
Rivers Journey: May 13–17, 2024
Along our Rivers route we will see the land and people shaped by Wisconsin’s waterways. Wisconsin Idea Seminar travelers—faculty and staff from the University of Wisconsin-Madison—will be students of Wisconsin life, deepening their understanding of the state and reaffirming their commitment to public service and the Wisconsin Idea.
We will visit a dairy farm, meet environmental stewards and business owners, spark ideas with UW System colleagues, and see the spaces and places where many of our UW students come from. Experts from across the state will join the journey at various points along the way to enrich the learning throughout the week.
Recent News
A photo essay of the 2023 Wisconsin Idea Seminar
June 29, 2023With pocket-sized Hello! Loom, weave got it made
February 3, 2023A photo essay on the 2022 Wisconsin Idea Seminar
June 14, 2022- More news posts

The Wisconsin Idea Seminar is a five-day traveling study tour that immerses forty UW–Madison faculty, academic staff, and administrators in the educational, industrial, social, and political realities of Wisconsin. Begun in 1985, the seminar introduces and promotes the Wisconsin Idea and our commitment to use university expertise and resources to address the problems of the state.
Dispatches from Our Own Wisconsin
Hello, Wisconsin! Profiles
Freshwater Scientist Makes Waves in Green Bay
December 9, 2019Fish Expert Keeps us ‘Current’ on Great Lakes Issues
December 4, 2019Emboldening the Wisconsin Idea through Education
November 6, 2019Celebrating Rural Wisconsin Life through Food
October 21, 2019- More Hello, Wisconsin! Profiles posts
Who May Apply
- New faculty members
- Recently tenured faculty members
- New deans and department chairs
- Lead academic staff with statewide responsibilities
Selection Process
Deans of schools, colleges, and divisions recommend candidates for selection to the Provost’s Office. By mid-April, approximately 40 people from a cross-section of schools and colleges and disciplines will be selected to participate.
To Apply or Nominate
- Submit a Pre-Nomination web form.
- Circulate Nomination form for signatures.
- Your Dean’s office will forward the nomination to the Provost’s Office.
- Nominations due February 15, 2023.
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"Good learning stirs you up."
Kathy Cramer, Professor of Political Science, reflection on her 2001 Wisconsin Idea Seminar experience