The University of Wisconsin–Madison and the investiture leadership team welcome visitors, guests, and delegates to the investiture celebration of Jennifer L. Mnookin as the university’s 30th leader. As you plan your visit, we wish to share the following reminders and resources.
Investiture schedule of events
The investiture celebration will begin with a reception and dinner at Camp Randall Stadium on April 13 at 5 p.m. On April 14, the investiture ceremony will commence with the academic procession at 9:30 a.m. at Hamel Music Center. The official investiture ceremony will immediately follow. After the ceremony, a campus community picnic will be hosted at Library Mall. All guests are invited to join the picnic at noon.
Preregistration was required for the reception and dinner, academic procession, and ceremony. For questions about your registration status, please contact us.
Prepare for your visit
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Hotel accommodations
We hope you enjoy your stay at the Edgewater Hotel, Hilton Madison Monona Terrace, or Union South. If you were unable to reserve a room in the room block, Campus and Visitor Relations can provide information on additional Madison-area hotels.
Edgewater Hotel
1001 Wisconsin Pl.
Madison, WI 53703
608-535-8200
Parking at the Edgewater
Hilton Madison Monona Terrace
9 E. Wilson St.
Madison, WI 53703
608-255-5100
Parking at the Hilton
Wisconsin Union Hotel
1308 W. Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53715
608-232-2600
Parking at Union South
Travel to Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is located in south-central Wisconsin. Convenient flight and bus options to campus and the Madison area are available.
By flight
Located only 15 minutes (5 miles) from campus, guests traveling to Madison can book flights through the Dane County Regional Airport (MSN). See ground transportation options from the airport.
For additional flight options, guests can arrange flights to:
- Milwaukee Mitchell International (MKE), 1 ½-hour drive (85 miles) from Milwaukee
- Chicago O’Hare (ORD), 2hr drive (130 miles) from O’Hare
- Chicago Midway (MDW), 2 ¾-hour drive (156 miles) from Midway
By bus
Multiple long-distance bus services are available to Madison. These include:
Madison weather
April in Madison can bring a range of weather including rain, sleet, snow, and sunshine. Check the weather reports before traveling and keep in mind that weather changes rapidly in the Midwest.
During your visit
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Maps and guides
Curated Investiture Map
A curated map of investiture events, campus destinations, parking, and hotels is available.
View the investiture map.
Campus Map
The UW–Madison campus map includes detailed building information, dining options, parking, and more.
View full UW–Madison campus map.
Campus parking
Special-event permit parking will be arranged for guests attending the investiture dinner, academic procession, and ceremony. Parking must have been requested during registration.
Outside of special-event parking provided to registered guests, please note that parking is limited on campus. Street parking near campus is usually restricted to two hours. We encourage you to reference the curated investiture map or campus map for parking options and real-time lot availability. See additional parking tips and recommendations.
Campus accessibility
The UW–Madison Facilities Planning & Management provides information on accessible campus buildings and entrances.
You can also find a map of accessible pedestrian routes (PDF).
Campus and surrounding area activities
During your stay, we hope that you have a chance to experience UW–Madison and the local community.
At the ceremony
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Venue information
Hamel Music Center Overview
The Hamel Music Center, an architecturally distinctive and acoustically advanced performance and rehearsal space for the Mead Witter School of Music, opened in 2019 where the eastern edge of campus meets bustling downtown Madison. Its name honors UW–Madison alumnus George Hamel, a founder of the San Francisco investment management firm ValueAct Capital, and his wife, Pamela Hamel, for their generous lead gift toward construction of the privately funded facility.
The center, built with advanced soundproofing techniques to insulate performers and audiences from the busy streetscape at the corner of University Avenue and Lake Street, includes the 661-seat Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, the 299-seat Collins Recital Hall, a rehearsal hall, recording studio, and dressing rooms. It provides a learning, performing, and outreach hub for the school’s student ensembles — including the Varsity Band, Concert Band, and Symphony Orchestra — and state-of-the-art audio and video technology to reach audiences well beyond campus through high-quality live streaming and recordings.
A visual and cultural anchor of the university’s East Campus Gateway, neighboring the expanded Chazen Museum of Art, the Hamel Music Center’s glass-walled lobby allows passersby to view student musicians at work. This is an intentional gesture to strengthen educational and social connections between performing artists and the public. Unique details in the building include wooden planking sourced from tribal lands through Menominee Tribal Enterprises; wallpaper designed by printmaker William Weege, a UW graduate, professor emeritus of art, and cofounder of Tandem Press; and an overall color scheme evoking Wisconsin’s changing seasons.
The Hamel Music Center was designed by Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture of New York City, in partnership with the Strang architecture firm of Madison.
Special accomodations
If you need an accommodation to attend the event, please contact event@chancellor.wisc.edu. All accommodation requests should be made no less than two weeks before the event. We will attempt to fulfill requests made after this date but cannot guarantee they will be met.
Attire
Academic regalia is required during the academic procession. Investiture ceremony attendees are asked to wear business casual.
