Freshmen who've come to UF during Summer B will get a glimpse of the artistic and cultural experiences at the university.
Creative B, a collaboration between the College of Fine Arts, the Harn Museum of Art, the Digital Worlds Institute and a number of other colleges, aims to make the summer semester more exciting by bringing artistic events to campus.
While the atmosphere of Summer B is usually not as vibrant as that of the fall or spring, the purpose of Creative B is exposing freshmen to cultural activities during their first days on campus, said Andy Howard, spokesman for the College of Fine Arts.
Although Creative B is designed to improve freshmen students' first experiences on campus, it is also helping upperclassmen and UF faculty, he said.
Creative B got a head start during Summer A, when six events took place. One of the more popular events, a walking tour of campus, Howard said, informs participants about campus history and UF lore. Two walking tours took place during Summer A, and two more are planned for Summer B.
The tours have attracted more faculty and alumni than students so far, Howard said.
The Creative B events aren't focused toward age-specific groups, rather the events are intended to bring in people with similar interests, he said.
Creative B is also hosting events like the video gaming tournament, which will be sponsored by the Digital Worlds Institute at the Old Norman Gym July 22 and 23.
"The gaming tournament will get people who are gamers, whether they're freshmen or seniors," he said.
Creative B is also offering three interdisciplinary courses. The first is Interactive Storytelling, a three-credit course offered by the Digital Worlds Institute. The second is America at Work: Get a Job, a one-credit course that coincides with a summer exhibit at the Harn Museum of Art. The third is Performance and Engagement, a three-credit course with the School of Theatre and Dance about how people make performances in everyday life, not just on stage.
UF is growing, and Creative B should help students see how science and art can meet, Howard said.
"Part of the conversation is bringing artists and scholars from across campus to study in an interdisciplinary context," he said.
