When is UW–Madison’s Day of the Badger this year?
The 2024 Day of the Badger event will be April 16-17.
Wait, it’s called Day of the Badger, but there are two dates listed here. Why?
This is a bit of an Easter egg, but we’ll clue you in. Day of the Badger begins precisely at 10:12 a.m. on April 16 and ends at 5 p.m. on April 17. That adds up to an 1,848-minute-long campaign, which is a nod to the fact that our great University was founded in 1848.
That’s fun! But what is Day of the Badger?
At its core, Day of the Badger is a philanthropic event. The University of Wisconsin–Madison and its many individual units, like us at the College of Letters & Science, are raising critical funds to create life-changing experiences for current and future Badgers. Your gift to the College of Letters & Science Annual Fund is not just a donation, it’s a ripple effect of positive change. It fuels opportunities for students, resources for research and support for the College to continue providing a world-class liberal arts education. And with every student who flourishes, their impact ripples outward, shaping the world for the better.
To pay it forward and make a donation, go to: dayofthebadger.org/campaign/ls-annual-fund/
Is there a matching gift this year that can help me maximize my donation?
We’re excited and grateful that this year your gift to the College of Letters & Science Annual Fund will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $16,000 thanks to generous donations from Peter ('73) and Glenda Friedrich, Aaron ('94) and Leorah ('93) Eisenberg, and other anonymous donors.
Beyond giving, are there other ways to Celebrate Day of the Badger?
Absolutely! One of the easiest ways is to wear red. Day of the Badger is all about showing off your Badger pride, so slap on your favorite UW–Madison gear and make sure to tell people that it’s part of a University-wide celebration. We also encourage you to share that Badger pride on social media by telling your followers all about how L&S shaped your life. Tag the College @uwmadisonls, and we may share your posts. Or you can share posts from our platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X).
Speaking of social media, I’m seeing a lot of Mean Girls references on the College of Letters & Science social media channels. What’s that about?
With the new release of the musical version of Mean Girls — as well as our non-stop nostalgia for the 2004 blockbuster — we thought it would be fun to take a Badger spin on the iconic phrase: “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” Day of the Badger lands on a Wednesday this year, so remember: On Wednesday, April 17, we’ll wear red.