Sesqui Fever

WAA to celebrate a century and a half of alumni achievement.

 

Get out your party hats and practice singing “Varsity,” because WAA is preparing for a yearlong Badger birthday party.

Since June 24, 1861, WAA has been celebrating the achievements of the University of Wisconsin and its graduates, and in June 2011 the association will mark a century and a half — its sesquicentennial — of rallying Badgers in support of their alma mater. To mark the occasion, WAA is planning a series of events intended to highlight what it means to be a Badger.

“Being a UW alum means much more than earning a degree here,” says Paula Bonner MS’78, WAA president and CEO. “It means being part of a tradition of excellence and service. It means being part of a global community that includes inventors, artists, political leaders, and some of the most spirited people on the planet. During our anniversary year, we want to encourage alumni everywhere to celebrate all that’s wonderful about being a Badger.”

Key WAA sesquicentennial events include Founders’ Day celebrations at chapters across the country this spring, a campus birthday party in June, and a gala event in October, timed to coincide with Homecoming, which is celebrating its centennial.

WAA will also help host an international alumni convocation on campus July 26–28, 2011, an event that will celebrate the global impact of the UW and its alumni.

“The UW has a long history of sharing the benefits of education around the world,” Bonner says, “and the effects of that effort can be seen in the more than thirteen thousand grads who are living overseas. We want to honor these leaders of government, science, and business.”

Published in the Fall 2010 issue