PLATO Weekly Update

May 19, 2026

CURRICULUM

SUMMER COURSES

Registration for Summer Courses is underway! Most Summer Courses will begin the week of June 8 and vary in length from 3-10 weeks. With 12 courses to choose from, including in-person and virtual offerings, something is sure to please! Find the Summer Course Schedule on the Courses webpage and and read the Curriculum Showcase article below about a new pilot registration process for select Summer Courses.

CURRICULUM SHOWCASE
Learn about the Curriculum Committee's efforts to automate PLATO's course registration process in this Curriculum Showcase article which includes two brief video tutorials, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) flyerand more.

SPECIAL EVENTS

FIELD TRIPS

NEXT MONTH! Tour the Pellitteri Kipp Street Station, which Madison uses to handle its recycling operation, on Thursday, June 18 from 10:30am-12pm. This free tour requires a limited number of participants due to parking constraints so it is for PLATO members only (no guests). Learn more and register here.

TRIP IS FULL – but you can join the waitlist for the Dane County Landfill Tour on Tuesday, June 2 from 10:00-11:30am. This tour is free for PLATO members and their guests, and registration is required. Learn more and join th e waitlist here.

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NATURE WALKS

NEXT MONTH! Note new earlier start time! Register today for a 2.5 hour tour of the Pheasant Branch Conservancy on Thursday, June 11, 2026 starting at 8:30am. Hans Hilbert will guide PLATO members and their guests through some of the most unique land features in the Conservancy. Topics will include human history, ecology, watershed dynamics, the impacts of development, and more. Registration is required for this complimentary tour. Learn more and register here.

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THEATER TRIPS

NEXT MONTH! Join us for Million Dollar Quartet on Friday, June 19, 2026, at The Fireside Dinner Theatre in Fort Atkinson to witness an extraordinary twist of fate that brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley together for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions of all time! Note that 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, June 1. Learn more and register here.

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BREAKFAST, LUNCH & COFFEE GATHERINGS
These social events offer members and their guests opportunities to share conversation over coffee or breakfast and lunch options.

THIS WEEK! Fourth Friday Coffee at the Rotunda Café on May 22 from 9:30-11:30am. Learn more and RSVP here.

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BIKE RIDES
Spring into the season with self-guided bicycling routes – there's also electric bike rental info.

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LECTURES
PLATO Lectures will resume in early September! In the meantime, explore the Past Recordings webpage to enjoy lectures and course sessions on a variety of interesting subjects presented by PLATO members and special guest presenters.

PLATO POP-UP EVENTS
Providing members with new opportunities to connect, learn, and grow!

NEXT WEEK! PLATO member Donaby Henton will lead a repeat ChatGPT workshop, an artificial intelligence app, on Friday, May 29, 2026, from 1:00–3:00pm on Madison's East Side at Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge. Please bring your own smartphone or tablet installed with the ChatGPT application (though assistance on installation will be available if needed.) This session is open to PLATO members only and registration is required by Wednesday, May 27. Learn more and register here.

Submit your idea for a Pop-Up Event today!

STAY IN THE KNOW WITH PLATO

BIG THANKS to those who attended PLATO's Member Appreciation Annual Meeting 2026! Much information was shared, including this Committee Highlights flyer which features the many accomplishments achieved during this past year and this Treasurer Report which offers a snap shot of PLATO's financial health.

Virtually everything that you enjoy about PLATO – courses, lectures, trips, publications – is available due to the efforts of members like you. Whatever your skills, there is a place for you! Learn about volunteer opportunities here.