REAP Food Group’s “Collard Fest” happening July 8

Join us Tuesday, July 8 from 6–9 PM at Olbrich Gardens for Collard Fest—a free community celebration of food, culture, and connection. Enjoy West African and Caribbean cuisine prepared by local chefs, explore a farm stand with fresh veggies from Firm Footing Farm, and experience an evening of storytelling, music, and garden learning.

6:00–8:30 PM
• Food Vendors: Enjoy collard greens and other dishes rooted in African diaspora foodways from Traderoots (Chef Yusuf Bin-Rella & REAP), Rasta Barista, and Woo’s Food to the Soul.
• Farm Stand: Stock up on fresh produce from Firm Footing Farm, a space cultivating equity and experimentation in agriculture.
• Discovery Cart & Companion Plantings: Learn how collards grow alongside celosia and calendula, and see how Olbrich’s Herb Garden is tracking pollinator activity.

6:30–7:00 PM
• Storytelling Pop-Up: Hosted by writer and educator Qwantese Winters, this storytelling session features first memories of collard greens shared by Vivian King and Charles Payne.

7:00–8:30 PM
• Live Music by Sinkane: Experience the genre-bending sounds of Sudanese-American artist Ahmed Gallab, fusing funk, Afro-beat, gospel, and soul in a joyful, high-energy concert.

Collard Fest is a vibrant gathering rooted in community, culture, and the shared nourishment of land and story. Reserve your free ticket at olbrich.org/calendar/collard-fest.

Terrace Chairling plushie Colby Miller makes his debut

The Wisconsin Union team has welcomed its newest Terrace Chairling plushie, the orange, sunglasses-clad Colby Miller, to shelves at Badger Markets at Memorial Union and Union South and to its online store, terracestore.union.wisc.edu. 

Colby features the Union’s trademarked sunburst design on his orange body, soft arms and legs, and a weighted base that allows him to sit upright. His last name, Miller, pays homage to his Allis-Chalmers orange color and the Allis-Chalmers milling equipment manufactured in Wisconsin. 

Colby and his fellow Chairlings first debuted in digital form on Wisconsin Union social media and the Union’s blog TerraceViews.org in 2022. The Union team introduced him as an adventurous character who strives to live in the moment and loves trying new things, such as new food and outdoor activities. 

Colby is the third in the Wisconsin Union’s Chairling plushie line. The first, the green Maple Fields, debuted in November 2024, followed by the yellow Ray Laken in April 2025. 

The plushies are inspired by the Union’s well-known yellow, green and orange full-size, metal sunburst Terrace chairs, which appear seasonally at the team’s lakefront, outdoor dining and entertainment destination, the Memorial Union Terrace. For almost 100 years, the Terrace has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors annually for lakeside dining as well as free and low-cost events. 

The Chairlings’ colors and the color of the Terrace chairs that inspired them reflect Wisconsin’s agricultural heritage and the beauty of Wisconsin’s seasons: John Deere green, Allis-Chalmers orange, and sunshine yellow.

Wisconsin Union Graphic Designer and Production Artist Emily Swanson created the Chairling plushie concept and designed the Chairling plushies as an intern at the Union while studying at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. 

 “From his bright orange color to his adorable sunglasses, we hope Chairling plushie Colby Miller brings joy to people’s homes and offices and reminds people of their adventures at the Memorial Union Terrace,” said Shauna Breneman, Wisconsin Union public relations and communications officer. “Terrace joy is ageless and an almost century-long Madison tradition that we are excited to share in plushie form with Terrace lovers around the world.”

Patrons can shop for plushies and other in-house designed Wisconsin Union and Terrace-themed gifts, accessories, and apparel at Badger Markets at Memorial Union and Union South and online. Patrons can also find in-house developed food and beverages at Wisconsin Union dining options, such as the Union’s line of naturally caffeinated, fruit juice-infused sparkling waters, called Sunburst Sparkler, developed in partnership with Madison-based Karben4. 

The Union’s Terrace-themed plushies are the only authorized Terrace-themed plushies in the world. The Wisconsin Union team does not plan to debut any additional Chairling plushie characters at this time. 

Purchases of Wisconsin Union products, such as the Chairling plushies, support the nonprofit Wisconsin Union’s work to provide gathering spaces, events and student leadership opportunities, some of which provide academic stipends up to 80% of students’ in-state tuition. 

For more information about the plushies Colby Miller, Ray Laken and Maple Fields, visit union.wisc.edu/plushie.

The Center Reaches $31M Historic Capital Campaign Goal Fueled by Your Support

On this eve of Juneteenth, as the nation reflects on the freedom and collective strength and brilliance of the Black community, we are elated to share that with your support, we have done what many thought was impossible. Together, we’ve achieved our goal of raising $31 million to make a debt-free Center a reality!

We’ll be releasing this exciting news tomorrow, on Juneteenth, but we wanted to share our big announcement with you first, our major supporters who have played an invaluable role in the vitality and success of The Center’s capital raise. We would not be here without you, and we express our heartfelt gratitude for believing in us!

This enormous achievement was fueled by early donations of 300-plus Black community members and their honorees that inspired a region-wide coalition of over 1,200 individuals, families, companies and foundations to support The Center.

We are so grateful for our lead contributors who gave $1 million or more to ensure that The Center’s capital raise would be a success. These lead donors include:

• American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation
• Ascendium
• Dane County
• New Market Tax Credits led by Forward Community Investments and U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance
• State of Wisconsin
• Summit Credit Union
• TruStage
• federal grants championed by Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representative Mark Pocan

Summit Credit Union’s $2 million gift, presented by President & CEO Kim Sponem at the capital campaign launch in late 2021, was instrumental in generating early momentum.

Ascendium was another of The Center’s early lead donors. Earlier this month, during the final stretch of the campaign, Ascendium provided a monumental second gift, contributing $626,000 to complete The Center’s capital campaign and ensure a debt-free opening. Thank you, Ascendium, for your incredible support that helped us cross the finish line!

The Center has begun raising funds for innovative programming and long-term building care—both essential to its future. Continued community support is vital to sustain and grow The Center’s impact for years to come. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2025.

While our capital campaign has come to a close, our journey is just beginning. We are excited to welcome you to The Center soon, and to continue to partner with you as we strive to elevate Black brilliance, innovation, and advancement throughout Wisconsin’s Black community.

Edgewood College Launches New Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia Program

Madison, Wis. (June 18, 2025) – Edgewood College is pleased to announce the launch of the Doctor of Nursing Practice: Nurse Anesthesia (DNPNA) program. Designed to prepare highly skilled, compassionate Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), this advanced practice degree equips graduates to provide safe, comprehensive anesthesia care across a broad spectrum of healthcare settings. The three-year hybrid curriculum begins with a blend of online and in-person coursework in the first year, followed by intensive clinical practicum experiences in years two and three.

“The professionals who will join us this fall can look forward to enhancing and expanding their caregiving career,” Quinn Mullikin, Ph.D., DNP, RN, Dean-Select of the Henry Predolin School of Nursing, Business, Education, and Health Sciences, said. “We look forward to delivering a multidisciplinary program that will play a meaningful role in shaping leaders ready for today’s complex healthcare environments, across Wisconsin, and across the Midwest.”

The inaugural cohort will begin in August 2025. Fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), the DNPNA offering is led by Dr. Ann R. Madden, DNP, CRNA, as Program Director, and Dr. Kelly Sinutko, DNP, CRNA, as Assistant Director. Established to address the increasing need for anesthesia services, particularly in rural settings where CRNAs are often the sole anesthesia providers, this program aims to strengthen access to high-quality care in underserved areas.

Graduates will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination (NCE) administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) and qualify for licensure as a CRNA and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).

Note: The name of the institution will officially change to Edgewood University effective July 1, 2025.

About Edgewood College
Located in Madison, Wis., Edgewood College is a comprehensive, Catholic college in the Dominican tradition. We serve approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The College offers more than 40 academic and professional programs, including master’s degrees in business, education, and nursing, and doctoral degrees in educational leadership, nursing practice, and business administration. Edgewood College is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the National Collegiate Athletics Association and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. For more information about Edgewood College, please visit www.edgewood.edu, or call Ed Taylor at 608-663-2333. 

Dane County Food Collective to host “Experience the Elements — A Celebratory Feast”

Something special is happening at Cadre on June 29. Join The Dane County Food Collective for an intimate, one-night “Elements Dinner,” a culinary and artistic journey inspired by the latest edition of The Shallot: Journal of Mental Health, Art, and Literature.

This isn’t just a meal; it’s an immersive experience where food, storytelling, and soul unite. Our visionary chefs have crafted an exclusive vegan menu that brings “The Elements” — Earth, Air, Fire, and Water — to life on your plate, alongside a celebration of the incredible art from our new journal.

The Shallot Dinner always sells out, and tickets are extremely limited for this unique event. Don’t miss your chance to connect with great people, enjoy insanely delicious food, and immerse yourself in creativity.

Buy your tickets here

Check out the menu below:

Menu

Pre-Dinner Cash Bar
With Live Music and complimentary snacks provided by Chef Evan Dannells

Frijolitos
Black-Eyed Peas, Bollitos, Sofrito
Served with Mushroom Chai

Beet Poke Bowl
Beets, Cucumbers, Carrots, Radish, Edamame, Rice
Served with Pomegranate Rosemary Fizz

Mushroom Parm Pasta
Breaded Oyster Mushroom, Marinara, Penne
Served with Cucumber Lemon Basil Sparkler

Dessert
Foraged Acorn Pudding