The University of North Carolina at Asheville students get seriously creative with their hang out spots

Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO), is going back to school to teach the art of relaxation on the campus of University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA). The company, makers of premium hammocks and outdoor relaxation products, gifted the college with two of their patent pending hammock stands – ENOpods – just in time for the start of the academic year.

UNCA, the first university to receive ENOpods, has placed the innovated three-person stands, decked out with the UNCA logo and painted in ‘Bulldog Blue,’ in two prime locations on their campus. ENO has also supplied the school with ample hammocks for students to hang in 24-hours using a rental system.

“We’re excited for the addition of the hammock stands on campus,” said Derek Plumb, community director at UNCA. “Hammocking has been a think on campus for a few years now…if the weather’s nice, the odds are good for seeing students relaxing/reading.”

Aside from creating a portable, unique and tree-friendly space for students to socialize, UNCA – that uses the tagline ‘Seriously Creative’ – sought out the ENOpods to expand the student experience, according to Assistant Director of Outdoor Programs and Campus Recreation, Jeremiah Haas.

“Every few years an outside group will come to campus and assess how well the university provides to the needs of its students, faculty and staff,” he said about UNCA’s motives. “In the long list of suggestions they offered us, one of the things was if you’re going to strive to be a seriously creative campus, how do we then create a creative environment?”

UNCA is the first university to receive ENOpods, but ENO plans to continue to grow the program over the next year in conjunction with their student hammock studies among other initiatives. “We’re doing a lot with college campuses and student life in relation to our products right now,” said Amy Allison, Eagles Nest Outfitters’ events coordinator. “We’re happy to have donated a permanent place for our friends at UNCA to relax outdoors, and we hope this is just the beginning of nation full of relaxed campuses.”

Contact

Natalie DeRatt
Eagles Nest Outfitters
24 Buxton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801
nderatt@eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com
828.252.7808 ext 204

Logo courtesy Eagles Nest Outfitters