Eye On You August 2008
Freshman class, community to participate in first-ever ‘Welcome Week’
Freshmen students will arrive on the U of M campus a week earlier than usual this year. But the university’s 5,000 newest members won’t be the only ones participating in the university’s new six-day-long “Welcome Week.” Several local neighborhood organizations and businesses have already signed up to partake in the festivities, too. On Saturday, Aug. 30, businesses from Dinkytown, Stadium Village and Cedar-Riverside will be represented at an on-campus vendor and student-organization fair. The following day, students will be invited to engage in one of more than 20 on- or off-campus service projects. The Southeast Como Improvement Association (SECIA) is sponsoring one such project, “A Community Service Great Race,” when students will break into teams to assist with numerous urban-beautification projects while simultaneously strengthening relations between the university and the community.
Warrior-to-Citizen Oral History Project seeks volunteers
As part of the veteran reintegration initiative begun by the 2006-2007 Humphrey Institute Policy Fellows, this citizen oral history project seeks to document the stories of Minnesota veterans upon returning to civilian life after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their recorded stories will be archived by the Minnesota Historical Society and also become part of an exhibit that will travel across the state. Organizers are looking for a diverse group of volunteers to conduct interviews with veterans (training provided; experience is not necessary) and/or design and coordinate a travelling exhibit. Veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan that are interested in sharing their experiences are also encouraged to participate. For more information or to get involved, contact Project Coordinator Kristin Farrell at 612-625-0142, or by email, repe0002@umn.edu.
The next training date for volunteer interviewers is Thursday, Sept. 11, 3–6 p.m. at Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, 301 19th Ave. S.
‘Speaking of Home’: Public Art and Lecture Series
A public art installation in Downtown Minneapolis commemorating Minnesota’s sesquicentennial is only half of the Speaking of Home experience. Centered around the question, “What does home mean to you?”, the University’s Institute of Advanced Study will feature public lectures on Aug. 12 and 26, and on Sept. 23, as part of a series connected with the installation. For more information about the lectures or the installation, visit: www.ias.umn.edu/SpeakingofHome.php.
U of M info
University of Minnesota information, directories, maps, parking, news and events can be found at www.umn.edu/twincities or by phone at 612-625-5000.
last revised: August 6, 2008