The President's Perspective: Students should express pride, attend Homecoming week activities

"We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how `bout you?"

I'm sure we've all heard some version of this cheer at a high school home game or summer camp many years ago. Nonetheless, it emphasizes a good point. Do you have school spirit?

After being at Ball State for nearly four years and observing turnout at university functions and athletic events, I strongly believe our campus lacks school spirit and student pride. Last Friday served as a great example.

While campaigning last semester, many students expressed the need for SGA to provide more opportunities for student fans to travel and support our teams at away games. We incorporated this idea into our platform strategy and decided to support our football team at away games two times this semester.

In the past two weeks, SGA publicized a fan bus trip to support our Cardinals as they faced the Toledo Rockets in Ohio. The package, valued at $35, included bus fare, lunch, game ticket and a spirit T-shirt for a discounted $15. Students were even sent a personal reminder, by yours truly, to emphasize the need for student support. By the deadline on Friday, only 13 Ball State students out of a possible 18,000 had reserved a spot to cheer on our football team. As a student leader, I was truly disappointed.

Friday evening, students were encouraged to preview the Men's and Women's Basketball teams at Midnight Mania, sponsored by the Athletics Department. The night's festivities included games, giveaways, autograph signing, and impressive three-point shooting and dunking. Despite the efforts of all involved, student turnout was embarrassingly low.

Now I was not only disappointed, but frustrated.

I began to wonder if my leadership challenge would be to determine how to inspire and encourage other students to support their fellow Cardinals on the field. I then realized that despite how grandiose this challenge appeared theoretically, it was merely impossible.

School spirit and pride comes from within - it cannot be forced or taught. Students must simply begin to take ownership in their university and pride themselves in zealously supporting our Cardinals, whether they win or lose. It's not always the outcome, rather the experience that is truly memorable.

This week is Homecoming and it's a great opportunity to express your pride and school spirit in Ball State with visiting Alumni who value being Cardinals. Attend the events and come out in mass numbers to cheer on our Cards to victory as they face Eastern Michigan.

This week will only be what you make of it. I have spirit, yes I do. What about you?