Progressive Picnic connects students to communities

The Progressive Picnic, held Aug. 25, brought the different progressive groups and progressive-minded people of the University of Northern Iowa community together. The Northern Iowa Democrats, UNI Freethinkers and Inquirers, Philosophy Club, UNI Proud and One Iowa at UNI joined together to put on the recruitment event, the first of its kind in recent memory.

"When UNIFI came to me, they wanted to start this up and we came up with the name ‘Progressive Picnic' and progressives and Democrats kind of go hand in hand, so I was totally in on it," said senior Kristen Meyers, head of the Northern Iow Democrats. "I want to get kids involved, especially with 2012 coming. We want all those voters and forms ready to go."

The event offered free food, drinks, snow cones, lawn games, live music including performances by In Dying Days and Followed by Ghosts, and a performance by UNI's improv troupe Half-Masted.

A major goal of the picnic was to expose and recruit students to the different organizations.

"I hope the students realize there are way more progressive students and progressive student groups on campus than they thought and if they are progressively minded students, I hope they realize that there are communities on campus for them, " said senior Cory Derringer, the president of UNIFI.

Senior Jordan Bancroft-Smithe, president of the Philosophy Club, saw the event as a good way for students "to get exposure to the groups that are here."

"That'd be nice if we could increase our numbers," Smithe said.

Senior music major Christopher Dunlap enjoyed the picnic.

"It's nice – people aren't shoving things down my throat, and it's nice to meet new people in this kind of environment," Dunlap said.

Meyers also thought the picnic was a success.

"I think we (had) a good turnout," Meyers said. "I hope that students, especially freshmen and new students, when they come here, they start to get really involved and see that they don't need to be afraid to get involved. With open arms, we're welcoming them."