By Erica Stone
Staff writer

Traditions have always been a big part of Cornerstone but this year, the Alumni Relations Office is reinventing one of them. They’re calling it Spirit Week.

Spirit Week kicks off Monday and ends Saturday with a campus wide festival. A weeklong competition among students, staff and faculty gives everyone a chance to show off their CU pride. Each day, a different decade from Cornerstone’s history is honored beginning with the ’40s and ’50s. CU trivia from each era will be posted. Every night a free activity or event offers students a chance to get involved.

Students, staff and faculty will compete in teams determined by residence hall and department. Commuters will compete all together as one group. Points are earned by dressing up each day based on the decade being celebrated and participating in the activities and events. Corbin Donaldson, project manager for Alumni Relations, said, “There’s an activity or event for everyone, it’s not just athletics.”

Creating traditions: Darci Irwin hopes CU will continue to have Spirit Weeks in years to come. (Photo by Aleka Thrash)

Darci Irwin, the director of alumni relations, said that the Alumni Office came up with the idea while they were thinking about Homecoming. She says, “We wanted to see all of us – students, alumni, faculty and staff – come together in new ways.”

She feels that Homecoming shouldn’t be just for alumni and that it’s important to make connections with students before they graduate. Irwin says, “You’re a student for a few years, but alumni forever.”

The Alumni Office is partnering with Spiritual Formation, CUSG, Food Services and the Athletic Department to put on a full week of events and activities that everyone can participate in. Mark Muha, the on-campus connections intern for Alumni Relations, said they hope to provide ways to get students excited about Cornerstone, and to encourage alumni to come back. He said, “We want to create a common identity, and give everyone something to remember and be proud of.”

Matt Haller, a communications and marketing intern for Alumni Relations, said Spirit Week is about bringing the Cornerstone family together. According to Haller, it’s a simple way of connecting Cornerstone’s past and present. He said, “Each person is essential to what CU is and we wanted to start a tradition that celebrates lives that matter.”

Some of the offered events include an outdoor movie shown on the Bernice Hansen Center wall, an ’80s flavor women’s volleyball game and a free showing of the student production “Something’s Afoot.” Muha said he’s especially excited about the 15th Annual Mudbowl and Midnight Madness on Thursday night

The Festival on Saturday offers even more opportunities for the CU family to connect. Donaldson said, “We’re taking over campus!” He said there are so many options, everyone will find something to do. Student, faculty and alumni volunteers will run most of the activities, which include a coloring contest for children, mock classes with faculty and game booths. A prayer walk around the pond and an alumni symphonic winds concert are planned as well. Events begin at 10 a.m. and end with a student dance at 10 p.m. During the dance, the homecoming king and queen will be announced.

For Irwin, the prize is just the icing on the cake. The winning team gets to have dinner and hang out with President Joe Stowell and his wife at their house. She said, “We’re calling it Java with Joe- Home Edition.”

Irwin said, “A healthy community knows how to celebrate.” She’s hoping that Spirit Week will become a new Cornerstone tradition. A complete schedule of events is available at www.cornerstone.edu/alumni_friends/homecoming2009.