Chancey Williams performs free concert as part of the fifth annual Blockchain Stampede

Friday the 23rd On September 10, as a closing event for the 5th Annual Wyoming Blockchain Stampede and WyoHackathon, the University of Wyoming Blockchain Club hosted a free Chancey Williams concert.

The University of Wyoming is the first Division 1 university in the country to have a blockchain degree program, offering a minor in blockchain, the study of cryptocurrencies and how they are transacted.

The university also hosts a blockchain club of approximately 80 members that meets weekly and runs a Bitcoin mining operation.

“We thought, how do we get students excited about blockchain and blockchain technology? We thought, let’s put on an event that brings the students together and hopefully they’ll talk about the concert and why it happened,” said Steven Lupien, director of the Center for Blockchain and Digital Initiatives .

“It’s about the students and letting them know the incredible things we’re doing here with blockchain on campus.”

Williams, who performed at the concert, is a Wyoming native and a University of Wyoming alumni.

“Everywhere we play across the United States, we always like to represent our state well because we’re hard workers and this is the best state,” Williams said. “We tell everyone wherever we travel, we believe the world needs more cowboys.”

While ASUW can provide up to $10,000 to help fund the concert, the week-long Blockchain Stampede and WyoHackathon, as well as any remaining fees for the concert, will be paid for by private donors.

“The student council here is absolutely fantastic; and clubs get a certain amount of funding, Lupien said.

“We really appreciate the university for that, but most of the funding for this came from private donors. Input/Output Global (IOG) Cardano was our title sponsor this year, and a lot of this happens because of the support of such industry.”

Concert staff reported that nearly a thousand students attended.

First, responding with an enthusiastic expression, Cody Meissner, a junior studying farm and ranch management, expressed his review of the concert, saying, “It was absolutely amazing. I never got to see him in person, and plus he’s educated and he came here; that’s even better.”

The concert also sparked interest in blockchain.

“I don’t know what blockchain is,” Meissner said, “but now I want to know.”

“I would be interested in learning more,” said Thomas Loyd, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice, “I know blockchain like crypto and stuff; I know there’s a lot more that goes into it, so it would be interesting to understand that.”