Go behind the scenes and watch exclusive video of the event here.
Joe Crawford, a freshman majoring in business administration, might just be the only University student ever to hang out in the EMU watching karaoke while not wearing a shirt. But he was far from the only University student in the EMU Saturday night.
Sept. 22 marked the fourth-annual Intermingle, a campus welcome event put on by the Cultural Forum.
Designed as one big meet-and-greet, Intermingle was a night of free food, games, entertainment and henna tattoos – which explains how Crawford was able to prove that the EMU doesn’t have much of a “no shoes, no shirt, no service” policy.
One of the event’s big draws was a screening of the Ducks’ football game against Stanford via live satellite feed, but due to a muddy signal, video footage was not available.
“I was bummed they couldn’t get the game, but technology is technology,” shrugged Crawford, who had fun at Intermingle regardless. “I thought it was pretty rockin’.”
As the sun design on Crawford’s shoulder blade dried, local henna artists Clair Coiner and Shakaia Francois continued to decorate other students, such as Jenafer Rizzi, a freshman anthropology major who also got a sun hennaed on her back.
“I like summer and it’s getting cold,” Rizzi said about her choice of tattoo. Students were able to choose from 11 designs.
“I’ve thought about getting (a real tattoo), but I don’t think I can handle the needle, so this is a good substitute,” she said.
Henna is one of the more popular Intermingle events and this year, the art form was featured in the EMU’s Adell McMillan Gallery.
The self-taught Francois not only does freehand henna designs on people, but she also photographs them. For the next month, her elaborately-decorated subjects will be on display in the gallery.
“It’s wonderful she collaborated with the Cultural Forum to do theme displays,” said Director of Student Activities Gregg Lobisser. “It’s a really nice program element.”

A former cake decorator, Francois started to do henna six years ago. She has been hennaing people at Intermingle since the event’s inception.
“I love it,” she said. “It’s high-energy and it seems like henna makes people happy, and it makes me happy that they enjoy it because I love doing it.”
For students who don’t share Rizzi’s hesitation toward tattoo needles, there was also a tattoo contest administered by employees from High Priestess Piercing.
While University student Michelle Haley won a $100 gift certificate for the mustache tattooed on her index finger, students played Ping-Pong and pool at The Break, video games in the Maple Room, and board games at The Buzz.
Other popular attractions are comedy and dance exhibitions, both of which have become staples of Intermingle.
“If people are here when the fire dancers come out, they don’t go away. It’s just too cool,” said Lobisser, who is part of the group that started planning the event in March.
Andrew Levad, a freshman math major, was one example. He walked by as performers from Earth DescenDance Fire Theater and GreyMatter Jugglers danced and juggled with fire in the amphitheater, and ended up sitting down and watching for the remainder of the hour.
“It was amazing,” he said. “It was like every sense was overloaded with – it was incredible. I’m speechless.”
In The Fishbowl, students were treated to stand-up comedy by Fifty Pound Puppy, an interactive improvisation group, and Joe Fontenot, an up-and-coming comic from Portland. The Fishbowl also offered non-alcoholic “mocktails” such as Abstinence on the Beach and Not-mopolitans.
The mocktails are a symbol of Intermingle, as the event is planned as a fun substitute for drinking.
“It’s the only weekend where there’s not really any homework,” said Brittany Wilson, a University ambassador who worked at Intermingle. “We don’t want people out there doing alcohol; it’s a really good alternative.”
The football game was a big draw for Intermingle, so Lobisser was initially worried that the technical difficulties would drive people away. But as the night progressed, his fears were assuaged, and he projects attendance was well over 1,000.
“As this evening goes on, I’m increasingly confident,” he said. “They’re having a good time and that’s what you want them to do.”
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