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Campus is Fired Up and ready. Are you? See where you'll live, all your dining options and even explore student groups to join.

Check out these common questions about campus life.

    The East, South and Towers Housing Communities
    As a campus resident, you’ll be part of a housing community that brings together several different residence halls or apartments. Each housing community give you access to a residence hall director/residence director, a care advocate and an assistant director.

    Living Learning Communities
    Live in community with students who share your interests. Focusing on everything from music to engineering to public service and beyond, our living learning communities give you a built-in support system.

    Interest areas of LLC: Business, Education and Human Services, Health Professions, Honors, Leader Advancement, MAC Scholars, Public Service, Music, Science and Engineering.

    Glad you asked!

    Familiar eats on campus
    Starbucks, Einstein Bros Bagels, Ponder, Idli Dosa Indian Restaurant, Shake Smart, Ignite Donuts, Slim Chickens, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Subway, Which Which and Build pizza by design.

    Buffet style or made-to-order options on campus
    Breakfast bars, pizza and pasta, grilled food, bowl recipes made to order (without wheat, gluten and the top 9 allergens), deli, salad bar, vegetarian and vegan selections and a dessert station.

    There are also around 100 restaurants in the Mount Pleasant area to try, not including fast food.

    For starters, student tickets to CMU's Division 1 athletic events are free. There are plenty of student organizations to join (300+), including club and intramural sports. You'll have access to the fitness center's pool, hot tub, sauna, weight room and much more.

    There are also around 500 events that take place locally every year, like concerts, festivals, farmers markets, art walks and more.

    Student life

    Check out the professional, academic, recreational or special interest clubs to find your next favorite student group to join!

    Find your people

    Picture this: Around 300 student organizations, 45+ club sports and 30+ intramural sports. If you want to meet people with similar interests, you can find a registered student organization for that.

    search STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

    Make connections with CMU Greek life, build your network with pre-professional organizations or boot up with our eSports team! There is at least one organization for every area of study, plus ones for social justice, community service and leadership.

    Have an idea for a group that isn’t there? You can start one!

    Make a difference

    Getting involved is a part of your education. Being active in the CMU community is all about meeting new people, hearing their stories and learning how to work with others.

    Find new friends while making a positive impact through community service and volunteering. Spend time giving back to the Mount Pleasant community with the Mary Ellen Brandell Volunteer Center. 

    Want to help out somewhere else in the world? CMU is also a national leader in alternative breaks, giving you the chance to volunteer locally and globally.

    Find out how you can get involved and don't miss out on this huge part of #LifeAtCentral!

    Aerial photo of Towers Community at Central Michigan University.

    Housing

    There are 17 residence halls on campus. Something else that sets us apart – there are no community bathrooms in student housing at CMU. We get it.

    There are also 9 Living Learning Communities open to incoming freshmen who have specific interests – business, health, public service and more. Here, you can live where you learn and learn where you live. Competitive scholarship recipients will also be placed in the Honors Program Living Learning Community.

    EXPLORE LIVING ON CAMPUS

    Student at CMU Dining facility

    Dining

    Each residential community has a connected restaurant, so you’re never more than a quick stroll to your next meal. 

    Pull up a chair! Try our 3 residential dining restaurants. Want something specific? Other dining options across campus include Build Pizza, Freddie’s, Slim Chickens and Shake Smart. Looking for coffee? We have Starbucks, Ponder Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels. Need a snack on the go? Grab some fuel at one of our 2 markets on campus.

    Food is important to learning, and we believe no student should worry about their next meal. The CMU Student Food Pantry is there to help.

    See CMU Dining

    Band Day 2026

    Details:

    The CMU School of Music is pleased to invite you and your students to join us for our SEVENTY-SECOND Band Day on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

    We’re sharing preliminary schedule and repertoire information to aid you in making fall travel plans. This year’s show is “Shiver Me Timbers!” and will feature selections from Dropkick Murphys and a couple of seafaring earworms!

    Because it’s proved successful, we’ll again form an ALL-STAR MASSED BAND to perform at halftime. We invite you to bring as many of your students as you like to join us on the field. Any consideration toward balanced instrumentation is at your discretion. Try to bring at least as many tenor and bass voices as upper woodwinds. Alto voices and trumpets shouldn’t pose a problem in any number. Our primary concern is that your students have a chance to participate. Please do what you can to help with balance while bringing as many students as possible.

    We once again invite you to bring members of your color guard, in any number, to be featured with the CMU Guard at halftime. We will help your students with VERY SIMPLE FLAG WORK for one of the featured numbers and The Central Fight Song. We’ll continue to write for flags only, though you may bring any other auxiliary performers as you like. As in previous years, additional students may attend without performing, at your discretion. ALL students must be in uniform to be admitted to the game. Please select an appropriate alternative to your usual “full uniform,” should we face unusually warm weather. We’ll stay in touch as the event approaches in case we need to make that call. Directors, drivers, and chaperons will be issued tickets as well, courtesy of CMU Athletics.

    We hope you and your students can join us for this colorful event. Our fans and the CMU student body are always a fantastic audience, and coach Matt Drinkall is looking forward to another very exciting season for our Team. All in all, it should be a day to remember.

    Please complete the online form.

    Finalized information will be sent in August so you can finalize your itineraries as quickly as possible. We hope you and your students can join us for a day of musical pageantry and CMU Football!
    Date: September 19
    Time: All Day
    Sponsor: School of Music College of the Arts and Media
    Contact: Director of the Chippewa Marching Band Dr. Jim Batcheller batch1jc@cmich.edu 989-774-3317
    See the Schedule of Events
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