Welcome to your first full day of SUUSI 2024! We hope you newcomers are getting oriented and you regulars are catching up on lost time with familiar faces. Workshops and nature trips are in full swing today, so find your locations and be on time so you don't miss a moment!

Thank you in advance for helping us build a beloved community this week:

• Invite newcomers to join your table at mealtime or to sit by you at worship.
• Remember that we’re guests on this campus. Be pleasant and courteous to WCU staff and students. Respect their home. Do not complain, criticize, or make suggestions. Instead, call the SUUSI Helpline (540-534-1575) to bring your issues to SUUSI Staff.
• When SUUSI is at its most stressful for you (Dining hall back-up? Canceled event? Sudden downpour?), take a deep breath and reflect on the value of community. Assume that everyone around you is coming from a place of goodwill. Take another deep breath and then look for a loving way forward.
• If problems arise, help is always a phone call away: 540-534-1575 then press 1 for the general helpline, 2 for pastoral care / Healthy Relations Team (HeaRT) or 3 for Star Car reservations.

MONDAY SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS

7 - 9am: Breakfast, Dalton Dining Hall

8 - 8:30am: Group Meditation, Moffett E312

8:30am - 2pm: SUUSI Office, Pocahontas 102

8:30 - 9:15am: Monday Morning Multigen Worship, Hurlburt 127 (the "Bonnie")

9:15 - 9:45am: Youth Parent Mandatory Meeting, Heth 016

9:30am - 6pm: Books & Bazaar, Heth 014

10 - 11am: Campus Tour, meet at Heth Clock Tower

11:30am - 1:30pm: Lunch, Dalton Dining Hall

Noon - 1pm: Senior Meal Meetup, Dalton Dining Hall

12:30 -1:30pm: Queer Meal Meetup, Dalton Dining Hall

1 - 2pm: Getting on the SUUSI Board, Pocahontas 202

4 - 6pm: Community Time, Moffett Quad

4 - 5pm: Favorite Fidgets for Families, Moffett 251/254

4:30 - 6:45pm: Dinner, Dalton Dining Hall

5 - 6pm: Senior Meal Meetup, Dalton Dining Hall

5:30 - 6:30pm: Addiction and Recovery Support Meeting, Bolling 106

7 - 7:45pm: Evening Worship, Sharing the Journey, Hurlburt 127 (the "Bonnie")

7 - 8pm: OASUUS Monday Mixer, BIPOC only, Moffett, W345 / W346

7 - 8:30pm: Monday Meet-up for those new-ish to SUUSI, Moffett 251/254

8 - 9pm: Concert Hour with Greg Greenway, Hurlburt 127 (the "Bonnie")

9 pm - 1am: Serendipity, Theme: Decades, Cook 107

9:30 - 11pm: Cabaret, Hurlburt 127 (the "Bonnie")

11pm - 3am: Late Night Song Circle, Bolling 001/007

1 - 3:30am: Un-BBQuusi, Moffett 157/159

Make-up Mugbook Photos

Did you miss the Mugbook station at Check-In? Come to the SUUSI Office (Pocahontas 102) today from 11am - 1pm to say "Cheese" for the Mugbook camera. We want to see everyone's shining faces in this year's Mugbook!

BUZZ from the Community Time Beehive

Join us daily from 4 - 6pm for fun for all ages at Community Time in the Moffett Quad!

#BeeActive: Join an intergenerational kickball game!

#BeeCreative & #BeeYourself with personal embellishments and creating prayer flags to take home!

#BeeSupportive: Meet featured Bazaar artisans and Cabaret musicians!

#BeeFed: Each day we will have snow cones & popcorn for those midday munchies!

#BeeInvolved: Write or discuss your thoughts on today's quote or question, or engage in some political action discussions. This year there will be an altar table during community time, with a canvas cloth ready to receive reflections from the community. On Monday, you are invited to consider:

Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude. ~ A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

What are you grateful for today? Feel free to come discuss, write, or leave an offering at the community altar.

#BeePlayful: Also at Monday's Community Time starting at 4:30pm, Pair-a-Dice volunteers will be available on Moffett Quad to teach and play old favorite card games: Spades, Hearts, Cribbage, and Rummy. Need to beat the heat? Inside in Moffett 160/164, more Pair-a-Dice volunteers will be on hand to teach and play quick-to-learn, easy-to-play card games: Take 5, Scout, and The Game.

Want to share your favorite SUUSI photos to our social media outlets (with subject's okay)? Email them to: photos@suusi.org

And tomorrow (Tuesday), join Karen Gonzalez for a conversation during Community Time to hear about the work to enshrine abortion access in the Florida constitution this fall. Look for the Yes on 4! sign to learn how you can get involved, even if you don't live in Florida!

Prayer & Reflection Session for our Nation

Due to JD Vance on campus and Biden dropping out of the race, we're aware that the political anxiety among us may be high. Therefore your Nurture Team is holding a special prayer/mediation and reflections session at 5pm on Monday in Moffett 2nd Floor Lounge during Community Time. Join us if you need some spiritual sustenance for the road ahead!

Monday Evening Worship

Evening worship services take place from 7 - 7:45 pm in Hurlburt Auditorium in the Bonnie which is very close to the dining hall (no hiking up and down hills!) Tonight's evening worship service, Sharing the Journey, will be led by Wednesday’s Concert Hour performers Heather Pierson and Bernice Martin. Enjoy an evening gathering of song, reflection, sharing, and celebration. 

Concert Hour: Greg Greenway

Concert Hour immediately follows evening worship and runs 8 - 9pm in Hurlburt Auditorium. Greg Greenway first attended SUUSI as a Concert Hour performer in 2003, and we have been so fortunate that he has been back many times since. Greg has created a multi-instrumental, genre-crossing style that continues to creatively evolve, with one of the strongest and finest voices in folk music. From his beginnings in Richmond, VA, moving on to Boston’s folk music tradition, and touring internationally, Greg has played at such notable places as Carnegie Hall, and been heard on NPR's All Things Considered and Mountain Stage. His eight year collaboration with Pat Wictor and Joe Jencks as Brother Sun reached many thousands of fans, and Greg's songs have been sung by choirs internationally. A recent project with Reggie Harris is a musical presentation on Race in America called Deeper Than The Skin, connecting audiences to their humanity while entertaining them at the same time. Greg’s latest album is “Between Hello and Goodbye." To learn more about Greg, go to: www.greggreenway.com

Sharing Campus Space as Gracious, Patient Guests

VP candidate Sen. JD Vance is having a campaign rally Monday late afternoon/early evening at the Dedmon Center on the RU campus. This is the athletic center farthest from where we will be on campus—across the street and over the train tracks. There should be no impact to SUUSI programs where we are located.

This location is not far, however, from where we will be parking our cars. So we will be asking people to not leave campus on Monday afternoon if they can help it. If you know you will need to get to your car between 2 and 7pm on Monday, work with us and we’ll get you temporary parking close to Moffett Hall.

The security perimeter, as it has been explained to us, will be concentrated in the Dedmon Center area, although there may be a police presence all around campus and town.

The biggest impact will be traffic in the area of the Dedmon Center from roughly 3-7pm. We will be parking Nature Vans in a lot that is close to our dorms which should have the easiest access if there’s traffic down the hill in order to give Nature trips priority access to leaving campus and returning to it.

We hope that SUUSI participants will be immersed in our intentional community and not engage with this campaign, nor with the counter-protests expected (in the city park down by the Dedmon Center), but if you do, we hope you are not wearing SUUSI shirts or RU lanyards, out of respect for our hosts at Radford.

One Number to Reach Them All!

SUUSI Helpline, Pastoral Care/Healthy Relations Team, Star Car – it's all one number: 540-534-1575.

Press 1 for SUUSI Helpline: We are at your service from 7am to 11pm to answer your questions. After hours, leave a message and we will get back to you the next day. For emergencies, please call 911. If you would rather email, send to help@suusi.org. If you prefer to talk in person, come to the SUUSI Office, open from 8:30am - 2 pm in Pocahontas 102.

Press 2 for Pastoral Care and Healthy Relations Team (HeaRT): When any need for pastoral care or conflict resolution arises, our nurture staff ministers and Healthy Relations Team (HeaRT) are here to help 24/7.

Press 3 for Star Car: Need a ride? Schedule your ride on Star Car golf carts, available from 7am - midnight (and sometimes later depending on demand and volunteer availability). Advance reservations strongly encouraged. Questions: email accessibility@suusi.org.

Pair-A-Dice Hours

Pair-a-Dice is SUUSI's dedicated table-top gaming space for all ages! Sit down at a table and play a game with some new friends. Or check out a favorite game from the over 100 games in our lending library and take it back to your room for the family to play. Pair-a-Dice is located in Moffett 160-164 right behind Common Ground, and is open noon - 10pm Monday-Thursday, noon to 5pm Friday. Just $15 for the whole week for those 14+ and free for those 13 and under.

New! Community Time and Nightly Themes

Pair-a-Dice volunteers will be available on Moffett quad and inside in the A/C during community time to teach a variety of fun games to gamers and non-gamers alike. See Community Time above for more details. Also new this year are free theme nights: Meet & Greet Monday, Teamwork Tuesday, Word Game Wednesday, and Train Game Thursday. Sign up in SOLIS for tonight's free Meet & Greet from 7 - 10pm. You'll meet up with new friends with fun, easy, party-style games where the rules are simple and the points don't matter. All-ages fun and get-to-know-you challenges make this a great place to start your SUUSI week, especially if you're looking to expand your circle of SUUSI people! Drop in for however much time you can. Sample games: Apples to Apples, Monikers, Telestrations, Wavelength. Email games@suusi.org if you have questions.

Making Connections at SUUSI

Come to Monday Meet-up from 7 to 8:30pm in Moffett 251/254. This is an opportunity for anyone looking to connect and feel connected early in the week. Whether you are new-ish to SUUSI or someone who just wants to stop by for a chat, this meet-up is open to all as a way to build an intentional, inclusive, radically welcome community for everyone!

Other Ways to Connect Throughout the Week

Here are some informal ways to connect with people this week.

For Child Care Co-op people, pull up a chair to sit with adults in the co-op dorm after hours (9pm-1pm). The more the merrier, but keep the volume down because children will be sleeping in the dorm.

For Youth, play games on the lawn of Moffett Quad during community time. We often have kickball, soccer, face painting, temporary tattoos, and much more. Activities vary slightly from year to year.

For Teens, talk to your teen leaders, Touch Groups, and roommate for activities and opportunities for connection.

For the Young Adults, hang out with other young adults in the YA dorm. Feel free to go up to someone and just strike up a conversation! Look for common spaces such as lounges.

For Adults, (or really, anyone!) get some coffee, tea, and snacks at Common Ground – Moffett 157/159. Play a game or complete a puzzle with anyone else there! (Open 24/7)

Join groups of people playing board games at Pair-A-Dice – Moffett 160/164 (behind Common Grounds).

SUUSI staff are here to help! Make sure to ask them if they’re available and you need any help with SUUSI stuff.

Ballroom Dance Hour

Ballroom Dance Hour+ is held from 7:30 - 9pm Monday through Friday in Peters B112. Each night will focus on one ballroom style, but you will still have a music mix with the variety to satisfy all Ballroom fans.

Serendipity

CACHE, our 14+ dance club, isn't being held every night this year, but if you're 21+, Serendipity will satisfy your craving to move! Serendipity is located in Cook 107 and will be open from 9pm - 1am. Serendipity's theme tonight is Decades. Hear and dance to music from the '60s to the 2000s with DJ's Neil Watzman and Ian Hochber. And this year, no need for drink tickets. Serendipity will have a cash box, and the bar will accept credit cards. You will need your SUUSI name tag to enter Serendipity and a photo ID to purchase alcoholic beverages. Join us for a fun evening!

If you missed Open Mic Night, come to Cabaret tonight to see more performances. See Eric Bannan, Jesse Palidofsky, Angel Wall and many other wonderful musicians! And, this year, we have just in time information with our handy QR code, designed by the amazingly talented Alexander Muir.

Transition Worship Services

Tuesday evening, we will set aside time to grieve our losses since our last time together. If you would like us to remember someone from our community who has died in the last year, please email nurture@suusi.org no later than noon tomorrow (Tuesday).

Thursday evening, we will mark various life transitions within our community. Each year our SUUSI community takes time to dedicate our children, bridge our teens, and bless community members who have transitioned in their gender identities. If you would like to be part of this celebration, or if you have a child to be dedicated, please email nurture@suusi.org no later than NOON Thursday. (Please note that teens who are bridging will be coordinated by the Teen Director, teens@suusi.org.)

Teens Way Off Broadway (TWOB)

Each year, our talented teens put on a musical theater production for the whole SUUSI community, called Teen Way Off Broadway. Join us on Friday at 8pm for our free performance in the Preston Bondurant Auditorium! Each day this week, you will find a clue in the NUUS for what the theme of the show is this year. Today’s clue:

New TWOB Directors Erin and Caitlin are thinking outside of the box this year.

Think you know the theme? Send your guesses to twob@suusi.org. The first person to guess correctly will get a shout out in the NUUS/at the show!

For parents of young children or those with an earlier bedtime, please contact us for assistance in seeing the show.

SUUSI Covenant 

The SUUSI Covenant helps us live into our promises as a community – remembering that our documents, policies, and processes for how best to become Beloved Community grow along with us and change as our understanding deepens. Here are the primary promises. For further points on how we live into these promises, see our full SUUSI Covenant by clicking HERE.

• Safety: We are all responsible for creating an emotionally, physically and spiritually safe space for all participants.

• Trust: We offer our authentic selves, allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and holding the vulnerability of others with the greatest care.

• Validation: We see, hear, and value each other for who we are with all the expressions of our identities.

• Affirmation: We show appreciation for the gifts each person brings to the community.

• Accountability: We strive to act as if everything we do matters for the well-being of our SUUSI community.

• Reconciliation: We agree to enter into truth and reconciliation processes when conflicts or disagreements arise.

Books & Bazaar

Are you ready to dive into some fantastic books this summer? Visit Books & Bazaar at Heth 014 for a carefully curated selection of books to enhance your SUUSI experience!​ This year, there will be all new titles!

Book Club Selections: We’ve stocked up on this year’s book club picks! Whether you’re a fiction fanatic, a memoir enthusiast, or a lover of thought-provoking non-fiction, we have something for every reader. Join our book clubs and engage in enriching discussions with fellow SUUSI attendees.

Special Interest Topics: Our bookstore also features a diverse range of titles covering various special interest topics. From social justice and spirituality to personal growth and environmental sustainability, explore books that spark your curiosity and inspire meaningful conversations.

Workshop Materials: Attending a workshop? We’ve got you covered! Our shelves are filled with essential materials to complement your learning and participation. Whether you need reference books, manuals, or additional reading to deepen your knowledge, you’ll find what you need right here.

​SUUSI T-Shirts: Don’t miss out on our exclusive SUUSI T-shirts! Show off your SUUSI spirit with our stylish and comfortable shirts, perfect for commemorating your time at SUUSI and connecting with fellow participants.​

And don't forget the wonderful, handcrafted items! Click here to learn about some of the artists whose work is featured at Books & Bazaar.

Shop at Books & Bazaar, Raise $ for SUUSIships

Besides satisfying your cravings for great books, beautiful art, and awesome music, Books & Bazaar provides ways for you to help make the SUUSI experience available to those who might otherwise not be able to afford it by raising money for SUUSIShips. One of the easiest ways is through our KISSES FOR SUUSISHIPS program. Whenever - and wherever - you make a purchase through Books & Bazaar, simply round up to the nearest dollar (or more). We’ll donate that amount to SUUSIships, and give you a FREE KISS (of the Hershey chocolate variety). Know someone who is celebrating something this week, or someone you want to thank for something? Get them a Books & Bazaar Gift Certificate, available in any amount!

SUUSI Board of Trustees Opportunities and Events

Want to help make SUUSI the best it can be? Serving on the Board is a great way to contribute to this gathering we love so much. On Thursday, we'll elect two Adult Trustees, one for a three-year term and one for a one year term. We will also elect a Youth Trustee for a two-year term. Want to run? Contact the Elections and Nominations Committee at elections@suusi.org. Nominations must be submitted to elections@suusi.org by noon on Tuesday, July 23. Nominees must also submit a candidate introduction to the Daily NUUS by 2pm the same day.

To learn more about Getting on the SUUSI Board, come to a free session today (Monday) in Pocahontas 202 from 1 - 2pm. Current SUUSI board members will talk about the roles and responsibilities of the Board as well as Board member expectations. We will also discuss the process of running for a seat on the Board and provide whatever help and support we can to folks that are interested in being elected to join in the governance work of SUUSI.

Not sure who to vote for in the Board election? Come to the Board & Adult Candidate Forum in the Heth 043 Multipurpose Room on Wednesday from 5 - 6pm. Candidate bios will be printed in the NUUS on Wednesday morning, so you’ll have the opportunity to follow up with questions Wednesday evening. This is also your opportunity to ask current Board of Trustee members anything about SUUSI. Come and be an informed participant and voter!

Support Spaces

This week, the Nurture staff will be holding three spaces where members of the SUUSI community may seek peace, support, and connection. All will be open 24/7 Monday-Friday, with gatherings planned at specific times.

Meditation Room: Moffett E312

The Meditation Room is a peaceful space for quiet contemplation and rest. Free group meditations will be led by Rev. Kimi Riegel on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 - 8:30 am.

OASUUS Lounge: Moffett W345 & W346

In the OASUUS Lounge, we offer safe space for SUUSI BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) to gather, talk, reflect, meditate, and replenish in body or spirit. This space is family friendly and all ages are welcome. OASUUS is an intentional community meant for Black, Indigenous, & other People of Color. Please honor and respect this space. Free OASUUS get-to-know you mixer for black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) today (Monday) from 7 - 8 pm and free OASUUS Family Fun Night on Wednesday from 7 - 8 pm. Questions? Email dei@suusi.org.

Addiction and Recovery Space: Bolling 106

There will be a free hosted Recovery Support Meeting today (Monday) from 5:30 - 6:30 pm and a free hosted Twelve-Step Support Meeting on Tuesday from 10 - 11 am. At these initial meetings, we will plan out a schedule of meetings for the rest of the week.

Pastoral Care 

This week, the Nurture staff has pastoral care services beginning at 8am Monday and ending at 8am Saturday, provided by our Nurture staff Ministers of the Day (MODs). The MODs can be reached by calling the SUUSI Helpline and selecting #2. Our MODs are each on call for a 24-hour shift, and so we ask that calls between 11pm and 7am be for emergencies only. You may need to leave a message, but a MOD will call you back shortly.

Many SUUSI attendees may be aware that in the past there was a team of chaplains in addition to the MODs. We have very few chaplains this year, so our department has restructured and all pastoral care calls this year should go to the MODs. Pastoral Care is spiritual, emotional, or social support designed for short-term situations where 1 or 2 sessions is all that is needed. Our MODs will also have access to a list of local care providers for things which are outside of the limits of pastoral care. Pastoral care at SUUSI is free and held confidential within the Nurture MOD team.

We do have an addiction and recovery chaplain. For more information on the schedule of their events see the information posted in the dedicated recovery space in Bolling 106.

As always, find the latest information about SUUSI at suusi.org