The Wisconsin Alumni Association YouTube channel brings community and connection to Badgers everywhere. Morgan Sachs
What’s your one-stop shop for recharging your Badger spirit, catching an interview with comic Charlie Berens ’09, brushing up on your knowledge of craft beer, and learning how to get better sleep?
It’s the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) YouTube channel — or rather, U-Tube channel, if the U stood for university, useful, upbeat, and unique. In 2020, virtual streams garnered more than 90,000 total views, six times as many Badger graduates and friends as WAA engaged at in-person events in 2019.
Just one example: if you missed this fall’s football season, it’s not too late to get your Wisconsin fix with the BADGER HUDDLE Armchair Pregames. Videos included armchairs and tailgate spreads set up in favorite locations so fans could still enjoy Game Day traditions, prompting comments such as this one from Kathleen Otterson ’80, MM’95: “The afghans are a nice touch! Pure WISCO.”
Virtual Homecoming featured the UW Marching Band and director Corey Pompey, homespun advice from Berens, and a rendition of “Varsity” by Broadway legend André De Shields ’70. Enrichment programs included a virtual happy hour with beer expert Robin Shepard PhD’93 and alumni craft brewers, as well as a video called “Better Sleep, Better Health” with Professor of Medicine Steven Barczi that has drawn over 2,400 views so far.
On a more serious note, the UW Now series keeps alumni on top of subjects such as COVID-19. Another enrichment program tackled the topic of how the outcome of the 2020 U.S. elections will influence foreign policy.
And those are just some of the offerings so far. “We’re so pleased that we can bring a sense of community and connection to Badgers everywhere through our videos,” says WAA chief alumni officer and executive director Sarah Schutt. “And we have lots more exciting content coming up.”
Shaun Aukland ’10 might have summed it up best when he commented in the chat section of one video, “Proud of WAA for this pivot during distancing.”
Thanks, Shaun. That’s exactly what we’re going for!
Published in the Spring 2021 issue
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