All Things PDP
Embracing Intellectual Growth: The Academic and Creative Life of the University
Get involved in the intellectual and creative life of the University.
You are not limited to these activities. You are also encouraged to find activities of your own to make it personal.
Keep in mind, activities are not limited to certain categories, it all depends on the category rationale you provide to your TA.
Some activities can be done at any time of the year and do not have a specific date or time associated with them, these activities can be found at the bottom of the page.
DO NOT sign up for any activity without prior approval of the activity and category from your TA.
Michigan Supreme Court Panel; Sept. 30th, 3pm, Biosciences 1010
Join Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh and Justice Noah P. Hood for a conversation about career paths, the law, elections, and more! Moderated by Dr. Kyla Stepp.
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InSciTE Speaker Series with Paul Murtagh, Battery Engineer – 10/1
Join InSciTE to hear from Paul Murtagh, a former CMU Physics student with battery industry experience. Paul’s journey exemplifies resilience through uncertainty and the importance of taking risks and trying new things. This event is Thursday, Oct. 1st from 5-6:00pm in Biosciences 1015. Free snacks for everyone who attends.
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School of Music Alumni Concert; Oct 1st, 7:30-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Thursday, October 1st, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the School of Music Alumni Concert!
Sponsored by the College of the Arts & Media, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of choral and instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This concert highlights our alumni:
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Dr. Lara Brooks, Assistant Professor of Voice at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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Dr. Robert D. Brooks, Associated Faculty of Jazz Saxophone at The Ohio State University
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Dr. Myles Boothroyd, Assistant Professor of Saxophone at The University of Oklahoma
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Dr. Andrew Wheelock, Associate Professor, Director of Jazz Studies, & Percussion Area Coordinator at University of Wyoming
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Dr. Kristen Zelenak, Visiting Instructor of Bands at University of North Florida
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Walt Whitman Leaves of Grass Marathon Reading; Oct 2nd, 7:30am-3pm, Fabiano Garden next to the Park Library
Bring a blanket and come for an hour or two, or all day long, as (beginning at sunrise!) we read the Deathbed Edition of Whitman’s classic, Leaves of Grass in the beautiful Fabiano Botanical Garden on CMU’s campus adjacent to Park Library. All are welcome to come take turns with others reading, or just lay back on the grass and listen and enjoy.
Bring a copy of Leaves of Grass if you have one—or it's available for free online, and I'll have extra copies!—a blanket or lawn chair, and join us.
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Guest Artist: Emily Salgado, percussion; Oct 7th, 7pm-8:30pm, Chamichian Chamber Music Hall
Join us on Wednesday, October 7th, 2026 at Chamichian Chamber Music Hall for our guest artist: Emily Salgado, percussion!
In collaboration with CMU percussion faculty Dr. Marco Schirripa, we are excited to be featuring a program comprised of diverse percussive instrumental works composed and arranged by a diverse group of composers.
Guests are welcome to join us in Chamichian Chamber Music Hall as the concert is open to the public!
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CMU Symphony Orchestra Concert; Oct 8th, 7:30pm-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Thursday, October 8th, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the CMU Symphony Orchestra Concert!
Under the direction of Dr. Keith Dodson, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers.
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A Musical Cabaret; Oct 10th, 7pm-8:30pm, Chamichian Chamber Music Hall
Join us Saturday, October 10th, 2026 at Chamichian Chamber Music Hall for "A Musical Cabaret"!
"A Musical Cabaret" is an engaging vocal performance event featuring a diverse selection of music presented in an intimate cabaret-style setting. Under the direction of Dr. Eric Hoy Tucker and his voice studio, the program showcases the talents of student singers through solos, duets, and ensemble performances spanning a variety of musical genres and styles. Audiences can expect an entertaining evening of music, creativity, and expressive storytelling as performers share selections from musical theatre, popular music, and more. The event celebrates artistic growth, vocal excellence, and the collaborative spirit of the studio in a welcoming and dynamic atmosphere.
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Discus- Oct. 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 7:30pm-9:00pm, Townsend Kiva
This heartbreaking and candid contemporary reimagining of the Greek myth of Apollo and Hyacinth explores powerfully relevant themes of class, power, justice, accountability and – above all – change.
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The Department of English and the Center for Learning through Games and Simulations presents:
Poetry Game Night; Oct. 15, 2026: Time & Location TBD
Come on out and join us as we all play Line by Line, a new poetry board game being created by CLGS. The evening will also include a poetry reading by students. This event is in its planning phase. More details are forthcoming. All are welcome!
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Wellspring Literary Series: Greg Rappleye; Oct 19th, 7-8pm, Art Reach of Mid Michigan (111 E. Broadway)
Greg Rappleye's poems have appeared in POETRY, The Southern Review, The North American Review, NARRATIVE, Arts & Letters, Shenandoah, Tupelo Quarterly, Prairie Schooner, Virginia Quarterly Review, Water-Stone Review, Southword (Ireland). His most recent collection, Barley Child (University of Arkansas Press, 2025), which concerns his Irish-American family, was selected by National Book Award winning poet Patricia Smith as the winner of the 2025 Miller Williams Poetry Prize. He is the author of four other poetry collections including A Path Between Houses (2000) Figured Dark (2007), and Tropical Landscape with Ten Hummingbirds (2018), and was the Margaret Bridgman Fellow in Poetry at the 2002 Breadloaf Writers Conference. His honors and awards include the Brittingham Prize in Poetry from the University of Wisconsin, a Pushcart Prize, The Mississippi Review Prize in Poetry, The Greensboro Review Prize in Poetry, the Paumonok Prize in Poetry, The Arts & Letters Prize, the 49th Parallel Prize in Poetry, and the Fish International Poetry Prize (Ireland), selected by former American Poet Laureate Billy Collins. Greg is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. He served for 26 years as Corporation Counsel for Ottawa County, Michigan, and also spent 25 years on the faculty of the English Department at Hope College. He lives in Grand Haven, Michigan.
The Wellspring Literary Series is an annual reading series in downtown Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Founded, facilitated and hosted by Robert Fanning, poet and Central Michigan University Professor of English, the series features Michigan writers or regional writers with Michigan ties. Since 2008, the series has brought some of the finest poets and writers to Mount Pleasant from across the state.
Each reading, the crowd is treated to not only readings by some of Michigan’s most prominent voices reading poetry, fiction and non-fiction along with Central Michigan University students, but these evenings also feature music by local musicians and students and faculty of the School of Music.
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Faculty Trumpet & Organ Concert; Oct 20th, 7:30-9pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Tuesday, October 20th, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Faculty Trumpet & Organ Concert!
We are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This concert highlights our trumpet faculty, Dr. Neil Mueller, in collaboration with Dr. Mary Jo Cox on organ.
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CMU Choir Concert; Oct 22nd, 7:30pm-9:00pm; Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Thursday, October 22nd, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the CMU Choir Concert!
Under the direction of Dr. Amon Eady, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of choral pieces crafted by numerous talented composers.
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The Meijer Visiting Writers Series presents: A Reading by Naeem Murr; Oct. 22, 7:30PM, Anspach Hall, Room 161
Naeem Murr, a dual US and UK citizen, is the author of four novels: The Boy, a New York Times Notable Book; The Genius of the Sea; The Perfect Man, which was awarded The Commonwealth Writersʼ Prize for the Best Book of Europe and South Asia, and was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize; and Every Exit Brings You Home, which was published by W.W. Norton in 2026 and has received glowing reviews from venues like The Washington Post and The Boston Globe. A former Stegner Fellow at Stanford, among his awards are a Pushcart Prize, a Lannan Residency Fellowship, a PEN Beyond Margins Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He lives in Chicago and teaches at Northwestern University.
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Purchase tickets: Here ($13 Adults, $8 Seniors/ students)
Fall Composition Studio Recital; Oct. 23rd, 7:00pm-8:30pm
Join us Friday, October 23rd, 2026 at Chamichian Chamber Music Hall for the Honors Composition Studio Recital!
Under the direction of Dr. Jay Batzner, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of original pieces crafted by our talented composition students.
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Student Showcase; Oct 27th, 7:30pm-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Student Showcase!
We are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of choral and instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This concert features our music students eager to present their latest compositions or committed ensembles.
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Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concert; Oct 29th, 7:30pm-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Thursday, October 29, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Symphonic Wind Ensemble Concert!
Under the direction of Dr. Christopher Chapman, we are excited to be featuring a program comprised of diverse instrumental works composed and arranged by a diverse group of composers.
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CMU's Architecture: A Campus Tour with TA Aiden; October 30th at 1 PM, Begins at the lawn between Anspach and Pearce
Are you ready to look at campus from a new perspective? Join Dr. Richard Hayes, an interior design professor and architectural professional, as he leads attendees on a journey across campus. As you wind down the paths and sidewalks, you'll take in facts and history about the architecture behind CMU's buildings.
20 students maximum
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Frankenstein Friday; Oct 30th, 4:00pm-7:00pm, Rowe Hall, Room 124
Come to the CMU MUSEUM to celebrate the iconic FRANKENSTEIN in our 6th year of hosting this family friendly program! There will be several history and STEAM themed table activities, games, and crafts. Prizes for every participant, too! This event is hosted by the CMU Museum of Cultural & Natural History and students in the Museum Studies program. FREE and all ages are welcome. Halloween costumes are highly encouraged! *All children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult*
The CMU Museum is located in Rowe Hall. Parking is available in Lot 14 next to Rowe Hall, near E. Campus Dr. & Bellows St.
Admission is free. Register here: Frankenstein Friday – Fill out form
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Halloween Cabaret - Things that go Bump In the Night; Oct 31st, 7:00pm-8:30pm, Chamichian Chamber Music Hall
Join us Saturday, October 31st, 2026 at Chamichian Chamber Music Hall for the Halloween Cabaret - Things that go Bump In the Night!
Under the direction of Dr. Eric Tucker, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of vocal pieces crafted by numerous talented composers to fill you with the Halloween spirit and fright. This performance will highlight solo artists under Dr. Tucker's Voice Studio!
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Jazz Central Concert; Nov 1st, 2:00pm-3:30pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Sunday, November 1, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Jazz Central Concert!
Under the direction of Professor Robbie Smith, we are excited to be featuring a program comprised of diverse instrumental works composed and arranged by a diverse group of composers.
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Jazz Lab I Concert; Nov 1st, 5:00pm-6:30pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Sunday, November 1, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Jazz Lab I Concert!
Under the direction of Professor Robbie Smith, we are excited to be featuring a program comprised of diverse instrumental works composed and arranged by a diverse group of composers.
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Percussion Ensemble Concert; Nov 3rd, 7:30pm-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Percussion Ensemble Concert!
Under the direction of Dr. Marco Schirripa, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of percussive pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This concert features a collection of soloists and group performances from the CMU Percussion Studio.
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Guest Artist: Lyyra; Nov 5th, 7:30pm-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Thursday, November 5, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for guest artist: Lyyra!
Lyyra is the new all-women vocal ensemble from The VOCES8 Foundation and is based in the USA. Creating world-class musical experiences to inspire audiences, Lyyra seeks to redefine the genre of upper voice music in the choral landscape, highlighting the astonishing capabilities within the full spectrum of women’s singing. The sound of this bright, young group combines velvety richness alongside star-like brilliance. With a broad texture and exhilarating range of sound, the group’s talented members specialize in classical, jazz, pop, and folk music from diverse traditions and backgrounds.
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The Spongebob Musical; Nov 6th, 7th, 13th, and 14th 7:30pm-10:00pm, Nov 7th, 8th, 14th, and 15th 2:00pm-4:30pm, Bush Theatre
Conceived by Tina Landau | Book by Kyle Jarrow | Based on the Series by Stephen Hillenburg
Directed by Carson Cerney | Choreographed by Anne McAlexander | Music Directed by Mina Son
When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world!
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Wellspring Literary Series: Kelly Fordon; Nov 9th, 7pm-8pm, Art Reach of Mid Michigan (111 E. Broadway)
Kelly Fordon has published two award-winning short-story collections: I Have the Answer (Wayne State University Press, 2020) and Garden for the Blind (WSUP, 2015), and two poetry collections: What Trammels the Heart (SFAPress, 2025) and Goodbye Toothless House (Kattywompus Press, 2019). Her novella, Nine Days Left, is forthcoming in 2027 from Cornerstone Press. Her work has appeared in The Kenyon Review Online, The Boston Review, The Michigan Quarterly Review, Rattle, and The Saturday Evening Post, among others. She has just finished up a stint as the Spring 2026 Resident Fellow at VCCA’s Moulin à Nef campus in France.
The Wellspring Literary Series is an annual reading series in downtown Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Founded, facilitated and hosted by Robert Fanning, poet and Central Michigan University Professor of English, the series features Michigan writers or regional writers with Michigan ties. Since 2008, the series has brought some of the finest poets and writers to Mount Pleasant from across the state.
Each reading, the crowd is treated to not only readings by some of Michigan’s most prominent voices reading poetry, fiction and non-fiction along with Central Michigan University students, but these evenings also feature music by local musicians and students and faculty of the School of Music.
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Trumpet Ensemble & Trombone Choir Concert; Nov 10th, 7:30-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Trumpet Ensemble & Trombone Choir Concert!
Under the direction of trumpet professor Dr. Neil Mueller and trombone professor Dr. Cole Bartels, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This performance will highlight solo artists and ensemble groups from the CMU Trumpet and CMU Trombone Studios!
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The Meijer Visiting Writers Series Presents: A Reading by Maria Zoccola; Nov. 12, 7:30PM, Anspach Hall, Room 161
Maria Zoccola is a queer Southern writer and educator from Memphis, Tennessee. She is the author of Helen of Troy, 1993 (Scribner), a New York Times Editors’ Choice pick and an NPR and The New Yorker best book of 2025. She holds writing degrees from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and Falmouth University in Cornwall, England. Maria has worked and written for nonprofits both big and small, and from 2017-2021 managed Deep Center’s Young Author Project in Savannah, Georgia, a program embedding creative writing workshops within the Savannah–Chatham County Public School System and serving 400 young people annually. Her fiction and poetry can be found in such venues as The Atlantic, Ploughshares, Fantasy Magazine, the Kenyon Review, ZYZZYVA, Electric Literature’s The Commuter, and elsewhere.
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Piano Studio Recital; Nov 13th, 7:00pm-8:30pm, Chamichian Chamber Music Hall
Join us Friday, November 13, 2026 at Chamichian Chamber Music Hall for the Piano Studio Recital!
Under the direction of Dr. Zhao Wang, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This performance will highlight solo artists and ensemble groups from the CMU Piano Studio!
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Freshman Saxophone Studio Recital; Nov 15th, 1:00pm-2:30pm, Chamichian Music Hall
Join us Sunday, November 15th, 2026 at Chamichian Chamber Music Hall for the Freshman Saxophone Studio Recital
Under the direction of Professor John Nichol, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This performance will highlight solo artists and ensemble groups from the CMU Saxophone Studio!
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Register: Here
Buy Tickets Here (Adults $20, Seniors/ Students $15)
Sophomore Saxophone Studio Recital; Nov 15th, 3:00pm-4:30pm, Chamichian Music Hall
Join us Sunday, November 15th, 2026 at Chamichian Chamber Music Hall for the Sophomore Saxophone Studio Recital!
Under the direction of Professor John Nichol, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This performance will highlight solo artists and ensemble groups from the CMU Saxophone Studio!
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Staples Endowment Concert: Five Lakes Silver Band; Nov 15th 4:00pm-6:30pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Sunday, November 15, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Staples Endowment Concert: Five Lakes Silver Band! Guests are welcome to join us in person at Staples Family Concert Hall as the concert is free and open to the public! Please stay at the end of the concert to enjoy a reception, free, sponsored by the School of Music.
About Mr. Sam Staples
Mr. Sam Staples has been a longtime friend and avid supporter of CMU’s School of Music and the College of Arts and Media, and his family is the namesake of a concert hall on campus. Sam has served on the School of Music Opus Committee, the College of Communication and Fine Arts Capital Campaign Committee, and the Michigan Story Festival planning committee.
He was actively involved with the day-to-day workings of the School of Music and the College of Arts and Media. He has helped develop special instructional initiatives such as guest instructors and special theater organ events. He has helped bring musicians and ensembles to campus, and he has brokered School of Music partnerships with the community.
In addition to donations to name an office and a practice studio in the Music Building, the Staples family made one of the largest gifts in the history of the School of Music. This gift supports music events and annual masters series concerts. In recognition, CMU named the Music Building’s 500-seat performance venue the Staples Family Concert Hall. Sam and the Staples family are regular and enthusiastic attendees at almost all School of Music concerts and events.
Sam’s nominator for this award wrote, “Sam, Trudy, Karen, Carl, and the entire Staples family have been invaluable partners in the advancement of the School of Music and have become warm friends to students, faculty, and staff.”
About the Five Lakes Silver Band
The Five Lakes Silver Band originally started as Oakland Brass Band and was renamed to provide a distinct identity apart from the Oakland University Brass Band. The Oakland Brass Band was founded in 2006 by several local musicians with the desire to provide Detroit area professional and semi-professional musicians with an outlet for expressing their talent through the brass band style and heritage. By October, 2006, a Board of Directors was created, non-profit status was sought for the organization and a list of interested musicians was developed.
In 2010, the FLSB recorded their first CD, "Notes from America". Since then, the band has recorded a total of 6 CDs.
In 2013, the Five Lakes Silver Band captured its first national championship title by taking 1st Place in the 1st Section of the North American Brass Band Association Championships held in Cincinnati, Ohio. The band continues to grow in its popularity, strength of musicianship, and leadership and is emerging as one of the leading brass bands in the country.
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CMU Symphony Orchestra Concert; Nov 17th, 7:30pm-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the CMU Symphony Orchestra Concert!
Under the direction of Dr. Keith Dodson, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers.
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Break Our Games; Dec 4th, 3pm-5pm, Park Library, Room 211
The Center for Learning through Games and Simulations hosts Break Our Games! Yes, we really do want you to break them. Central Michigan University Press has games in development. We need YOU to play and 'break' them so they become better! Bring your own games to playtest, too!
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Wind Symphony and Symphony Band Concert; Nov 25th at 7:30pm at Staples Family Concert Hall
On November 25th at 7:30 PM in Staples Family Concert Hall, enjoy a concert performed by the CMU Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dr. James Batcheller, and the CMU Symphony Band, under the direction of Dr. Christopher Chapman.
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Fall Oboe Studio Recital; Nov 18th, 7:00pm-8:30pm, Chamichian Music Hall
Join us Wednesday, November 18th, 2026 at Chamichian Chamber Music Hall for the Fall Oboe Studio Recital!
Under the direction of Dr. Lindabeth Binkley, we are thrilled to present a program showcasing a variety of instrumental pieces crafted by numerous talented composers. This performance will highlight solo artists and ensemble groups from the CMU Oboe Studio!
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Wind Symphony& Symphony Band Concert; Nov 24th, 7:30pm-9:00pm, Staples Family Concert Hall
Join us Tuesday, November 24th, 2026 at Staples Family Concert Hall for the Wind Symphony & Symphony Band Concert.
Under the direction of Dr. Christopher Chapman and Dr. James Batcheller, we are excited to be featuring a program comprised of diverse instrumental works composed and arranged by a diverse group of composers.
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The Department of English Language and Literature presents: A Concert By Daryl and the Beans wsg Magdalena Fanning; Dec. 4, 7:30PM. Anspach Hall, Room 161
Please join us as we welcome Daryl and the Beans, who will be launching their 2026 World Domination Tour right here in Anspach Hall. The band features professors Bean, Doyle and Fanning, along with CMU student drummer Juice Legend. Daryl and the Beans just launched Hunk Alert, their second album, last year. This concert is free and open to all. Tee-shirts will be for sale, and all proceeds go to the Daryl and the Beans Award, an annual contest for CMU Creative Writing students. Magdalena Fanning, a local indie singer and CMU freshman who launched her first EP Meteorites in August, 2026, will be the opening musician.
* Magdalena Fanning is a fellow first year honor students! Great opportunity to support your classmate!
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School of Music Performances
Attend one of the many performances put on by Central Michigan University's School of music! There are events almost every Thursday along with other events sprinkled throughout the weeks. Check out their 2024-2025 Performance Calendar for more information!
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Central Michigan Athletics
Attend one of the many athletics events hosted here at CMU (excluding football games). CMU athletics is a huge part of CMU's campus life so stop by an athletic event coming up soon!
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