University Union will transform this year’s Juice Jam event into a benefit concert and festival, UU officials announced Thursday.

Hosted by UU, Juice Jam is slated for Sept. 11 this year. UU is collaborating with campus groups to create an event that appropriately recognizes the 10th anniversary of the national Sept. 11 attacks, said UU president Rob Dekker. UU became the official programming organization at Syracuse University last semester and organizes the fall concert on Skytop Field each year.

The group is also planning the event in conjunction with Tiffany Steinwert, dean of Hendricks Chapel. A number of activities, service events and live entertainment will be incorporated into the day, Dekker said. A majority of the concert’s proceeds will go to charity, he said.

‘I really think it’s an opportunity for us to do some good on campus,’ Dekker said.

The concert is typically held the Sunday after Labor Day, Dekker said. The selection of the date is based on a number of variables, including venue availability and the scheduling of home-and-away athletic events, he said.

‘I am prepared for a range of emotions from students,’ Dekker said, referring to the date of the concert. ‘But we are certainly excited to program an event that will be very engaging for the student body and will help start some dialogue about issues around campus.’

Planning is still underway and final contracts are being negotiated, Dekker said. The annual Student Activities Fair will take place on Skytop Field during the concert as it has in the past, and more than 100 organizations have signed up for spots at the fair, he said.

A detailed schedule of the day’s activities will be finalized soon, Dekker said. The concert will mark the launch of the Better Together initiative at SU, he said. Developed last year, the Better Together campaign is a national initiative supported by the Interfaith Youth Core and promotes volunteerism and service across college campuses nationwide.

‘During my time in UU, philanthropy is something there’s been an opportunity for, but we haven’t embraced it yet,’ Dekker said. ‘We are creating a day, beyond Juice Jam, that will be respectful of the range of emotions felt on this important anniversary and that is transformative for the SU community.’

Adding a service component to Juice Jam is a first for UU, but the concert serves as an ideal opportunity to spark conversation among various interfaith groups on campus, Dekker said. There are few events that draw in so many students, Dekker said, and it provides an arena for UU to get a positive message to the student body.

Dekker said he hopes Juice Jam will drive service involvement on campus and set a tone for the upcoming year. He said UU officials hope to expand programming beyond that of prior years by bringing a greater variety of innovative speakers and events that will engage and inspire the student body.

‘I think we’re achieving an increased philanthropic sort of attitude,’ Dekker said. ‘It’s our duty to seek a bigger collaboration with other organizations on campus and raise awareness.’

mainthia@syr.edu

Published on August 4, 2011 at 12:00 pm