PLATO Weekly Update

August 23, 2022

CURRICULUM

FALL COURSES

· NEW! Fall Course Registration begins today! View our Fall Course Schedule of 39 in-person, virtual and hybrid courses

· Most Fall Courses begin the week of September 19

· Updates to the schedule will be added as we receive them

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS FOR COURSES

Check the Fall 2022 COVID Protocols for specific host locations in the Curriculum Showcase.

SPECIAL EVENTS

FIELD TRIP
NEW! Historic Pullman House Tour – Friday, October 9. In the spring of 2018, PLATO organized a field trip to Chicago for a walking tour of the Pullman Historic District. On our way home many participants said that they wished they could have viewed the inside of the houses. This trip offers that opportunity – this is the one weekend each year that Pullman residents open their homes to the public. Register, view photos, and learn more here.

THEATER TRIP
REGISTRATION IS OPEN – for Titanic The Musical. PLATO member Stuart shares, "I saw this fantastic production at the Milwaukee Rep and I was just so moved by the opening and closing numbers in particular, though the whole show is outstanding!" He's got a ticket to see the show again. Register and learn more here.

WALKS OF DANE COUNTY
NEW! Join us for these morning Walks starting at 9am to take in the natural splendor of early Fall. Following each Walk we have suggested gathering at a local café to relax and socialize before returning home.

Friday, Sept. 9 we'll walk the woods of Stuart Lake County Park on the edge of Mt. Horeb, Register and learn more here.

Tuesday, Oct. 11 we'll stroll Pope Farm and check out the sunflowers. Register and learn more here.

BREAKFAST GATHERINGS 
NEW! Beginning on August 26 at 9:30am, we will offer another monthly Breakfast Gathering on the fourth Friday of each month at the Madison Marquette Café located at 414 S. Baldwin Street. Members and non-members are invited to enjoy coffee and conversation with Hosts Catherine, Michael and Peggy. RSVP and learn more here. Second Friday of the month Breakfast Gatherings will also continue – see below.

NEXT MONTH! On September 9 at 9:30am, members and non-members are invited to enjoy coffee and conversation with Host Sharon at the UW Memorial Union Terrace. RSVP and learn more here, including parking tips and what to do if rain is in the forecast.

LECTURES
We need YOU! NOW. Many of you have enjoyed PLATO Lectures on a wide range of interesting topics. We need you now to help put together this year's lectures. Our current Lectures leader needs people to assist her in choosing topics and speakers, arranging dates and times of lectures and finally, assisting during their presentations. For the time being, lectures will continue to be presented virtually and most of the work required can be done via email and phone calls. Please contact Stephanie at info@platomadison.org to volunteer.

As always, browse archived PLATO Lectures on many important topics.

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Visit The Agora Features webpage for highlights from this past season, created and curated by fellow PLATO members for your pleasure. 

Our Biweekly Feature for August 23 – September 5 is Reflections and Deceptions, a photograph by Bill Eisinger, who draws an interesting analogy about the mysteries of human perception.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS

Select from a range of topics and formats 

for your Summer reading, viewing, or listening, 

curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for August 16 – 29, 2022

Did You Know... Diana Trujillo Pomerantz is a Colombian-born (January 1980) aerospace engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She leads the engineering team at JPL Rover. On February 18, 2021 Trujillo hosted the first ever Spanish-language NASA transmission of a planetary landing for the Perseverance rover landing on Mars. Trujillo moved to the US when she was just 17 years old, with only $300 in her pocket. She worked in service jobs and attended school part-time for years, eventually earning admission to the NASA Academy, becoming the first Hispanic immigrant woman to do so.

Visit the Social Justice Webpage for much more about Diana Trujillo Pomerantz and past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com).