Indiana University Northwest slam dunks with annual Friends & Family Jamboree Party

On Saturday, Sept. 20, Indiana University (IU) Northwest invited students, staff members, and members of the community to celebrate the school’s annual Friends & Family Jamboree, where individuals of all ages tried out a wide variety of activities.

Dr. Dorothy Frink, Interim Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, said this event started from a staple in the IU Northwest community who devoted decades of excellence at the university.

“This event started with Indiana State Representative Dr. Vernon Smith about 20 years ago,” Frink said. “We are just trying to carry on that legacy of having the jamboree event so students and families in the community can come to campus to have fun this weekend.”

According to Frink, this event is an extension to other celebrations that took place earlier in the semester, such as the Redhawk Induction, where freshmen students were formally introduced to the campus. With the academic year still young, Frink wants to ensure that the students can count on IU Northwest as a place to appreciate, even if they aren’t in class.

“We love to have events like this that kick off the academic year right,” Frink said. “Along with our activities, we have a campus tour planned for the day. We want to re-energize our community. We started a couple weeks ago, and most of these students are already feeling the pressure of school. There aren’t a lot of places in Northwest Indiana where you can go for free to enjoy all of these games and activities.”

The main event for the Friends & Family Jamboree was the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament. Each team started with pool play, which was a 15-minute running clock. The tournament portion followed shortly after, with six teams playing in 20-minute games.

Ryan Shelton, Director of Athletics at IU Northwest, helped organize the basketball tournament. He always looks forward to seeing the students who compete in the sporting events at the Friends & Family Jamboree have a good time and walk away with a smile.

“We have a perfect slate of activities for the students who are interested in athletics,” Shelton said. “The 3-on-3 basketball is definitely one of the favorites, but we also have some outdoor games too. Even for students who aren’t into athletics, there’s something for everybody here.”

Some of the other athletic opportunities available outdoors included volleyball, cornhole, kickball, bowling, double-dutch contests, and soccer balls for people to practice their skills. There were plenty of house games for everyone to play, including Connect Four, Uno, and Jenga. Many attendees tried their hand at IU Northwest’s video gaming setup, including popular games such as Mario Kart and Fortnite.

Along with the game selection, many of the vendors offered a unique experience of fun activities all around the venue. This includes face painting, free haircuts, and free souvenirs. Free food at the event included hot dogs, chips, cookies, and drinks. A performance of instructed line dancing by Chienoo’s Dance Team and the Jazzy Ladies capped off the action-packed event.

“This is a great community event that always brings friends, families, and the community together to celebrate the resource that IU Northwest is in the community,” Shelton said. “I think a lot of people in the community have never been to campus before and didn’t realize the great facilities that we have, along with the value and excellence of education that we offer here. Everybody can enjoy the camaraderie with their friends, make some new friends, and enjoy the celebration.”

With every student-focused event that IU Northwest puts on, it’s about meeting the wants and needs for all who attend.

“We focused on the youth and their families to participate in the activities,” Frink said. “That’s the encouragement for the day. This is for Lake County, Porter County, and the whole area we serve. This gives both our current students and potential students so many opportunities. It’s not just about the education; it’s also about getting the youth familiar with the campus before stepping on it.”

Moving forward, Frink can’t wait to see how IU Northwest continues to build on the academic year. The university is already looking ahead to more events for the students in the upcoming months, including a fall event at the end of November.To learn more about IU Northwest and stay updated with its future events, you can visit northwest.iu.edu.