Alumni Connections

Join us for an evening of networking and nostalgia with the School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumni community! Enjoy hosted food and drinks as well as a special conversation with SJMC Director Kathleen Bartzen Culver and alumnus Charlie Berens (BA'09), the Emmy-winning journalist and comedian behind the Manitowoc Minute. Together, they’ll dive into a timely (and lively!) conversation about how to build demand for real journalism in a world that rewards polarization.

This event is generously sponsored by Attorney Laura Brenner and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.

Program

5:15 p.m. – Welcome remarks by SJMC Director Kathleen Bartzen Culver

5:25 p.m. – Charlie Berens in conversation with Kathleen Bartzen Culver

6 p.m. – Networking reception

CHARLIE BERENS is a comedian, New York Times Best Selling Author, Emmy-winning journalist, musician and creator of the viral sensation, The Manitowoc Minute, a comedic news show about the Midwest which first launched him into notoriety in 2017. Since then, Charlie’s been creating Midwest-inspired sketch comedy videos that connect to a worldwide social media audience of over 10 million. This has led to his New York Times Best Seller The Midwest Survival Guide being optioned for TV development and three sold out nationwide stand-up comedy tours. His latest Good Old Fashioned Tour played 127 shows in 88 cities and was shot as a follow-up special to his 2023 one hour debut, Midwest Goodbye. In his free time, Charlie hosts the Cripescast podcast where he has meaningful conversations with a wide range of guests, including musicians, headlining comedians, dairy farmers, groundbreaking scientists, government officials, world-renowned chefs, artists, business leaders, sports Hall of Famers, explorers, Olympians, and creators about their story and connections to the Midwest. In addition to Cripescast, Charlie also co-hosts the Bellied Up podcast w/ “Myles The You Betcha Guy” where the two of them belly up at a small-town bar every Thursday and take live calls from all over the Midwest and rest of the world. In 2020, Charlie paired up with Horseshoes & Hand Grenades alum Adam Greuel to release the music/comedy album, Unthawed. The album, which is a mixture of bluegrass, country, and Charlie’s comedy, hit #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart and #6 on the Bluegrass Comedy chart. The duo followed that up with Dive Bar Dinner in 2023, which also charted on the Billboard Charts. Most recently, he was featured in a nationwide Target campaign, served as the ambassador for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s Annual Food for the Holidays Campaign and launched Berens Old Fashioned Brandy which is in stores across Wisconsin. Throughout all his work, Charlie aims to connect with people through comedy and authenticity.

Host or Publisher UW School of Journalism & Mass Communication