With the variety of interesting activities and events, you will more often find yourself wishing you could be in two places at once rather than searching for something to do.
Events on Campus
Performances feature student groups, as well as guest artists from Madison, Milwaukee, Twin Cities, and Chicago. The Student Organization for University Programming (SOUP) coordinates most of the guest events. A sampling of recent or regular events:
- SoundBoard – Weekly concerts that feature one or two current students who prepare a set list of (mostly original) songs, and then open up to audience requests as well.
- ConArtists – A men’s acapella group of current students that perform barbershop and current and contemporary music.
- Monday Night Jazz Jam Sessions – Weekly jam sessions open to any student or staff member. Performers can sign up for solo acts or arrange a group performance.
- Poetry Readings – Students from creative writing classes and poetry classes share their work.
- One-Act Play Festivals – Current students from the theater department write and direct original plays three times a year.
- MissionImprovable – An Improv group from Chicago does shows every year during Freshman Welcome Week.
- Guest Artists – SOUP brings in musicians, magicians, mentalists, and speakers throughout the year. Past performers include Happy Apple, Chapter 6, Nick Motil, and Shevy Smith.
Other Events
Beyond performance there are may other events that occur weekly, monthy, or every year. Some recent examples include:
- Poster Sale – A weekend sale every fall for all students, faculty, and staff.
- Student Book Sale – Students buy and sell books for a reduced rate right on campus.
- Theater Department Rummage Sale – Old costume pieces, accessories, shoes, and miscellaneous items are set out for students for a weekend sale
- Mardi Gras Party – SOUP sponsors games, raffles, and food during the Mardi Gras season
- Student Film Festival – Students produce original films for an annual festival in winter or spring.
- Friday Night Swing Dances – Lawrence Swing Dancers give lessons for half an hour and then dance from 9-midnight.
- Movie Marathons –Sponsored by SOUP; past marathons include Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars
- Political Rallies – Senatorial and congressional candidates come to campus for speeches and Q & A sessions.
- Student Groups and Meetings – College Democrats and Republicans, Lawrence Christian Fellowship, Pep Band, Lawrence Swing Dancers, Chess Club
- Guest Speakers
- Clinics/Workshops
- Weekly Salsa Dances
Performances in the Conservatory
There are music events almost every night of the week in the Conservatory facilities. Student and faculty recitals happen in Harper Hall, major ensemble concerts are in the Memorial Chapel, and music lectures and master classes take place in Shattuck Hall. The theater department also has two performance spaces with events happening almost weekly in Cloak Theater and Stansbury Theater. Most Lawrence events are free to students, and guest artist tickets are available to students at a reduced rate. A sampling of typical events includes :
- World Music Series – Every year musicians from around the world hold lecture-recitals where they talk about the music and instruments of their culture, and demonstrate them through performance.
- Chamber Music – Student chamber groups perform on campus and in the Appleton area.
- Band, Orchestra, Choirs – Each major ensemble gives three to five individual performances a year. Past performances include Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Handel’s Messiah, and a Requiem Series. The ensembles also regularly feature student, faculty, and guest artist soloists as well as premiering new music.
- Master Classes - Students can participate in and attend master classes from a variety of guest artists.
- Faculty and Student Recitals are given almost weekly in Harper Recital Hall. These recitals are open to all students, faculty, and staff as well as the Appleton community. Recitals are free of charge.
- Jazz Ensemble – Know as LUJE, this ensemble performs at Lawrence and in the Appleton community. (And they recently received a Downbeat award!)
- Theater Productions – There are three department shows a year, a full opera, a student-produced musical, senior projects, independent student projects, one-act play festivals, radio drama, a 24-hour play festival, and an annual fundraising performance of The Vagina Monologues.
- Guest Artists – The Performing Arts Series brings musicians of all different instruments to campus for concert events, master classes, and student receptions. Past guests from the Series include St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, Olga Kern, King's Singers, and Jane Monheit.
Athletics
Lawrence offers a variety of recreation activities for students whether it is through varsity athletics, intramurals, or clubs. Lawrence has 23 varsity sports: 13 sports for men and 10 sports for women. Students can easily attend varsity competitions and most are free of charge. Most games and competitions take place on weekends encouraging student attendance and allowing athletes to not miss as many classes during the school week. Attending games is easy for students because you can either walk or take a university shuttle to the event. Football games and basketball games can also be enjoyed in your dorm by listening to the game online. Many students enjoy walking across the College Avenue Bridge to the Banta Bowl on fall Saturday afternoons to watch the Lawrence Football team play on its home field, which is built in a natural ravine.
Academic Events
Most departments offer presentations and lectures from guest speakers which are open to the entire student body. Some past events include:
- Science Hall Colloquium – lectures from guest speakers in Biology, Chemistry, Biomedical Ethics, Physics, and Geology.
- Main Hall Forum – lectures in humanities and social sciences from guest speakers.
- Polvony Lecture Series in International Studies – guest speakers from around the world with a range of topics.
- Foreign Film Series – sponsored by the Spanish, French, and German foreign language clubs and classes.
- Fine Arts Colloquium – visual art exhibitions from students, faculty, and staff on display in Mudd Art Gallery and Wriston Art Gallery in addition to guest lectures in theater, art, and music.
Convocation Series
A year-long lecture series of guest speakers from different professions and from all around the country, and in some cases, the world.
Speakers give a lecture in the morning and spend the rest of the day on campus attending panel discussions, Q and A sessions, student lunches, and classes. Past speakers include Salman Rushdie, Arianna Huffington, Congressman John C. Lewis, Maya Angelou, David Sedaris, Anna Deavere Smith, Wynton Marsalis, Brian Greene, William Sloan Coffin, Carlo Ginzburg, and John Updike.
