As the semester draws to a close, we would like to take a look back at some of the highlights from the semester. Living ArtsEngine has had an exciting year so far, with new projects, ideas, events and exciting changes as well.

By now, all of you have noticed the adjustment to the name of our program. We feel that this new name not only better reflects the relationship to our parent department “ArtsEngine”, but also aligns us closer to our mission and core values. Our community is about creativity and collaboration across disciplinary boundaries. Engineering and the Arts are very strong components of our community and the work that we do. Living ArtsEnigne will always remain a strong community of makers that thrive in their creativity and innovative spirit.

This newsletter will recap some of the highlights from the beginning of this semester, as well as introduce new and past Living ArtsEngine students. Our newsletter serves as a way to connect our current community with our supporters, and alumni. We hope that you enjoy this insight into our amazing community.

Important Community Dates

Saturday, January 11th
Community Meeting, Collaborative Creative Projects

Saturday, February 8th
Community Meeting, Collaborative Creative Projects

Saturday, March 14th
Community Meeting, Collaborative Creative Projects

Saturday, April 11th
Living ArtsEngine Symposium, Project Presentations

November Community Meeting

Game Designing with Corbin Reeves

Our November Community Meeting featured a presentation from Corbin Reaves of Azure Ravens Entertainment LLC. The topic of gaming has always been very popular with Living ArtsEngine students. Corbin discussed his process and workflow for designing video games and gave students insight into how different disciplines can come together for a common purpose. We look forward to providing more opportunities for educational gaming experiences in the future.

Dec. All-Community Meeting

December featured a very enjoyable workshop from our Living Arts RA's called "Gingerbread-not-a-house"

This workshop allowed our students to explore creativity through storytelling, engineering, and fun edible treats! Using gingerbread crackers and other food items, students were given a prompt and asked to build a structure that is anything other than an actual gingerbread house.

In addition to constructing the gingerbread-not-a-house, participants were responsible for writing a narrative about who and what they imagined occupying their structure

In the end, students assembled their models into one cityscape and shared their narratives with each other, This was a great opportunity for our students to work through the creative process iteratively and learn to collaboratively solve problems.

Thank you RA's, for presenting a terrific workshop!

Community Member Spotlights

What are the top 3 experiences that you won’t forget about your time in Living ArtsEngine?

Zach Mused

Living ArtsEngine Alumni

Civil Engineering BSE '19, MSE '20

1. Living Arts provided me a sense of community stronger than any other since coming to college. The friendships I made as a mentee and later as a mentor, through things like hanging in our lounge together at 4am, have lasted after graduation, even as my class spread across the country and the world.

2. My second experience was providing guidance as a mentor during the Creative Capstone Project. I had a lot of fun helping my mentees create a project, and I hope that they look back on it as a good experience. Going out on a day trip with my mentees to look for exciting and weird CCP materials that we could afford with our student budget is one I remember fondly.

3. Thirdly, I won't forget my first all community meeting. My group had so much excitement, energy, and general silliness that we put into our task of making an "instrument" and this was a formative educational experience, vastly different from the more traditional academic exposure I had up to that point. I will never forget the people and the program that held innovation and raw creativity to such esteem.

Anna Getzinger

Living ArtsEngine Peer Mentor

Art and Design '22

1. My first experience was when I first met everyone in Living Arts at the Ice Cream Social my Freshman year. Everyone was so welcoming and kind, and it was the first time I met my roommate who is my best friend to this day. I also met all my friends who have helped me through challenges in my freshman year and still continue to be a support in my life today.

2. My second experience was deciding to become a peer mentor. The decision was a pillar experience in my time in Living ArtsEngine since through it I realized my strength in community work and leadership. Becoming a peer mentor means a lot to me and it continues to be an exciting opportunity every day.

3. My third experience was meeting my mentees and the rest of the community this year. Everyone has been very sweet and looks up to me in the same way I looked up to my mentor. It makes me happy that I can make a difference in other people's lives just by saying hello.

Sajjad Ali Khan

Living ArtsEngine First-Year Student

Mechanical Engineering '23

1. My first experience in Living ArtsEngine was the ice cream social on Move-In Day. It was a great way to meet everyone else in the community in a very relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, taking a lot of the awkwardness out of meeting people for the first time. Ever since then, I have felt that I really am a member of this community.

2. My second experience was making my new friends in the community. If I had not been a member of Living Arts, I would not have had the opportunity to meet all these great people, and the experience has definitely made my transition to life in college much easier.

3. My third experience is the one that's yet to come! My first semester at the University of Michigan and in Living Arts has been a blast, and I am thoroughly looking forward to all the opportunities the community has to offer in the future.