On Sept. 21, ETSU will host its first-ever “ETSU Together” event as part of the International Day of Peace. The event will include food, music, storytelling and a drone show.
The event has been coming together since Fall 2021, when Joy Fulkerson, director of leadership and civic engagement, gained inspiration from the Dollywood drone show and the idea of uniting as one on campus post-COVID conditions. Fulkerson wanted “ETSU Together” to take place after welcome week so students would have something to attend once the beginning of the semester had calmed down.
“Those first weeks of the semester are really busy. I think there’s lots of things for people to get involved in, but this third, fourth week of the term, people start going their separate ways,” said Fulkerson. “This is an opportunity for us to bring people back together to celebrate the campus.”
Partnered organizations include the Black Affairs Association, Model United Nations at ETSU, Office of Equity and Inclusion, Housing and Residence Life and the Interfraternity Council.
Attendees will be able to participate in an art installation piece that will be featured on campus. This is a collaboration with Vanessa Mayoraz, an ETSU professor in the Department of Art and Design.
“Her art project is we’re going to have an opportunity to paint cranes, and the students are actually going to after this event, take these cranes and install an art project in The Cave,” Fulkerson said. “It will be a permanent installation.”
Students, faculty and staff will be able to enjoy being a part of the art project and light refreshments during the first hour, and then a program with guest speakers, performers and a drone show to finish off the night.
The drone show will be the first of its kind to premiere on ETSU’s campus, and it is personalized to the university itself. Over 100 drones will light up the sky above campus synchronized to music for the local audience to enjoy in University Commons.
For more information, email Joy Fulkerson fulkersj@etsu.edu, or visit https://www.etsu.edu/students/sao/organizations/civicengagement/etsu-together.php.
