for
the Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts
September 7, 2001
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Big U going to the Big E by Daniel J. Fitzgibbons, Chronicle staff  hen the gates of the Big E open in West Springfield next week, visitors to the Massachusetts building will be greeted by a spanking new UMass display with information about UMass Online, the various campuses and individual programs.The booth, which will be staffed on a rotating basis for 16 days by representatives of the Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell campuses, is part of an ongoing effort to raise the public profile of the University system, according to John Hoey, director of Communications at the President's Office. "The Big E is a major regional fair that draws about a million people," said Hoey. "The state university should have a significant presence there. We want to show off as much of the University as possible." According to Hoey, the idea to use the Eastern States Exposition to showcase the University came from Dave Curley, director of Licensing for the five-campus system, who has been involved in the Big E for several years. The Big E's attendance numbers and possibilities for marketing were attractive to UMass officials, said Hoey, who also noted that rival University of Connecticut has been represented at the fair for some time. With nearly half of the Big E's visitors hailing from the Bay State, the UMass display will emphasize the Uni-versity's strong public ties under the theme "UMass is Massachusetts." "It's good public service to establish a foothold at the Big E," Hoey said. "It adds value to the Big E." Hoey said the system display, which will be in place for the duration of the fair, will highlight UMass Online, the University's partnership with the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and other systemwide efforts. The Amherst campus will be represented at the fair on Sept. 15-17 and 27-28, according to Kim Fill, marketing project manager in Communications and Marketing, who has been working with Curley to coordinate the UMass activities. Fill has lined up 20 campus departments and programs to participate in the event. "The support and enthusiasm I received on campus was remarkable," she said. Among those who will staff the booth are Army ROTC, Admissions, Computer Science, Economic Development, UMass Extension, Stockbridge School of Agriculture, Sport Management, Commonwealth College, Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration and Air Force ROTC. Bob Goodhue, special assistant for Alumni Relations at the President's Office, has also recruited Alumni Association members to help staff the display, said Hoey. According to Fill, Amherst campus representatives will greet visitors, answer questions and distribute 2,500 plastic carrying bags with the UMass logo. With so many Big E visitors picking up information at hundreds of displays and booths, the bags are a great way to provide the public with a useful tool that promotes the UMass name, she said. The Minuteman mascot will be on hand each day and several campus offices and groups will conduct demonstrations and greet visitors on a lawn next to the Massachusetts Building, said Fill. Physical Plant will display one of its electric cars Sept. 15-17 and members of the cheerleading squad will perform on Sept. 16. On Sept. 27, members of the women's crew team are scheduled to visit the Big E with their new shell, the Swift, named in honor of the state's chief executive, Acting Gov. Jane Swift. When the fair celebrates Massachusetts Day on Sept. 20, Fill said, the UMass hot air balloon will soar over the fairgrounds. According to Hoey, the other campuses also plan to use the event to distribute admissions materials and acquaint visitors with the activities at the different schools. UMass Dart-mouth is expected to highlight its role in the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership and the South Coast Development Partnership, he said. Similarly, the Lowell campus's display will showcase its economic development efforts in the Merrimack Valley and the City of Lowell. Hoey credited Fill and Curley for their efforts to make the venture a success. "They are really the co-MVPs," he said. "I expect we'll have a good quality presence there. And I expect that in future years, we'll continue to expand it more and more." |
