Founder’s Week is a week long celebration of UW-Whitewater’s past and present students, faculty and staff members. Throughout this week, a series of events will take place honoring these groups as well as alumni through awards, socials and receptions.

This years Founder’s Week is especially important due to the fact that UW-W is celebrating its sesquicentennial, or 150th birthday.

“We’ve expanded from a one-day celebration to a week of festivities with hopes of getting the entire Warhawk Family involved,” said Keri Schroeder, the alumni program coordinator in the Alumni Center. “The sesquicentennial milestone provided the perfect year to begin this new tradition.”

Almost every day this week, a different event will take place to celebrate and acknowledge those who have made a great impact during their time at UW-W. On Monday, April 22, there will be an ice cream social both here and at the UW-Rock County campus, hosted by Katelyn Condon, a sesquicentennial assistant.

“The ice cream socials will be the kick-off to a week of events celebrating Founder’s Week,” Condon said. “This is an opportunity for the entire university community to gather in fellowship at both the Rock County and Whitewater campuses.”

On Wednesday, April 24, Whitewater Student Government (WSG) will be hosting the Faculty and Staff Recognition Reception.

“The Whitewater Student Government likes to take a day once a semester to properly recognize all of our great faculty and staff here at UW-W,” said Zach Klotz, director of Academic Affairs. “For over 150 years, our faculty and staff have been engaging and transforming the lives of our students, and we are glad to celebrate that this week during Founder’s Week. We have six awards that students themselves nominate faculty and staff for. This semester we had close to one hundred nominations for just six awards.”

On Thursday, April 25, there will be a breakfast for employees who are alumni, as well as the Emeriti Spring Brunch and the Warhawks Give Challenge. Faculty and staff members who graduated from UW-W will be recognized all throughout the day during these events.

Closing out the week on Friday, April 26, will be Make a Difference Day as well as the TIFU 30th and BSU 50th Anniversary Gala. Alumni are encouraged to partake in both events and learn about BSU (Black Student Union) and TIFU Cultural Ensemble’s histories.

Finally, on Saturday, April 27, the Awards Recognition reception and dinner will take place. This event is for alumni, and it recognizes the impact they have made on UW-W and gives out awards to those who went above and beyond before and after graduating. Five awards will be given out to five different alumni.

The events for Founder’s Week will all surround the sesquicentennial and discuss the importance of the year.

“This year, we have planned it to be more of a campus-wide celebration since it is an important anniversary,” said Schroeder. “By creating more interest on campus, our goal is to celebrate the tradition of excellence that has been part of this campus since day one in 1868.”

For more information about all of the Founder’s Week events, visit http://www.uww.edu/foundation/fw2019.