Students ‘leave mark’ with UC mosaics

Organizations and students from around campus gathered Tuesday at the University Center for this year's Bear Branding event, "Leave Your Mark."

Student Senate, the University Program Council and the Residence Hall Association, among others, collaborated on the 2011 Bear Branding.

Last year, hundreds of students repainted the 11th Avenue tunnel with drawings exemplifying their pride as Bears and UNC students.

For this year's event, committee members provided 1,000 ceramic tiles and permanent markers for students to decorate as they trekked past the UC.

Students each left their own mark, whether by a name, saying or drawing. The majority of the tiles created were from University of Northern Colorado clubs, such as the Galloping Bears Equestrian Club, or athletic teams on campus. Greek Life also showed a presence with nearly every sorority and fraternity represented.

Lane McLaughlin, a junior social science education major, said the purpose of Bear Branding is to unify the campus.

"Sometimes, UNC just feels like a giant business, full of offices and departments," McLaughlin said. "As a committee, we wanted to get rid of that business feel and give students an opportunity to really take UNC as their own."

Paige Lewkow, a senior music education major, became involved with the Bear Branding committee through her involvement with Student Senate as the director of Diverse Relations and as a student of the College of Performing and Visual Arts.

Lewkow said she was involved with Bear Branding last year and decided to be part of it again this year because of the sense of community it provides.

"When I saw how many students it brought together, I knew I wanted to be a part of it again," Lewkow said. "Our goal is to promote Bear spirit and to make UNC more student-friendly."

Bear Branding also helps make students a permanent and tangible part of UNC. The tiles will be formed into three large mosaics and will be mounted by next semester.

The mosaics will be hung outside the Barnes & Noble Bookstore and the UC women's restroom, but can be moved in the future.

"Since they are moveable, they can always be a part of UNC no matter what changes the school goes through over the years," Lewkow said.

Dozens of tiles were devoted to Ross Higuchi, a freshman who was severely injured after a recent fall off the second floor of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house, and died three days later.

Many of the tiles offered their prayers for Higuchi's recovery, and some featured his friends' memories of him.

Stephanie Hernandez, a freshman speech language science major and close friend of Higuchi's, was visibly moved by the great outpouring of support for "Team Higuchi."

"I'm so happy to see how much everyone cares," Hernandez said. "I know how much this will mean to Ross when he gets out of the hospital, and I know it will mean the world to his family."

Bear Branding achieved unity among students through their activities, clubs and mutual respect for a close friend, and all by decorating one-inch square ceramic tiles.