Summer 2026 Newsletter
In this issue
- Facts & Snacks Tip: CES 101
- Summer 2026 Programs
- Our Favorite Campus Escapes
- Fresh Flavors from M|Catering
- A League Love Story
- Wedding Tasting Recap
- Commencement Highlights
- Staff Spotlights & News
- Partner Testimonials
- Featured Recipe
Facts & Snacks Tip: CES 101
CES stands for Conference & Event Services—but what does that actually mean for the support available to you and your department? Join Katie, Heather, and Michael as they walk you through the three pillars of our department: conferences, events, and summer operations.
Whether you’re planning a one-day workshop or an all-summer internship program, this video is a great starting point for learning how CES can support your goals.
Summer 2026 Programs
Every summer, CES teams up with Michigan Housing and Michigan Dining to host summer programs. This year, we’re expecting nearly 175 overnight programs and camps with close to 7,000 total participants.
Looking ahead, the debut of Wolverine Village in 2026 will elevate the campus experience with state-of-the-art accommodations and a brand-new dining hall—the perfect home for your future summer programs.
Thinking about hosting your first summer program or turning your day camp into an overnight adventure? We can help with:
- On-campus lodging
- Customizable meal plans
- Ample program space
- Meeting room coordination
- Group outings
Planning for Summer 2027 begins this fall. Contact us to secure your spot!
Our Favorite Campus Escapes
There’s a special kind of calm on campus once the spring semester ends. The pace slows, the gardens bloom, and familiar spaces feel a little more peaceful. It’s the perfect time to enjoy a lunch break, a quick one-on-one, or a few quiet minutes outside. Here are a few of our favorite summer spots:
The Michigan League Garden: Ideal for morning coffee or a casual meeting. Tucked away and shaded, the brickwork and ivy make it feel like a private garden.
The Law Quad: A beautiful place for a reset walk among gothic archways and open green space. It’s a great choice if you like a little history with your fresh air.
The Diag: Located in the heart of Central Campus, the Diag is a great place to enjoy a snack, people-watch, and maybe share a moment with one of our famously friendly squirrels.
Ingalls Mall: A serene spot for an outdoor break, with open walkways, fountains, and views of campus landmarks like the Michigan League, Burton Memorial Tower, and Rackham.
At Conference & Event Services, we believe the beauty of campus is one of the best parts of the summer experience. If you’re planning an event this season, talk with your event manager about ways to incorporate outdoor spaces.
Fresh Flavors from Michigan Catering
Chef John Miller recently challenged his culinary team with a fun, creative showcase, tasking them with developing this season’s newest offerings. After a competitive tasting and selection process by Michigan Catering leadership, the most standout dishes—featuring local ingredients and vibrant flavors—were chosen for this year’s summer menu.
Seasonal Menu Highlights
Salads: Strawberry Walnut or Heirloom Tomato and Artichoke
Entrees: Pan-seared Chicken Tosca and Roasted Eggplant with Cashew Cream (Vegan)
Dessert: Blueberry Tartlets with Passion Fruit and Crème Fraiche
Budget Update: To support university hosting guidelines, Michigan Catering has updated lunch and dinner buffet pricing. Buffets with two entrees and two sides are now available for $25 per person.
A Michigan League Love Story
Couple: Katrina and Zac Chambers
Date: May 31, 2025
Ceremony: St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
Reception: The Michigan League
Number of Guests: 217
Photography: Captured by Kelsey
For Katrina and Zac Chambers, the University of Michigan has always been special—it’s where they met as undergraduates. When it came time to plan their wedding, they wanted a venue that captured the beauty and energy of campus in spring.
“We really wanted a venue that had most things included and would make our wedding as stress-free as possible,” Katrina shared. “We wanted to focus on enjoying ourselves and trust that things were taken care of.”
Two moments stood out most from their wedding day. The first was a sneak peek into the ballroom while guests were enjoying cocktail hour in the concourse. The second was the unforgettable finale. “We played our last song of the night, ‘Mr. Brightside,’” Katrina said. “There were a lot of Michigan fans in the room, and the joy of ending our wedding day on that note was definitely unforgettable.”
Planning your own campus celebration? Whether you’re alumni or simply love the campus atmosphere, Conference & Event Services is here to help you create a day as personal and memorable as your story. Contact us to start planning!
Wedding Tasting Recap
On Sunday, March 8th, CES and Michigan Catering hosted our annual wedding tasting event at the Michigan League. We welcomed more than 75 guests—including future wedding clients and their families—to sample our upcoming menu items, tour the Inn at the League, and connect with professional vendors.
The day featured local talent and wedding inspiration, including:
Music & Art: Live performances by Brad from Mike Staff Productions DJ and a featured gallery of custom wedding portraits by Sarah from Drawn on Your Day.
Decor: Stunning floral arrangements by Designs that Matter.
Catering Highlights: Guests sampled Sweet Pea Ravioli, Beef Short Ribs, and Sea Bass, along with custom heart-shaped “I do” cookies from the Michigan Bakehouse.
We also welcomed professional wedding planners to showcase event spaces at the Michigan Union and Michigan League. The afternoon wrapped up with raffle giveaways, including floral arrangements and dessert packages.
Interested in learning more about weddings at U-M? Visit our wedding page!
Commencement Highlights
Spring Commencement 2026 was a success! On Saturday, May 2, thousands of graduates and their families gathered at Michigan Stadium to celebrate this major milestone. The festivities continued immediately following the ceremony with our annual Commencement Brunch at the historic Michigan Union, where families enjoyed a celebratory meal right in the heart of campus.
CES was also proud to support individual celebrations for schools and colleges across campus. From coordinating outdoor canopy setups—including our 60-by-120-foot tents, tables, and linens—to managing logistics for University Unions events, our team helped ensure that every graduate felt honored.
Commencement Canopy Program Spotlight: A Green Graduation
This year’s celebrations weren’t just successful—they were sustainable. Thanks to a coordinated effort across all our canopy operations, we achieved an impressive 91% waste diversion rate during the festivities. Take a look at some of our exciting numbers:
- Conscious Guests: With 6,700 attendees generating just 0.02 lbs of landfill waste per person, our community truly stepped up.
- Massive Composting: Our teams successfully composted and recycled over 1,600 lbs of material.
- Carbon Reduction: This collective effort prevented 0.54 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.
These results prove that large-scale university celebrations can leave a lasting impact on our graduates without leaving a heavy footprint on our planet.
It’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s graduation events. Commencement Weekend 2027 is set for May 7-8, and planning begins this fall! Contact us to discuss venue and canopy rentals and secure your spot on the calendar.
Staff Spotlights & News
Meet Our Summer Students
Our summer operations wouldn’t be possible without our student employees. This year, we’re excited to welcome back two team members who bring experience and leadership to our residence hall front desks.
Onyx Ali
Senior | Elementary Education
Hometown: Ypsilanti, Michigan
The Journey to CES: Onyx applied because she wanted to stay on campus over the summer, and a friend encouraged her to join the team. Now in her second year, she is taking on major administrative tasks to keep things running behind the scenes.
Summer 2026 Goals: Managing the Community Center and day camps in Mosher-Jordan. She’s particularly excited to work with Mike Hill again and meet the new SCL, SDA, and SCA teams.
A Season Highlight: “Meeting all of the facilities workers and learning how much effort goes into making sure residence halls run smoothly. The summer wouldn’t work without our amazing dining and facilities people!”
Rafael Esteva
Post-grad | Master of Social Work
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
The Journey to CES: Rafael initially applied for the summer gym membership and meal plan—but he ended up loving the work so much he decided to come back twice more!
Summer 2026 Goals: Assisting with administrative operations at West Quad and South Quad, while volunteering his time to assist other managers with their events.
A Season Highlight: “I enjoyed when I was able to take a break from business as usual and assist with the conferences that were not associated with my buildings. It was really rewarding to tag along to outings at the Henry Ford Museum and the Jack Roth Stadium Club.”
Staff Spotlight: Emily Bailey
Emily Bailey
Assistant Director of Event Services
How long have you been working with CES? I’ve been working with CES since September of 2023. I started as an event manager and now serve as the Assistant Director of Event Services.
What are your day-to-day responsibilities at CES? Day to day, I work with my clients and our partner teams to achieve the goal of successful events in our spaces. I assist with planning for student organizations, university departments, and external groups. I also assign events to our event managers, monitor and assign off-premises catering requests, and have the pleasure of being part of our weddings team.
What is your favorite memory during your time with CES? I have so many great memories with this team, it’s hard to pick! A team-related one is the surprise dual baby shower we had for some of our teammates—we had so much fun celebrating their growing families and getting to know everyone on a personal level. An event-related memory would be the first wedding I helped plan; it was a quick turnaround with some bumps along the way, but the couple was incredibly fun to work with and the day turned out beautifully.
Name a CES campus partner you couldn’t live without. There are so many partner teams we couldn’t succeed without, especially Catering and Operations. I would be lost without Michigan Dining Systems and our dietitians. They keep our event management system running, make adjustments for custom menu requests, and ensure we’re meeting our guests’ dietary needs.
Roughly how many events do you assist with throughout the year? On average, I assist with anywhere from 800 to 1,200 room bookings, or more than 300 events, per year.
Can you share a helpful event tip with our readers? We can order floral arrangements and specialty rental linens for your events in our spaces, giving you one less thing on your to-do list!
We’re Moving!
New season, new scenery! This fall, the Sales and Operations teams for Conference & Event Services will move from our Baits-Eaton location to a new home at 1000 McIntyre on North Campus. While we’ve loved our 13-plus years at Baits, we’re excited for this new chapter. Fun fact: When we first moved into Baits more than a decade ago, we actually moved from 1000 McIntyre—it feels good to be heading home!
Partner Testimonials
Working with Sue Schaefgen and her colleagues at Conference & Event Services as they support the Michigan School Testing Conference has been a truly valuable and positive experience. The CES team is well organized and detail oriented, but what stands out most is how thoughtful and responsive they are throughout the entire conference planning and execution process.
They don’t just manage logistics; they think alongside the conference director, anticipate needs, and help problem-solve in ways that keep everything moving forward smoothly. CES plays an essential role in ensuring the success of our conference, with an attention to detail that extends from selecting high-quality, budget-conscious options to leveraging the strong relationships they’ve built through years of experience.
I’ve especially appreciated how proactive they are in addressing potential issues before they become challenges, and how flexible they remain when adjustments are needed. As a conference organizer, working with CES allows me to focus more fully on the purpose and impact of the event, as well as the sessions being offered, knowing the operational details are in very capable hands.
Dr. Ellen V.
Conference Director | Michigan School Testing Conference (external entity)
A huge thank you to Kristy and the CES team for making the Food Insecurity Summit such a success. I felt supported every step of the way. Having the logistics taken off my plate—including guest room blocks, name tags, and catering—meant I could truly engage with our attendees and the program. Your expertise made a world of difference.
Keith S.
Director of Student Engagement | Michigan Dining
Featured Recipe
Peruvian Roasted Chicken with Spicy Ají Amarillo Sauce
The hallmark of this versatile recipe is ají amarillo, a “secret ingredient” pepper that brings a bright, unique heat central to Peruvian cooking. Whether served as a plated entree or a casual appetizer for a Go Blue watch party, this flavorful dish works well in any season.
Ingredients
5 oz key lime juice
2 oz garlic, minced
3 oz ground cumin
2 oz ground coriander
2 oz ají amarillo paste (yellow hot pepper)
1 oz olive oil blend, 75/25
.5 oz granulated sugar
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
5.5 lbs halal Chicken, 10-cut
Substitution Note: You may substitute 6 oz chicken breasts. If using chicken breasts, reduce the marinade ingredients by half.
Instructions
Marinate
- Whisk all marinade ingredients in a large bowl until fully combined. Reserve a small portion to serve as a side sauce.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before marinating. Removing surface moisture helps the skin crisp.
- Toss the chicken with the remaining marinade until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
Roast
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Arrange the chicken on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet for even air circulation.
- Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, until the skin is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Serve
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with the reserved ají amarillo sauce.
Pro Tip: For a colorful sauce pairing, make a green sauce by blending cilantro, jalapeño, and a splash of lime. Serve alongside the ají amarillo sauce for extra flavor and color.
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