NMU’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is set to host the eighth annual Coffee Crawl on April 18. Proceeds from the event will go to the NMU Women’s Center.
“Coffee Crawl was established in 2018 as a student-led fundraiser designed to support the NMU Women’s Center during Sexual Assault Awareness Month each April,” the president of PRSSA, Brooklyn Kluz, said.
“Every dime that the Coffee Crawl generates goes to the Women’s Center,” Emma Schmidt, a member of PRSSA’s media team, said. “The Coffee Crawl is the Women’s Center’s largest third-party fundraiser, and just $250 can fund an entire family’s stay at the Harbor House for a week.”
The event was inspired by Marquette residents’ love for coffee and community.
“Students wanted to create an event that felt uniquely ‘Marquette’, something social, fun, and community-centered, while still serving a meaningful cause,” Kluz said. “By combining the city’s enthusiasm for trying new brews with advocacy and awareness, Coffee Crawl quickly became a signature spring event that brings students, residents and local businesses together for a shared purpose.”
Students are encouraged to purchase their tickets prior to the event, but there will be a limited number available on the day of the event.
“Registration also serves as a hub for additional fundraising opportunities, including raffle baskets and event merchandise like stickers, T-shirts and other Coffee Crawl items,” Kluz said. “The event runs as a self-paced crawl, allowing participants to explore downtown, discover new favorite cafés, and enjoy the community atmosphere while supporting an important cause.”
According to Kluz, the purpose of the Coffee Crawl goes beyond just fundraising.
“Beyond fundraising, the goal is to increase education, visibility and conversation around sexual violence prevention and survivor support. Keeping the same beneficiary each year allows the event to build long-term impact and deepen community awareness,” Kluz said.
Students expect to raise even more money this year.
“Last year, we had a great turnout! We raised over $8,000! This year, we are hoping to have higher participation to meet our goal of raising more than $10,000 this year,” Schmidt said.
Behind the scenes, PRSSA works throughout the semester to plan this event.
“Students divide into four committees: Logistics & Outreach, Social Media, Traditional Media, and Money,” Kluz said. “Together, these teams manage every aspect of the event, from building relationships with participating coffee shops and recruiting volunteers to budgeting, designing promotional materials, coordinating media coverage, and ordering event supplies. It’s a semester-long collaborative effort that gives students hands-on experience in event planning, public relations, fundraising, and community partnership.”
As tickets are selling, Kluz urges students to purchase theirs as soon as possible.“Tickets are selling quickly, and the event is just over a week away, so we encourage anyone interested to grab their tickets through NMU Ticketing as soon as possible,” Kluz said. “You can also follow event updates, sneak peeks, and participating shop announcements on Instagram at @coffeecrawlmqt. We’re excited to bring the community together for another meaningful and fun Coffee Crawl!”
