PLATO Weekly Update

August 12, 2025

CURRICULUM

SUMMER COURSES
THIS WEEK! Last chance to register for Fixed Income Portfolios Including How to Buy Inflation Protected Securities. Starting Thursday, August 14, this course will meet virtually from 12:30-2:00pm on Thursdays through the end of the month.

FALL COURSES
NEXT WEEK! The Fall Course Schedule will be posted on the Courses webpage on Tuesday, August 19 and registration will begin the same day. There will be 36 Fall Courses to choose from including in-person, virtual, and hybrid options! Most Fall Courses will begin the week of September 15.

SPECIAL EVENTS

BREAKFAST & COFFEE GATHERINGS
These social events offer members and their guests opportunities to share conversation over coffee and breakfast or breakfast snacks.

NEXT WEEK! Fourth Friday Coffee Gathering – August 22, 9:30-11:30am at Rotunda Café. Learn more and RSVP here.

NEXT MONTH! First Friday Breakfast Gathering at the Pancake Café on Gammon Road on Friday, September 5, from 9:00-11:00am. Learn more and RSVP here.

THEATER & FIELD TRIPS

NEW! SAVE THE DATES for PLATO Theater Trips – review this flyer for theater trips for the upcoming membership year!

REMINDER! Celebrating American Design: Prairie Architecture and Wood Type Craft on Wednesday, August 20 – registered guests can review details here.

REGISTRATION IS FULL for the Dane County Landfill Tour on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 is full. Learn more and join the waitlist here.

LECTURES

NEXT MONTH! Pre-Civil War Quilts: Secret Codes to Freedom on the Underground Railroad on Tuesday, September 9 from 1:30-3pm at Oakwood Village University Woods Arts and Education Center. In her lecture, Connie Martin tells the history of the Underground Railroad and how quilt codes were used to communicate. Registration is not required, parking is free, and guests are welcome. Learn more here.

SAVE THE DATES for PLATO Lectures – review this flyer for lecture dates through November 2025.

Enjoy recorded PLATO Lectures at your convenience presented by PLATO members and local, national, and international special guest presenters.

BIKE RIDES
Set off on a summertime adventure with self-guided bicycling routes.

A PLATO PILOT PROGRAM
To provide PLATO members opportunities to gather informally to explore topics or activities of interest at any time throughout the year

NEW! Are you interested in hosting an informal group discussion on a particular topic or inviting others to participate in an activity you enjoy? If yes, please fill out this brief online form so that your idea can be shared with members in PLATO's Weekly Update. Odds are that if it is of interest to you, it will likely interest other PLATO members too!

REMINDER! Word of mouth is PLATO's best advertising so please help spread the word by forwarding this email to family and friends who can visit the JOIN PLATO webpage to learn about the benefits and how to join. And, members can learn more about how to spread the word here.

THE AGORA
The Agora, PLATO’s biennial literary and arts journal, 
celebrates members’ creativity and diversity of thought.

THIS FALL! Work is underway to produce The Agora, Volume 9, which PLATO members can look forward to reading this fall in hard copy and/or online. Members will be sent a hard copy in the mail unless they have opted-out of receiving it, with one copy sent per member household. Please be sure your address is up to date in your PLATO member profile so that your copy is sure to reach you.

THIS WEEK! Members who would prefer to read The Agora, Volume 9 online can opt-out of receiving a hard copy by mail by sending an email to info@platomadison.org by Friday, August 15.

View highlights from the past season on the The Agora Features webpage.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Select from a range of topics and formats for your viewing or listening pleasure, curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee. 

DID YOU KNOW? for August 12 – 25, 2025

Alexander Miles (May 18, 1838 – May 7, 1918) was a Black businessman and inventor who invented the automatic elevator door (after nearly losing his daughter down an elevator shaft) for which he was awarded a patent in 1887.

Visit the Social Justice page to learn more about Alexander Miles and past DID YOU KNOW? Features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable historic events and contributions made by non-mainstream individuals and organizations you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com).