Community on the Central Mall

The first Friday back on campus every fall is marked by the sights and sounds of students gathering together, each one eager to find or share their niche at the annual Up the Orgs. Hours of conversation, laughter and music can be heard as students make their way around the Central Mall, complete with rows of tables, food trucks and free goodies.

Despite high 90-degree temperatures, the lawn was teeming with excited students and passionate leaders. Sharing their love for the UD community, students and leaders alike worked to establish connections through conversation with one another.

So many to choose from:

Celebrate Christmas all year long.

Break a sweat with fellow students of faith.

Enhance the housing experience for current and future Flyers.

With more than 240 organizations on campus, students said there is something for everyone.

“I think that’s a huge thing, just getting the UD community to come together and get everyone involved,” said Anna Wallace ’23, a member of the Christmas on Campus board.

During Christmas on Campus, the tree stands at the center of campus, walkways are decorated with brightly colored lights and children are escorted around the magical winter wonderland that is the UD campus.

“A big goal we have for Up the Orgs and just this year in general is to get our name out there,” said Megan Reese ’23, another member of the Christmas on Campus board. “We’re really excited to build involvement and celebrate in-person this year.”

Several organization leaders shared the same sentiments.

“We really want to see a lot of growth for our organization this year. We felt like we lost a lot of momentum last year due to COVID, so our goal is just to get as many people as possible into our organization,” said Mary Kang ’22, co-president of Faith and Fitness.

Every year, Up the Orgs serves as a vibrant reminder of what “community” really embodies at the University of Dayton — everyone coming together, building meaningful friendships and creating lifelong memories.

The unconventional experiences from the past year and a half have made the start to this semester all the more meaningful.

Photos by Andrew Buchanan ’22

For additional resources and to get involved on campus, visit the Center for Student Involvement.