Decoration competition sparks spirited rivalries
Campus offices color the walls in blue and green to show school pride
Minions cling to windows and streamers hang from ceilings as office staff prepare for UHCL Spirit Week, held Oct. 12-16.
The spirit contest is one of many events held during Spirit Week.
The spirit contest challenges students and employees alike to show their school spirit by decorating themselves and/or their offices in an “I Heart UHCL” theme involving blue and green, and the school mascot Hunter the Hawk. The categories up for grabs for offices are “Best Door,” “Best Office,” and “Best Window.”
While there is rivalry among the various offices, the overwhelming attitude is one of camaraderie and cheer.
“We do hope to retain our title from last year,” said Kathy Kirchner, assistant director of the University Computing and Telecommunications Support Center, which won “Best Window” last year. “But we really like to have fun while doing our jobs!”
Fun is definitely the word to describe the atmosphere. Just walking down the halls during Spirit Week evokes a sense of school pride and good-natured competitiveness, which can even be seen on social media.
“You may all come by the Neumann Library to pay obeisance to, or simply bask speechless in, the warmth of our school spirit,” the UHCL Newmann Library tweeted. “Don’t worry, we have some really great books on coping with loss.”
School spirit extends to the Pearland campus as well, which has “dominated [the best door] category” for the past four years.
“As we continue to grow as a university, it is wonderful to see the traditions we have, I Heart UHCL Day and Spirit Week expanding,” said Lindsey Fulton, coordinator of student services at UHCL Pearland. “I love the decoration contest because so many offices have creative and fun ideas, especially with the arrival of Hunter the Hawk.”
Hunter makes an appearance in nearly every decorated office. From the library windows, where he’s featured as both an Angry Bird and a ghost in Pac-Man, to the giant inflatable hawk head outside the Student Services Building, Hunter is a focal point during Spirit Week.
Hunter’s presence is especially felt in the Office of Intercultural Student Services (ISS), where they decorated with one theme in mind – “Jumanji: Release the Hawk Edition.” Rivals beware; ISS has won “Best Office” the past four years and, considering it feels like a jungle in the office, they might be able to stampede the competition.
“We do hope to win,” said Linda Bullock, assistant dean for student diversity. “But most importantly, we all participate in the decorating because we use it as a team-building opportunity.”
Voting for the spirit contests for both offices and individuals began Thursday, Oct. 1 and ends Tuesday, Oct. 13 at noon. The winners will be announced at the “I Heart UHCL Day” celebration Wednesday, Oct. 14, in Bayou Building Atrium II.
For more information and/or to place your votes, visit the “I Heart UHCL” website.
SLIDESHOW: Spirit Week 2015 decoration contest
Slideshow created by The Signal reporter Chelsea Colombo.
