CAMPUS: Spirit Week kicks off with TAMIU’s Annual Cart Parade
By Alexia Aleman
Bridge Staff Podcaster
Published Tuesday, March 26, 2024
TAMIU kicked off Spirit Week with its Annual Cart Parade competition. Several organizations gathered to celebrate Spirit Week while also competing for a chance to win grants for organizations.
Each participating organization decorated a cart to promote its organization, impress the judges and show off TAMIU spirit. It is a Student Government Association tradition, so this year was no exception.
As this year’s spirit week theme surrounded the plastic icon Barbie, every cart had a touch of pink, glitter, Ken, etc. with a touch of what these characters represent to the student organizations. Students brought their best Barbie-themed inspirations.
The cart parade is a way for students to engage with one another and become more involved on campus.
“It’s a good way to kick off the semester and show off school Spirit,” Traditions Co-chair Ruben Dominquez said. “When TAMIU participates, we like to go to the next level and it is exactly what we do every year.”
The day kicked off with a decorating party in the morning where every participant gathered at the Student Ballroom to add finishing touches to carts. It was a moment to finalize and prepare for the parade.
Around 1 p.m. Feb. 5, the carts lined up to show off for judges as well as the students around campus.
Students were excited to show off their finished product. Effort and dedication were put into these carts. Students were dressed as Barbies, Kens, and other characters from the Barbie film.
Every organization was able to present their cart to the judges, as well as other participants. Only three carts were able to take the prize though.
First place went to the TAMIU Gammas. Second place was taken by the Dean’s Student Advisory Council and third place went to the Hermana Organization for Woman Leadership.
“We blew it [out of] the park completely, the participation and overall spirit that everybody brought in was off the charts,” Traditions Co-chair Hector Ibarra said.