PLATO Weekly Update 

December 12, 2023

CURRICULUM

WINTER COURSES
NEW! The Winter 2024 Course Schedule is now available on the Courses webpage and registration is open – there are nine courses to choose from with in-person, virtual and hybrid options. Simply contact the course coordinator for any course you are interested in attending.

REMINDER – Most Winter Courses will begin the week of January 8.

SPECIAL EVENTS

FIELD TRIP
THIS WEEK! Saturday, December 16 from 10:30 – 12:30pm: A Guided Indoor Walking Tour at Epic. Registration for this trip has closed – tour details for registrants are available here.

LECTURES
During Fall 2023, two popular online PLATO courses continued to meet to learn about and discuss current environmental, economic and political challenges. These sessions are available 24/7 as recorded PLATO Lectures for your viewing convenience! Recent topics included electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, The Badger Project, the geopolitics of energy, discussions on current events featuring several local elected representatives and other leaders in the Dane County community. Many thanks to the participants of Pathways to a Sustainable Planet and Whither the State for continuing to offer these valuable courses! 

BREAKFAST GATHERING
NEXT MONTH! Second Friday Breakfast – enjoy coffee, breakfast snacks, and conversation on Friday, January 12 from 9:30 – 11:30am at Lakeside St. Coffee House. Seating is on both the main floor and downstairs levels. You will need to climb a flight of steps in order to be seated on the downstairs level. Feel free to bring a guest! Learn more and RSVP here.

NOTE: Fourth Friday Breakfasts are on hiatus until January 26, 2024.

PLATO EDUCATION FUND ANNUAL GIVING
Big thanks to those who have already donated!

'TIS THE SEASON TO BE GENEROUS... please consider contributing to PLATO's Education Fund if you are in a position to share. This fund provides scholarships for returning adult students at UW-Madison, and supports the UW/DCS Badger Ready program, the Odyssey Project, and four additional local community programs. Learn more about this year's scholarship recipients and local community programs and how to donate online or mail. 

THE AGORA
PLATO's Literary & Fine Arts Journal,
celebrating members’ creativity and diversity of thought

Published biannually, The Agora is created by PLATO members and published for members and the community through a juried selection process. The Agora, Volume 8, is available for download on The Agora webpage.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Select from a range of topics and formats 
for your reading, viewing, or listening pleasure,
curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee. 

DID YOU KNOW? for December 12, 2023  – January 1, 2024 

Ynes Mexia (May 24, 1870 – July 12, 1938) was a Mexican-American botanical collector and explorer who collected 145,000 plant species – an incredible number – especially because she began collecting while in her mid-50’s! Mexia's discoveries continue to impact researchers today and her work can be viewed in many museums and universities. 

Visit the Social Justice page for more about Ynes Mexia
or past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable historic events and 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).