With a second year of eclectic and engaging programming for Communiversity Day and its adjunct Arts Fest, it appears as if Northwestern has continued a promising tradition. The events, which took place in Norris University Center on Sunday and included educational and instructional programs, student group performances and athletic demos, are bringing NU students, faculty and administrators closer to Evanston and its residents.
At a school where students bemoan the apparently contentious relationship between Evanston and NU, these events were meant to enrich the lives of students and Evanstonians alike. The two festivals served to expand the University’s positive influence beyond the bounds of Sheridan Road.
NCDC’s Arts Fest truly felt like one: The programming included performance artists from the Evanston community such as The Earth Program, Gabriel Chapparo and Kelsey Montanez as well as NU groups such as Purple Haze, Tonik Tap and Ladycats. Organizers estimated about 800 people attended the events.
With educational and instructional programs for youth and adults, Communiversity Day drew crowds of intellectually curious Evanston residents. The event was supported by all corners of NU, including the Associated Student Government, the Office of the Provost and the NU Alumni Association, to name a few. The event showcased what the University has to offer.
Other campus happenings have built upon the Evanston and NU relationship: last week’s 40th annual seminar day drew alumni and Evanston residents to Norris for lectures and speakers.
The brand new Wildcat Express Delivery is breaking ground in establishing a service that connects Evanston restaurants with hungry NU students, and vice versa. Many business owners whose restaurants are not within walking distance of campus and do not offer delivery will benefit from the new influx of student money as this service takes hold.
As the city continues its effort to make Sheridan Road safer, First Ward Alderman-elect Judy Fiske will hopefully fight for a plan that will be mutually beneficial to NU and Evanston alike.
While spring is a time for NU students to emerge from their dorm rooms and apartments to reclaim the Evanston campus, it should also be seen as a time to renew their commitment to the greater community.
The effort on the part of NCDC and the Communiversity Day planners was extraordinary. Norris was bustling with students as well as Evanston residents and their children, for once living up to the role of a ‘university center.’
Hopefully, incoming university President Morton O. Schapiro will be as dedicated to the betterment of town-gown relations as he is to enhancing the undergraduate experience. Well-attended events like Arts Fest and Communiversity Day should be held every quarter, rather than just once a year.
At the same time, there are opportunities for students themselves to become invested in the City of Evanston.
Mayor-elect Elizabeth Tisdahl’s effort to reach out to students at a cross-residenial college fireside at the Communications Residential College on Tuesday from 7:00-10:00 p.m. also reflects this trend. One hopes that the students who attend the fireside will ask the right questions.
The attendees will likely set the tone for interactions between the mayor and NU students in the future. Students should use this opportunity to open a dialogue with Tisdahl that will grow and change as she adapts to her new role. With new leadership and an energized base of students who are willing to reach out, NU is poised to become a center for the Evanston community.
Communication junior and Campus Editor Matt Spector can be reached at [email protected]
