A Century of Labor Education at School for Workers
Friday, September 19, 2025 | 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
@UW-Madison Pyle Center AT&T Lounge
Free and open to all. Pre-register online by September 4, 2025, to receive a free 100th anniversary tote bag and refreshments ticket. Registration remains open after September 4 (without tote/refreshments), and walk-ins are welcome as space allows.
In celebration of the School for Workers’ 100th anniversary, we invite you to a free public symposium highlighting the school’s legacy and future in labor studies. This afternoon event will bring together faculty, scholars, and labor leaders to reflect on a century of empowering workers through teaching, research, and service.
The symposium will open with a welcome from School for Workers faculty, followed by a series of engaging panels and discussions:
Bridging the Gap: Academic-Labor Partnerships for Change – A roundtable discussion focused on collaborative approaches to building knowledge with and for workers, featuring community and organizational partners. Roundtable guests:
- Karen Romo
Student and President, UW Voces - Carolina Sarmiento
Associate Professor of Civil Society & Community Studies, UW-Madison - Luis Velazquez
Organizer, Voces de la Frontera
From Campus to Community: Advancing Labor Scholarship at UW – A session showcasing current research and academic contributions to labor studies from across campus. Featuring panelists:
- Jennifer Gaddis
Associate Professor of Civil Society & Community Studies, UW-Madison - Michaela Hoffelmeyer
Assistant Professor of Public Engagement in Agriculture, UW-Madison - Lola Loustaunau
Assistant Professor School for Workers, UW-Madison - Ericka Wills
Assistant Professor School for Workers, UW-Madison
A Century of Empowering Workers: Lessons Learned – A panel exploring the school’s impact over the last hundred years. Featuring panelists:
- Ken Germanson
President Emeritus Wisconsin Labor History Society and United Steelworkers of America (retired) - Jaclyn J. Kelly
Executive Director, Wisconsin Labor History Society
This event is open to students, faculty, community members, and the general public. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the School for Workers’ enduring commitment to labor studies and worker empowerment.
Agenda
| 1:00 p.m. | Welcome |
| 1:15 p.m. | Bridging the Gap: Academic-Labor Partnerships for Change Roundtable |
| 2:15 pm. | Break |
| 2:30 p.m. | From Campus to Community: Advancing Labor Scholarship at UW Panel |
| 3:30 p.m. | Break |
| 3:45 p.m. | A Century of Empowering Workers: Lessons Learned Panel |
Parking
Hourly parking is available in UW–Madison gated and surface lots. For current options, visit the University Transportation website. Additional parking is also available at the City of Madison State Street Parking Garage.