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Riley Bender puts together her flute to practice. She has been playing for about nine years.
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Riley Bender puts together her flute to practice. She has been playing for about nine years.
Bender sets her phone camera up next to her laptop in order to analyze her embouchure. Since her lessons are virtual, she has to do more learning on her own.
Musician Riley Bender plays her piccolo at the Marching Hundred rehearsal on Sept. 30 at Conrad Prebys Amphitheater. As a wind player, she must use an air shield to prevent the air coming out of her instrument from circulating.
IU was once named the “No. 1 Party School” in the nation by the Princeton Review based on student reporting of alcohol and drug use, number of hours spent studying outside of class and the presence of sororities and fraternities on campus.
It might be the number one concern for parents of incoming students: Will my student be safe on campus?
Buying at a bookstore tends to be the most expensive option. Although there are a variety of alternatives, some students still prefer the traditional way.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In most cases, it’s the number one concern for parents of incoming students: Will my student be safe on campus?There are a number of measures at IU that have been put into place to ensure the answer to this question is “yes.” Residence halls are equipped with a key-card entry system and locks on individual dormitory doors. To enter most residence halls, students must swipe their IU ID card and use their personal key to get into their room. ID cards only work for the residence hall where the student lives. Additionally, residents are urged not to allow others in who do not have a key card. If a student is without his or her ID or can’t get into the dorm, he or she will need to contact a Residential Programs & Services staff member at the center desk of his or her residence hall.There are also cameras in and around the residence centers to monitor who is entering and exiting the halls. Similarly, students can expect to see Resident Assistants and IU Police Department officers patrolling the halls regularly, circulating the dormitories to ensure that residents are safe at all hours.While rounds are not intended to get students into trouble, students should be aware of the consequences for participating in illicit activities in the residence halls.Outside the dormitories, the campus infrastructure is designed to keep students safe en route to classes, campus buildings and the dorms. Campus sidewalks and parking lots are well-lit and equipped with emergency stations. These stations flash a blue light when a button is pressed and alert IUPD there is an emergency in the area. For students who do not feel safe walking at night, the IU Safety Escort Service provides safe rides to and from campus buildings and student housing, both on and off-campus. Students who wish to utilize the free service should call 812-855-SAFE and a safety escort van will meet them. They must then show their student ID before boarding.This fall, IU Student Association is piloting a program called Safe Ride which will pick up students from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Sunday.Unlike IU Safety Escort, which operates on limited hours and only picks up on campus, Safe Ride will pick up a student anywhere in the Bloomington city limits, even if that student has been drinking. Students have three free rides for the year by calling 812-856-RIDE and will be picked up by an IU vehicle with a student driver and navigator. Find more information online.Finally, the campus is equipped with the IU-Notify Messaging System, which serves to notify students and faculty of weather or security emergencies. Students can sign up to receive text messages, phone calls and emails from the system, and the notifications are also posted online and on campus and cable television. Warning sirens are posted outdoors as well to notify residents in the event of an emergency.Ultimately, individual safety depends on the students themselves to make smart decisions and keep themselves out of unsafe situations. However, parents may be assured that IU staff members work hard on campus and in the community to ensure students are safe throughout their time at IU.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Some of IU’s reputation is that Hoosiers like to party, but that’s not the case for everyone. Many Hoosiers like to keep sober and focus on making their four years count with clubs, sports, music and community.IU was once named the “No. 1 Party School” in the nation by the Princeton Review based on student reporting of alcohol and drug use, number of hours spent studying outside of class and the presence of sororities and fraternities on campus. Ten years later, in 2012, IU didn’t make the list.Despite the lower ranking, parents might still worry that exposure to partying, alcohol and drugs are part of many students’ college experience. However, it doesn’t have to be that way at IU. “This school is diverse in many ways and the character of its students is one of them,” 2012 graduate Danny Alexander said. “There are plenty of students who do not engage in drinking and partying while still having fun.”Alexander pointed to the variety of clubs, sports and activities available on campus as evidence that there are students out there with other interests. He suggested new students look for ways to get involved on campus as a means of meeting new people and finding alternatives to drinking. “There are many things to do on campus and around Bloomington that don’t involve drinking,” he said. “Join a club or become a part of a community floor in a residence hall. I personally like to go to Rachael’s Café on Third Street and enjoy free music.”Senior Tara Harr is a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She said Greek life is a great way to get involved on campus and do service work, explaining that being in a sorority or fraternity isn’t all about the parties.“My sorority put together a kickball tournament in order to support the Ronald McDonald House,” she said. “From doing things like this, I not only got to meet more people in the Greek community, but also people outside the Greek community.”If a student’s interested in athletics, IU offers over 20 different intramural sports. A number of students also choose to participate in Little 500, an annual cycling race. This past year, Harr was captain of her sorority’s Little 500 bike team. She said it kept her busy since she was continuously planning things surrounding the women’s race.“I was constantly planning and preparing for the race,” Harr said. “I recruited girls to be on the team, made workout plans, scheduled team meetings, ordered and updated equipment. It was one of the most exciting and rewarding things I have done at IU.”Junior Lauren Knueven said she also believes IU has a lot to offer to students who aren’t interested in drinking or partying. She noted the sheer number of students enrolled at IU as evidence.“There are over 30,000 students that attend IU,” she said. “Whether or not a student gets involved in partying and drinking is largely dependent on the individual student and whom they become friends with. You can party if you want to, but you don’t have to.” Similar to Alexander, Knueven advised new students to take advantage of the variety of other events occurring both on campus and in Bloomington. “There are free movies at the Union,” she said. “And sometimes IU sponsors cultural events on weekend nights.” Both students emphasized the importance of finding good friends at the beginning of the year, since this is when the majority of new students establish the habits and relationships that will last through their first year.“No matter what school you go to, there will always be a few students who drink and do drugs, but I think it’s a lot smaller number than people think,” Knueven said. “Most of my friends that I have met at IU don’t do any of these things, and I’ve never felt pressured to do so here.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Every year, the summer sostice takes place on June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. Commonly referred to as the middle of the summer, the summer solstice refers to the axial tilt of the Earth toward the sun.On June 22, the IU Art Museum will celebrate the longest day and shortest night of the year — the summer solstice — with select works that evoke the spirit of the Midsummer Night from 7 to 9 p.m. During the event, all three of the museum’s permanent collection galleries will be open, in addition to a self-guided tour available for visitors.“Each curator chose pieces that they felt spoke to the theme of the evening,” said Diane Pelrine, curator of African, Oceanic and Pre-Colombian Art. In making her selections, Pelrine opted for a variety of themes, including one particularly straightforward: pieces that are used during nighttime.“I chose a mask made by the Baining peoples of New Britain for one of my pieces,” she said. “This mask is specifically worn at night during bonfires and ceremonies, and it holds a lot of cultural importance.” Visitors to the third-floor gallery will also see a West Mexican jar in the shape of a pumpkin with three frogs supporting it and a face mask from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Other featured pieces for the evening include Rockwell Kent’s “Twilight of Man” and Walter Sigmund Hampel’s “The Vision” in the first-floor Art of the Western World Gallery.The evening will also include free food, drinks and entertainment. Local acoustic jazz musician Curtis Cantwell Jackson is scheduled to perform. A cash bar will also be available.— Caitlin Ryan
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Printmaker. Set designer. Photographer. British pop artist David Hockney is a jack of all trades whose work is now being shown at the IU Art Museum. Two new acquisitions pieces will join three previously acquired pieces in the museum’s collection of Hockney’s art. These images, on display from June 12 to Oct. 21, are featured in the Gallery of the Art of the Western World on the first floor of the museum.The first piece is an inkjet printed computer drawing entitled “Paul and Margaret Hockney” that was created in 2009. The portrait is of his brother and sister, and features the artists’ siblings sitting alongside one another immersed in their personal digital assistant. “I think it’s really interesting and relevant. You see people like that all the time, on their phones or smart devices,” said Nan Brewer, curator of works on paper for the Art Museum. The second piece in the installation was created in 1982 and is a portrait of Hockney’s mother entitled “Mother Sleeping, Los Angeles.”Brewer noted that Hockney is also famous for his collages.“Most history of photography books mention his work in this area,” she said.In addition to the pieces on display at the museum, the IU Cinema will screen a 60-minute documentary “David Hockney: A Bigger Picture” on Aug. 4. The Art Museum will also hold the gallery talk, “Focus on Hockney,” before the screening of the documentary. -- Caitlin Ryan
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Between the time freshmen attend orientation and the time they begin classes in the fall, is there anything that incoming students can do to prepare for college academics and the courses that await them?INTENSIVE FRESHMAN SEMINARSIntensive Freshman Seminars (IFS) are a three-week program that takes place in August. Through this program, students have the opportunity to take a college course and become acquainted with the campus before thousands of other new students move to Bloomington.“Anything students can do to start setting boundaries before the semester will be helpful for maintaining some discipline and a reasonable lifestyle when on campus,” said Dr. Lisa Thomassen, who teaches an IFS course.OTHER RESOURCESStudents may go to their resident assistant (RA), professors and advisers for help with the transition to college academics. “To be successful academically, people need to be in charge of what they are doing and know how to do it,” University Division adviser Joyce Miller said. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. When you’re new, it’s important to ask enough questions to figure out what it is that you need to do.”JUST RELAX“Frankly, I don’t think there is any way for incoming students to prepare for the remarkable adventure that awaits them at Indiana University,” telecommunications professor Michael McGregor said. “My recommendations would be something like work hard, have fun, spend as much time with your friends in high school as you can.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Campus bookstores maintain an important role at universities across the nation. Even with its popularity, buying at a bookstore tends to be the most expensive option. Although there are a variety of alternatives, for some students, buying books the traditional way is the way to go. “I generally buy my books from the IU Bookstore,” senior Eric Burns said. “I like being able to give them my schedule and they can tell me everything I need. It’s a little more expensive, but I like the convenience.”However, with the help of the Internet, students now have the option to rent or buy books online, and can even purchase them in the form of e-books.Should I rent?Renting textbooks is a fairly recent trend among university students as a cheap alternative to purchasing books. Both the IU Bookstore and T.I.S. offer this option, in addition to local retailer TXT Book Rental and websites like Chegg.com. Pros: Renting a textbook is cheaper than purchasing one, and you don’t have to keep a book that you don’t want. According to T.I.S., renting textbooks usually saves you 60 percent off the list price of the book.Cons: Rental books have to be kept in good condition, so you can’t write in them as much, if at all.Students say: “I usually rent my books,” senior Jon Tienhaara said. “It’s a little cheaper. The only downside is that you don’t get money from selling them back at the end of the semester.”Should I buy online?Buying online can also save money, especially with popular websites like www.Amazon.com. They advertise big discounts on new and used textbooks and databases like Google books, even offering some for free.Pros: You can do it from the comfort of your own living room and you might find yours for free.Cons: Finding free books online often only works for novels or classics. Also, if you order your books online, you have to wait for them to arrive.Students say: “Most of the books I need are novels, so if I can find them online for free using the Gutenberg Project or something, then I don’t buy them,” senior Betsy Stout said. “If I can’t, then I buy them in person at T.I.S. or a regular bookstore so that I can have them in my hand right away.”Should I get e-books?Once you’ve decided whether you want to buy online or rent, you can also choose whether you’d like traditional books or e-books, which can be read on a portable device, like a Kindle or a NOOK. However, most of them are formatted to be read on a computer screen. Pros: Having an eTextbook on your computer saves some space and weight in your backpack.Cons: Looking at a computer all the time can be a bad habit, especially for your eyes.Students say: “I always use eTextbooks,” graduate student Dhairya Gala said. “I download the PDF and I can take it anywhere with me. The only con that I see is that sometimes when you want to refer to another section in the book, you have to scroll up and down instead of flipping the pages, which can be irritating.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Magic, murder, blood, lust and sword fights are just some of the details Jennifer Whitaker said are part of the upcoming Monroe County Civic Theater’s production ofShakspeare’s “Macbeth.” The production is set to take place this weekend on the Third Street Park Stage with 7 p.m. shows Thursday through Saturday and a 3 p.m. showing Sunday. It’s a part of an annual series put on by the Monroe County Civic Theater called “Shakespeare in the Park” and is sponsored in part by Bloomington Parks and Recreation, World Wide Automotive and Carol Wilson.“We’re celebrating the 26th year of the Monroe County Civic Theater in Bloomington,” said Sheila Butler, director of the play. “And Shakespeare in the Park has been a part of it for close to 20 years.”The first Shakespeare in the Park production, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” took place in 1990 at the Harmony School Outdoor Stage. Since then, the group has covered a wide variety of Shakespeare’s work including “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” “Othello,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “King Lear.” The last time “Macbeth” was performed by this group was in 2004. Butler proposed during a board meeting that “Macbeth” be put on again this year. “My son got to be Macbeth years ago in high school, and I really liked the play then,” Butler said. “I thought it would be fun to direct and a good fit for our annual series.” Butler also pointed out that this production has a few unique twists that will make it interesting for audience members. “We’re incorporating living foliage in our production,” Butler said. “This means that we have people acting as trees in the play. We also have puppets, music, dancing and some interesting costumes and set design.”The sets for this summer’s production were collected and constructed by members of the MCCT led by set builder Amy Luxenburger, who was inspired by German expressionist painting and film. “We were going for something that incorporated jarring colors, forced perspectives and pretty much anything that looked unnatural,” Luxenburger said. The set itself includes a large painted backdrop depicting a path into a tunnel, a window with red light coming through it and an arch to represent a part of the castle.“We also have these trellises up front with a mixture of things on them to kind of set the scene for where the witches do their work,” Luxenburger said. The trellises are painted with Anglo-Saxon runes and are adorned with tarot cards and feathers to give a “witchy” feel.Luxenburger, like many of the other cast and crew, plays multiple roles in this production. In addition to being the set designer, she also plays a witch and the character Old Siward. “Everyone here is a volunteer, so we have to wear multiple hats,” she said. Community members interested in viewing the production are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets, relax and enjoy the show.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana University was once named the “No. 1 Party School” in the nation by the Princeton Review, based on student reporting of alcohol and drug use, number of hours spent studying outside of class and the presence of sororities and fraternities on campus. Five years later, in 2010, IU ranked 15th on the list. Despite the lower ranking, parents might still worry that exposure to partying, alcohol and drugs is a part of many students’ college experience. At IU, however, it doesn’t have to be that way. “This school is diverse in many ways, and the character of its students is one of them,” said 2012 graduate Danny Alexander. “There are plenty of students who do not engage in drinking and partying while still having fun.”Alexander pointed to the variety of clubs, sports and activities available on campus as evidence that there are students out there with other interests. He suggested new students look for ways to get involved on campus as a means of meeting new people and finding alternatives to drinking. “There are many things to do on campus and around Bloomington that don’t involve drinking,” he said. “Join a club or become a part of a community floor in a residence hall. I personally like to go to Rachael’s Café on Third Street and enjoy free music.”Junior Lauren Knueven said she also believes IU has a lot to offer to students who aren’t interested in drinking or partying. She noted the sheer number of students enrolled at IU.“There are over 30,000 students that attend IU,” she said. “Whether or not a student gets involved in partying and drinking is largely dependent on the individual student and whom they become friends with. You can party if you want to, but you don’t have to.”Like Alexander, Knueven advised new students to take advantage of the variety of other events occurring both on campus and in Bloomington. “There are free movies at the Union,” she said. “And sometimes IU sponsors cultural events on weekend nights.”Both students emphasized the importance of finding good friends at the beginning of the year, since this is when the majority of new students establish the habits and relationships that will last through their first year.Junior Bryn Schweda said she agreed.“No matter what school you go to, there will always be a few students who drink and do drugs, but I think it’s a lot smaller number than people think,” Knueven said. “Most of my friends that I have met at IU don’t do any of these things, and I’ve never felt pressured to do so here.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In most cases, it's the number one concern for parents of incoming students: Will my student be safe on campus?At Indiana University, there are a number of measures that have been put into place to ensure the answer to this question is “Yes.” Residence halls are equipped with a key card entry system and locks on individual dormitory doors. To enter most residence halls, students must swipe their IU ID card and use their personal key to get into the room. ID cards only work for the residence hall where the student lives. Additionally, residents are urged not to allow others in who do not have a key card. If a student is without his or her ID or can’t get into the dorm, he or she will need to contact a Residential Programs & Services staff member at the center desk of their residence hall.There are also cameras in and around the residence centers to monitor who is entering and exiting the halls. Similarly, students can expect to see Resident Assistants and IU Police Department officers on rounds regularly within the halls, circulating the dormitories to ensure that residents are safe at all hours.While rounds are not intended to “get students into trouble,” students should be aware there are consequences for students found participating in illicit activities in the residence halls.Outside the dormitories, the campus infrastructure is designed to keep students safe en route to classes, campus buildings and the dorms. Campus sidewalks and parking lots are well lit and equipped with emergency stations. These stations flash a blue light when a button is pressed and alert IUPD there is an emergency in the area. For students who do not feel safe walking at night, the IU Safety Escort Service provides safe rides to and from campus buildings and student housing, both on and off campus. Students who wish to utilize the free service should call 812-855-SAFE and a safety escort van will meet them. They must then show their student ID before boarding.Finally, the campus is equipped with the IU-Notify Messaging System, which serves to notify students and faculty of emergencies. Students can sign up to receive text messages, phone calls and emails from the system, and the notifications are also posted online and on campus and cable television. Warning sirens are posted outdoors as well to notify residents in the event of an emergency.Ultimately, individual safety depends on the students themselves to make smart decisions and keep themselves out of unsafe situations. However, parents may be assured that Indiana University staff work hard on campus and in the community to ensure students are safe throughout their time at IU.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When a degree program in philanthropic studies was introduced at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis in fall 2010, Arishaa Khan immediately switched her major from elementary education to philanthropic studies, joining a small group of IUPUI’s first undergraduates to earn a degree in this field.“I do not recall a single moment of hesitation,” Khan said in an email. “Volunteering and taking part in charity has been a part of my family and religious tradition for as long as I remember. ... I can not imagine what I would be doing with my life that would be as rewarding and fitting for me as philanthropic studies.”In May 2012, Khan and four other classmates graduated from IUPUI with a bachelor of arts in philanthropic studies.Since the program’s inception, 21 undergraduate students have declared philanthropic studies as their major. The number is expected to increase to 75 students by 2015, according to a Chronicle of Philanthropy article.The program combines real-world application with theory, allowing students to enroll in a variety of courses on nonprofit topics, as well as complete a required internship. Julie Hatcher, director of undergraduate programs at the Center on Philanthropy at IUPUI, said in a Chronicle of Philanthropy article that most students complete more than one internship in their time at the center, putting their classroom skills to use in a real-world setting.“I think this program has the perfect mix of theory, history and practice,” Khan noted. “With certain classes like the internship requirement, the capstone class and various other courses requiring hands-on research and experience, I think I have been able to develop a practical outlook on the nonprofit field.”According to the department website, “Philanthropic Studies provides a theoretical framework and practical knowledge about voluntary action and organizations that support the giving of ‘time, talent, and treasure’ in society. ... The bachelor’s degree offers an opportunity for students to understand the cultural traditions of voluntary action and practice working with others towards the common good.” While the graduation of this first class of undergraduates in the field is a major step for IUPUI’s Center on Philanthropy, IUPUI, along with other higher education institutions across the country, already offers masters and doctorate degrees in philanthropic studies. These degrees have become increasingly popular as interest in the nonprofit sector and fundraising has grown. The addition of an undergraduate program in the area is simply an adaptation necessary to accommodate the growing interest in this field of study.In the spring of 2010, Mark Lighthizer completed his sophomore year at Hanover College and transferred to IUPUI in the fall when he discovered, and decided to pursue, a philanthropic studies degree. Now, after graduating, Lighthizer has no regrets.“The program was fantastic and exactly what I was looking for because it allowed me to study the nonprofit sector and its relation to government, and the for-profit sector as well as volunteerism and civil society,” he wrote in an email.Both Lighthizer and Khan will continue their studies in graduate school at IUPUI, each pursuing a masters degree in philanthropic studies. But before Khan returns to class, she said she will first serve as the development officer for the Islamic Society of North America to gain real-world experience. The other philanthropy studies graduates from the 2008 class are also pursuing positions at nonprofit organizations and foundations. “I still have much to learn about myself and how I fit into the larger scheme of things within the nonprofit sector,” Lighthizer noted.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Thursday, students will have the opportunity to attend what organizers are calling “the largest graduation party on campus” at the DeVault Alumni Center on 17th Street.The event, called Senior Salute, will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. It will include a number of activities for attendees, including booths with representatives from each of the IU schools, as well as individual alumni chapters from throughout Indiana.The event is advertised in a press release as an opportunity for graduating students to connect with academic departments and IU schools to establish ways of staying in contact after graduation. “Staying in contact with IU after graduating is a great way to be a part of the tradition once you leave campus,” said Heather Bafia, director of Senior Salute for the Student Alumni Association.The event will feature music by DJ Unique and free food from local restaurants, including BuffaLouie’s, Bloomington Bagel Company, Chocolate Moose and KRC Catering. Additionally, prizes will be offered at the door, and the first 1,000 people to preregister for the event will receive a free IU pint glass. Students can register for the event on the IU Alumni Association’s website, alumni.indiana.edu. The brief form asks for contact information for permanent email and mailing addresses after graduation.However, Brianna Behlman, vice president of senior experience for the Student Alumni Association, said that students do not have to register in advance to attend the event. All graduating seniors are welcome.“Everyone who attends the event will need to fill out the information that is on the preregistration form,” Behlman said. “The advantage of preregistering is that you don’t have to fill out the form there, and it helps us in the sense that the information is already in the system. We don’t have to key it in later. And there’s the pint glass.”This form also allows students to opt-in for one free year of membership in the IUAA, a $25 value. This has been offered to graduates each spring as a way to get them connected with the IUAA before leaving campus.When asked to describe the main draw of the event, Bafia said, “It’s really one last chance for seniors to get together on campus and celebrate all of the hard work they’ve put in over the past four years.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Thursday, students will have the opportunity to attend what organizers are calling “the largest graduation party on campus” at the DeVault Alumni Center on 17th Street.The event, called Senior Salute, will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. It will include a number of activities for attendees, including booths with representatives from each of the IU schools, as well as individual alumni chapters from throughout Indiana.The event is advertised in a press release as an opportunity for graduating students to connect with academic departments and IU schools to establish ways of staying in contact after graduation. “Staying in contact with IU after graduating is a great way to be a part of the tradition once you leave campus,” said Heather Bafia, director of Senior Salute for the Student Alumni Association.The event will feature music by DJ Unique and free food from local restaurants, including BuffaLouie’s, Bloomington Bagel Company, Chocolate Moose and KRC Catering. Additionally, prizes will be offered at the door, and the first 1,000 people to preregister for the event will receive a free IU pint glass. Students can register for the event on the IU Alumni Association’s website, alumni.indiana.edu. The brief form asks for contact information for permanent email and mailing addresses after graduation.However, Brianna Behlman, vice president of senior experience for the Student Alumni Association, said that students do not have to register in advance to attend the event. All graduating seniors are welcome.“Everyone who attends the event will need to fill out the information that is on the preregistration form,” Behlman said. “The advantage of preregistering is that you don’t have to fill out the form there, and it helps us in the sense that the information is already in the system. We don’t have to key it in later. And there’s the pint glass.”This form also allows students to opt-in for one free year of membership in the IUAA, a $25 value. This has been offered to graduates each spring as a way to get them connected with the IUAA before leaving campus.When asked to describe the main draw of the event, Bafia said, “It’s really one last chance for seniors to get together on campus and celebrate all of the hard work they’ve put in over the past four years.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With a simple tagline and a promotional video, IU alumni Matt Lowers and Jordan Sanders kicked off a campaign to raise money and awareness for their latest adventure — Expedition Mississippi.“Two guys. Two kayaks. Two months on the Mississippi,” the two exclaimed in their promotional video. On this trip, the duo will kayak from Bloomington to the Gulf of Mexico on a shoestring budget to raise awareness for peace and environmental issues. The duo also plans to make a documentary about the endeavor, with the hope of entertaining audiences with their adventures as well as raising awareness about environmental preservation.“To me, just having some time to get back into nature is the biggest thing,” Lowers said. “It started out as just an adventure, but as we got more serious about it, we decided we also wanted to give back along the way, so we’ve partnered with two organizations so far, Leave No Trace and Paddle4Peace.”Leave No Trace is an organization dedicated to informing people about outdoor ethics and teaching people how to enjoy the outdoors in a responsible way, according to their mission statement. They do this through partnerships with communities and individuals who carry out Leave No Trace programs at the local level. The Leave No Trace concept is more than 40 years old, but the organization officially became a nonprofit in 1994 and has been working to encourage environmental stewardship ever since.Paddle4Peace is a much younger organization, with a focus on encouraging children to be active outdoors. “We want to get kids outdoors and on to the water where we can help them learn the tools necessary to rise to any challenge, while living with a sense of inner peace,” according to its website.This concept aligns with Expedition Mississippi’s goals, one of which includes inspiring and encouraging others to spend time outdoors.“Paddle4Peace is super pumped to have us putting our name out there,” Lowers said. “They do a couple of different things, but their biggest focus is to get kids outdoors and into nature, which we love.”In addition to raising awareness about their partner organizations through film, Lowers and Sanders are also raising money to support these organizations by selling handmade survival bracelets. They will be stopping at major cities along the Mississippi River to promote their cause and sell the bracelets. They are considering selling Leave No Trace water bottles as well. Before the adventure, Lowers will sell the bracelets in Bloomington at the Sample Gates.“‘If we can do it, you can do it too,’ Lowers and Sanders said in their promotional video.“We’re not your next Bear Grylls or anything like that,” Lowers said. “We’re just two guys who recently got out of school and are ready for another adventure.”Lowers and Sanders are giving back. Here’s what you can expect, according to their project page.Amount required to fund trip $1,800Amount acquired so far $458Days left to raise goal amount 23Pledge $1 or moreLots of good karma coming your way! Donor’s name to become synonymous with “greatness.”Pledge $5 or moreHandwritten postcard sent from somewhere along the Mississippi during the tripPledge $8 or moreHandmade survival bracelet made by Lowers and Sanders from 10 feet of paracord. The donor may choose the color.Pledge $15 or moreA digital copy of the filmPledge $25 or moreAll of the above.Pledge $95 or moreA special, “one of a kind” item featured in the video of the expedition, signed by the Expedition Mississippi crew (for example, Matt’s travel guitar, one of their T-shirts, a piece of kayaking gear, etc.), in addition to all of the abovePledge $145 or moreTwo-hour consulting session with Lowers and Sanders about how to fund your own creative project. The respective donor will also receive a signed, numbered and limited edition DVD of the film, handwritten postcard sent from the trip and a handmade survival braceletPledge $195 or moreThe two will do whatever the donor requests (within reason) for up to 10 seconds at some point in the film. Also included is a handwritten postcard sent from the trip and a handmade survival bracelet
IU alumnus Matt Lower, pictured, is planning a kayak trip from Bloomington to the Gulf of Mexico to raise awareness for environmental groups. Lowers will travel with fellow alumnus Jordan Sanders.