It was less than a year ago that an initiative was launched to promote and revitalize the North Campus experience. And while several events and changes still are in the works as part of the initiative, the effects of the effort already can be seen across North Campus.
From increasing the number of social events to rebranding how students think about the university’s “engineering and artistic campus,” the participants in the GoNorth! Initiative already have had a big impact on student life on North Campus. This year, the impact will be even bigger.
The GoNorth! Initiative is a collaborative effort between the Division of Student Affairs and academic units across the university that focuses on improving North Campus by collecting feedback from students, faculty and staff and turning their suggestions into realities.
With the engagement of the deans from the schools and colleges on North Campus, the initiative is to broaden the scope of activities offered on campus, from Living Arts programs, to social events and activities, to Lecture Series, to Stress Busters. The GoNorth! Initiative provides a more consolidated effort in getting all events publicized and to have one common brand that is recognizable to the campus community.
“The initiative is meant to bring elements of vibrancy, destination-value, cultural and artistic expression, and innovation, to the North Campus community,” says Elizabeth Zollweg, project manager of the GoNorth! Initiative. “That mission is being accomplished by the events and programs that are planned and by the conversations and partnerships that have been created.”
To help spread the word about current and future events happening as part of the initiative, Zollweg launched a new GoNorth! website, gonorth.umich.edu, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/NorthCampusUniversityofMichigan.
“We encourage students, faculty and staff to use the new GoNorth! website and Facebook page to keep up on the latest developments and to share news about other events on North Campus,” Zollweg says. “We also hope people will sound off by offering suggestions of what can be improved on North.”
To match the unique qualities of North Campus, the GoNorth! Initiative strives to create special events not always found on Central Campus. Last fall tailgates were scheduled on North Campus to televise away football games on large inflatable screens, and last spring students attended a “dive-in movie,” in which participants watched a movie from inflatables in the pool at the North Campus Recreation Building.
Building on the momentum of these events, tailgates will be hosted on North Campus for several away football games this fall and hot air balloon rides have been scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Sept. 21 on North Campus.
“The hot air balloon event is going to be awesome. I am so excited that so many units and entities within the university were able to come together to make this event actually happen,” Zollweg says. “An event of this nature has not been done before anywhere on Michigan’s campus.”
“If you are faculty or staff and are interested in being a part of this effort, GoNorth! has many opportunities for those excited about North Campus,” Zollweg says. “Go Blue and GoNorth!”
