Numerous Francis Marion University (FMU) organizations and departments showed their school spirit by participating in the athletic department’s campaign called “Spread the Red.”
Campus establishments have been competing with one another by wearing university colors and submitting pictures displaying Patriot pride to the athletic department. For four consecutive weeks, the department picked a winner based off the pictures that were submitted to the department’s Twitter page.
The initiative concluded on Saturday, Feb. 16 during the Homecoming games against Young Harris College with the grand prize winners having the opportunity to sit in the Trustee’s Suite of Sparrow Stadium at the Griffin Athletic Complex for an FMU baseball game with food included.
Sports Information Intern Daniel Shipp said that the department has been pleased with the excitement that has stemmed from the “Spread the Red” program.
“We’ve seen the Army ROTC, the Biology Department and some other groups with just a couple of people all get involved,” Shipp said. “From what I’ve seen, the response has been pretty good. People have been submitting their pictures pretty quickly. Ever since the first week, people have been throwing pictures on our Facebook page. Our page is even getting more likes.”
Shipp also said he’s seen a larger turnout and increasing exuberance at FMU sporting events.
Each entry was graded on a 50-100 scale with the highest score becoming the weekly winner. Only the participants in the pictures submitted by the organizations received prizes. Additional points were rewarded to an organization for checking in at a game on Facebook or Twitter with a picture.
Senior elementary education major and School of Education (SOE) member Kristy Taylor said “Spread the Red” gave her more pride for her school.
“I feel more Patriot pride because our office decorated,” Taylor said. “The initiative caused me to do more research on our athletes. When we (SOE) first heard about it, we spent a whole day trying to figure out what we could do in our pictures that we submitted.”
Taylor added that “Spread the Red” helped educate people about FMU’s athletic department.
“A lot of people don’t even know what sports Francis Marion offers,” Taylor said. “Spread the Red helps other people support Francis Marion as opposed to other colleges. The organizations who have participated have really come strong.”
The senior also said she would like to see even more initiatives like “Spread the Red” around campus to get involvement.
Participating organizations included the Richardson Center for the Child, the James A. Rogers Library staff, Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, Kappa Delta sorority and others.