Onwisconsin Spring 2019
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FOR UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MADISON ALUMNI AND FRIENDS SPRING 2019 We Need to Talk Sharing opinions in a polarized world Page 22 Vision Just a light workout? The Natatorium was lit during UW Recreational Sports’ glow-in-the- dark fitness last fall. Classes included spin, yoga, and Zumba, which, evidently, is what this is. Photo by Bryce Richter On Wisconsin 3 Guest Rooms • Events • Dining • Catering Conference Packages • Weddings SMITTY’S STUDY PUB | ON THE 8TH FLOOR OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: 4:30 pm – 11:00 pm CONTACT US TODAY! 601 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53715 (608) 441-7117 • (877) 77-FLUNO/35866 Fluno.com Follow us: *Subject to restrictions. Please call for more information. Contents Volume 120, Number 1 An astonishing array of stuff orbits above us. See page 38. SPENCER WALTS SPENCER DEPARTMENTS 2 Vision 7 Communications 9 First Person Warrington Colescott OnCampus 11 News 13 Bygone What’s On? 14 Calculation Terrace Chairs 17 Conversation Keeping Score 18 Exhibition Wisconsin Vinyl 20 Contender Gabbie Taschwer OnAlumni FEATURES 49 News 22 Room for Debate 50 Tradition Union Weddings Sharing what’s on your mind — and welcoming the view- 51 Class Notes points of others on contentious issues — is a campus hall- COURTESY OF ALLEE WILLIS ALLEE OF COURTESY 60 Diversions mark that could inform the wider world. By Louisa Kamps 61 Honor Roll John Curtis 66 Destination UW Arboretum 28 The Golden Age of TV Is Now No matter how viewers are binge-watching television these days, they might as well call it Badger-watching, given the multifaceted ways that UW alumni are contributing to our favorite shows. By Kate Kail Dixon ’01, MA’07, Addie Morfoot ’02, and Jenny Price ’96 38 Lost in Space It’s getting mighty crowded in space as debris from satellites, labs, and other things shot into Earth’s orbit degrade over See page 44. time and threaten to fall back to where they came from. By Terry Devitt ’78, MA’85 42 A Good Sport Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Gay ’92 makes no apologies for being a rabid Badger fan — even in a newsroom populated with Michigan alumni. By Taylor Laabs ’14 WISCO INDUSTRIES WISCO 44 Free to Be Allee Cover Allee Willis ’69 is more than just the composer of hit songs Can we talk? such as “September” and the Friends theme: she also collects Illustration by Tim All about that chair. kitsch, throws legendary parties, and supports her home- Bradford/Illustra- See page 14. town of Detroit. By Wendy Hathaway ’04 tionweb. On Wisconsin 5 MORE: STATE STREETS THAT ARE ALSO GREAT STREETS Although not every street in our state may evoke the same feelings one may have for our capital’s most famed thoroughfare, quite a number of Wisconsin’s byways are just as exciting places to be. Thanks to a booming economy, abundant career opportunities and low cost of living, no matter what the name of the street you choose, there’s never been a better time to make your address in Wisconsin. Wisconsin. It’s more you. THINK MAKE HAPPEN IN WISCONSIN® InWisconsin.com/Alumni 6 On Wisconsin SPRING 2019 7608-12_UW-Madison-StateStreet_vF.indd 1 12/6/18 12:33 PM Communications STRIKE JOHN WOLF JOHN The Dark Side of a wonderful teacher. I never Football played an instrument and never Chris Borland single-handedly marched a step, but my first gave us beleaguered 49ers fans elective as a freshman was Intro- hope, and then he left, ending duction to Big Bands. In the first our party [“Walking Away from class, Mike introduced us to his Football,” Winter 2018 On Wis- favorite drummer, Gene Krupa, consin]. While many were upset, and I was hooked on college! others (myself included) silently Thanks, Mike. applauded his decision, recog- John Koenigs ’78 Fifty years ago, black students at nizing him as one of the smartest McKinney, Texas UW–Madison, propelled by long- and bravest men in football. standing grievances and fresh Paul Darbo ’72 In Praise of Pet Food flash points, called for a cam- Fair Oaks, California Thank you for the piece on Marie puswide student strike until ad- Moody [“Raw Talent,” Winter ministrators agreed to a series of I’m writing in response to Pres- 2018]. I have fed my pups a lot demands. Thousands boycotted ton Schmitt’s article on Chris of Stella & Chewy’s and often classes, took over lecture halls, Borland’s departure from the wondered who started it, how it and blocked building entrances. NFL. I am sincerely interested in ended up in Oak Creek, how one In an unprecedented response, the university’s response to the starts a pet food company, etc. the governor sent the Wisconsin question of the ethics of continu- This answered all that and was National Guard to campus. A new ing a Big Ten football program in very interesting to read — it was website captures the tumultu- the face of the emerging scien- sort of serendipitous. ous weeks on campus in Febru- tific evidence regarding CTE. Mary Jo Koranda An institution that heralds itself Sun Prairie, Wisconsin ary 1969 through a timeline of as a champion of progressivism events and an oral history with must answer the question: are Alternatives to Hunting activists of that time. See news. we going to continue to value “The Hunt for Answers” [Winter wisc.edu/black-student-strike. revenue and tradition over the 2018], which proposes hunting long-term well-being of our stu- as a solution to expanding deer 10 YEARS ON dents? As an alumna, I would be populations, neglects to mention AFFAIRS PUBLIC DISTRICT YORK NEW USACE GARDNER, CHRIS ashamed to support a university that many wildlife management that continues to do so. agencies are currently advancing Mallory Willkom DVM’09 humane and nonlethal meth- Milwaukee ods of control as an alternative to hunting, which is obviously Master Motivator Mike ineffective. These alternatives Thanks for the wonderful article should have been explored in the on Mike Leckrone [“Stop at the article. Top,” Winter 2018]. Mike was a Indeed, the article’s roman- master motivator, marketer, and tic promotion of bowhunting as The UW is connected to its fair mentor — a leader whose per- a solution is not only silly, but share of miracles. For one, the sonality was assimilated by the morally offensive; bowhunt- “Miracle on Ice” (see page 15). people he led. He set high stan- ing is a notoriously cruel and And we have Jeff Skiles ’84 to dards and never compromised. inhumane practice. Moreover, thank for his role in the “Miracle His dedication and love for his reference to Marti Kheel ’74’s on the Hudson.” On January 15, work inspired everyone who incisive critique of Aldo Leo- 2009, disaster struck US Airways marched for him. I am privileged pold’s romanticization of hunting Flight 1549 in the form of geese, to have been among the first he should be included in any bal- which flew into the plane’s en- taught to “stop at the top” in his anced view of the issue. backyard in August 1969. I am Finally, it must be said that gines. Skiles, the copilot, helped humbled and grateful to call Mike the main cause of environmental guide the failing plane onto the my friend. degradation and loss of biodi- Hudson River. Everyone survived. Richard James ’72 versity is corporate develop- “It’s not like I had any oh-my- Waukesha, Wisconsin ment — an outgrowth of human God-this-is-the-end moment. overpopulation — not deer. I just thought: river. Okay, we Good article … great man. [Mike Josephine Donovan MA’67, can do the river,” Skiles told On Leckrone’s] influence went way PhD’71 Wisconsin in 2009. Read more: beyond the field; he was also Urbana, Illinois go.wisc.edu/hudson. On Wisconsin 7 Discover Madison’s premier retirement living today. University perks. 608-283-2046 retirement.org/Madison At your feet. At Capitol Lakes, vibrant, university town living is right outside your door. Capitol Lakes is a Pacifi c Retirement Services community and an equal URP-Exact-On-WI-Sept2018-PRESS.pdf 1 9/13/18 4:13 PM housing opportunity. New Headquarters for Exact Sciences C M Y CM MY CY CMY K GET EVOLVED: alwaysINNOVATING universityresearchpark.org/evolution 8 On Wisconsin SPRING 2019 First Person Spring 2019 CO-EDITORS ART OF MUSEUM CHAZEN Niki Denison, Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA) Jenny Price ’96, University Communications CONSULTING EDITOR Cindy Foss, University Communications PUBLISHER Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association 1848 University Avenue Madison, WI 53726-4090 608-263-4545 Email: [email protected] Web: onwisconsin.uwalumni.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER John Allen, WFAA WRITER Preston Schmitt ’14, University Marketing CLASS NOTES/DIVERSIONS EDITOR Stephanie Awe ’15, WFAA ART DIRECTOR Nancy Rinehart, University Marketing “If death and eternal judgment can be comedy,” Warrington Colescott’s DESIGNER Warrington Colescott once said, “then noth- Sunday Service Danielle Lawry, University Marketing ing is beyond the comic imagination.” The (2001) was PRODUCTION EDITOR included in the Eileen Fitzgerald ’79, University Marketing pioneering printmaker and longtime UW Wisconsin Sesquicentenni- PHOTOGRAPHERS art professor, who died in September 2018 Jeff Miller and Bryce Richter, University al Portfolio. Communications at age 97, proved that statement true many DESIGN, LAYOUT, AND PRODUCTION times over. His satirical etchings earned national acclaim Toni Good ’76, MA’89; Kent Hamele ’78; Kate Price ’09, University Marketing; for their biting wit — ranging from critiques of society and Chelsea Schlecht ’13, WFAA politics to the purely playful and absurd. Themes of warfare EDITORIAL INTERN permeated his works, a reflection of his upbringing as a son Nina Bertelsen x’19 of a World War I soldier and his own army service in World ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Madison Magazine: 608-270-3600 War II.