Campus Memorial to honor students who died in the past year
Friends, family members and campus partners are invited to attend a memorial program to honor the lives and accomplishments of student members of the U-M community who have died during this past year. The Campus Memorial is scheduled for 2 p.m. April 4 in the Anderson Room of the Michigan Union. A light reception will follow in the Opera Lounge of the Michigan Union. The Michigan experience has been forever impacted by the companionship and contributions of those being honored, and the end of the academic year is a fitting time to offer remembrances and commemorations. This year 11 members of the U-M student community will be remembered: David Hutchinson, Eli Kane, Krish Kholi, Jim Pagels, Vishnu Murthy, Jordan Roth, Similoluwa Sotimehin, Juhan Wang, Connor Wilson, Alex Xiong and Quinn Yarian. The Campus Memorial is sponsored by the Division of Student Life and the Association of Religious Counselors.
Voices of the Staff accepting applications through April 30
Staff members on campus and at Michigan Medicine are encouraged to help shape the future of their workplace by applying to join Voices of the Staff. Voices of the Staff is U-M’s long-standing employee-engagement program for staff from Michigan Medicine and every academic campus. It brings together 130 staff members to help drive workplace improvement for all. The deadline to apply is April 30. A summary of a recent Voices of the Staff town hall offers a look at how the program sought input from the entire staff community to identify the issues on which the group focuses. The issue that garnered the greatest response was fostering a flexible workplace. Additional topics included diversity, equity and inclusion, parking, career development, health and well-being, and technology. Voices of the Staff members can help shape the future of work to create the best work experience possible for all. To participate, staff members must have at least one year of experience, be in good standing, and have supervisor support for their application. Learn more about Voices of the Staff and apply.
School of Dentistry to host free clinic for kids on April 9
Dental and dental hygiene students and faculty from the School of Dentistry will provide free oral health care services to children ages 4-14 on April 9. It’s part of an annual clinic at the dental school called “Give Kids a Smile” and is available to children from throughout southeast Michigan. Dental exams, cleanings, X-rays, sealants, fillings and extractions are provided free on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 160 children who are registered. Parents or guardians can either pre-register their children or register in-person on the morning of the clinic at the School of Dentistry building in Ann Arbor. Pre-registration is available by emailing gkasumsod@gmail.com, or by calling 989-787-0712. In-person registration begins at 8 a.m., and the event usually ends by early afternoon. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Michigan Medicine hosting its latest food and toiletry drive
Two years ago this month, the U-M and local communities stepped up to help neighbors in need in the first weeks of the pandemic, by giving healthy food and essential supplies through Michigan Medicine donation drives for Food Gatherers. A new food and toiletry drive will build on the 281,000 meals’ worth of donations those drives brought in. Continuing through April 10, Michigan Medicine will host an in-person and online drive to help Food Gatherers meet the needs of 170 community partner organizations across Washtenaw County. Food insecurity in the area is still 7% higher than before the pandemic. Recent inflation makes it even harder for lower-income community members to afford the food and toiletries that can keep families healthy, and keep students’ learning progress on track. Donors can drop non-perishable food and toiletries, including diapers, at Dock 90 of the North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Road. Donations can be left between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day during the drive. Volunteers will be available to help unload donations from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A list of most-needed items is available at michmed.org/mostneeded. Donors can also give money online at foodgatherers.org/um for Food Gatherers to use in purchasing food at wholesale prices. Learn more.
UMMA’s new interactive museum exhibition will be built by visitors
FUN is a collaborative, interactive art exhibition that invites visitors to work with artist Mark Tucker to create large-scale kinetic 3-D sculptures. With FUN, Tucker and the U-M Museum of Art plan to turn the usual museum exhibition model upside down, opening the show to the public before it’s been created. With the help of community participation, the new exhibition will transform UMMA’s Stenn Jr. Family Gallery into a real-life artists’ workshop, complete with all the tools and supplies needed for making Tucker’s brand of sculptures based on works of art in the museum’s collection. In addition to creating a colorful and chaotic space for creative exploration, UMMA and Tucker also aim to demystify the artistic process while making meaningful museum experiences more accessible. This workshop/exhibition/performance opens May 14 and culminates in a communitywide celebration at the end of August. Learn more.
— Compiled by James Iseler and Jeff Bleiler, The University Record
