PLATO Weekly Update

July 8, 2025

CURRICULUM

SUMMER COURSES
Have a question about a Summer Course? Find everything you need to know on the Courses Page or contact your Course Coordinator for assistance.

FALL COURSES
MARK YOUR CALENDAR! The fall course schedule will be announced on Tuesday, August 19 and registration will begin the same day. Most fall courses will begin the week of September 15. If you're interested in offering a Fall course, PLATO's Curriculum Committee created a Course Coordinator Toolkit to help get you started! 

SPECIAL EVENTS

FIELD TRIPS
IMPORTANT! The Verona Pick-Up & Drop-Off location has changed. If you are going on any of the field trips below, please take note! 

· Church Basement Ladies: The Last (Potluck) Supper (July 10)

· Milwaukee History in the Making (July 16)

· Where Nature and Architecture Converge (August 25)

The new location is at the Verona Park and Ride Lot which is located off Exit 81 on south bound US Highway 151 or Exit 79 north bound on US Highway 151 and Old PB. Click here for a printable map. Please contact Sandi Hasse with any questions you may have at sandi.haase@wisc.edu.

Register for the Celebrating American Design day trip on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, to tour Still Bend, Frank Lloyd Wright’s visionary “Dream House” brought to life! Also, experience the sights, sounds, and stories of American graphic design and printing like never before at The Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum – the country's biggest typographical museum. The registration deadline is next Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Learn more and register here.

Join us for a day trip to visit downtown Spring Green and tour Taliesen on Monday, August 25, 2025. Immerse yourself in this unique mix of architecture, nature, culture, and agriculture. PLATO is partnering with the Verona Senior Center and UW Retirement Association on this travel opportunity so pick-up locations are different from PLATO's usual trips. The registration deadline is Monday, July 21. Learn more and register here.

COFFEE & BREAKFAST GATHERINGS

These social events offer members and their guests opportunities to share conversation over coffee and breakfast or breakfast snacks.

THIS WEEK!
Second Friday Breakfast – July 11, 10:00am-12:00pm at the Memorial Union Terrace. Learn more and RSVP here.

Fourth Friday Coffee – July 25, 9:30-11:30am at Rotunda Café. Learn more and RSVP here.

LECTURES
Expand your horizons with PLATO Lectures from the convenience of home.

BIKE RIDES
Enjoy the sights of summertime on your bike with self-guided bicycling routes.

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

The jury review and selection process is now complete and contributors to The Agora, Volume 9 have been notified. The Agora Board extends heartfelt thanks to all who submitted work for consideration – there were many high quality submissions! Work is now underway to produce The Agora, Volume 9, which PLATO members can look forward to receiving this fall.

Members who would prefer to read The Agora, Volume 9 online can "opt-out" of receiving a hard copy by mail by sending an email to info@platomadison.org.

View highlights from the past season on the The Agora Features webpage.

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

DID YOU KNOW? for July 1 – 14, 2025

Mary Davidson Kenner (May 17, 1912 – January 13, 2006) holds the record for the greatest number of patents (five) awarded a Black woman by the U.S. government. While she wasn’t formally recognized with awards for her practical inventions, her commonsense contributions helped pave the way for subsequent innovations. 

Visit the Social Justice page to learn more about Mary Davidson Kenner 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).