Our Thursdays at the U lecture series includes a wonderful lineup starting this September 2022! This series, partly funded by the UW-Barron County Foundation, will explore topics in the arts, sciences, public affairs, literary fields and cultural areas. While hosting a variety of speakers, the university does not seek to endorse or promote a particular idea, opinion, topic or product over others. These lectures are free and open to the public every Thursday from 12:30-1:30 and are held in our Blue Hill's Lecture Hall, BRRH234.

And this year, our Riverside Cafe is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day! So you can enjoy lunch before the program or get a quick treat and coffee after the program! You are welcome to bring your lunch to the program if you wish.

Spring 2023 Program Lineup:

February 2        Eating Wildly: Foraging Edible Plants, Martha Wright

February 9        Our Miraculous Living Soil, Dale Hanson

February 16      Anishinaabe Insights on Adapting to Climate Change, Michael Price

February 23      New Deal Era Post Office Murals, Ryan Urban

March 2            Pluralism in Perspective, Chaplain Peter Muschinske

March 9            Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the World, Jessica Michna

March 16          Ojibwe Horses and Their People, Em Loerzel

March 30          My Homelands: Echoes of My Ancestors, Janice Rice

April 6              Geology of the Ice Age Trail Dreamer Segment, Blue Hills, M. Sedlacek, J. White & K. Syverson

April 13            Vietnam: The War's Set-Up Story, Paul Kluge

April 20            Backyard Prairie Communities, Dave Caithamer & Jim Riemer

April 27            Elk in Wisconsin, Joshua Spiegel

May 4              Why the USA Needs Immigrants/Refugees, Isaak Mohammad

May 11            Women of the American Revolution, Kathy Waldvogel

Fall 2022 Program recording links:

September 8      101 Ways to Help Birds, Laura Erickson 101 Ways to Help Birds, Laura Erickson

September 15      Free Speech, the Supreme Court & J.S. Mills, Eric Kasper and Troy Kozma Free Speech, the Supreme Courts and J.S. Milles, Eric Kasper

September 22      Celebrate your F-READ-om, Katherine Elchert Celebrate your F-READ-om, Katherine Eichert

September 29      Ice Age Trail Adventurer, Sue Greenway Ice Age Trail Adventurer, Sue Greenway

October 6            Healing & Justice for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Kristin Welch Healing & Justice for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women

October 13          Meandering the Northwoods Medicine Trail, Gigi Stafne Meandering the Northwoods Medicine Trail

October 20          Wisconsin 101: Local History with Objects, Thomas Broman WI 101: Local History with Objects

October 27          Down the Mississippi in a Leaky Canoe, Luke Yourzak Down the Mississippi in a Leaky Canoe

November 3        Perspectives on Invasive Plants, Michael Heim Perspectives on Invasive Plants

November 10      The Refugee Experience in Western Wisconsin, Chris Jones The Refugee Experience in Western Wisconsin

November 17      Local Abandoned Railroads, Arlyn Colby  Local Abandoned Railroads

December 1        Warren Commission Report: Fact or Fiction?, David Yorks Warren Commission Report: Fact or Fiction?

December 8        Impressions of America: 1972 - 2022, Ben Kyriagis Impressions of America

December 15      Cow Tales: Memories of a Rural Vet, Dave Mills Cow Tales: Memories of a Rural Vet

Spring 2022 Program recording links:

February 3          Natural Lawn Alternatives, Anthony Nied Natural Lawn Alternatives

February 10        The Future of the Cedar Side Trail, Craig Fowler & Kevin Jacobson Rice Lake's Cedar Side Trail

February 17        Ma'iingan (wolf) and the Ojibwe, Peter David Ma'iingan (wolf) and the Ojibwe

February 24        Modern Roundabouts; Why They Work, Beth Cunningham and Dan Bieberitz Modern Roundabouts: Why They Work

March 3              Yoga for Health, Patty McGown Yoga for Health

March 10            Lessons from the Deacons, Selika Ducksworth-Lawton Lessons from the Deacons

March 17            Okayest Hits: a Poetry Reading, Dylan Loring Okayest Hits: A Poetry Reading

March 24            S P R I N G  B R E A K

March 31            Cancelled due to bad weather. Will be taking place on May 12th.

April 7                To the Moon and Beyond, Matt Coel To the Moon and Beyond

April 14              "Forever Chemicals"- Sources, Health Effects, Remediation, Kay Curtin Forever Chemicals

April 21              Native Peoples and Enbridge Pipelines, Paul DeMain Native Peoples and Enbridge Pipelines

April 28              Sister Cities, An Opportunity for Citizen Diplomacy, Deb Neuheisel Sister Cities

May 5                Search and Rescue/Recovery, Janice Thompson Search and Rescue/Recovery

May 12              Salem Witch Trials, Jessica Michna Salem Witch Trials

Fall 2021 Program recording links:

September 2nd     Barn Quilts of Wisconsin, Mary and Michael Kolstad Barn Quilts 9/2/21

September 9th      Barron County Restorative Justice Programs, Monika Audette and Mary Hoeft (no video/audio link available)

September 16th    What Are Counties?, Jeff French What are Counties?

September 23rd    Primates Inc. - Helping Monkeys in Need, Amy Kerwin Primates Inc.

September 30th     A Caregiver's Experience with Dementia, Jim Adams A Caregiver's Experience

October 7th           Toward a Sustainable Economy, Jack Reardon A Sustainable Economy

October 14th         Missing & Murdered Indigenous Relatives, Renee Gralewicz The Indigenous Peoples celebration; Dr. Renee Gralewicz

October 21st          100 Years of Women's Suffrage, Anne Marie McClellan 100 Years of Women's Suffrage

October 28th          Fungal Diversity in the Northwoods, Tavis Lynch (sorry, no video available)

November 4th         CAFO Dairy Farm - A Good Neighbor?, Tyler Gruetzmacher & Jim Kusilek

November 11th       The Unsung Heroes of Nature, Emily Stone (no video/audio link available but you can reach emily@cablemuseum.org with questions)

November 18th       Poetry: Assuming a Persona, Christy Potvin

December 2nd        Microplastics in Northern Lakes, How Big a Problem?, Todd Wellnitz Microplastics in Northern Lakes; How Big a Problem?

December 9th         Life on Ice: Arctic Expeditions, Lonnie Dupre Life on Ice: Arctic Expeditions

To view archived recordings of our presentations, please go to Archived Thursday at the U Presentations. 

Please click here to watch the Spring 2022 Communiversity Band Performance 

Please click here to watch the Fall 2022 Communiversity Band Performance