CAMPUS: CABchella finalizes Welcome Week
By Marissa Contreras
Managing Editor
Published Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024
Welcome Week came to an end with an explosive music-filled night at TAMIU, known as CABchella.
Texas A&M International University’s Campus Activities Board hosted the event on Aug. 30, transforming the Sen. Judith Zaffirini Success Center Green into a fun, music-filled night. This event was open to students and staff to kick off the new school year with an evening of entertainment, food and fireworks.
The new version of the Dusty mascot gets announced by TAMIU President Pablo Arenaz during CABchella on Aug. 30 at the Sen. Zafirini Success Center Green.
CABchella featured live performances from local bands and DJs, including The Jolly Ranchers, The Noise, DJ Lau and DJ Synthia. Every set offered a variety of music for everyone to enjoy.
This year was also the first year TAMIU welcomed local food vendors, such as 550 Pizzeria and Gorilla’s Smoke and Grill. These food vendors were able to provide the free food for the event through tickets that were handed out at the beginning.
The Campus Activities Board, which organized the event, aimed to create an inclusive space where students could engage in campus life and unwind early in the new school year. The event provided an environment, disguised as a fun night for attendees to relax and enjoy.
For alumna Lauretta Martinez, this event exceeded her expectations as this is her first CABchella attendance.
“I was imagining maybe two food trucks, maybe some speakers in the back, but there are live performances,” Martinez said. “There’s a bunch of people coming; there’s a bunch of food trucks … so that’s fun.”
Midori Tran, a CAB volunteer for the event, said she realized how big the event was just by looking at the attendees’ faces.
“I was able to enjoy the event for myself after I was done volunteering,” Tran said. “I was pleasantly surprised by CABchella.”
Students watch the fireworks festivities overhead during CABchella on Aug. 30 at the Sen. Zafirini Success Center Green.
Not only did CABchella offer unforgettable performances, the campus also unveiled the new version of Dusty, the TAMIU mascot, in an attempt to showcase that new change at the University.
“I especially thought Dusty’s ‘glow up’ was cool as it was funny to see how excited everyone was,” Tran said.
At the end of the night, fireworks lit up the sky for TAMIU students to enjoy. The vibrant, bright-colored sky helped make the night more unforgettable.
Overall, CABchella offered a memorable experience for attendees: from food to live performances and fireworks, CAB included an event-filled night.
For more information on events hosted by CAB, interested persons may follow the organization on Instagram @tamiucab.
A guitarist performs during CABchella on Aug. 30 at the Sen. Zafirini Success Center Green.
A singer performs during CABchella on Aug. 30 at the Sen. Zafirini Success Center Green.
