‘The Power of Our Community’ exhibition relocated to Chester Fritz Library

“The Power of Our Community” can now be experienced on the second and third floors of the Chester Fritz Library.

Initially showcased at the Empire Arts Center in March 2023, the multimedia exhibition features photographs and interviews that outline the response of the UND and Grand Forks communities to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The video interviews, conducted by UND instructor and Grand Forks Herald writer Chuck Haga, offer an expansive oral history of the pandemic and its effect on UND and Grand Forks. Interviewees include UND President Andy Armacost and UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences dean Joshua Wynne, along with 48 other members of the community.

Photos taken by UND Marketing & Communications during the pandemic are accompanied by QR Codes that guide viewers to the full collection of Haga’s interviews archived in the UND Scholarly Commons.

In its new location, the exhibit will be accompanied by the MagicBox, an interactive display curated by Zeineb Yousif, digital initiatives librarian for the Chester Fritz Library. The MagicBox allows viewers to scroll through and interact with photos and quotes from students, faculty and members of the community.

Sarah Heitkamp, curator and director of UND Art Collections said that “The Power of Our Community” is “an important project for UND, as it marks a period in our history that proved our flexibility and resilience.”

“It’s so fun to be able to bring it back to the Chester Fritz Library from the Empire, so the campus community can continue to enjoy it,” she added. “The addition of the Magic Box display makes the exhibition even more engaging. I hope folks on campus will take the time to listen to the interviews, view the photography, and interact with the digital exhibition.”

“The Power of Our Community” will be free and open to the public until spring 2024.