Here are some even more enticing events around town

What’s going on? No, really, what can I do to distract from this cold weather and homework? Well, it may surprise you, but here are a couple neat things happening around town that might help.

North Dakota State’s Shark Tank

North Dakota State’s annual Innovation Challenge will begin 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 with “Pitch Night.” The yearly challenge focuses on vetting ideas that could eventually win actual money. The annual events are put on by the NDSU Research and Technology Park. The event will be take place in the Harry D. McGovern Alumni Center.

The official website for the challenge says that students “come with any ideas, things that have the potential to become a business one day or are at least a cause for future research.” The website says that Pitch Night is open to students looking to pitch ideas or join existing teams. Teams have 60 seconds to share their idea.

The challenge has three phases that end in a reward ceremony where there is a possibility of wining up to $4,000. Besides the money, the official website says: “The Innovation Challenge is an excellent opportunity for students to find practical applications for their academic knowledge, develop their skills and add to their resume an event that provides them with talking points for interviews.”

Any questions?

Student Government will be hosting an open forum for people to voice their opinion on issues regarding the organization 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22. in the Hidatsa room in the Memorial Union. Student Government handles student fees and also lobbies state government for different purposes. 

According to the Facebook event page, “We will discuss the year thus far and what we hope to achieve in the coming months.” The page also says the forum will include a “Q&A section with members of our organization.”

Come experience your rights

The nonprofit organization The Human Family will be hosting The Seven Human Rights Experience 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 in the Memorial Union Art Gallery. The event is touted as an “interactive human rights experience” on the event’s Facebook page.

According to the description on the Facebook event page: “Through independently created events, The Seven empowers individuals to discuss and learn what it means to organize, advocate for and influence positive change in their community.”

The event will include “interdisciplinary conversations, performances and research as a call to action,” according to the page.