By Amanda Monthei

Northern Michigan University will be hosting Lighting Up the Holidays, a campus and community event, on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the University Center.

The event, which acts as a bridge between the Marquette community and the students and faculty at NMU, will include horse-drawn hayrides, pictures with Santa and a reception, at which NMU President Les Wong will be speaking.

“It’s important for a university to open its doors to the community which gives us so much support,” Wong said. “It’s also a confirmation of a value I hold deeply – great universities support the families from the community that surrounds us and are a part of us.”

Wong has attended the event almost every year since he came to Northern in 2004.

Events will begin at 4 p.m. with horse-drawn hayrides through campus, which will continue until 8:30 p.m. At 5 p.m., Santa will be arriving and offering free pictures in the UC Atrium until 7:30 p.m.

Children will also have the opportunity to receive free books from one of the event coordinators, Golden Z.

“Having children on campus helps them see that a university is warm and open to them,” Wong said. “I look forward to watching Santa show up, and seeing the children’s faces light up.”

Wong will be speaking at the reception at 6 p.m., which will be held in the Peter White Lounge.

ASNMU President and Vice President Justin Brugman and Courtney Russell will also be speaking at the reception, and free cookies, hot chocolate and apple cider will be available.

Brugman is looking forward to the event as not only a way to bridge the campus community to the Marquette community, but also as a sort of break before finals week hits campus.

“With finals coming up and course work getting heavier, it is great to have that one event that people can throw away their cares for at leastan hour or so and enjoy preparing for the holiday,” Brugman said.

Wong was most excited about the opportunity to open the university doors to the public, speaking of how important it was to thank the community that supports so much of what Northern does.

“We are this community’s university,” he said. “We can’t afford to even come close to the ‘Ivory Tower’ perception if it means isolating our activities from others.

“This is our emotional backbone. If we can’t open ourselves to the joy we see in children, we’re in the wrong business.”

Having attended all but one Lighting Up the Holidays since coming to Northern seven years ago, Wong also understands the importance of tradition and celebration in a community.

“I can only remember missing one (Lighting Up the Holidays) and I still feel guilty about it,” Wong said. “I am also a fanatic about tradition, and the holidays represent stability and predictability in the lives of people (young and old).”

The event will also feature the NMU Bookstore’s annual Holiday Sale, staying open until 8 p.m.