PLATO Weekly Update

January 21, 2025

CURRICULUM

SPRING COURSES
NEW! Registration for Spring Courses is open – find the Spring Course Schedule on the Courses webpage and contact the course coordinator to register.

There are 39 Spring Courses to choose from with in-person, virtual and hybrid options. Most Spring Courses will begin the week of February 17. 

WINTER COURSES
Details about Winter Courses can be found on the Winter Course Schedule.

CURRICULUM SHOWCASE
NEW! Please join us in recognizing and thanking our recently retired Course Coordinators who are listed in this brief Curriculum Showcase article. Course coordinator contributions mean a great deal to PLATO members; their contributions are appreciated and will be missed!

SPECIAL EVENTS

FIELD TRIPS
TOMORROW! Members who are registered for The Malibu of the Midwest Touron Wednesday, January 22, 2025 can review details for that trip here.

THEATER TRIPS

The Craic – Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 2:00 pm at the Milwaukee Rep's Stackner Cabaret. Step in to one of South Kerry's most welcoming pubs, somewhere along the Dingle peninsula, where stories and songs flow as easy as a whiskey and a pint – with a group of master storyteller-musicians leading the way. Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 12. Learn more and register here.

The Woman in Black – Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 2:00pm at the Milwaukee Rep's Stiemke Studio. Direct from London’s West End comes the chilling and electrifying theatrical event that has kept millions of audiences on the edge of their seats for more than 30 years! Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 12. Learn more and register here.

LECTURES

NEXT WEEK! United States Immigration Policy: Background and Current Status on Thursday, January 30, 2025 with Dr. Sara McKinnon, professor of Rhetoric, Politics, and Culture and Faculty Director of Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Registration is not required, parking is free, and guests are welcome. Learn more here.

NEXT MONTH! The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Thursday, February 27, 2025, with bestselling author Rochelle Pennington. This lecture will explore the fascinating story of the events that lead up to the tragic loss of the ship and its 29 crew members. Registration is not required, parking is free, and guests are welcome. Learn more here.

Cozy up at home with recorded PLATO Lectures provided by fellow PLATO members and their special guest presenters on a variety of timely topics.

COFFEE GATHERING
THIS WEEK! Fourth Friday Coffee on January 24 from 9:30-11:30am at the Rotunda Café on Atwood Ave. Connect with fellow PLATO members over a cup of your favorite morning beverage. Feel free to bring a friend or family member who might be interested in PLATO! Learn more and RSVP here.

THE AGORA

The Agora, PLATO’s literary and arts journal, 
celebrates members’ creativity and diversity of thought.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for The Agora, Volume 9 
PLATO members are invited to submit original works for the 2025 edition of The Agora in the following categories: Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction (including essays) and Visual Arts (painting, sculpture, drawing and photography). 

This is a blind juried review and the submission deadline is Friday, March 14, 2025. Learn more about The Agora and the submission process here. The Agora Board looks forward to sharing the talents of PLATO members through this journal!

To view highlights from this past season, visit The Agora Features.

NEW! Mark your calendars for this year's Member Appreciation Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 14, from 2:00 - 4:00pm. This will be a complimentary event and members may bring a guest! Also, PLATO's Annual Meeting Planning Committee welcomes member suggestions for a guest speaker – please send suggestions to info@platomadison.org by Friday, January 31, 2025. 

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

DID YOU KNOW? for January 14 – 27, 2025 

Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard (January 27, 1894 – May 11, 1986) was one of the first two African American football players in the National Football League. After serving his country during World War I, Pollard went on to become the first African American head coach in the National Football League with the Akron Pros in 1921.

Visit the Social Justice page for more about Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard and past DID YOU KNOW? Features.

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