When this photo was taken around 1890, the clock’s mechanism used a 1,000-pound weight that fell to the ground every eight days. UW Archives

It’s hard to believe now, with smartphones in our pockets and smartwatches on our wrists, that UW students once relied on the Music Hall clock tower at the foot of Bascom Hill to make it to class on time.

In 1922, the Daily Cardinal offered this bit of service journalism: “It is poor policy … for a student to set his watch by looking at the hands of the tower clock, for he is below, looking up, and the perspective is such that he cannot get the exact time.”

Instead, UW students keyed their watch to the chimes of the clock tower’s bell, which marked the top of an hour — “always within 20 seconds of being correct.”

But even those students had the new luxury of wristwatches. When Music Hall was built in 1878, the 100-foot-high clock tower became one of the only places on campus to reference the official time. The clock featured four faces, with dials six feet in diameter and brass-studded Roman numerals.

To tell time, the clock tower looked to the sun and stars — or rather, to the Washburn Observatory. UW astronomers took celestial readings to calibrate the observatory’s master timepieces. Then, according to the book Chasing the Stars, they used what was likely the city’s first telephone line to listen in on the tower clock’s rhythms and note corrections. Shortly after, the observatory installed an electrical system that delivered signals regulating the Music Hall clock.

Originally, the clock’s mechanism used a 1,000-pound weight that would fall to the ground every eight days. At that point, a pair of herculean workers would spend an hour-plus cranking it up 50 feet to keep the clock ticking.

The clock was made automatic with electrical winding in 1933.

Music Hall was first called Assembly Hall and later Library Hall for its original functions — seating the whole student body in a large auditorium and housing the main book collection. It soon became home to the new School of Music and was officially renamed in 1910. Music Hall served as the school’s headquarters until 1969, after which it was largely left to the University Opera and the urban planning department.

Earlier this year, the UW announced it would use a lead gift from Herb Kohl Philanthropies to renovate Music Hall into the future home of the La Follette School of Public Affairs and rename the building after the late senator. The updates will modernize the interior while keeping the iconic exterior intact — including the clock tower. So, tomorrow’s students will still have no excuses for being late to class.

The computer sciences courses Driver and Nasgowitz took at UW–Madison taught them to figure out solutions without a road map. Lila Aryan

Longtime best friends T. J. Driver ’22 and Zach Nasgowitz ’21 experienced a problem endemic to their generation: their smartphones ruled their lives. They couldn’t escape the constant distractions — the apps, games, emails, and notifications all clamoring for their attention. Driver tried using a flip phone but found it too limiting and impractical, not allowing him to access information he needed. The built-in blockers on their iPhones were too easy to override. So the pair of engineers set out to create their own solution.

They didn’t really know what they were doing, developing a new product and starting a business, but the computer sciences courses they took at UW–Madison taught them to dive in and figure out solutions without a road map. “You learn some amount of confidence in solving problems that is very applicable to entrepreneurship,” Nasgowitz says.

The result of their efforts was the Brick, a small, square device (about half the size of a deck of cards) that you tap with your phone to block selected apps. You cannot access those apps until you tap the Brick with your phone again. The extra effort — or actually storing the Brick someplace separate from a work or study location — eliminates distractions.

The device solved their immediate problem, allowing them to focus, but they found it also delivered an ancillary benefit. Freed from distractions, they felt more present with friends and family or whatever task was before them. “It’s so liberating,” Driver says. “You don’t have to fight off the temptation every time you pick up your phone because you’ve already made that decision. The temptation doesn’t exist anymore because there’s no way to get into the distracting apps.”

Both alums are builders at heart, but Nasgowitz is more of a visionary. In the early days, he focused mostly on design and marketing while Driver, who is more detail-oriented, handled the engineering and operations.

They launched the Brick in 2023, selling it for $59 on Getbrick.app. The product has generated some media buzz, including in New York magazine, and the company is looking to add more employees to its Chicago office.

“We measure success by the number of people who benefit from the Brick,” Driver says. “The people buying this are coming back to us and saying, ‘This has improved my relationship with my phone and genuinely improved my life.’ That has been very fulfilling.”

Hoofers is dedicated to making its activities accessible to people at all levels of experience — including no experience. Adam Remus

When you attend a university that sits on a lake, how could you not appreciate the outdoors?

Fortunately, since the 1930s, the Wisconsin Hoofers has taken advantage of UW–Madison’s proximity to nature. While sailing on Lake Mendota remains the student-led organization’s most recognizable and popular programming, Hoofers also offers membership to clubs that span every season and an enormous range of outdoor activities.

The Sailing Club organizes lessons, rentals, and races. The Outing Club guides wilderness excursions across the state and country, from canoeing and whitewater kayaking to backpacking and snowshoeing. The Mountaineering Club climbs the indoor rock wall of Union South, the bluffs of Devil’s Lake State Park, and summits as far as Spain. The Riding Club saddles up for lessons and competitions on horseback. The Scuba Club dives underwater to explore local lakes and international waters. The Ski and Snowboard Club trains at Tyrol Basin in Mount Horeb, rides down mountains out west, and chases winter conditions all the way to Chile in the off months.

Wisconsin Hoofers is not only unique for these broad offerings but also for its mission to make outdoor adventure accessible to people at all levels of experience — including no experience — thanks to robust education and certification programs.

“At other universities, the riding club might be limited to folks who have been riding since they could walk. But here, we’ve had students who’d never even seen a horse before going on to learn, compete, and win nationals,” says Madeleine Carr, communications specialist for the Wisconsin Union, which houses Hoofers.

Bree Ward-Debauche

More than 2,220 students, faculty, staff, and community members are active members of Hoofers. Joining a club requires a Wisconsin Union lifetime or annual membership (if not a student) and a separate fee that helps cover equipment.

Hoofers’ popularity has prompted UW–Madison to propose a $2.7 million renovation of its boat storage and education facility by the Memorial Union shoreline. The project would use private funds and add equipment rental and storage space plus a rooftop event area.

Hoofers, it seems, is here to stay.

“Every year, people join the Mountaineering Club who are scared of heights, and then within a year, they’re teaching others how to set anchors,” says Luke Waldhuetter ’26, president of the Hoofers Council. “Even for me, I had never been scuba diving before Hoofers, and now I love planning dive trips and relating to a whole other community. It’s completely changed my life.”

Sahil Joshi

Thompson explores the evolution of friendship across space and time.

As undergrads at Hawthorne University, Lily, Ana, and Margot shared everything: clothes, mascara, secrets, lives. Now approaching 30 and strewn across the country, they and their lives couldn’t look more different, and secrets are easier to keep. In her debut novel, Girls Our Age, Phoebe Thompson MFA’24 explores the evolution of friendship across time and space.

To her friends, family, and fiancé, Lily has always been perfect. To Lily, perfection is a standard she must meet at all costs. With her wedding on the horizon and her schedule filling up with people to please, she struggles against old demons to maintain her fragile façade. Across the country, Ana tries desperately to feel at home in the dazzling apartment and private-school teaching job that mark the beginning of her and boyfriend Silas’s life together. Meanwhile, Margot has her sights set on a big promotion when her unchecked ambition leads to a fall from grace that coincides with a personal reckoning. As Lily’s wedding creates occasions for the three friends to reconvene, their disparate lives and the details they’ve kept from each other underscore friction where once there was ease.

According to Thompson, the idea for the novel was born of her own experiences in her 20s reconnecting with college friends at weddings. “We had known each other for so long prior to meeting our significant others, and suddenly we were all spread out and our dynamics were changing,” she says. “Now you all live in different places and have primary partners. Your friends are not your first priority anymore.”

Goodreads listed Girls Our Age among its most-anticipated literary fiction for 2026. Thompson is the founder of the marketing consultancy Extra Cred.

Pancholia was a much-loved Badger whose vibrant spirit and intellectual curiosity left a lasting impression on all who knew him. Courtesy of Sushmeta Pancholia

A scholarship launched in fall 2024 will aid students of the new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

The Arun Pancholia ’23 Scholarship honors a much-loved Badger whose vibrant spirit and intellectual curiosity left a lasting impression on all who knew him. Pancholia’s passion for math, music, cars, and helping others was matched only by his warmth and wit. His family’s decision to create this commemorative fund ensures that his light continues to shine through the achievements of others and celebrates his enduring impact.

Each year, the UW selects four Arun Pancholia scholars who demonstrate financial need, with a preference for students who study entrepreneurship or mathematics and who have experienced living in India, the United Arab Emirates, Southeast Asia, or the United States.

“Arun had always wanted to start a nonprofit organization supporting education,” says Pancholia’s mother, Sushmeta. “Fulfilling our beloved Arun’s dream of creating equal opportunities where possible was one of the main motivations behind this scholarship.”

One of the four 2025 recipients is Alysia Chou x’27, a junior from Taiwan studying computer and data sciences with a certificate in business. Her work ranges from building a chatbot for Spectacle Health to analyzing nonprofit engagement data through Biokind Analytics.

“[This scholarship] motivates me to preserve Arun’s legacy of kindness, excellence, and curiosity,” Chou wrote to Pancholia’s parents. “I will carry this gift with me as I work toward my goals, and I hope to one day pay it forward, just as you have done for me.”

Another recipient, Yashwanth Ranjan Singaravel x’26, is a senior from Chennai, India, double majoring in computer and data sciences and mathematics. As a student technical trainer and software engineer, Singaravel leads workshops and develops AI-powered research tools.

“This scholarship encourages me to embody generosity and excellence,” he says. “I am committed to carrying Arun’s light forward.”

Pancholia chose UW–Madison for its strong academic programs and vibrant campus life. Initially a biochemistry major, he became increasingly interested in data science during the pandemic, leading him to pursue a field that integrates several disciplines and drives meaningful innovation. Through this fund, Pancholia’s family aims to inspire students to pursue their passions, overcome challenges, and make a positive impact.

“Donor gifts have the power to transform lives,” Sushmeta says. “It’s more than a donation — it’s a legacy of opportunity, compassion, and achievement.”

Siegert, Boehmer, and Connors devised a way to notify users when a nearby shop or restaurant has surplus food it’s willing to unload at a steep discount. Courtesy of Goodie Bag

Who doesn’t love a good surprise, especially when it comes in the form of affordable food? That’s the concept behind Goodie Bag, an app that notifies users when a nearby shop or restaurant has surplus food it’s willing to unload at a steep discount — say, $18 worth of pizza, pastries, or produce for $9. The model keeps food out of landfills, draws new customers to restaurants, and provides an affordable food option.

Briana Boehmer ’02 — whose background was building tech-based businesses around health, wellness, and fitness — was smitten by the Goodie Bag concept when she first heard about it in 2023. “One of the things I loved about this opportunity was trying to create something that connected community with a well-being focus,” she says.

Cofounders Luke Siegert and Eddy Connors had developed the app to the viable product stage and secured funds to bring it to market, but they lacked the resources to pay themselves. Boehmer thought she could help. Soon after meeting the two, Boehmer quit her job as chief operations officer for a fitness tech company to sign on as the third cofounder and COO of Goodie Bag.

Her instincts paid off. Not only did she and her partners launch the app, but by mid-2024, they’d raised enough money to start paying themselves full salaries, and they’ve now grown to 10 employees. After starting out in Boulder, Colorado, they’ve expanded to Fort Collins, Denver, and Colorado Springs in their home state, as well as Charlotte, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Madison; Milwaukee; and most recently, New York City. They also started a pilot project with UW–Madison to offer Goodie Bags at the Badger Markets at Union South and Memorial Union, and they’re hoping to expand to other campus sites — and eventually, to other universities.

“I measure success by the feedback we’re getting,” Boehmer says. “We’re on the right track when we’re getting messages from businesses letting us know that their shops are staying open because they’ve been able to implement our services — and from customers saying that they’re visiting places they would never have visited because they found them through Goodie Bag. I know this might sound cheesy, but it really is true we are changing things for the better.

“That sense of being a part of something bigger than yourself and contributing to your community — I learned that at Wisconsin.”

Jeanne Nye and her granddaughter Charlotte Nye learned about DNA at a biotechnology class at the 2022 Grandparents University. Althea Dotzour

Grandparents University (GPU), the UW–Madison summer event that brings grandkids and their grandparents to campus to enjoy special classes together, was launched by the Wisconsin Alumni Association in 2001. Since then, more than 30 other schools have been inspired to start their own initiatives.

Children between the ages of seven and 14 visit campus with their grandparents or other adults, with many opting to stay in a residence hall. Attendees can register for “majors” in fields ranging from art and music to entomology, nursing, and veterinary science. They also participate in tours of campus destinations such as Camp Randall Stadium, the Geology Museum, and Babcock Dairy.

“We hear all the time from grandparents that kids decided on their college major based on a class they took during Grandparents University,” says Nathalie McFadden ’14, who manages the program.

Julie Underwood, a former dean of UW–Madison’s School of Education, says that her grandkids plan their GPU majors a year in advance. “Kids opening up and learning about things that you would never have an opportunity to teach them — that’s pretty special.” One of her favorite moments was seeing the kids’ faces light up when they got to dance with Bucky Badger at the GPU dance party.

Liz Philosophos Cooper ’77, who attends GPU with her husband, Scott Cooper ’77, and their grandchildren, says the program has lived up to their expectations tenfold. She enjoys experiencing something new through her grandchildren’s eyes and says, “They’re so excited — they talk about it all year round.”

Scott adds that “the instructors do a marvelous job at getting involvement, bringing it down to the kids’ level, and also making it interesting for us.” The kids were thrilled to hear their names called at the graduation ceremony and to choose their own food in the cafeteria. He was also impressed to see how excited they got about the idea of actually attending college when they got older.

During the graduation ceremony, Kate Prehn ’09, who played a key role in the program from 2010 to 2025, began a tradition of asking the children to thank their grandparents. “It is so magical to see them all turn at the same time with huge smiles on their faces, and they throw their arms around each other and high-five,” she says. “It’s just such a special moment. That’s why we do this.”

In our spring 2026 issue, “State Street, That Great Street” revisited old haunts and showcased new favorites on UW–Madison’s legendary campus corridor. The article spurred an outpouring of letters from alumni who fondly recalled their own days on State Street — and who passionately advocated for bars, stores, and restaurants we didn’t have space to mention.

Many thanks to Preston Schmitt for his stroll down the memory that is State Street. A brisk walk from Library Mall to the Capitol and back provided just the intellectual respite I needed after hours slogging through GPA killers like organic chemistry and calculus. Serious studying requires reinvigoration, and the seemingly endless parade of State Street denizens provides that for me. In many ways, I owe my academic success to those walks. State Street is, indeed, a special place in Madison.

—Michael T. Selch ’73

In the spring semester of 1970, I was a junior waitressing at Gargano’s pizzeria on State Street — late shift. That was the year the Vietnam War expanded into Cambodia and the classes I inhabited seemed to virtually shut down — everyone was meeting and protesting. I thought it was better to take the semester off and earn some money. I have four memories: sloshing a plate of spaghetti into a customer’s lap, convincing my shifts to pool tips (I wasn’t a very good waitress), smashing iceberg lettuces on the table to pull out the hard core, and the joy of sunrise after a long night of work, then sleeping till afternoon. Those were the days!

—Robin Kutner ’72

My parents lived on Hawthorn Court just off State Street when I was born in 1950. I had many fun State Street experiences shopping, dining, and drinking during the crazy ’60s and ’70s (especially Saturday pregame beers on a window stool at The Pub).

Once the Orpheum Theater offered two free tickets to a James Brown concert for the best reason someone would deserve to see the show in 10 words or less. My submission: “My girlfriend will dump me if I don’t get tickets.” One year after attending that great show, my James Brown date became my first wife! We even got our wedding rings at Goodman’s Jewelers on State Street.

—Doug Lindquist ’72, MBA’73

Thanks for the great article about State Street. What a wonderful trip down memory lane. My family moved to Madison in 1973 when I was just 10 years old. My first memories of State Street revolve around our hippie mom treating my sister and me to toasted cinnamon raisin bagels smothered with peanut butter and honey, served at the aptly named Good Karma restaurant. I think it was in a basement on the south side of the 500 block.

I remember Lake Street Station, which was a record store and weed paraphernalia shop.

Sacred Feather sold more than just hats. I’m still carrying a fine leather wallet I purchased there in the 1980s, along with a matching leather checkbook cover and datebook cover, still in great shape, although the latter two have been rarely used in the last couple decades, what with electronic banking and calendars.

When I was a teenager, several blocks of State Street were still open for driving private cars. It was a great place to cruise and people-watch on a Saturday night. As a 16-year-old I used to think that college students were so mature.

Great memories!

—Tom Hazen x’88, MBA’95

Nice job on “State Street, That Great Street.” I have vivid memories of my days at the UW and, of course, of State Street. It was the place to be for good food and nightlife. In my opinion, there is one glaring omission in your article — The Pub. Certainly no establishment during the late ’60s and early ’70s served more UW students than The Pub. It was busy on weeknights and packed on the weekends.

—Gary Konwinski ’74

When I attended the UW in the late 1960s, our group would hang out at the KK (Kollege Klub). Ed Sweet ’70 would start playing the Subway pinball machine and one of our friends would continue playing throughout the day, usually on his first dime. Of course, we would eat their burgers and O Steak and beers. We also played Palooka at Burgerville. To cap off the day, Ella’s Deli. I come back many times a year to eat at State Street Brats.

—Jay Bubrick ’71

I thoroughly enjoyed reading “State Street, That Great Street” — the attention to detail in particular. I’ve reread it several times.

My memories of State Street are numerous, one being the couple steps up to Rennebohm’s at State and Lake, known to many of us students simply as “The Pharm,” to enjoy a cake after classes.

In my senior year, the main assignment in Elizabeth Patterson’s feature writing class in journalism school was to write and sell a feature story. I chose the busy little popcorn shop on the wedge-shaped corner of State just west of the Orpheum. The shop was bustling with customers — many of them UW students — selecting their favorite flavor before watching a movie at the Orpheum or the Capitol right across the street. The Orpheum and the Capitol were the city’s top first-run houses for years. I did sell the story to a trade publication and earned an “A.”

One more memory of State Street is the Toddle House, a little freestanding restaurant on the north side of State about halfway between Park Street and the Capitol building. While walking back to the dorms on Lake Mendota, we students would often stop for a breakfast-type snack at the Toddle House after a movie. It was clean, friendly, and inexpensive.

Good memories!

—Dan Omernik ’57

There was The Pub located on State Street. One year, the Badgers basketball team was at Ohio State for an afternoon game. We were badly outmatched against a team that included future NBA and Hall of Fame players. We were listening to the game (on radio) at the frat house, and somehow Wisconsin won!

We all raced down to The Pub to celebrate. Now, there were two rules at The Pub that would get you kicked out: number one, dancing on the tables. Number two, “accidentally” dropping and crashing your glass beer mug on the floor.

So, I’m dancing on one of the tables, when the bouncer (future Governor of Wisconsin Tommy Thompson) grabs me to kick me out. At that point, our fraternity president yells: “If Feldman goes, we all go,” and along with everyone else in The Pub, drops his glass beer mug, which crashes on the floor! Then everyone heads for the door as fast as they can. (It took two days to clean up the place.)

Fast forward 25 years or so. Tommy Thompson is now governor. He’s hosting a reception at the Governor’s Mansion for industry folks and publishers to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the American Dairy Association.

There’s a reception line to shake hands with the governor. When it’s my turn, he grabs my hand tightly and says: “I know you from someplace!” So we spend the rest of the reception retelling the story, and the governor graciously takes us on a tour of the mansion.

Solid guy, that governor.  Should have run for president!

—Martin Feldman ’64

I remember many fun and inebriated times at Madison from 1982 to 1986. One of the greatest memories was the Halloween celebration in 1982. The event really blew my mind at the time, as there were over 110,000 people on State Street that Saturday evening. The Badgers crushed Northwestern University earlier that day, and the rest of the day was one big party extravaganza. I remember getting dressed up in Halloween garb and painting my face like a zebra. Walking up State Street that evening was like being a blood cell in a vein. It was really packed. The police greased the light poles, but people still climbed them. There were people stripping in apartment windows above the shops on State Street. There were no rules on carry-ins, and the crushed glass on the street was inches thick. It was amazing that so few people got injured that evening.

One of my favorite bars on State Street was the State Street Infirmary, which was not listed in the article. I liked the bar because they served gyro sandwiches which were just about as good as those at the Parthenon. The bartenders there would give me breaks on paying for the sandwiches and drinks, and often just poured lines of shots on the bar. Unfortunately, one of the last evenings I was there it burned up.

—Rob Martens ’86

The Preston Schmitt State Street article brought back many fond memories. Breakfast at Rennebohm’s before 8:45 classes, and the Chocolate Shoppe was always a treat. One retail store that was omitted was The Clothes Post. They had the proper blue blazer or whatever was needed for the collegiate look.

—William Soman ’70 

Memories of State Street during freshman and sophomore years at Ann Emery Hall (1944–46), with World War II raging. Ann Emery was behind shops on State Street, very handy for those of us living in that dorm.

Cigarettes rationed. Students lined up single-file at the pharm to get one pack. Glad I never smoked.

Chocolate Shoppe a lovely, quiet popular retreat for heavenly chocolate yummies. Great spot to relax with friends and reflect on the day’s activities.

The Cabin (I think that’s what it was called) was a small, popular beer haunt. Sat on the tables, feet on benches. Always crowded.

Ice-skated on Library Mall — beginning of State Street then.

—Joan Chalmers Harris ’48

I graduated from the UW in 1973 and haven’t lived in the area since 1984. I was a frequent customer at The Brathaus because Warren Lamm (Lammy) was my uncle. I have often visited State Street Brats when back in Wisconsin visiting family.

Going further back in State Street history was the Log Cabin. I don’t know when it opened but my father, Paul Lamm, ran the Log Cabin, and I understand that he hired Lammy to work there after he returned from World War II.  I find it interesting that in those days steak sandwiches were 15 cents or two for a quarter.

—Katy Lamm Rogers ’73

To my dismay, there was no mention of The Pub or the Varsity Bar (a.k.a. The Var Bar), both of which thrived on lower State Street for a long time. Although I am admittedly older than dirt, there are quite a few of us ancient grads from the early sixties still doddering around, and I can assure you that those two watering holes are fondly remembered as major facets of our UW experiences.

—Marilyn Taylor ’64

Nice walking down memory lane, but there’s a critical omission: Anthology, owned by Madison natives and UW graduates proudly selling Wisconsin and UW-themed gifts, stickers, and paper products. Little Luxuries is mentioned, and although adjacent, the two are distinct stores and each deserve mention, especially as Anthology is locally owned!

—Ann Fritz MS’96, MS’21

I attended the UW from 1986 to 1990. I have many great memories and a lot of them had to do with walking down State Street, alone or with my friends, eating, drinking, shopping, or celebrating Halloween. One particular restaurant meal I remember and enjoyed was called pork noodle at Shanghai Mini’s. It had the perfect amount of spice to it, Napa cabbage and slippery noodles. I wish it was still around because I would go there when I’m in town. I loved meeting people from so many cultures when I was there.

—Patti Newberg Gerhardt ’90

I was dismayed that the State Street article did not mention an institution that has been present on State Street for 119 years, the Saint Paul’s Catholic Student Center. Granted it may not fit into the commercialization facet of the State Street article but is arguably one of the more prominent buildings on State Street and is a cultural touchstone fondly remembered by many alumni.

—Gerry Gosewehr ’75

I remember buying albums at B-side Records. There was a step or two up into the long narrow shop. They would always have a new album playing.  One day it was the 1985 LP by a reunited UK folk band called Pentangle, Open the Door. I stood and listened to almost the whole album, nothing like I ever appreciated before. I still listen to that album often and never would have been aware of it had it not been for that day.

—Shane Zaruba ’87

I don’t get back to Madison often but each time the many changes around campus are exemplified by the different offerings on State Street. So different from my time at the UW in the mid ’80s, where an excursion to that side of campus was always a treat featuring the three P’s – Paul’s Books, Pegasus Games, and Puzzlebox.

—Jim Pederson ’88

Your State Street article certainly brought back many memories to us. Another eatery we can’t forget is The Plaza Tavern on North Henry Street, just a half block off State Street. In 1964 they began selling the Plazaburger with their secret sauce. We’ve tried to replicate that sauce for years without success. Each week we would bring them a shopping bag of empty Coke bottles using the deposit refund as a downpayment on Plazaburgers! Try one — they are still in business.

—Janice Carlson Donner ’66 and Jack Donner ’65, MBA’66

After I graduated and moved back to St. Louis, I used to dream about walking up and down State Street. Preston Schmitt’s story really brought back some great memories. I used to live two blocks off the Capitol Square and would walk State Street all the time. I dragged my husband up and down that street years later and was happy that I could still get a gyro from the Parthenon.

—Valerie Goldston ’85

I really enjoyed the State Street article. I attended the UW in the late 1950s and was trying to recall the name of the Italian restaurant in a basement on State Street. There were murals on the walls and the owner would sing along with the opera records he played over the sound system. I would go there frequently with a friend and enjoyed the spaghetti.  It was such a favorite place that I proposed to my future wife there and gave her a small ring (poor-student size). We have now been married 65 years.

—Richard Garberson ’60

State Street was a great street. Was. The last time we strolled it I cried.

The massive departures are too much for this alumnus. You know it’s bad when The Pipefitter closed.

It was an eclectic mix of small quirky shops and restaurants. No, the libs in Madison let the riots during COVID go on and vandalize small businesses. No, I don’t want a Target on State Street, nor do I want every chain restaurant or clothing store. High-rise apartments absolutely killed the State Street vibe.

It’s gone. So unfortunate that the heart and soul of campus life is now commercialized.

No, we won’t be back for our several-times-a-year visit. My heart can’t take it.

—Mary Hotchkiss ’77

Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your walk up State Street. Loved the photos and the info about current and, of course, past businesses.

In Ogg West (1970–71) we ordered a lot of Gargano’s pizzas. One nearby dorm door had maybe a couple dozen Gargano’s bill’s taped to it.

The Pub, Chesty’s, Paul’s when the tree was still alive. Marches to the capitol (tear gas and the occasional police club). I appreciate the forbearance and professionalism of the Madison Police.

It’s so nostalgic for me. Enjoy it. It’s wonderful.

 —Scott Wilcott ’86

Rizkalla’s vignettes re-create the fragmented nature of childhood memory.

In the tumult of adolescence, a child’s home is often among their few constants. But for 12-year-old Sofia, “home” is as subject to change as her preteen friendships and pubescent feelings. In her debut novel, Hungered, Amanda Rizkalla MFA’23 tells a coming-of-age story set amid economic insecurity, fractured family, and the perpetual pursuit of stability.

For the first 12 years of her life, Sofia’s home was the house she shared with her parents and younger brother, Rafa. After her father’s behavior and betrayal drive her mother to take the children and flee, Sofia’s home is the backseat of their sedan, the library bathrooms where they wash up, the strip-mall parking lots in which they camp overnight, and the stretches of highway they travel in between. Through short, vignette-like chapters, readers witness the innocence of childhood, the familiar frustrations of adolescence, and the trials of homelessness compounded with the racism and classism faced by mother and daughter alike.

“I think the form of the vignette is really conducive to writing through the perspective of a 12-year-old because what makes it into each vignette matters just as much as what is left off the page,” Rizkalla says of the book’s unique format. “I wanted to enact the fractured and episodic nature of memory and attention when people are living through a moment of duress.”

Author Shilpi Somaya Gowda calls Hungered a “heartrending debut” that “never romanticizes hardship, yet finds genuine beauty in small acts of grace and the irrepressible hope of childhood.” Rizkalla was a Kemper-Knapp Fellow at the UW and the 2022–23 Hoffman-Halls Emerging Artist Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing.

Just ask a Badger.

“It’s a peak moment, one of the best of my life,” says Sydney Hilley ’20, MS’22, who helped lead UW–Madison to its first volleyball title in 2021. “It was so rewarding to see how happy everyone was, looking at the faces of my teammates crying, knowing how many years of work — our whole lives — led up to that.”

When the women’s hockey team won its record ninth national championship in March, it became the 35th UW team to culminate their season with an NCAA title. These championship teams span nine varsity sports and range from underdogs to dynasties. Each is immortalized in Badger sports lore.

So let’s relive some of the exceptionally dramatic championship runs — and feel what it’s like when the buzzer hits zero.

The Storybook Ending

Volleyball — December 18, 2021

UW volleyball had long been knocking on the door of a national championship. The Badgers reached the regional finals of the NCAA tournament 11 times between 1997 and 2020. Four of those times they advanced to the national semifinal and thrice to the title match. But on each run, they fell agonizingly short of the ultimate prize.

By 2021, the UW program coached by Kelly Sheffield had already secured a place among the elite of college volleyball for its consistent success in a stacked Big Ten conference. But the pressure to deliver on the program’s championship promise had reached an all-time high. With every passing point in every passing tournament — including near-title runs in 2019 and 2020 — you could practically feel an entire fan base holding its collective breath.

And then, a special group of super seniors finally blew the championship door down.

Because the COVID-19 pandemic shortened the 2020 season, the NCAA granted an extra year of playing eligibility. For the 2021 Badgers, that meant the unlikely return of the most dynamic duo in college volleyball: Dana Rettke ’21, the towering 6’8″ middle blocker and former Big Ten Athlete of the Year (and, spoiler alert: eventual National Player of the Year), and Sydney Hilley, the ever-steady and reigning Big Ten Setter of the Year. Hilley and Rettke weren’t just inseparable on the court. They also lived together during all five years of college.

“She was my best friend — still is my best friend,” Hilley says.

Rounding out the super seniors were outside hitter Grace Loberg ’21 and defensive specialists Giorgia Civita MS’22 and Lauren Barnes ’21, MS’22.

None of them had to return to Madison for a fifth college season. There were pro offers. But they had a job to finish.

“This was our last chance to finally go and do it,” Hilley says of winning the championship, “and we knew what it was going to take because we had been close before. We had played together for so long. We loved each other so much. We had the ultimate trust and confidence in each other.”

The fourth-ranked Badgers entered the NCAA tournament on a high after winning the Big Ten championship for a third consecutive year. They swept through the first four rounds of the tournament, with heavy-hitting help from young stars Anna Smrek ’24, Jade Demps x’24, Devyn Robinson ’24, MS’25, and Julia Orzol ’24. At the semifinal in Columbus, Ohio, they outlasted top-ranked and previously undefeated Louisville in a five-set thriller.

Next up: Nebraska — and what would become the longest championship match in college volleyball history.

At first, it felt like déjà vu. The UW dropped the first set 22–25. Then Nebraska raced to a 13–7 lead in the second. Lesser teams might have crumbled, but the Badgers got back into the set with a 4–0 run. From there, it was a prolonged back-and-forth fight, with the UW fending off four set points — including at 28–29. That’s when Rettke took matters into her own hands, finishing off the set with a kill and back-to-back solo blocks against all-American Lauren Stivrins.

“Even if the other team knew that’s where the ball was going, it didn’t matter — she was that good,” Hilley says. “It gave me a lot of confidence to set the ball from anywhere and find her.”

The grueling match continued, featuring two of the best defenses in the nation. The Badgers controlled the net and set a championship record with 24 blocks, including 13 from Rettke. Barnes blanketed the back row with a match-high 31 digs.

The UW squeaked out the third set 25–23; Nebraska the fourth by the same score. And then the Badgers stormed out to a 7–0 lead in the decisive fifth set. At match point, with the UW leading 14–11, a Nebraska hitter smashed the ball out of bounds. The Badgers began to celebrate their big moment at midcourt. But Nebraska challenged the play. After a long review, the refs ruled that the ball had brushed the tip of a Badger finger on the block attempt.

The UW players couldn’t believe the call (and still don’t, Hilley confirms), but the veteran squad quickly regained its composure.

And then, because it had to be, it was Hilley to Rettke — a back set into a violent spike down the line — for the championship point. The team, including Coach Sheffield, broke into tears of relief and joy. The super seniors had finally brought the elusive title home.

“It was the perfect storybook ending,” Hilley says.

The Perfect Defense

Men’s soccer — December 10, 1995

The story of the 1995 UW men’s soccer championship starts with a budget crisis and ends with the most dominant defensive display in NCAA tournament history — five straight shutouts, even after an injury forced a backup goalie into his first real college action.

But if you think this is an underdog story, don’t tell it to the 1995 team.

“We came into the year, legitimately, with the goal of reaching the College Cup,” says Scott Lamphear ’96, the Badgers’ all-American defender and team MVP. “It almost looked like we hated each other, we were so intense in training.”

In 1991, facing a $2 million budget deficit, the UW athletics department made the difficult decision to cut five sports. One of the few beneficiaries was the men’s soccer program, which had previously been allotted two scholarships. Now it could offer the maximum of 10.

Coach Jim Launder made the most of that good fortune, recruiting Lamphear, midfielder Mike Gentile ’97, and forward Travis Roy ’97 — a touted trio from Michigan (the former two being high school teammates). This class would eventually lead the Badgers to glory as seniors.

UW soccer was building on a solid foundation. It had won the regular season conference title in 1991 to qualify for its first NCAA tournament in a decade. Then the scholarship-infused program advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1993, with a memorable win over top-seeded Indiana. The next year, the Badgers qualified for the tournament again but fell short to Southern Methodist University (SMU) in the first round.

With eight returning seniors and some postseason experience, the 1995 squad was as confident as it was determined. The UW’s defense gave up just 11 goals in 25 games, including 17 shutouts. Most of those performances were with goalkeeper Todd Wilson ’98 in net. But after the Badgers blanked Bowling Green to start the NCAA tournament, Wilson dislocated his elbow against William & Mary in the second round. They only had one other goalie on the roster: Jon Belskis ’96.

The walk-on redshirt junior was a massive obstacle: 6’4″, 215 pounds. Yet in his four years at the UW, he had only seen the field twice and never even had to make a save. In fact, he had considered quitting the sport altogether.

But Belskis was brilliant when thrust into action. Leveraging his long limbs to snatch up balls, he didn’t allow a goal in the overtime win against William & Mary — or for the rest of the tournament. It helped that he played behind a nearly impenetrable defense featuring both size and speed.

“When we got the ball, we kept it, and when we didn’t, we were organized,” says Lamphear. “We had amazing athletes who understood the game and worked as a unit. If you got by one of us, there would always be another one there waiting.”

The Badgers got some revenge against SMU, smothering the Mustangs 2–0 to advance to the semifinals. To say they were the afterthought among the four teams heading to Richmond would be an understatement. There was local favorite Virginia, riding a 33-game winning streak and vying for its fifth consecutive title. There was Duke, featuring star freshman strikers who would soon stun Virginia. And there was Portland, with a coach who made history by leading both its men’s and women’s teams to the College Cup.

The Badgers came in with the reputation of a team that didn’t give up many goals — but also didn’t score many. Observing warmups for the semifinal against Portland, Soccer America magazine wrote: “One saw a clue to the Badgers’ low output … shots were flying everywhere but in the goal. One knocked down a walkway barrier and stunned an elderly usher.”

Still, these Badgers were no timid offense. They aggressively controlled the ball against both Portland in the semifinal and Duke in the championship, combining to outshoot them 31–9.

Against Portland, the Badgers finally converted in the 64th minute when Lars Hansen ’95 took a sliding goal-line pass from Gentile and tapped it into the net for the only goal of the game.

In the championship match, Hansen again tipped in an easy shot that had bounced off a Duke defender at the eight-minute mark. (Not a bad showing for the Norwegian forward who, according to Launder, literally walked on to the team after passing by a practice and asking if he could join.)

Matching Duke’s breakneck pace, the Badgers broke through again in the 63rd minute. Junior defender Chad Cole x’97 kicked in a rebound for his first goal of the season.

“There was no chance we were losing the game after that shot. I said right after, we were no longer going for the win. We were going for the shutout,” Lamphear says.

And that’s what they did. The UW’s feat of five consecutive shutouts in the NCAA tournament had never been done before and has never been repeated.

As Gentile told media after the game: “Don’t call us a fluke. Don’t call us a Cinderella team. This is a great team.”