Iowa Wesleyan, community join hands to ?Rock Around Campus?

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

August?s summer rockin? moved a few blocks north.

The Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance summer event ? Rock Around The Block ? became Rock Around the Campus as the Chamber joined hands with Iowa Wesleyan University last night to host the final rockin? of the summer on the IWU campus.

The event also served as the kickoff to IWU?s 175th birthday, which will feature events through the school year.

Thursday night?s campus party drew a large crowd of people, ranging from IWU students, faculty members and officials to community officials and residents.

?It was a fun night,? reflected Meg Richtman this morning. Richtman is IWU?s vice president for strategic affairs and coordinated the event on the IWU end.

?It definitely exceeded my expectations,? she continued. ?I wasn?t sure how the community would respond on a Thursday night but it turned into just a fantastic event. The corporate sponsors and partners definitely helped add enthusiasm and excitement to the event.?

The event continued the usual entertainment card for attendees ? games for kids, food and drink, musical entertainment and great fellowship between the community and university on a beautiful night for an outdoor gathering.

Last year, the Chamber and IWU hosted a similar event in Central Park where the other ?rocks? are featured monthly during the summer.

This year, IWU wanted to try something new, Richtman said. ?We made an effort to market the school differently. It was nice to have the community on campus. I think it shows the students that the community supports Iowa Wesleyan.?

?That is really important that they (the students and community) realize that IWU is the ?University of Mt. Pleasant,?? she continued. ?We feel that the community is embracing us. We want the community to know that we are supporting them. We want to be a resource for the community.?

Community residents and IWU students echoed Richtman?s sentiments.

Mark Kimzey, a local funeral director and IWU graduate, said that anytime the community and IWU can join forces it is a win-win situation for both entities. ?It helps the community appreciate how Iowa Wesleyan adds to the quality of life in Mt. Pleasant. You can?t put a price on this. Hopefully, the students can understand that the community supports them.?

IWU President Steve Titus said that IWU ?is getting healthier,? pointing to a record freshman class of 257 students and 87 athletes on the football team. ?I am so happy with the partnership between IWU and the community. We are here to serve you.?

IWU students thought the rockin? on campus was ?cool.?

?I think this is cool,? Aaron Wynn, a senior from Riverside, Calif., said as he scanned the crowd. ?It is a good way to mix the school and community. It is great that the community supports IWU. I think it is good having this on campus because it provides a better atmosphere and gets more students involved.?

Marquis Jones, a senior from Clearfield, Utah, said he was thrilled with the attendance by the IWU student body. ?I was involved with orientation and I see a lot of first-year students here. It definitely was a good idea to bring this to the campus.?

Jason Goody of Mt. Pleasant, who was working at a Kiwanis Club-sponsored game for children, said he has been kept busy. Goody arrived at 5:15 p.m. to begin his shift and the people began milling around the east side of the IWU campus at 5:30 p.m.

Impressed by the turnout, Goody said that the 175th anniversary of Wesleyan?s founding is a great accomplishment. He said he also was impressed with the make-up and size of the crowd.

?I think there are a lot of people here for a Thursday night. The students are loving it and I like this location because people can spread out,? Goody said. ?It?s great to see so many IWU shirts, and I like it because I have seen some people I haven?t seen for a while.?

State Rep. Dave Heaton, R-Mt. Pleasant, another IWU graduate, said he had a good feeling about what he was seeing. ?I think this should be an annual affair. This is a great event and demonstrates the connection between IWU and the community. If IWU can keep growing, we are on our way.?

?This is a very interesting time,? observed Richtman. I think there is a change in momentum. We can?t move IWU forward without the support of the community. If we can come together, we can do amazing things to build the community.?

Market on Main, which typically coincides with Rock Around the Block will be held tonight (Friday) at Central Park from 5 to 7 p.m.