Founders’ Day celebrations to mark UW–Madison’s birthday

It’s been 161 years since the first day of class at UW–Madison. This spring, alumni and friends in about 70 cities across the country are celebrating the occasion, known as Founders’ Day, and commemorative events on campus will include a touch of history and a taste of cake.

Students will begin celebrating Founders’ Day on campus at noon on Friday, Feb. 5, when the Wisconsin Alumni Association and University Housing will invite all UW–Madison students to enjoy a free piece of birthday cake in Gordon Commons or Liz Waters dining halls.

Later that day, WAA welcomes all to a Founders’ Day talk at Memorial Union’s Tripp Commons at 2 p.m., to be followed by a free birthday cake reception. Calvin DeWitt, a professor at UW–Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, will address the university’s history of discovery and ecological integrity in his talk “Continual and Fearless Sifting and Winnowing: Prerequisites for Sustainability.”

The first Founders’ Day event was held in 1924. Dates and locations for events nationwide are available at Founder’s Day.