Forever Red hosted a series of events during “I Heart SV Week” to show support, solidarity and the willingness to invest money into the future of education at SVSU.
The week-long event began on Monday, Feb. 13, with a kick-off outside of the Marketplace at Doan. There, Forever Red members educated students on donor information and sold t-shirts to raise awareness about their organization.
Forever Red President-elect and Executive Assistant Morgan Seeley said the event promoted education about funding and why it matters to the University.
“I like the whole program and the idea that we get to educate students on why it is so important to give back to the school, and that regardless if they are alumni or students – any amount counts,” she said. “SVSU isn’t just funded from state funds, and it needs donors to make it survive.”
On Monday, Feb. 13, the Buffalo Wild Wings in Kochville Township held a fundraiser in which 20 percent of each purchase went to support Forever Red scholarships.
Pinterest with Program Board held Tye Pride on Tuesday, Feb. 14, in which students made SVSU flags, tie-dyed baseball hats and bracelets.
Wednesday, Feb. 15, saw Cardinal alumni return to SVSU and talk to students about multiple topics ranging from graduation to success after college.
There were five panelists who spoke from different disciplines. Communications graduate Heather Stolp said that she enjoyed coming back to SVSU and conversing with students about her personal experiences.
“It was fun to answer their questions and give them my advice,” she said. “As a student, I always attended alumni networking events, and it felt so weird being the person that people were there to hear from. It was a great experience.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Feb. 16, SVSU’s Game Show Night entertained attendees with its own version of the well-known television game show Jeopardy.
Teams of four went head-to-head in a tournament that featured a chance to win four $25 gift cards of their choosing, and attendees were treated to door prizes.
Committee Member of “I Heart SV Week” Andrew Lienau said his favorite part of the event was watching Director of Residential Life Michele Gunkelman appear in her SVSU gear. He also said the week’s worth of events was a success.
“I think it went great,” he said. “We don’t have the final numbers in, but we raised a lot of money which will all go towards the Forever Red student scholarship.”
On Friday, Feb. 17, the Saginaw Spirit Teacher Appreciation Hockey Game took place, with proceeds from Forever Red ticket sales benefiting the same scholarship.
Finally, the festivities came to a close on Saturday, Feb. 18, with two SVSU basketball games against Northwood University. SVSU’s men’s basketball team won against its rival, while the women’s team lost by a few points after a tough matchup against the Timberwolves.