The University of North Georgia (UNG) will host its eighth annual Earth Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 9 at UNG's Gainesville Campus. This UNG signature event will be held at the outdoor Quad, volleyball court area and Student Center.

UNG's Earth Day event aims to bring together the university, local community and various organizations to celebrate environmental diversity, foster education and awareness, empower student involvement, and drive collaborative action toward a more sustainable future.

"It is wonderful to see so many people from the UNG community at the Earth Day event each year and to experience the energy and enthusiasm at the Gainesville Campus," Dr. Natalie Hyslop, professor of biology, said. "Earth Day helps showcase some of the amazing work people across the university and our region are doing."

The event includes free vegetarian lunch, tree and wall climbing, live animals, and Earth-themed crafts.

Nonprofit environmental organizations from the community attend the event both to share about their efforts and to offer networking and internship opportunities for students.

Mariam Rezai, president of Students for Environmental Awareness (SEA), is a junior from Hoschton, Georgia, pursuing the dual degree program in physics and engineering through the Regents' Engineering Transfer Program in which she will earn a physics degree from UNG and earn an engineering degree at a partner university. One of her favorite parts of the Earth Day event is the tree climbing offered by Forsyth County Parks & Recreation.

Rezai is also eager to learn about others' efforts to preserve the environment.

"The environment connects with everything we do. I'm excited to see all the student organizations come out and how their work connects to the environment," Rezai said. "We need to appreciate the environment and learn ways to protect it."

Jiselle Gonzalez, treasurer of SEA, is a senior from Oakwood, Georgia, pursuing a degree in biology. She appreciates the communal aspect of Earth Day at UNG and the chance for SEA to assist with the event.

"The entire campus comes together," Gonzalez said. "People bring their families. I love that."

An Earth Day art show is also part of this year's festivities. Mizuki Robinson, a senior from Marietta, Georgia, pursuing a degree in art with a concentration in graphic design, is organizing and creating advertising materials for the show that will highlight works by UNG students and faculty that focus on the environment. The show will be in the back of the Student Center outside Robinson Ballroom.

"This experience is definitely helping me learn how to communicate with clients," Robinson said of her work curating students' artwork for the show.

A pottery throwing station is also part of Earth Day. Dr. Elissa Ferguson, lecturer of visual arts, is glad art will be a part of the festivities again this year.

"It's providing another way for visitors to connect with concepts of celebrating the Earth and protecting it," Ferguson said.

The UNG Earth Day celebration is one of the oldest co-curricular activities at the Gainesville Campus. It was originated over 20 years ago with help from several professors (including Margi Flood, Dr. John O'Sullivan and later by Hyslop) and was included as part of Gainesville State College's Spring festival. In 2017, Earth Day was made a stand-alone event, with SEA key in helping with the event.

If you are interested in volunteering to help with the event, please click here.