New lecture collection brings free, enjoyable training to Eau Claire group – The Spectator

The collection was co-founded by mates Sarah Bjorklund and Sara Sandager.

A brand new lecture collection in Eau Claire is providing free alternatives for the group to find out about matters starting from fashionable drugs to skateboarding.

The lecture collection, known as Lectures & Libations, was based earlier this yr by Sarah Bjorklund and Sara Sandager.

“I was traveling in Boston last year and saw a similar concept at a bar there,” Bjorklund stated. “I just thought it was a really cool idea — like, I wish a town the size of Eau Claire had something like this.  Several months later, my friend Sara and I were at dinner. We were talking about it and were like, we should just bring it to Eau Claire on our own terms.”

The first lecture was held in late February, and the matters coated up to now have been cults and the intersection of art and medicine.

“Last summer, we kind of brainstormed a list of topics,” Sandager stated. “We talked between Sarah and I and then with family about what they would find interesting. We recently looked into UW-Eau Claire, the different professors, their bios and what we find interesting.”

So far, the lectures have featured a number of professors from UW-Eau Claire, with Dr. Adam Kunz main the lecture on cults and Dr. Thomas Kemp set to show the following lecture, the Cultural Anthropology of Skateboarding.

Bjorklund stated she sees these lectures as an opportunity for the group to proceed their training in a low-stress and social atmosphere.

“It’s still fun to learn something new and without the stress of grades or assignments like we had in college,” Bjorklund stated. “That’s the main reason we did it. It’s fun to have a happy hour with friends and meet new people, but then also have the academic aspect of it.”

Once the thought was solidified, Lectures & Libations secured a venue for the collection: Forage, positioned in downtown Eau Claire, which Sandager stated is a superb match.

“I had a personal connection with someone that knew the owner of Forage,” Sandager stated. “So, he set up a meeting for Sarah and I. We were just so happy that [the owner] wanted to collaborate with us and let us use her space … We were really just looking at local venues, and we liked that the space is intimate as well. It’s not a large hall or anything.”

Sandager and Bjorklund stated that each lectures hosted up to now have fully offered out, and the group response has been very optimistic.

“After both events, I just felt so happy at the turnout and the enthusiasm from all the attendees,” Bjorklund stated. “It’s really nice to see that it’s been so well received by the community. We went into it and had no idea how it was going to turn out. I’m very pleasantly surprised and excited.”

Lectures happen from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. at Forage, positioned at 403 S. Barstow St. 

Doors open at 6 p.m., and a wide range of snacks and drinks can be found for buy. Registration is free and reserved via Lecture & Libations’ Eventbrite web page. 

Garrison could be reached at [email protected]