The first uNity walk was hosted two years ago as part of programming at Northern in response to the murder of George Floyd and rallies for racial justice across the country. Isaiah Nolan, President of uNity and graduate assistant for Multicultural Student Affairs, was the lead organizer for the event. Students, faculty, and staff gathered on the Campus Green to rally prior to the walk to Melgaard Park, where a social was held. The speakers shared the importance of inclusion and belonging for all at Northern. Megan Frewaldt, Director of Student Involvement and Leadership, shared, “Simply put, a commitment to inclusion – to uNity - is to create a culture where every student – current and future, alumni, staff, and faculty sees themselves belonging not only at Northern, but in higher education and the world of academia. Further, this sense of belonging gives us courage and curiosity to engage in a meaningful way in an increasingly diverse world. It is powerful to see everyone joining together today to show support for uNity in our pack. As Rudyard Kipling poetically wrote in the Jungle Book, ‘Now this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky, And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die. As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth forward and back; For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.’” Multicultural Student Affairs and uNity plan to host the uNity Walk each fall, as an annual tradition, to help build a campus culture that includes and welcomes every member of the Pack. uNity walk returns Multicultural Student Affairs and the student organization, uNity, hosted the second annual uNity Walk and Social this spring 2023. Members of uNity take a photograph with students during the uNity Walk. domestic violence. They are also available 24/7 via phone or text at 605-622-0104. A confidential space to visit with an advocate is in Student Affairs, Suite 222 in the Avera Student Center. This partnership provides convenient advocacy services to the Northern community free of charge. Safe Harbor also provides community education, emergency shelter, assistance with protection orders, advocacy, safety planning, and support groups at their Aberdeen location. For more information, contact Tori Collesso, toric@safeharborsd.org, or call 605226-1212. Aberdeen Police Department A campus police officer from Aberdeen Police Department (APD) is stationed on campus and serves the Northern community during the academic year. The officer may be found in the Avera Student Center MondayThursday. Given our student population, Northern would not be able to operate a cost-efficient and professionally managed law enforcement unit without support. APD also provides training and other services free of charge to the university community like ALICE Active Shooter Training and the Prescription Medication Takeback. Internships are available for Northern students by contacting Captain Jondahl. The Aberdeen Police Department is a community-oriented police organization comprised of 53 commissioned officers, eight civilian employees and four volunteer reserve officers. Visit aberdeen.sd.us/21/Police or call 605-626-7000 for more information. “We are grateful for these partnerships, which help us meet our mission of supporting students in the most efficient manner, and look forward to many more years of collaboration,” said Sean Blackburn, Dean of Students. For more information about Student Affairs partnerships with community agencies, email sean.blackburn@northern.edu or visit Student Affairs in Suite 222, Avera Student Center. Partnerships with community agencies provide free or costeffective services for students continued… STUDENT AFFAIRS 14 ANNUAL REPORT
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