The University of Michigan begins its bicentennial celebration with the launch of a new public service announcement highlighting the history, future and significance of the university.
Through its powerful imagery, the video illustrates noteworthy visitors, historic landmarks on campus and various accomplishments of the U-M community that have had a significant impact on society.
A number of bicentennial-related events are planned during 2017, including four public festivals, academic events, colloquia sponsored by President Mark Schlissel, theme semesters led by LSA, exhibits and more.
The video was produced by Snowday, a creative production studio founded by U-M alumni, and coordinated by Michigan Creative with input from the Bicentennial Office.
The video features historic images from the Bentley Historical Library’s extensive holdings, as well as contemporary scenes captured by Snowday and Michigan Photography.
Following a timeline of events, the video notes important moments and legacies in U-M history, namely the announcement of the Salk polio vaccine, the Apollo 15 moon mission led by a flight crew of all U-M alumni, and feats by numerous athletics teams. It also showcases some of the most famous visitors to campus, including John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s.
The video transitions into the current state of the university and shows collaborated research accomplishments, like the 3D-printed splint designed for a life-threatening condition, the freestanding two-legged robot named MARLO, and Mcity, the world’s first controlled environment for testing connected and automated vehicles.
Detailed information about each of the vignettes represented in the video can be found at umich.edu/about/psa.
For more information on U-M’s yearlong celebration — from the amazing history and significance of the university to the extensive and diverse events that are taking place throughout 2017 — go to bicentennial.umich.edu.
