Family Weekend at UW-Stout is back to in-person events this spring, inviting students’ families and supporters to visit Menomonie and spend time together on campus.
Events kick off Friday, April 8, and run through Sunday, April 10. On Friday night, Blue Devil Productions is sponsoring a premier comedy show at 8 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center, Great Hall.
Join nationally recognized comedians Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher on a tour through their VHS collection. Watch as they resurrect their forgotten video treasures. Seats for the show are first-come, first-served.
Families and friends can stop by the Sports and Fitness Center for open recreation with Urec or the indoor rock climbing wall with Stout Adventures, grab Blue Devil gear and gifts at StoutFitters or pop into the family photo booth in the student center. The historic Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts on Main Street, just a block from the Bowman Hall Clock Tower, will host free guided tours.
Students can treat their guests to brunch on campus with University Dining from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 9 and April 10, in the Merle M. Price Commons Cafeteria and North Point Cafeteria. With a baseline meal plan, the cost is $6.60, or $7.75 without.
Many events are first-come, first-served, so guests are encouraged to register ahead of time. Contact the Involvement Center at familyweekend@uwstout.edu or 715-232-1765 with questions.
“We’re so excited to be bringing back an in-person Family Weekend this spring,” said Student Affairs Manager Krista Proksch. “There’s something special about seeing our students proudly walk their families around campus to show them their life here at Stout. It’s one of our favorite weekends of the year, and we look forward to helping our students and families reconnect through some great events.”
A weekend full of events
- Amazing Race scavenger hunt: 3 to 5 p.m. on April 8, student center, Involvement Center. Receive clues relating to campus locations, with sets of challenges to see who can complete them the fastest.
- Sip and Paint, led by art education students: 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on April 9, student center, the Terrace. Registration is required and will be open to 70 people.
- Stout Secrets Tour: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on April 9, student center, Cedar/Maple Room. Join the university archivist for a 60-minute presentation to learn about campus and its history. Availability is first come, first served and is open to 90 people.
- Psychology in Action: 1 to 2 p.m. on April 9, Harvey Hall Psychology Lab, room 479. Watch your brain in action.
- StoutProud Bingo: two rounds at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on April 9, student center, the Terrace. Win StoutProud themed prizes.
- Education Abroad Experience: two sessions at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on April 9, student center, Cedar/Maple Room. Learn about study abroad options, how to apply, costs and deadlines.
- Live music with Sad House Guest, yard games and caricature portraits: 2 to 5 p.m. on April 9, student center outdoor amphitheater.
Relay for Life
Colleges Against Cancer, a campus student club, is hosting a Relay for Life from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. beginning April 8, at the Johnson Fieldhouse Multipurpose Room. The relay is open to the public. Participants may register or donate online at the UW-Stout Relay for Life page.
“As an org on campus, Colleges Against Cancer works in tandem with the American Cancer Society to spread the word and awareness for all kinds of cancers, as well as fundraise for the research efforts to help find a cure. At the event, people can meet with survivors, donate, win prizes, eat good food, play games and walk for a cause,” said Relay for Life coordinator Maddie Wilmot, a marketing and business education senior from Osceola.
Fashion Without Fabric
Fashion Without Fabric will be held 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, in the student center. The show is being reimagined this year, moving away from the traditional runway show, as participants will tour through the Great Hall and the ballrooms to witness students’ designs.
There are 225 students enrolled in the 3D Design course, who are creating designs for the show, with an estimated 110 to 115 projects following the theme of “Reimagining the Matrix, Fashion Responses to Systems and Structures.”
The show is open to the public. Tickets may be purchased online, beginning Wednesday, March 23, or at the service desk in the Memorial Student Center. The event is expected to sell out quickly.
Cathie Weissman, a financial specialist for the School of Art and Design, helps coordinate the event and secures supplies for the students’ designs. “I like people to attend to see what art and design is all about – it’s not just painting or ceramics. It's so much more,” she said. “For Fashion Without Fabric, students are taking a vision based on the theme and bringing it to life – from ideation to prototype to their final piece. It’s fantastic.”
