The local colleges and universities of Mississippi and Alabama have plenty of exciting events just waiting to fill up your calendar. Head to a nearby campus for a variety of great community activities including art museums, athletic events and live music. 

 

Explore the delicate and intriguing art of Chinese ceramics at On the Silk Road and the High Seas: Chinese Ceramics, Culture and Commerce, an exhibit at the University of Mississippi Art Museum. The Silk Road, a famous trade route connecting eastern China with southwest Asia and Europe, was a highway for the prized possessions featured in this exhibit. Proto-porcelain and hard-paste porcelain appeared in China 3,000 and 1,800 years ago, respectively, and was often referred to as “white gold” due to its precious reputation. More than 70 pieces of stoneware, porcelain and carved jade from a permanent collection of the Norton Museum of Art can be seen on campus from January 24 through August 2012. See what other exhibits are coming to the museum at www.museum.olemiss.edu.

 

Spend a rousing evening cheering on the Golden Eagles men’s basketball team at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). Home games scheduled for January 21, 2012 against Marshall University and February 1, 2012 against the University of Memphis are two great opportunities to support your local team. With locations in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, Mississippi, serving nearly 17,000 students, USM was founded in 1910 and thrives today as a premier research university. Find ticket information and a full schedule of USM sporting events online at www.southernmiss.com/s-finder/smis-s-finder.html.

 

Enjoy an evening of music with the talented University of Alabama Symphonic Band. A free concert will be performed in the concert hall of the Moody Music Building on February 2, 2012. The University of Alabama was founded in 1831 as the state’s first public college. Located in Tuscaloosa, the university’s campus offers a full range of vocal and instrumental performing ensembles. Find more exciting events at the School of Music at http://music.ua.edu/ensembles/. Learn more about the University of Alabama at www.ua.edu. 

 

Take the opportunity to experience the unique exhibit Promises of Freedom: Selections from the Arthur Primas Collection at Auburn University’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art in Auburn, Alabama. This intriguing African-American art collection comprises 75 paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints by more than 30 artists spanning more than 150 years. Featured artists include Benny Andrews, Sam Gilliam, Hale Woodruff, Elizabeth Catlett and others. The exhibit will remain open until March 10, 2012. Visit www.jcsm.auburn.edu/index.php for information on other upcoming events at the museum.

 

When you’re looking for something exciting to do this month, don’t overlook your local colleges and universities. With museums, musical performances and athletic events all at your fingertips, your calendar will be filled in no time.