- Valpo celebrates community
Sept. 22, 2010 – Valparaiso University celebrated its inaugural Communiversity Day on Saturday, Sept. 18, a historic and fun-filled event bringing the University and Northwest Indiana together for the unveiling of Valpo’s new mascot, the first night football game at Brown Field and a day of service.
“Today has been a wonderful celebration of the Valpo community and our strong relationship with Northwest Indiana,” President Mark Heckler said. “For students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members, Communiversity Day has been an opportunity to build friendships, create memories that will last a lifetime, and make a difference in the lives of the people of Northwest Indiana. We look forward to celebrating Communiversity Day again in 2011.”
Activities started with the Valparaiso University Day of Caring in the morning, when 526 students, faculty and staff participated in service projects throughout the community.
Volunteers helped wash windows and paint offices for the Mental Health America of Porter County, worked on landscaping projects for the HealthLinc community clinic in Valparaiso, participated in Junior Achievement’s Race to Recycle, set up for the Valparaiso International Center’s World Cultural Festival and helped a dozen other community and social service organizations.
Ben Ema, a sophomore nursing major from St. Louis who volunteered at HealthLinc during the Day of Caring, says serving others is a valuable learning experience.
“Doing something active with what you’re learning to help people is a great outlet,” Ema said. “To get out here today and play my part to help the community is something that’s very meaningful to me.”
Together, the University community provided more than 1,500 hours of service during the Day of Caring, moving the University closer to its goal of performing more than 100,000 hours of community service during the 2010-2011 academic year.
Communiversity Day continued in the afternoon with the Crusaders volleyball team playing an exciting five-set match against Butler University watched by 1,236 fans, the largest home crowd in program history.
After a tailgate barbecue and family carnival, Valpo fans attempted a Guinness world record for the largest coordinated song and dance, with more than 400 people singing and dancing to James Brown’s “I Feel Good.”
Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas, who earned his law degree at Valpo, helped kick off the football game by conducting the pregame coin toss. He said Communiversity Day provided a fun event to celebrate the many ways in which the University and community interact.
“Having an outstanding university here is a tremendous benefit to the city of Valparaiso and all of Northwest Indiana,” Costas said. “Valpo students, faculty, staff and alumni bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and leadership, as well as a deep commitment to service, to our community. Valparaiso University helps make this a vibrant community where people want to live and work, and Communiversity Day has been a great way to celebrate this connection.”
Nearly 4,700 people cheered on Valpo’s football team during its first night game at Brown Field, one of the largest crowds in program history.
“The atmosphere was awesome,” Crusaders head coach Dale Carlson said after the game. “The guys were chomping at the bit to play. Playing at night is just great.”
During halftime, fans celebrated the unveiling of the new Crusader mascot, which represents the common values found among people who compose the Valpo community, including the freedom to inquire, commitment to service, and compassion.
After those in attendance viewed a tribute to the old mascot, the new Crusader ran onto the field accompanied by dozens of children to the cheers of the assembled crowd.
“I think the new Crusader does a really good balancing of our tradition with what we aspire to be,” said Mark LaBarbera, director of athletics. “To unveil our new mascot in front of such a fantastic crowd helped cap off a really great day for Valpo.”
