A year-round campus

A year-round campus: UW-Stout welcomes more than 1,100 community members, area children for summer activities

Polytechnic experiences offered at hands-on STEAM camps, professional development workshops, Murals in Menomonie festival

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2026

Menomonie, Wis. – The academic year may have ended, but the summer is just heating up at University of Wisconsin-Stout with community classes, youth camps and a mural festival, featuring some of the world’s best mural artists.

As part of UW-Stout’s year-round campus activities, more than 1,100 community members and area children will join in hands-on, applied learning in campus labs and studios.

• The Middle School STEAM Experience and the High School STEAM Experience introduce young students to exciting career paths in science, technology, engineering, and art and design, while nurturing creativity and critical thinking skills. STEAM camp scholarships are available for Wisconsin students.
• Adult learners are invited to personal and professional enrichment courses and workshops designed to help advance careers or build connections through a new hobby, offered through Continuing Education and Conferences.
• Young athletes can improve their skills at sports camps and Stout Adventures’ Youth Climbing League, led by university coaches and staff.

And for four days, international artists will descend upon the city during Murals in Menomonie, featuring the Walldogs. From Wednesday, June 24, to Sunday, June 28, artists, residents, and visitors will come together to celebrate creativity, wellness and community pride in this one-of-a-kind event. The mural created for the UW-Stout campus will be painted on the eastern side of the Administration Building, facing the Clock Tower Plaza.

STEAM Experiences for young campers

Each STEAM camp is designed to engage and provide hands-on learning experiences and is led by UW-Stout faculty and university students. Unique tracks within the disciplines of STEAM include:

• Science & Health: Freshwater science, fish conservation, anatomy, molecular ecology, psychology and gardening
• Technology: 3D-printing, robotics and virtual reality
• Engineering: Construction, packaging and plastics engineering
• Art & Design: Claymation, comics, game design, fashion, cinema production, interior design and drawing

The STEAM programs are sponsored by the Menomonie, Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire school districts, the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, the National Science Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Xcel Energy and the UW-Stout Foundation & Alumni Association, in partnership with Continuing Education & Conferences.

Continuing Education classes for community members

Continuing Education & Conferences is collaborating with faculty and staff to develop in-person courses. Explore details and register to join on campus:

• June 11: The popular Discovering Japan series offers a workshop on Creating with Brush and Ink: A Japanese Calligraphy Experience.
• June 25: Protein Done Right invites participants into a UW-Stout kitchen classroom to bust diet myths and cook a meal together.
• June 30-Aug. 11: The six-day course on Citizen Journalism builds skills to write compelling stories that reflect the people, events and issues shaping the community.
• July 8-Aug. 5: In five two-hour sessions, learn how to turn Memories to Memoir: Crafting Your Story by reading and analyzing memoirs and through structured writing time.
• July 13-17: Build analytical and synthetic thinking skills by practicing established creative problem-solving methods in a one-credit Creative Problem-Solving course.
• July 15: The Discovering Japan series continues with Steeping in Tradition: A Japanese Tea Ceremony Experience, an introduction to the history, hospitality, mindfulness and artistry of tea ceremonies.
• Aug. 1-2: Metal Art Workshop: Ring-making will introduce learners to basic metalsmithing techniques, materials and tools as they make rings in the Metals Lab.
• Aug. 25: The third Discover Japan workshop, The Art of Giving in Japan: A Furoshiki Experience, focuses on the traditional Japanese art of cloth wrapping.
• Open Enrollment: A new series on Eldercare launches with its first course, focused on Death and Bereavement. 

Continuing Education & Conferences is also conducting a survey for community members to understand public interest in personal enrichment classes and usage of university labs, studios and other spaces. 

Sports and activities

Athletics offers multiple summer sports camps led by university coaches, staff and student athletes. Camps include baseball, softball, basketball, football, flag football, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, track, volleyball and dance.

Youth Climbing League offers introductory activities, designed to empower kids ages 6 to 12. Experienced instructors lead activities for all skill levels. Two sessions will be held from Tuesday, June 9, to Wednesday, July 15; and Tuesday, July 21, to Wednesday, Aug. 26.

UW-Stout, a member of the Universities of Wisconsin, is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, with a focus on applied learning, collaboration with business and industry, and career outcomes. Learn more via the FOCUS2030 strategic plan.