You're Welcome: Champaign-Urbana Hits the Internet with a New Social Campaign

What if I asked you to name a hub of technological achievement in the US, one with a leading research campus where some of America's most well-known innovators rub shoulders with cultural mainstays like Roger Ebert, Ang Lee, Hugh Hefner, and Nick Offerman – what would you tell me?

Silicon Valley? Sorry, try again!

In actuality, that hub is in the Midwest – in central Illinois. Or, to be even more specific, in the towns of Champaign and Urbana – Champaign-Urbana (CU) as most call it. That's right: CU. This area has a long and robust history of virtually unmatched innovation – the MRI machine, the first web browser, LED technology, and, more recently, the iPhone's SIRI. In addition, the inventors of YouTube, 3D printing, the Playboy empire, central air conditioning, and whipped cream in a can called this area home at one time or another.

Despite all these contributions to technology and society, however, few people realize just how instrumental the community has been over the years. Laura Frerichs, director of the Research Park at the University of Illinois, calls it "one of the most talent-dense, diverse regions in the U.S.," and points out that "the university's top ranked engineering, informatics, and computer science programs have created a robust pipeline of innovators."

Frerich's claim isn't a hollow boast, either. U of I has consistently made the top five for these programs every year for the last five decades. However, success breeds challenges, which in turn have created a need for even more tech talent than the university can produce as corporate America has caught on and started bringing jobs to the area.  

All of this attention is precisely why CU created the You're Welcome campaign (YoureWelcomeCU.com), to remind the nation of its many contributions to technology, society, and culture, and to share its rich history of innovation with those across America who may not know about the huge tech playground sitting in their backyard.

The question is, though, what does "You're Welcome" mean, exactly?

Well…it means you're welcome for your Internet browser, which allows you to search for ironic T-shirts and funny cat videos.

Or, you're welcome for Blue Waters, one of the world's largest, fastest, and most powerful super-computers.

Oh, and you're welcome for whipped cream in a can…and for the sexy mind of Hugh Hefner (a CU grad)…and for the MRI machine that allows us to see how that sexy mind actually works.

That's only part of it, though. There's also the double entendre, as well, the rally call for inclusion. It's CU saying to the new generation of students, "You are welcome at CU. Welcome to our diverse population, our enormous LGBT community, our farm-to-table culture, our low cost of living, our thriving music and art scene, our film festivals."

Lily Du of the Upright Citizen's Brigade is on board, too, bringing her own funny approach to the concept through video content that puts innovation at the forefront while also tapping into the lifestyle and culture of CU. Social media, web videos, and a platform built to house it all – it's certainly going to be an interesting outing from an intriguing campus. You're welcome to check it out.

See what I did there? You're welcome. I can't stop myself. Just go check out the site for yourself and enjoy some humor from Lily Du.

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Original source: You're Welcome: Champaign-Urbana Hits the Internet with a New Social Campaign.
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