Look for the “Be the Change” logo around campus to see how your pocket change is “making” a change for student programming with sponsorships at various events throughout the year. Photo by Cameron Palmer: The Signal.

May the ‘oinker’ with the biggest heart win

By The Signal Last updated Oct 3, 2012 191 0

Stephanie Brown
The Signal
Two events have been created to help promote UHCL school spirit and both will take place on I Heart UHCL Day, Oct. 17.

The I Heart UHCL decorating contest allows departments, student groups and individuals to compete for the best display of school spirit. The Biggest Oinker: Pack on the Pounds event is a fundraiser designed to raise money for the school.

The purpose of I Heart UHCL is to visually display school spirit and promote friendly competition. Departments have until Oct. 3 to decorate their offices. After the deadline, photos of the contestants’ decorations are taken and posted on the Internet so the campus community can vote.

“School spirit provides a sense of community and belonging; the student who attends the university will have more of a connection and more loyalty to the university through programs such as I Heart UHCL,” said Patrick Cardenas, program assistant of Student Life and full coordinator of I Heart UHCL.

The Provost’s Office won last year’s Best Window Category for the I Heart UHCL contest. Photo courtesy of UHCL Student Life. — The Provost’s Office won last year’s Best Window Category for the I Heart UHCL contest. *Photo courtesy of UHCL Student Life.*

There are five separate decoration categories: Best Door, Best Office, Best Window, Best School Spirit Group and Best School Spirit Individual. All departments are invited to participate, including those at UHCL-Pearland, who won last year’s Best Door award.

Last year, the Intercultural and International Student Services Office won the category for Best Office. They dressed “Blockies,” an unofficial mascot for UHCL based on its blue and green logo block, in different cultural outfits to represent various countries and decorated the office with “IISS Hearts UHCL.”

“It really brought our office together because it showed that our hard work paid off,” said Susana Hernandez, assistant director of IISS. “We have signed up to participate again this year, and we are already working on our new theme. We are looking forward to defending our win.”

Andrew Reitberger, interim director of Student Life, noted that this event has been a great way to promote school spirit in the past.

“There are a lot of things to love about UHCL and I Heart UHCL Day is a great time for everyone to show that love,” Reitberger said.

Similarly, the Biggest Oinker: Pack on the Pounds campaign allows students raise money by donating spare change into small, blue piggy banks. This is a part of the Be the Change campaign, which raised $416.17 last year.

“By putting your loose change in a piggy bank, even if there is only $10, you are really making a difference,” said Kim Herhold,
assistant director of development-annual fund.

School organizations are invited to compete in this fundraiser to see who can raise the most amount of change. Students are encouraged to empty their blue piggy banks into one of the organization “Pork Barrels” at designated events throughout the semester. So far, the American Marketing Association, the World Organization for Early Childhood Education, and the Vietnamese Studies Association have registered to compete.

On I Heart UHCL Day, team members will have their change weighed, and money raised from this event will fund new trees to replace the dying trees outside of the Alumni Plaza.

“Whether you belong to five student organizations, participate in research with a professor, or contribute money to the ‘Biggest Oinker’ contest, chances are you feel a part of the community; you feel as though belong,” said David Rachita, interim dean of students. “And when you feel as though you belong, chances are you stay more engaged in your academic success. That’s school spirit.”

The deadline to register for the I Heart UHCL decorating contest has passed, but online voting for the best decorations will take place from Oct. 5 to noon, Oct. 16. The winners will receive a certificate and a commemorative mum. For more information regarding this event, visit the Office of Student Life, located at SSCB 1.204, or call 281-283-2560.

The competition date for Biggest Oinker: Pack on the Pounds will be held on I Heart UHCL Day, and the registration deadline is Oct. 12 by noon. In order to register, visit www.uhcl.edu/BeTheChange. For more information, contact Kim Herhold at herhold@uhcl.edu or call 281-283-2036.