When asked about ASNMU, many students at NMU do not know what it actually is. The Associated Students of Northern Michigan University (ASNMU) is hosting an Awareness Week that will allow the student body as well as the general public to know what the organization is all about.
“We want people to take away basic knowledge of what ASNMU is,” said Tristan Ruiz, ASNMU president. “The No. 1 thing is that ASNMU is the student government. Other things to take away are what ASNMU does for the students, what services they offer and the advocacy that they do on committees.”
The ASNMU Awareness Week will consist of a 3-day event that includes a meet and greet forum called “Board and Bikes” and will also feature a motivational speaker.
The forum will allow students to get to know members of ASNMU. Those who attend can ask questions and share concerns with members that include Ruiz, ASNMU Judicial Chair Kayleigh Hartland, Chairman of the Student Finance Committee Jesse Reitz and general assembly representatives. The meet and greet forum will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 10 in 1322 Jamrich.
The second day of Awareness Week is a bike safety day.
ASNMU will hand out pamphlets on bike safety and give away free bike bells in the academic mall. This highlights one of the organization’s many services, which include the bike share program that allows students to check out bikes from the library for three days at a time by only signing a waiver and presenting a student identification card.
While sharing knowledge about bike safety, ASNMU will also discuss other programs and services it offers to help NMU students. “Board and Bikes” will be held at the academic mall from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Oct. 11. The third day of Awareness Week will host the speaker Geeg Wiles, creator of Ahab’s Adventures.
According to his website, some of the topics he will discuss with students include the origin of Ahab’s Adventures, the art of the ice breaker, making future friends, playing to your passions and making excuses to achieve goals rather than hinder them.
Geeg Wiles will speak on Oct. 12 from 6 p.m. until 7:15 p.m. in 1100 Jamrich The discussion will be open and free to all NMU students. This is just a portion of the work ASNMU is involved in on campus. Some of the services the group has introduced in past semesters include the bike share program, late nights at the Marketplace, and Career Closet.
“One of my main goals for the future is to promote the work of the committees and help reestablish ASNMU as a notable organization,” Ruiz said.
Preparations for Awareness Week have been in the works since February and this will be the first time ASNMU has held this event.
Maggie Hartman, founder of ASNMU Awareness Week and head of the temporary committee for this event said, “I think this week will be good. We want students to get something out of this and this is all for the students.”