Washington Weekend Blog

A walk through campus at Washington Weekend

2008-04-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

So I'm walking through the Quad and heading up the stairs past the art and music buildings on my way back to the Alumni House. There's a string quartert seated at the top of the steps and they're obviously playing a tune. I've got my iPod going strong but I decide to switch it off for a second just to give these students some credit. And who knows, maybe they're good and it's worth listening to. It is Washington Weekend after all, and we're supposed to be taking in everything the UW has to offer.

Well, turns out they were just starting up Stairway to Heaven and I didn't move a muscle for the next 10 minutes...except, of course, for the smile that crept across my face.

An hour-long stroll through campus today yielded some great Washington Weekend moments. I purchased a nifty piece of artwork from the School of Art, and at a great price too! I visited the Earth & Space Sciences bBuilding and checked out the UW Seismology Lab. It was exciting to walk past the signs that said "Restricted Access." I learned a few interesting tidbits about earthquakes in the Puget Sound region, too.

I also scouted the papermaking process at Bloedel Hall and generally soaked up the scene on campus. For my first Washington Weekend, I'm pretty happy with the way things are going. It's a lot of fun, and there's still one more day to go!!!

Tomorrow is the Huskies' spring football game and that should be fun. My prediction: Dawgs win!

President Emmert dedicates UW Tower

2008-04-25T15:27:00.000-07:00

The UW Tower ceremony was great, with the Husky Marching Band playing on the plaza (a great spot for the band - made them sound like 100!), and Spirit, the "real," "official" Husky mascot of the University of Washington.

President Mark Emmert spoke, as did Safeco CEO Paula Reynolds, who presented Emmert with an enormous brass key, supposedly the "Key to the Tower." Also, considering Emmert won't leave his office in Gerberding Hall and won't be taking an office on the 22nd floor, she gave him a framed photo print of the southeast view from the 22nd floor (looking over the UW campus), so that he could have the view wherever he offices. There were 300-500 people on the plaza for the event. Tours of the building continued until 2 p.m.

"Working at the UW" event draws rave reviews

2008-04-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

Around 50 UW alumni and graduating seniors potentially interested in employment at the University of Washington attended Thursday night's "Working at the UW" event at the Alumni House. On hand to provide information about the University's hiring process and where the hot jobs currently are were a dozen employment specialists from UW Human Resources. Representatives from UWAA Career Services and the UW Career Center also were available to offer job search tips.

Following the event, one of the alumni participants emailed us and said: My appreciation, my thanks, for the Working at the UW Alumni Open House. It was a wonderful event!

Day 2 of Washington Weekend is off and running. Stay tuned for more info...

Domke's "Last Word" should last a lifetime

2008-04-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

Friday is here and so is the sun. Hallelujah!

I attended the "Who Gets the Last Word?" lecture last night at Kane Hall, and I've got to say it was something I really enjoyed. David Domke, associate professor of communications, delivered the lecture and I just think he did a wonderful job.

I'd heard that in years past those who were honored by the senior class to give the Last Word lecture chose to make their speech a little unconventional, a little offbeat. Domke did nothing of the sort, but he did leave those of us in attendance with a message and a mindset that really hits home. My guess is that his words will make a difference in the lives of those who came to the lecture. It won't for all of them. But it will for a few. And that's saying a lot.

Domke is a rising star in the field of communications. He gives numerous lectures each year, publishes hot-topic political books and continually wins the "He's a great guy" award. But last night's lecture was different, even for him. It was fun to see a UW professor stripped down like that, speaking from the heart and speaking to a group of people who are about to graduate college and have no idea what might happen to them over the course of the next 12 months.

It was true. It was honest. And it should make an impact. I believe that. The theme of the lecture was "The Something We Can Do," and Domke said that everybody can make a difference if they choose to. Not everybody can change the world, he admitted, but everybody can make a difference, some way, somehow, on a day-to-day level. He challenged us to make that choice, to make a difference, big or small. He said it's much easier nowadays to point fingers and mock the people who say they care about something because to care is to be vulnerable and to be vulnerable is to show weakness. He said it's difficult to show how much we care about things, or about people. Why, he asked? Why can't we express how we feel? Why can't we show compassion? Why, of all things, is that seen as a weakness? It's a good question and one I think the entire group will think long and hard about.

Well done, Dr. Domke. Thank you for your honesty.

Henry Art Gallery - what a sight!!!

2008-04-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

It's a little windy out there, but Washington Weekend is staying on course.

I just got back from the Henry Art Gallery, where four amazingly different exhibits are on display: Dawn Cerny's "We're all going to die (except for you)", Josiah McElheny's "The Last Scattering Surface", Kader Attia's "New Work", and a stunning photography display by Jean-Luc Mylane.

Cerny's art was dark, but that's no surprise considering it focuses on American attitudes towards death, trauma and war past and present. McElheny's exhibit was highlighted by a brilliant chandelier that reminded me at once of Superman's Fortress of Solitude. Mylane's photography was majestic and pure and real and everything in between.

Kader Attia, though, flat-out stole the show. It's hard to put into words just how neat his work really was. Very, very impressive. Each piece could be viewed from multiple angles, and each angle gave the piece a radically different vibe. What was it all about, you ask? Well, let's just say Attia used 136 rolls of aluminum foil to create 199 kneeling figures. Unbelievable. Oh, and then there's his 5-minute video entitled "Sugar & Oil" in which he douses a monster block of sugar cubes with a bucketload of oil. Crazy stuff. And oddly inspiring.

The Henry Art Gallery is well worth the trip, but that's just one nugget of Washington Weekend. There's so much more to explore here. Where will you be?

Click on the title of this post to visit the Henry Art Gallery's website.

Watch a video of the cherry trees in bloom

2008-04-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

If Washington Weekend truly is a showcase of what the University of Washington has to offer, how can we leave out the amazing cherry trees that fill the Quad with flowers each spring?!

When these babies are in bloom, the already-stunning Quad is transformed into one of Seattle's most picturesque nooks. The cherry trees are as much a part of the UW as world-class research, top-flight medicine, and of course the color purple. Just the other day I was strolling through the Quad on my lunch break and spotted a UW student sitting in a cherry tree reading a book. Across the way I saw a couple taking photos in a tree, with the girl up above and her man snapping shots from down below. So cool! So unique to the UW!

Here's a video of the Quad in full bloom, set to some soothing classical music. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=UPYbM5yKO-o

Botany Greenhouse extends open house hours

2008-04-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

The Botany Greenhouse will be open to visitors on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., excluding the times scheduled for tours, which run from 11 a.m.-noon and from 2-3 p.m.

School of Music turning up the volume

2008-04-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

School of Music students, faculty and staff have a full agenda of activities in store for visitors to its Washington Weekend Open House on Friday from 12-5 p.m. In addition to numerous live performances by ensemble groups ranging from the Chamber Singers and Jazz Combos to the UW Steelband and a group of Gyil xylophonists called the Awesome Badgers, visitors may also enjoy the instrument petting zoo, an exhibit of rare and historic sound recordings, and musical games with Kappa Kappa Psi Band Fraternity.

For a full list of activities, visit http://www.music.washington.edu/pdf/openhouse2008.pdf.

Free art, all weekend long!

2008-04-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

Despite those pesky words in the Washington Weekend brochure that the Henry Art Gallery is free to all UW Alumni and UWAA members, the Henry wants to clarify that admission to the galleries is FREE FOR EVERYBODY throughout Washington Weekend!

For exhibition information, hours, and more – visit www.henryart.org.

Black Panther tickets still available – going fast!

2008-04-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Tickets for Thursday’s Blank Panthers panel discussion at the Henry Art Gallery are still available but extremely limited. Pick up yours at the Henry front desk ASAP!

Black Panthers: Making Sense of History
Exhibit: Thurs. 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Panel Discussion: Thurs. 7-8:30 p.m., Henry Art Gallery, Auditorium

Back-dropped by the spectacular photography of Stephen Shames, panelists such as Aaron Dixon, co-founder and captain of the Black Panther Party’s Seattle Chapter, Larry Gossett, King County Council member, and Shelia Edwards Lange, UW vice president for minority affairs and diversity, discuss the impact of the Black Panthers during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Tickets are free and seats are available on a first come, first served basis.

During the height of the Civil Rights movement, from 1967-73, Shames had unprecedented access to the Black Panther Party and captured not only its public face but also unscripted behind-the-scenes moments. Shames’s work offers an uncommonly nuanced portrait of this dynamic social movement, during one of the most tumultuous periods in U.S. history. An exhibit is on view at Odegaard Library to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the student takeover of the administration building at the University of Washington.

Click on this post's title for more information!

UW Community Celebration rocks Red Square!

2008-04-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

The unofficial kick-off to Washington Weekend took place today on campus, as UW faculty and staff converged upon Red Square for the 3rd annual UW Community Celebration.

The burgers were good and I saw plenty of people I knew, but my favorite part was spying the University's academic leaders chugging Costco-sized bottles of Full Throttle energy drink. I can only imagine how jazzed they were to go back to class.

The UW Community Celebration was hosted by President Mark Emmert and Provost Phyllis Wise. Faculty and staff were invited to enjoy lunch and visit with friends as UW leaders took turns flipping burgers.

There was even a band playing, and the UW Alumni Association's tent was rockin' as well. A surprisingly long line led people to the prize wheel, where Chapstick was up for grabs. Stress-relieving squeeze-ums were on the wheel, too. Needless to say, it was an afternoon like none other.

Everybody's back at work now with full bellies and plenty of Full Throttle energy drink to fuel the fire. With that behind us, our focus turns to the arrival of Washington Weekend.

David Domke Gets the Last Word

2008-04-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Washington Weekend stars tomorrow. That's pretty exciting.

This blogger, a 2004 UW graduate, has never been to Washington Weekend before but is really looking forward to it and plans to attend several events. Just last night I signed up for the "Who Gets the Last Word?" lecture, featuring Associate Professor of Communications David Domke.

Dr. Domke is awesome. My very first class as a freshman was CMU 200 with him, at 8:30 in the morning no less, and I still remember him being a great speaker. He used to be a reporter and I'll never forget his story about trying to make a tight deadline. He was working in Los Angeles at the time and had to get back to the office ASAP to file his story (this was WAY before laptops and Wi-Fi). Unfortunately, the traffic was its usual horrendous self and time was running out. So he swerved left and onto the shoulder. Bad idea, right? Yep. He got pulled over and was slapped with a pretty stiff fine. But he took the ticket, kept his mouth shut, and continued to cruise down the shoulder after the officer got back into traffic and left him alone. That's dedication! And I'm pretty sure he made his deadline, too.

The "Who Gets the Last Word?" lecture is our annual send-off to the senior class, but it's open to everybody and has a reputation for being unconventional and highly entertaining. We asked the Class of 2008 to vote for their favorite professor and they chose Dr. Domke. The professors who get picked to deliver the Last Word lecture can talk about whatever they want, and they usually make it pretty offbeat and funny. Domke will not disappoint.

He won a Distinguished Teaching Award in 2002, so we already knew what a great teacher he is. But this Last Word lecture is his chance to let loose and have some fun for the Class of '08 that selected him as their favorite professor. The lecture is FREE and goes from 6-8 p.m. Thursday in Kane 200. It's just one of many exciting events happening this week at Washington Weekend. What's on your agenda?

Click on the title of this post to RSVP for the "Who Gets the Last Word?" lecture.

Arts Expo(sed) and the UW art sale

2008-04-22T16:29:00.000-07:00

We're now just two days away from Washington Weekend and those of us at the UW Alumni Association are gearin' up for a three-day push. We've memorized the schedule and we've hand-picked the tours, talks, exhibits and open houses that jumped out and grabbed our attention.

We've even got snazzy new Washington Weekend t-shirts to wear!!!

One of the events that caught the creative eye of our design team was Arts Expo(sed), an offbeat take on the traditional "majors fair." Instead of tabling, each individual department within the UW arts community is responsible for setting up a "vignette" of sorts, using visual performances to showcase and show off their programs in a fun and interactive way. This includes setting up couches, bookshelves, poetry jams, film screenings, and more.

Arts Expo(sed) takes place Friday, April 25th, from 12-4 p.m. in the Quad.

The specific draw that won over the UWAA's design team is the art sale itself. The UW School of Art is having its large arts sale and we think it's worth checking out. One of our designers reports that her friends own some beautiful pieces/prints that they purchased at this sale in previous years. She's even planning on buying some art herself this year!!! UWAA members should keep in mind that if you buy a print and need it framed, you can take advantage of one of the UWAA Dawg Deals benefits and get a discount at Museum Quality framing (15% off)!

Great art. Great deals. Sounds like a plan to us. See you there!

So when's a Weekend, anyway?

2008-04-16T11:44:00.000-07:00

Washington Weekend is next week -- Thursday - Sunday, April 24-26!

Now you may wonder why it's called Washington Weekend, when it takes place from Thursday - Sunday. You're probably thinking, "Hey, I've tried but my boss refuses to consider Thursday part of the weekend." We feel your pain.

Truth is that as an alliteration, Washington Weekend sounds, well, wonderful! Beyond that though -- there's just too much stuff to pack into 3 days. You can come back Sunday to see some great baseball when the UW's baseball team takes on UCLA. There's also plenty to see on Sunday at the Henry Art Gallery and Burke Museum. And don't forget the Burke Museum is free to alumni all weekend long!

And of course, if you can start the weekend early, come to campus on Thursday or Friday - you won't be disappointed. Besides the big open houses, there's something for all tastes -- check out some rare, one-of-kind movies at Film Soup on Friday or get tips from an expert on finding health information online.

2008 Washington Weekend site up soon!

2008-02-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

You may have seen our preview of events on the Washington Weekend homepage. That's just a taste of all the goodies. Look for a complete list of events by the end of February.

We're bringing back some of our most popular Washington Weekend activities (touring the Tommy Thompson research boat, Engineering and Art open houses and many more) while also adding lots of new opportunities for all interests and ages.

Check back soon! And if you have any questions about Washington Weekend, you can contact the UW Alumni Association at uwalumni@u.washington.edu or 206-543-0540.

A Note from Chuck

2007-04-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

Washington Weekend is off to an excellent start! With a huge crowd in “Red Square” at lunchtime, today’s UW Community Celebration was an even bigger success than anyone anticipated. As someone who developed a connection to the University of Washington when I was a young child, I was thrilled to see everyone come together to celebrate.

The crowds I have seen all over campus today demonstrate the feeling I have had for many years: that the UW means a lot to the community. It is heartwarming to see so many people here, learning, exploring, engaging with the University.

But remember that we have a full schedule of activities lined up for tomorrow, including the Husky Generations Photo Booth, the UWAA / Big “W” Pancake Breakfast before the Spring Football Game and lots more. I hope you will join us for another great day on the UW campus!

Chuck Blumenfeld, '66, '69
UWAA Executive Director

Time Capsule Surprise

2007-04-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was at the “Who Gets the Last Word?” lecture with Dr. Mary Pat Wenderoth. While her lecture to the senior class that had voted her as its favorite professor was fantastically funny and even a little risqué, it was likely no match for what happened at the Department of Communication event, where they opened a time capsule from 1957.

A nude centerfold. Condoms. Underwear. All pranks from some students who broke into the time capsule back in the late ’70s or early ’80s (estimated, I understand, from the date on the Playboy Magazine placed amongst the true artifacts). I hear the 1957 alumni who had packed the original capsule – septuagenarians by now - were good-natured at these finds. After a few gasps, I hear the crowd was too.

I tend to think college pranks are really, really funny. While I wish the pranksters’ items weren’t X-rated, I find myself laughing when I try to picture the preparation and the execution decades ago. How did these students break into the box? Was it pre-planned or spontaneous? Had they gone to the Duchess beforehand?

And I wonder: Did any of the culprits read the Seattle PI article this morning? Did they spit out their morning coffee once they saw the article? Maybe they had forgotten about their shenanigans until just that minute. Maybe they felt badly once they saw the older folks who found their naughty surprises. Maybe they still thought it was pretty darned funny.

We’ll probably never find out. But I’ll bet this year’s time capsule, which the Communication department plans to conceal for another 50 years, will be tamper-proof. In a way, I hope it isn’t. But let’s keep the hijinks a bit more appropriate this time.

-- Courtney

It's Friday!

2007-04-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

It's the second day of the third annual Washington Weekend! There's quite an array of events to choose from: tours, open houses, exhibits, lectures, demonstrations...

...Having trouble deciding what to do? Stop by at one of the Washington Weekend Information Booths where friendly, helpful experts will guide you to what interests you most.

...Want to see some celebrities? Head to Red Square between 11:30 and 1:30 and you might see Pres. Emmert flipping burgers, or Provost Wise dishing out dogs.

...Take in the broad scope of everything UW does -- start with the health sciences on south campus, then move up to forest resources at Anderson Hall, then check out engineering clustered around Loew Hall, then immerse yourself in dance, music and visual arts up around the Quad and the northern part of campus.

It's Thursday!

2007-04-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Washington Weekend is underway! There's 22 events happening today - something for everyone in the family.

See the Thursday schedule to help plan your day. The weather is ... well, Seattle in the spring, but it's a comfortable 50 degrees at the moment. See you on campus!

Early WA Weekend event - Botanic Gardens Open House

2007-04-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

While Washington Weekend officially gets started on Thursday, there's fun event on Wednesday for anyone with an interest in gardens, native plants or who just wants to meet Ciscoe Morris!

The UW Botanic Gardens is holding its Open House from 3 - 7 p.m. on Wednesday. There will be talks by Ciscoe Morris and Marty Wingate, tours and fun activites for kids.

Find out more...

Events Not Listed in Print Brochure & Corrections

2007-04-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

You may have received a copy of our print brochure. Or you can pick one up at any of the information booths during Washington Weekend. There's plenty of great things to see listed, but we wanted to note those events that were not listed or have been updated:

Naval Science (Navy ROTC) Open House
Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Perspectives in Public Health
Thursday, 6 - 8:30 p.m.

Samuel E. Kelly Lecture: From Dis-Placement to Dis-Ease
Thursday, 7 - 9 p.m.

Earth & Space Sciences Open House
Friday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Astronomy Open House
Saturday, 1 - 4 p.m.
(Correction - was listed as 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. in the brochure)

College of Forest Resources Centennial Open House
Saturday, 12 - 3:30 p.m.

College of Forest Resources Centennial Crow Talk
Saturday, 1 - 2:30 p.m.

'Life Under I-200' -- Forum Presented by Multicultural Alumni Partnership (MAP)
Saturday, 2 - 3:30 p.m.

Welcome to the Washington Weekend Blog

2007-04-19T17:50:00.001-07:00

Check back here as WA Weekend approaches for the latest updates, corrections and suggestions from UW Alumni Association staff. We'll note changes from the print brochure and more.

Comments and suggestions? Please write to alumni@u.washington.edu.