In the early 1950s, the saying was “meet me at the SU” – a reference to the Erb Memorial Union. That’s also the title of our documentary on the history of the Erb Memorial Union. Our film features interviews with Oregon alumni representing generations of students dating to 1945.
Our film covers the 25-year struggle to build the student union and key players who led the campaigns, including late university president Donald Milton Erb, for whom the building was named. The EMU served not only as a common ground for students and their organizations, but also as a memorial to Oregonians who died in World War II and a facility for young men returning from service.
Originally, a 15-minute video was proposed. As we dug deeper into the history of the building, we realized the building deserved a more comprehensive story. What we ended up with is a nearly hour-long documentary history of the building, the people who made it happen and its impact on campus and students throughout the years.
