Welcome back, Missouri State Bears! This blog is in collaboration with the Traditions Council (TC), a student-led organization that manages athletic and university life events. I had the opportunity to meet with Zach Class, the President of TC, and I learned how important the organization is on our campus. According to the TC website, “Traditions Council’s goal is to promote and preserve the tradition of Missouri State University that supports student engagement in athletics and university life, enhancing the BEAR experience.” Tradition at a university is essential for many reasons so I wanted to connect with the President of TC to see why he thought students should get involved in maintaining traditions. 

How do Traditions Make an Impact on College Students?

Zach shared that he feels without tradition students have a harder time attaching themselves to their universities and taking pride. Traditions instill a great sense of community and gives students something to look forward to. When alumni share how they participated in the same tradition during their college years, it connects the student body to the university. Because the Traditions Council believes in the importance of their mission, they’ve created an app that allows students to earn rewards for completion of participation in differing traditions. Downloading the app Traditions Bearer allows students to log the events they attend and earn “achievements”. On the app, students can also find a list of events TC is hosting. 

What Does Creating a New Tradition Look Like?

If a student wishes to propose a new tradition, they must present the idea to the Traditions Council Executive board. TC has funding to implement new traditions such as the Homecoming King and Queen’s new ideas and students can access the same funds if their tradition is adopted. Look first at the long list of traditions that TC offers and engage with the app to see what ideas may be sparked and what traditions already exist. Participating in these new activities will allow you to meet new students and grow a love for our university.  

How can Students get Involved with the Traditions Council?

Zach shared that there will be information sessions held on January 15th and encouraged students to keep an eye out for more information and attend to hear more about the commitment. Applications can be found in Bearlink alongside a list of upcoming events for the organization. Traditions Council is made up of seven position titles but there are also General Assembly members who can attend meetings to have their voice heard and serve alongside the council members to put on great events. Traditions Council can be found on social media platforms and their events are continually being updated on Bearlink for students to access. 

Takeaways

Allow yourself to dive deep into the campus experience and make memories that will make you proud to be a Missouri State student and future alumni. Partaking in traditions with the community and getting plugged in is a great way to grow your engagement on campus which will flow into academic success. Meet with a Success Coach or a Peer Mentor to discover other avenues for getting plugged into the university and creating a sense of belonging. 

~Aubrey

(Bio: My name is Aubrey Hardy, and I am a senior studying special needs education. Fun fact: My favorite MSU tradition is Fountain Day!)