The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) is pleased to announce Aramark Collegiate Hospitality and Rokwire as title sponsors of the 2023 CUMU Annual Conference: Resilient Campuses. Resilient Cities.
CUMU’s 28th annual conference will take place October 15–18 in Washington, D.C., and invites attendees to examine how our campuses and cities embrace shared understandings and a commitment to fostering greater resilience.
“On behalf of the CUMU Board of Directors, I want to thank Aramark and Rokwire for their support of this year’s conference,” said CUMU Executive Director Valerie Holton. “Their people-centered commitments to place and to student success align with CUMU’s mission and the innovative work being done by member institutions to sustain resilience in our communities.”
Aramark is a leading global provider of food, facilities and uniform services to education, healthcare, business and industry, and sports, leisure, and corrections clients. Aramark’s higher education division—Aramark Collegiate Hospitality—is the only food service company with a full-time Farm to Institution role dedicated to getting food directly from local farmers to chefs. Aramark Collegiate Hospitality puts words into action with shared sustainability goals focused on developing diverse and inclusive sourcing and local seafood initiatives.
“Aramark Collegiate Hospitality and CUMU share a dedication to community, making our spaces better places through a commitment to workforce pathways, innovation, and data-driven stewardship of our campus ecosystems,” said Jack Donovan, president and CEO. “Furthermore, the Anchor Learning Network’s goal to transform the national perception of higher education, to champion local economic advancement, and to be long-term partners with surrounding communities matches our philosophy of being an integral part of the campus home. We are so pleased to be a part of this mission and this gathering.”
The CUMU annual conference highlights how CUMU member institutions achieve their place-based missions, create transformative outcomes for students, and work to create equitable and sustainable outcomes for the communities they serve.
“Aramark’s Be Well. Do Well. strategy emphasizes establishing equitable outcomes for people and the communities we serve, along with the protecting our planet. We greatly respect the work of CUMU. We are honored to support the convening of CUMU’s member institutions during its annual conference,” said Fenimore Fisher, Aramark Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “Further, we appreciate the opportunity to discuss a topic that is vital to student success. Food insecurity affects a significant population of enrolled students on college campuses across the country. We are addressing food insecurity from several angles, including supporting legislation, providing campus-specific SNAP retail locations, leading food recovery efforts, minimizing surplus food waste, building strategic partnerships, and fostering collaborative dialogue.”
CUMU member institutions are mission-driven organizations inextricably linked to the long-term well-being of their communities. Because of this, they are uniquely positioned and incentivized to play a more active role in being responsive to the needs of their local communities.
The Smart, Healthy Communities Initiative at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign creates environments to stimulate innovation in smart technology with the goals of making society safer, fostering better decision making, and increasing wellness. They are leading the effort to position campuses as a testbed for smart technologies, developing a vibrant open-source community that adds to the development efforts led on campus.
“Rokwire is a dynamic digital ecosystem that empowers both universities and surrounding communities to interact, innovate, and thrive. By seamlessly integrating technology, health, and community engagement, Rokwire not only enhances the campus experience but also advances CUMU’s mission of fostering meaningful connections and addressing contemporary urban challenges,” said William Sullivan, director, Smart, Healthy Communities Initiative.
Their mobile software platform, Rokwire, is a new open-source ecosystem that allows users to access information to build the smart, healthy communities of tomorrow.
“CUMU members value our annual conference because of the open sharing of ideas. It’s a platform where everyone, from presidents and vice chancellors to undergraduates and community partners, has a voice to share how they are addressing issues that all tie back to the value of place. The support of our title sponsors, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality and Rokwire, is essential in helping to elevate these conversations and for the resilience of our campuses and communities,” added Holton.