Visitor and guest information

We look forward to welcoming you to Madison and to campus. Please use these resources as you plan your visit.

Investiture events

Archive of investiture events

Apr 13 Thu

Investiture Reception and Dinner
5:00 pm Champions Club (South End Zone), Camp Randall Stadium

Invited guests may join Chancellor Mnookin for an evening with live music, dinner service, and a reflection on the university’s past, present, and future.

5 to 6 p.m. Reception
6 to 9 p.m. Dinner

Registration required.
Apr 14 Fri

Investiture Academic Procession
9:30 am Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center

The investiture ceremony will begin with a procession that includes delegates wearing academic regalia. Universities around the state, nation, and world, as well as faculty, students, civic leaders, and elected officials, will be represented.

8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Breakfast
9:30 to 10 a.m. Academic Robing and Procession

Registration required for in-person attendance. The academic procession will be live streamed.

Academic regalia is required during the academic procession.

Watch Live
Apr 14 Fri

Investiture Ceremony
10:00 am Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center

The investiture ceremony will formally welcome Jennifer L. Mnookin as chancellor and 30th leader of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The event will feature several speakers, a presentation of symbols of the office, music and performances, and prepared remarks from the chancellor.

Registration required for in-person attendance. The ceremony will be live streamed.

Investiture ceremony attendees are asked to wear business casual.

Watch Live Ceremony Details
Apr 14 Fri

Campus Community Picnic Celebration
12:00 pm Library Mall

After the investiture ceremony, a celebratory picnic will be held for the campus community at Library Mall. The picnic will include live music, entertainment, free food, and the inaugural serving of Chancellor Mnookin’s ice cream flavor. The event is open to all faculty, staff, students, guests, and Madison community members.

Prepare for your visit

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

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

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.