It's officially the week of Spring Jam! Spring Jam is an annual three-day music festival on campus, which includes live performances, competitions, free food, and other special events all in the celebration of the coming of spring and the end of the school year. The entirety of Spring Jam is completely planned and put together by a committee U of M students. (A great opportunity four our students to build event-planning experience!) 

There are always amazing artists - both big names and local bands - that perform during Spring Jam. The big headliners last year were New Boyz, The Cataracs, and Prof. Jessie James (my favorite artist at Spring Jam last year) made an appearance at an afternoon concert too! This year's headliners are Greg Bates, The Kicks, and Mat Kearney. I wouldn't call myself an avid music and concert fan, but nothing beats fist-pumping, dancing, belting out lyrics at the top of your lungs at outdoor concerts with thousands of other fellow Gophers. Did I mention that all Spring Jam events are completely FREE for U of M students?

Spring Jam isn't only about the concerts, though. The days are also filled with many other fun, free events. For example, this year's events include free yoga classes, blood drives, dance competitions, a Battle of the Bands competition between U of M bands, outdoor film screenings of Silver Linings Playbook, and more! Take a look at the Spring Jam schedule to see a complete list of this year's special events.

I love the U of M not only for its great academics, but also for all the awesome opportunities to have FUN, like Spring Jam! So, Future Gophers...imagine yourself as a current U of M student counting down the days until you get to experience three straight days of celebration at Spring Jam festivities. Sounds enticing doesn't it?

Guest blog written by Sara Straskowski, a current student in the Carlson School of Management

Students Today, Leaders Forever (STLF) is a student group that was started by four freshmen students at the University of Minnesota in 2003. With the mission to "reveal leadership through service, relationships, and action," STLF engages students from all over the country through its Pay It Forward Tours. A Pay It Forward Tour is a community service road trip that travels from city to city doing various service projects. For college students, "the Tour" is scheduled each year during spring break; there are also tours available for high school students at various times throughout the year.

This spring break, I participated in my third college Pay It Forward Tour. The experience never ceases to amaze me! My freshman year, I travelled to Memphis; my sophomore year I went to Dallas; this year, the destination city was Atlanta, Georgia. For the last two years, I was a participant on the Tour, but this year I took a leadership position in STLF, and planned the Tour along with four other students who soon became my best friends. 

We left from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities on March 15. Our first stop was Kansas City, Missouri, and our first service project was landscaping for the Gillis Center, a home for boys in the area that helps at-risk children and families. We even got to play a game of dodge ball with the boys who lived there! Next, we stopped in St. Louis, Missouri, where we were able to do some tourism at The Gateway Arch and the City Museum. We helped the St. Louis community by cleaning up the streets around the city and writing letters to soldiers overseas. The third city on our adventure was Bowling Green, Kentucky, where we volunteered at Community Action of Southern Kentucky (a nonprofit agency that provides a wide range of human services to the residents of the area). We made event decorations for them as well as cleaned up the office space they use every day. After Bowling Green, we stopped for tourism in Nashville, Tennessee. It has been my dream to visit the Music City forever, and I can't believe I was finally able to be there! Our next stop was in Merryville, Tennessee, where we painted and did gardening work at the Boys & Girls Club of Blount County, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of boys and girls in a safe and caring environment. On our way to our last stop, we toured the city of Gatlinberg in the Smoky Mountains. The area was absolutely beautiful! Last but not least, we stopped in Charlotte, North Carolina to serve at Samaritan's Feet; we readied the shoes that will soon be sent across the U.S. and the world to those who can't afford to buy their own. After our service project, we went to the U.S. National Whitewater Center to go zip-lining and rock climbing--one of the most memorable highlights of our trip!

We finally made our way to Atlanta, where we met four other buses of students that had each had an amazing Tour as well. We did one final service project together; the 140 students served at the Mary Scott Nature Park doing a variety of jobs such as creating a children's "forest play" area and removing invasive species throughout the park. After the service project, we were able to do some tourism in Atlanta and see the city. I was sad that the trip was nearly over, but I had a fantastic time exploring Atlanta with my new friends!

The memories I made on this trip are unforgettable, and the 43 friends I made throughout the nine-day experience will be held close to my heart for years to come. Every single one of the participants on my bus amazed me more each day; they are the most compassionate people I know! I encourage you all to check out the great opportunities that are offered to you every day, such as the STLF Pay It Forward Tour. It changed my life forever, and I will always be proud of my decision to get involved at the U of M with Student's Today, Leaders Forever.

Do you have a dream to someday write and publish your own book? Perhaps you are a fan of local authors? The First Books Reading and Discussion may be an event for you!

On Thursday, March 14, three MFA alumnae of U of M's Creative Writing Program will be speaking at the Weisman Art Museum on campus, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Here's the best part: all three of them have recently published their own books! At the First Books Reading and Discussion, the three alumnae will be reading excerpts of their books as well as speaking about their paths to publication. 

The event is free and completely open to the public, so bring some friends! Since you'll already be here, you can even schedule a campus visit, or just explore on your own to get a feel of what campus life at the U of M is like.

This is just one of many cool events offered on the U of M campus that cater to students' diverse interests. Click here to learn more about this exciting event and to read bios of the authors who will be there.

The winter weather and snow make the University of Minnesota campus more and more beautiful each day this holiday season! In a winter tradition that began last year, students in the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) celebrate the winter season with a dazzling light show: "Illumination." The students cover the entire Civil Engineering Building Plaza with lights, which are accompanied by music that is composed and performed by U of M students. This year, the show uses more than 100,000 LED lights! I visited the Premiere Party for this event, and I can say from experience that the lights were absolutely spectacular!

The Premiere Party took place on December 7 and included performances by student organizations at the U of M such as MinnesoTap and Serenade the City, as well as CSE's "Freezin' for a Reason" 5K run. All proceeds from the 5K Run were donated to the Amplatz Children's Hospital. After the Premeire Party, the light show ran every weekend in December. What a great way to bring the U of M campus community together during the holiday season!

Check out the video clips below to see some of the CSE students' excellent work! Happy Holidays!

Finals week is coming up! As the semester finishes up, everyone wants to do the best they can do in all of their classes. Luckily for students like me, the U of M does a lot to support students during this time of year, such as offering students many ways to improve their study skills and relieve stress. 

Puppies, cookies, and massages in the libraries!

This week, the Bio-Medical Library will hold a Final Stress Buster program for students. Cookies and beverages will be served, and chair massages will be offered. Additionally, a registered therapy dog will be at the library to offer Pet Therapy to students. What a fun way to study for finals!

During finals week, I practically live at the library. Walter Library has the perfect atmosphere to help me get the most out of my study sessions; it is the largest library at the U of M so there is always room for me, and the Wise Owl Café in its basement which makes it the perfect place to focus and have access to coffee at all times.  

This past Saturday was the beginning of Exam Jam in University Libraries. Exam Jam offers practice test, snacks, and tutors for students to use as resources. As a matter of fact, tutors are offered to students for the entire semester. When I was taking Calculus as a freshman, I used the math tutors nearly every week, and they were extremely helpful. The beginning of Exam Jam also marks the weekend when libraries are open 24/7. This ensures that students have a night, quiet place to study all day and night.

Boynton Health Services stress management classes

To help students relieve stress, Boynton Health Service offers free yoga, tai chi, and Pilates classes each day of the week.  Classes focus on stress management. Exercise is extremely important for your health, especially when you are under a lot of pressure; I am lucky to attend a school that encourages these healthy behaviors!

Find a study space

I love it when I find a new, perfect place to study; there are many on campus. The U of M just began connecting the use of smartphones to helping students with classes by allowing them to find a nearby study space. The University has located all the General Purpose Study spaces (GPS Waypoints) on campus. Each space has a QR code so students can save the hours of each location in their phones! This way, U of M students will always have a great place to study. 

It's homecoming week! Homecoming at the University of Minnesota is one of my favorite events of the year. Not only am I a huge Golden Gopher fan, but the University also sponsors many events honoring the spirit of the maroon and gold. This year's theme is "Legendary U" (hashtag #LegendaryU).

Two of my favorite events include the Cheer Competition and the Lip Sync Competition. U of M students compete to be named the best Cheer team of the year at with crazy songs and stunts at the Cheer Competition. Additionally, at the Lip Sync Competition, students perform a dance while lip-syncing a song related to this year's theme. Along with these events are many others, including flag football, volleyball, a blood drive, and a 5K run/walk.

The 2012 Homecoming concert features B.o.B. with Timeflies. My friends and I have been talking about this concert all semester! "The Bank" will definitely be filled with U of M students on Friday evening.

The day everyone is waiting for is Saturday, when the Golden Gophers take on Northwestern at TCF Bank Stadium. I can't wait to cheer our football team to victory on Saturday! Ski-U-Mah! Go Gophers!

It's hard to believe that the summer is nearly over! I love the start of a new school year because you get to meet new people and get a fresh start. Next week, I'll be starting my junior year, but this week the University of Minnesota Class of 2016 will be moving in and participating in Welcome Week on campus.

Welcome Week is a new tradition for incoming freshmen that takes place the week before school starts and is designed to help new freshmen adjust to campus and college life. This year's Welcome Week will be held this week, from August 29 to September 3, 2012. The class of 2016 will have the opportunity to connect with their advisors and faculty members, build friendships with classmates, become an expert at navigating campus, and sign up for student groups and other opportunities. 

When I was an incoming freshman to the U of M, I loved Welcome Week! I didn't know anyone when I moved here, so it was great to get to know students who were going through the same experience as I was. My favorite events were the Target Run and Late Night at Mall of America. During the Target Run, freshmen are bussed to Target after hours to pick up last minute school supplies or items for their residence halls. There are also tons of freebies and games going on in the Target parking lot at this event. Another fun event  is "Late Night at Mall of America" After the mall closes, the U of M freshmen take over and spend the evening on the rides at Nickelodeon Universe or exploring Sea Life Aquarium in the Mall of America. I had a blast at Nickelodeon Universe with all my new friends.

Another cool part about Welcome Week is that students who attend Welcome Week have a greater sense of belonging and higher fall & spring GPAs (as reported by research based on survey and attendance data from Fall 2009 cohort). What's not to love about Welcome Week? 

Ski-u-mah, and welcome to the Class of 2016! I hope you all have an amazing Welcome Week!

Check out the video below to learn about more great events that happen during Welcome Week, such as Convocation and Pride and Spirit Day:

The summer 2012 London Olympics was the pop culture event of the year. Of the 530 athletes competing for Team USA, the University of Minnesota represented maroon and gold across several events. Not only in an athletic sense, but behind the scenes as well. We're #UMNProud of these Gophers and alumni!

Kelci Bryandt

Kelci is a synchronized diver who previously finished 4^th in the 3-meter synchronized diving event in Beijing four years ago. After training with Olympic diving coach Wenbo CFhen at the U of M, she was ready for this year's competition. This summer Kelci and her partner, Abby Johnston, won the silver medal in the event.

Lindsay Whalen

As a senior at the U of M, Lindsay led the women's basketball team to the Final Four in 2004. She also holds Minnesota career records in points, scorning average, free throws made, free throw percentage, and games in double figures. She helped the Minnesota Lynx win their first WNBA title last fall, and was chosen for the Olympic basketball team for the first time. We're so proud of Lindsay, who helped lead Team USA to take the gold in women's basketball!

Jillian Tyler

A native of our neighboring country Canada, Jillian was the NCAA champion in the 100-yard breaststroke as a senior at the U of M in 20011, as well as eight-time Big Ten champion and 13-time All American. She earned her second straight trip to the Olympics by placing first in the 100-meater breaststroke at the Canadian Olympic trials.

Hugh McCutcheon

New Zealand native Hugh McCutcheon led the USA men's team to an Olympic gold victory in 2008. He has since coached the women's national team to an 85-37 record in just three years! We are proud to say that Hugh will be coming to the U of M this fall to replace the retiring Mike Herbert.

Amanda Smock

Although Amanda was never a Gopher athlete, she did manage to find time between training sessions to earn her Ph.D. in exercise physiology from the U of M in 2010. After four years of focus and training, she won the triple jump at the U.S. Olympic trials in June.

Barbora Spotakova

As a member of Minnesota's track and field team, Barbora was All-American in 2002 in the javelin and also made it to the NCAA champtionships in heptathlon. Currently, she is the reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder in the javelin. This sumer will be her third time competing in the olympics, representing her native Czech Republic. 

Roberto Sobalvarro

En garde! Roberto has developed and taught several classes at the U of M in both sabre fencing and foil fencing for the last 20 years. He coached the U.S. women's epee team in the individual team competition of the London Olympics. 

Susan Sokolowski

Susan earned her Ph.D. in apparel design from the College of Design here at the U of M. Currently, she works as the senior innovation manager on the Apparel Innovation Team at Nike. The U.S. women's track and field team featured her team's work in London this summer. She has been recognized internationally for her achievements in design and innovation. 

Brock Anundson

After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in sport and recreation management, Brock has been working at the U.S. Olympic Complex in Colorado Springs since January 2011. He works as a programs coordinator/operations specialist, which involves setting up everything that's required for athlete training at the complex- from lodging and meals to training schedules. 

Julie (Schmitz) Miller

CEHD alumna Julie Miller lived in London this summer and worked in the Athlete Village during the Olympic games on behalf of the United States Olympic Committee. If you want to read about her amazing experiences in London, check out her blog!

Join us for a College of Design Sneak Preview this summer and get an inside look at the University of Minnesota! 

If you are interested in the fields of architecture, landscape design and planning, graphic design, interior design, apparel design, retail merchandising, or housing studies, we invite you to come check out one of these exciting events!

The College of Design is an emerging national and international leader in creative production and multidisciplinary research in a wide variety of design fields. At the Sneak Preview, you will learn about our programs, tour our beautiful campus, and meet some of our professors, students, and staff.

To RSVP for a College of Design Sneak Preview, 

please visit http://z.umn.edu/sneakpreview, 

or call our VISITLINE at 612-625-0000 or 1-800-752-0000.

We hope to see you on campus soon for one of these exciting events!