From tasty cups of coffee at The Buzz and the Fishbowl Café to student clubs that offer experience for the real world, the Erb Memorial Union is a student hotspot at the University of Oregon for resources, leadership opportunities and entertainment.
Among the spots for entertainment at the EMU is the Amphitheater, where the all-male, award-winning student a cappella group On the Rocks performs every Friday at 4 p.m.
“When we perform it’s that time of day when people are finishing up their week of classes so they are just looking to kick back and be entertained,” On the Rocks member Connor Eggerman said on the groups’ weekly Friday shows. “No one is in a rush for anything, everyone is pretty happy and excited for the weekend.”
In order to make it through the week and to the weekend, there are some places at the EMU to get coffee and enjoy it in a friendly atmosphere. The Buzz Coffee House has a full espresso bar along with Belgian waffles. The coffee joint is closed for the summer but opens back up on Sept. 25. Mangiano is located in the Fishbowl and offers an assortment of baked treats, breakfast items such as breakfast burritos and lunch items such as calzones to go with their full espresso bar.
For more food, one interesting place to eat at the EMU is a revolving restaurant called the Marketplace. With a wide variety of foods offered throughout the week, the Marketplace transforms into a new vendor every day. Monday is World Flavors, Tuesday is Bite of Mexico, Wednesday is Pita Pit, Thursday is Qdoba Mexican Grill and Friday is either World Flavors or Bite of Mexico again.
But if it’s not food or coffee that brings students to the EMU, perhaps it is one of the clubs that is based out of it.
The Women’s Center offers leadership experience as well as a sanctuary for resources such as printing papers or grabbing a free cup of coffee.
“We have a large volunteer base, and we have a weekly volunteer meeting where people can come and learn more about issues around gender and sexism as well as intersectionality and then just ways to get plugged into the University and volunteer at other events that are happening,” said Women’s Center Director Brandy Teel.
The center holds events throughout the year such as the annual march and rally against sexual violence, Take Back the Night, an annual march, and a music festival called Out Loud that happens spring term.
“But on a day-to-day basis I think people are looking for resources, support, a place to print out their paper on their way to class or to grab a free cup of coffee, so all of those resources are available here through the women’s center,” Teel said.
The EMU is also the home of student government, ASUO, as well as Club Sports, where students can compete in sports with other schools at a non-collegiate level.