A new student organization is on the lookout for something that may have been forgotten at GW amidst internships and extracurricular activities: school spirit.
The Colonial Impact Group, a new, spirit-driven organization launched this year by former Student Association Executive Vice President Kyle Boyer, co-hosted its first event – a barbecue with live music in Kogan Plaza – last Friday. The group’s mission stems from the need for a “group that accentuates the strong programming that already exists within student life, and channels that energy toward school spirit,” according to a statement on the CIG Web site.
CIG, which worked with the Colonial Army to throw last week’s event, plans to co-host a series of events with other student organizations on the first Friday of every month, Boyer said.
Each event will be themed after a different city and will incorporate as many other organizations and vendors as possible, he said. Next month’s theme will be Boston.
This month’s theme is New York City. The Kogan Plaza event offered free hamburgers and hot dogs, as well as music from an unnamed blues and funk band composed of GW students.
Members of CIG estimated that they had fed more than 100 students by 6 p.m.
“People like music. People like free food,” Boyer said.
CIG has approximately 60 followers on its Twitter page and 200 friends on Facebook. The social media networks were used to publicize the event, Boyer said.
Junior Patrick Cushing, who attended Friday’s event, said the spirit groups on campus seem “lack-luster.”
“It comes down to the individual level. You need people who are excited about school spirit to get other people excited about it,” Cushing said. “School spirit has “been slipping” for the past two years, he said.
Boyer said he hopes the recent renovation of the Smith Center, the nucleus of GW’s athletic department, will help increase school spirit.
He also emphasized the importance of collaboration.
“I don’t expect any one group to change GW’s culture, but we want to do our part. Every little bit helps,” he said.
