy world, including old favorites, “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” The Masque of the Red Death, “The Raven,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

Also included is a staging of a less familiar dark comedy story by Poe.  “The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether” depicts the visit of an unnamed narrator to a mental asylum in southern France known for a revolutionary new method of treating mental illnesses called the “system of soothing.”  However, recently this treatment has been replaced by a much stricter system based on the work of a “Doctor Tarr” and a “Professor Fether”.

Under the direction of Jim McCulloch, the talented cast includes Olivia Amundson, Gio Anello, Emma Clarksen, Sierra Gonzales, Maggie Jay, Josh Kirley, Mckenzie LaFlash, Ilana Lothes, Audrey Mayer, Ben McCulloch, Chris Porcaro, Chloe Prince, Aldo Rodriguez, Amber Rossmiller, Lucas Scherer, Skylar Staebler, Haley Street, Madison Strickler, Evie Troxel, Anderson Waelchli, Carter Waelchli, Marco Wence, and Matt Zingheim.