From Oct. 25 – 29, UTRGV departments are working together to host a variety of events to promote Vaquero pride, known as Spirit Week. This includes Friday’s Madness to kickoff basketball season.
The events are open to the UTRGV community, while some are open to the public. Food, games, and giveaways will be available at certain events.
UTRGV Head Cheer and Mascot Coach Lora Solis defined Spirit Week.
“The way I think of it as Spirit Week, it’s just, kickstarting and really making everyone feel comfortable and getting back together, having these events on campus, of feeling safe, in whatever form or fashion they want to participate in, and just really, really, driving that school spirit, about being proud, of being a UTRGV student, being a Vaquero, wearing your orange, wearing your white, and just really, really, owning to what that spirit means to you.”
Nursing freshman Sofia Sanchez has never heard of Spirit Week but plans to attend.
“It sounds like pretty interesting, I would go,” said Sanchez.
Courtesy picture(s) by UTRGV’s Student Activities and Spirit Program.
Asked about on campus life, post COVID-19, Solis said,
“There are certain expectations and you have to be mindful and thoughtful in the way everybody’s coming back to campus, it might be a process, a different process for everybody, students included, faculty and staff, so the expectation was really still being respectful of everybody’s comeback…”
“Just making people feel comfortable with coming back in general, as a community, as a family, campus life, and just having a sense of a little bit of normalcy, if you will.” Solis said.
On Friday’s Madness, Solis said the university mascot will be present and the event is open to the public. It is the official kickoff of basketball season, according to Solis.
Student-athlete for women’s basketball Tiffany McGarthy expressed her excitement for the event.
“The whole school is coming, people you’ve never seen before, like they’re coming to come get wild with you, it’s just really exciting.”
McGarthy shared similar sentiments about seeing students at kickoff.
“It means the world to us. Because we like to know that we have the school, like, behind us and we have the support from students, to give them the same energy that they give us.”
On behalf of the Spirit Program, UTRGV Athletics and other campus partnerships, Solis said,
“We really want people to embrace campus life and really embrace, creating those friendships, that you do when you’re in college… come out, have fun, stay safe, do what you feel comfortable doing and wear your orange and white and just have a great time.”
For more information on events held this week, visit the Student Activities website.
This is Carla Landaverde for Vaquero Radio.
