Wisconsin Union Theater: Grammy Winner Terence Blanchard Will Pay Tribute to Living Jazz Legend Wayne Shorter During Nov. 5 Performance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 14, 2021

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu 
Phone: (608) 262-8862

GRAMMY WINNER TERENCE BLANCHARD WILL PAY TRIBUTE TO LIVING JAZZ LEGEND WAYNE SHORTER DURING NOV. 5 PERFORMANCE

MADISON – The Wisconsin Union Theater team presents a performance featuring Oscar-nominated, Grammy-winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard, who will pay tribute to his mentor Wayne Shorter in a special collaborative project, called ABSENCE, with The E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet on Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Shannon Hall at Memorial Union.

For Blanchard, this project presents an opportunity to pay homage to Shorter and his 50 years of creating and performing music as well as his jazz innovation. Blanchard says that Shorter’s music shaped his musical identity.

Called the world’s greatest living jazz composer by The New Yorker, saxophonist Shorter founded the jazz fusion group the Weather Report, recorded more than a dozen albums, played in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and composed pieces for the group, as well as performed in and composed for Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet.

His protégé Blanchard has become a jazz icon, as well, with a career that includes composing more than 40 film scores, winning five Grammys, receiving two Oscar nominations, and recently becoming the first Black composer to have his work performed by the Metropolitan Opera.

The Nov. 5 program will include compositions by Shorter as well as original pieces from Blanchard’s quintet The E-Collective. The E-Collective’s original works aim to weave in musical storytelling, which is a hallmark of Shorter’s compositions and performances. Patrons will experience how Blanchard embeds his passion for social justice in his musical storytelling.

“You feel the level of intolerance that exists for people who ignore other people’s pain. Musically, I can’t ignore that,” Blanchard said. “I can’t add to that intolerance. Instead, I have to help people heal from it.”

Patrons can purchase tickets to the in-person performance through the Campus Arts Ticketing website or at the Memorial Union Box Office. Current University of Wisconsin–Madison students, staff and faculty as well as Wisconsin Union members are eligible for discounted tickets. Ticket prices range from $10-50.

Patrons are welcome to arrive at Memorial Union early and enjoy a beverage at the Shannon Sunset Lounge across from the Shannon Hall lobby or food and beverages at the Memorial Union’s many on-site dining options.

Tickets for most Wisconsin Union Theater season events are also available for purchase, with the exception of single tickets for a April 30, 2022, concert with opera legend Renée Fleming and the Black Arts Matter Festival, which will go on sale in early 2022.

Wisconsin Union Theater patrons and all Wisconsin Union team members must follow the current UW–Madison health and safety protocol of wearing a face covering when indoors on campus, unless actively eating or drinking. The Theater team has established the temporary additional health and safety measure of ensuring 20 feet of space between performers and audiences in performance spaces. The Wisconsin Union team also thoroughly and regularly cleans and disinfects its spaces.

Patrons can click here for more information about the upcoming performance.

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

The Wisconsin Union Theater’s (WUT’s) mission is to present, promote and cultivate a lifelong appreciation of the performing arts, especially among University of Wisconsin–Madison students. For more than 75 years, WUT has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. Through a student-led committee, WUT presents an annual season of up to 40 events. Additionally, the Theater serves numerous renters on and off campus for graduations, lectures, conferences, and performances by university departments, registered student organizations, and community organizations. The Wisconsin Union Theater is committed to social justice and works to create an equitable, diverse, and inclusive place for patrons, staff and performers.

Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

[Click here to download a photo of Terence Blanchard. Photo by Henry Adebonojo.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/absence.

Wisconsin Homecoming Committee and Wisconsin Union Invite All to Homecoming 2021 Events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 11, 2021

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director, Wisconsin Union
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-8862

WISCONSIN HOMECOMING COMMITTEE AND WISCONSIN UNION INVITE ALL TO HOMECOMING 2021 EVENTS

MADISON – After a 2020 Homecoming of completely virtual festivities, the Wisconsin Homecoming Committee and the Wisconsin Union invite all to Homecoming festivities Oct. 24-31, including a parade, free hot chocolate, a Badger Bash tailgate celebration and more.

Some of the events attendees can experience include the following:

• Coloring contest, Sept. 20-Oct. 11
• Cocoa with Hoco kickoff event, Oct. 25, 9 a.m.-noon
• RED Talk, Oct. 25
• UW‒Madison Homecoming blood drive, Oct. 26-28
• Be the Match swab drive, Oct. 26, 2-5 p.m.
• Badger fan food specials, Oct. 26, 2-4 p.m.
• Multicultural Homecoming yard show hosted by the Wisconsin Alumni Association, Oct. 29, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
• Homecoming parade, Oct. 29, 6 p.m.
• Homecoming block party hosted by the Wisconsin Alumni Association, Oct. 29, 7-9 p.m.
• Badger Bash: Wisconsin vs. Iowa, Oct. 30, 8:30 a.m.

Attendees can read the most current list of events here: wiscohoco.com/2021-homecoming-events. The Committee, the Wisconsin Union and others will continue to add events to the calendar. The Committee encourages attendees to monitor the events listings to plan their Homecoming activities. All events are free and open to the public. 2021 marks the 110th anniversary of homecoming celebrations at UW‒Madison.

One of the most beloved Homecoming traditions, the Homecoming parade, will return with Bucky Badger; the UW Spirit Squad; the Bucky Wagon; the UW Alumni Band; the Madison Area Jugglers; the Black Star Drum Line; the University of Wisconsin Marching Band; circus artists from Head Over Wheels, who specialize in the German wheel; high wheel bicyclist Jonathan Bee; and professional clown Bingo the Balloon Clown. The Committee and Union-run parade will feature a trick-or-treat with Bucky theme and, in keeping with the theme, plenty of candy for attendees. The parade will begin on Langdon Street at 6 p.m., proceed to Wisconsin Avenue between Langdon Street and Gilman Street, travel along Gilman Street to State Street and then continue to Lake Street. 

Homecoming parade participants will include more than two dozen organizations, including but not limited to the Alpha Kappa Chapter of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.; Dance Elite; The Madhatters; Redefined A Cappella; the Wisconsin Premiere Dance Team; Wisconsin Racing; and the Wisconsin Singers.

Numerous campus leaders and talented students will appear in the parade, including Chancellor Rebecca Blank and 2021 Big Ten Track champion and Olympic trial athlete Destiny Huven.

The Committee and the Union invite UW‒Madison registered student organizations (RSOs) and UW‒Madison departments to submit events for the official Homecoming event calendar. Events must take place between Oct. 24-31, be free, be open to the public, and be submitted by Oct. 15. Departments and RSOs can submit events here.

“I am very excited to be able to bring together the greater campus community through Homecoming Week,” Wisconsin Homecoming Committee President Grace Sexton said. “Our committee is thrilled to be able to hold in-person events on campus. I am particularly excited for the Homecoming parade to take place on State Street once again, as it has been my favorite event since I began at UW‒Madison. I look forward to spending a week celebrating with my fellow students, University of Wisconsin‒Madison faculty and staff, and the greater Madison community in just a few short weeks.”

The Wisconsin Homecoming Committee is a non-profit, student-run organization that aims to bring together the Badger community to celebrate what it means to be a Wisconsin Badger, whether someone is a Badger or a Badger-at-heart. This year’s Committee executive board members include President Grace Sexton, Vice President Samantha Henschel, Director of Marketing and Communications Lara Klein, and Community Events Chair Danny Gattoni.

2021 marks the 110th anniversary of homecoming celebrations at UW‒Madison. Due to COVID-19, the Committee held a virtual version of the festivities in 2020.  The members look forward to celebrating the annual commemoration event in-person.

In light of COVID-19, patrons must wear face covering indoors when not actively eating or drinking. Guests do not need to wear face coverings outdoors but are welcome to do so. The Committee and the Union appreciate attendees’ help in creating a safe Homecoming celebration.

Those interested in attending Homecoming can visit wiscohoco.com for official UW‒Madison Homecoming celebration information.

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About the Wisconsin Homecoming Committee

The mission of the Wisconsin Homecoming Committee is to bring together the Badger community by providing opportunities to honor Wisconsin tradition. Empowered by UW‒Madison Student Affairs, the Homecoming Committee reaches out to the student body, alumni, and community members to celebrate what it means to be a Wisconsin Badger. Learn more about the Committee: wiscohoco.com.

About the Wisconsin Union

The Wisconsin Union enhances the lives of members and visitors through recreational, cultural, educational and social opportunities. Formed in 1907, the Wisconsin Union is a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more about the Union and its tradition of providing experiences for a lifetime: union.wisc.edu.  

[Click here to download Homecoming photos.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/homecoming-2021.

WPS Health Insurance explains Open Enrollment Periods

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Corporate Communications
608-512-5754
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

WPS Health Insurance explains Open Enrollment Periods

MADISON, Wis.—Oct. 7, 2021—Depending on the field you work in or what time of year it is, you’ve probably heard the phrase Open Enrollment Period. You may have questions about what Open Enrollment is, why it matters, or even why it exists in the first place.

In the health insurance industry, Open Enrollment is the time every year, typically in the fall, when you’re able to sign up for a new health insurance plan or make adjustments to your existing insurance plan. 

Different types of insurance, different enrollment periods

Many types of health insurance have enrollment periods. Employer-based health insurance, Medicare, and individual health insurance all offer Open Enrollment Periods. The big difference is these plans operate on different timelines and each has its own distinct Open Enrollment Period. 

“Knowing when you can or cannot enroll in health insurance is vital,” explained Jim Baird, Executive Vice President of WPS Health Insurance. “Whatever type of health insurance you plan on using, it’s crucial to understand when each particular Open Enrollment Period begins and ends.”

For example, with employer-based health insurance, the Open Enrollment Period is set by the employer. It can occur at any time throughout the year but is usually set in the fall.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Open Enrollment for individuals and families runs from Nov. 1, 2021, to Jan. 15, 2022. People can typically only buy health coverage for themselves or their family during this time unless they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. People who miss this window can still buy a short-term health plan.

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), also called Medicare Open Enrollment, runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 each year. That’s the time when Medicare beneficiaries can switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan or vice versa. Medicare supplement plans have different Open Enrollment Periods that are determined by each state’s Medicare supplement insurance rules; anyone who has Original Medicare can sign up for one of those anytime if they can pass a few health underwriting questions. Beneficiaries cannot have a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medicare supplement at the same time.

Why Open Enrollment matters

Someone might think that missing an Open Enrollment Period may not matter because they can just sign up next year, but that could be risky thinking. Missing an Open Enrollment Period could mean going without coverage completely or ending up with inadequate health insurance coverage.   

Typically, Open Enrollment is the only time you can enroll in a health insurance plan or make changes to your existing plan unless you experience a qualifying life event. 

What’s a qualifying life event?

Qualifying life events can cover a broad range of scenarios depending on your health insurance company and your particular plan. Qualifying life events can include, but are not limited to:

• Involuntarily losing health coverage 
• Getting married
• Having or adopting a child

When someone experiences a qualifying life event, that person becomes eligible for a Special Enrollment Period. This means the person can add a spouse or child to their current coverage. It also means they may be eligible to enroll in a new health insurance plan when starting a new job. 

A Special Enrollment Period for events such as getting married or having a child do not remain open indefinitely. When these events happen, it’s a good idea to move quickly to find new coverage or adjust an existing plan.

Why do enrollment periods exist?

Open Enrollment Periods encourage everyone to sign up for health insurance whether they are currently healthy or not. 

“Enrollment periods provide an incentive for people to sign up for coverage and to play it safe by enrolling sooner rather than later,” Baird said. “Plus, when more people have coverage, it helps make health insurance more affordable for everyone.”

About WPS Health Insurance

As one of the largest health benefits providers in the state, Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Insurance) remains not-for-profit and offers high-quality health plans to the public and private sectors. Headquartered in Madison, Wis., WPS Health Insurance offers Preferred Provider Organization health plans for individuals and groups, third-party administrator services, plus Medicare supplement plans and Medicare prescription drug plans. Visit wpshealth.com for more information.

About WPS Health Plan

WPS Health Plan, Inc. (WPS Health Plan) is a local, customer-focused choice in a crowd of national health insurance giants. Based in Green Bay, Wis., WPS Health Plan continues its tradition of Wisconsin-based service and is always looking for ways to make owning and using health insurance easier. WPS Health Plan offers Health Maintenance Organization and Point-of-Service plans to the group and individual markets in eastern and north-central Wisconsin, plus third-party administrator services. Visit wpshealth.com/healthplan for more information.

Wisconsin Union: Distinguished Lecture Series Speaker and Onion.com Founder Scott Dikkers Knows How to Write Funny and Build Brands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 4, 2021

Contact: Shauna Breneman
Phone: (608) 262-8862
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES SPEAKER AND ONION.COM FOUNDER SCOTT DIKKERS KNOWS HOW TO WRITE FUNNY AND BUILD BRANDS

Comedy empire creator will talk about building a world-renowned brand, fake news, marketing, and a work culture of honesty and creative freedom

MADISON – Scott Dikkers made a business out of mocking popular culture and producing news satire in creating the world’s first humor website TheOnion.com and helping establish the Onion newspaper. Patrons can attend a talk by this comedy empire-founder on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. in Shannon Hall at Memorial Union as part of the free Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) Committee’s lecture series. 

During the talk, called “The Funny Story Behind Funny Stories,” Dikkers will share his story of building a world-renowned brand with almost no marketing budget and developing a creative culture of brutal honesty and freedom.

The Onion began as a small campus publication in 1988 in Madison, Wis., created by University of Wisconsin-Madison students Tim Keck and Christopher Johnson. Dikkers began his involvement with The Onion by creating cartoons for the first few issues and helping the students name the publication. He says that by the third issue he became the de facto editor.

After the first year, its founders sold The Onion to multiple people, including Dikkers. Dikkers founded TheOnion.com in 1996. Today, readers can access The Onion solely online where its legacy of making fun of everything and providing fake news unapologetically and intentionally continues.

His talent for humor sprang from a challenging childhood during which he sought escape through comedy and writing. As a child, he endured bullying and watched his parents’ marriage dissolve all while experiencing hardships caused by poverty. Dikkers, who has brought laughter and levity into people’s lives for decades, attempted suicide at eight years old.

He climbed his way through his pain with the help of Mad, a satirical magazine, which in part inspired his passion for comedy. He channeled this love for comedy and finding the humor in the mundane into the creation of a popular comic strip, called Jim’s Journal, and a career in voice acting, before joining The Onion team.

Today, he is the longest serving editor-in-chief of The Onion and the author and co-author of many books, including “Our Dumb World,” “Our Dumb Century,” and “Outrageous Marketing,” and currently hosts “The Comedy Insider Podcast.”

Seating for this free event is available on a first come, first served basis. Dikkers’s talk will be followed by a 30-minute question and answer session.

Additional WUD DLS lecture opportunities include a lecture, question and answer session and book signing with Dr. Reuben Jonathan Miller, Ph.D., on Nov. 9. Dr. Miller is a sociologist, criminologist, social worker and University of Chicago associate professor whose 2021 debut book “Halfway Home: Race, Punishment and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration” compiles 15 years of research on life after prison.

The WUD DLS Committee brings engaging and influential people to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus to encourage thought-provoking conversations. WUD includes 11 committees and six Wisconsin Hoofers clubs that program thousands of events each year.

More information about the upcoming DLS event is available here.

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About the Wisconsin Union Directorate Distinguished Lecture Series Committee

The Wisconsin Union Directorate Distinguished Lecture Series Committee contributes to the educational experience of University of Wisconsin–Madison students, Wisconsin Union members and community members by bringing engaging and influential people to campus. Founded in 1987, the series aims to expose the campus community to a diverse and vibrant array of people, backgrounds, and ideas. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/dls.
[Note: Click here to download a photo of Scott Dikkers. Photo by Nicki Fietzer.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/scott-dikkers.

‘WPS Diversity in Insurance’ scholarship expands to include programming and additional financial support

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Corporate Communications
608-512-5754
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

‘WPS Diversity in Insurance’ scholarship expands to include programming and additional financial support

MADISON, Wis.—Sept. 23, 2021—WPS Health Solutions has expanded its support of five Madison College students currently enrolled in the Risk Management and Insurance Program through the ‘WPS Diversity in Insurance’ scholarship. 

In 2020, The WPS Charitable Foundation established the scholarship to allow underrepresented students the opportunity to earn an insurance certificate through Madison College. The Urban League of Greater Madison worked with Madison College to enroll students in the 14-credit Insurance Certificate for the Business Professional program under full scholarships.

A second financial commitment of $25,000 to the Madison College Foundation from the WPS Charitable Foundation broadens the depth and breadth of WPS’ impact to more than a financial contribution. Programming will now include additional support for the scholarship recipients, including:

• Continued financial commitment
• Academic support
• Mentorship and networking
• Designated internships at WPS Health Solutions

Additionally, the scholarship will now fund a 35-credit technical diploma for the students instead of a professional certificate. With this change, students will:

• Qualify for additional financial aid, if necessary
• Receive additional time to be integrated with WPS Health Solutions
• Complete an internship as a required component of the program
• Gain a deeper and broader background in insurance with the additional programming and internship

“The additional academic support and funding from WPS Health Solutions will provide five full scholarships to students who have been historically underrepresented in the insurance industry,” said Dr. Jack Daniels, president of Madison College. “These scholarships will allow students to attain a broad knowledge of the industry and increased knowledge of career opportunities that will lead to successful employment in the insurance industry.”

“We are proud to partner with Madison College and the Urban League of Greater Madison to intentionally increase representation across a field that has historically been homogenous,” said Jihan Bekiri, WPS Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “We are inspired by our 2021/22 scholarship recipients and are committed to their future success.”

This scholarship program is a key component of WPS Health Solutions’ investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The scholarship is intended to help diversify the pipeline of talent while building authentic relationships with community organizations.

About WPS Health Solutions
Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions), founded in 1946, is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. WPS Health Solutions serves active-duty and retired military personnel, seniors, individuals, and families in Wisconsin, across the U.S., and around the world. WPS Health Solutions, headquartered in Madison, Wis., has more than 3,100 employees. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions: WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

About Madison College
Madison College serves more than 33,000 students throughout a 12-county district in south-central Wisconsin, offering nearly 180 diverse career programs, diplomas, and certificates. Its mission is to provide open access to quality higher education that fosters lifelong learning and success in the communities it serves. Madison College is the second-largest institution in the Wisconsin Technical College System.

About the Urban League of Greater Madison
The mission of the Urban League of Greater Madison is to ensure that African Americans and other community members are educated, employed, and empowered to live well, advance professionally, and contribute to the common good in the 21st century. The Workforce Development team provides connections between high-demand industries and job seekers in the community. For more information, please visit ulgm.org.