DAILY LOBO new mexico
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September 27, 2013
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
Planners pleased as punch about Homecoming by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com @ArdeeTheJourno
Gold and silver stars made of metallic paper twinkled near the ceiling of the SUB Atrium as UNM kicked off Homecoming Week on Monday. The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico’s Lobo Spirit Committee planned the annual weeklong fete. Various events, which were free to the public, happened around campus every day of the celebration. Lobo Spirit Assistant Director Tyler Wafer said his organization has been organizing the event since the first day of the fall semester. He said volunteers from all over the campus community helped in the planning process. “It’s been preparation from day one since school started,” Wafer said. “We’ve been working really hard with volunteers. We’re trying really hard to get the volunteers’ input.” On Monday, about 20 people gathered in the SUB for a decoration party. The Atrium became jam-packed Tuesday for a karaoke event, which lasted until the afternoon. Voting for homecoming king and queen went on all day Wednesday. A real-life lobo
also visited the campus from a wolf sanctuary that day at the Dominguez Fountain Plaza. “I was really excited that we’re bringing a real-life lobo to campus,” he said. “I’m really excited for students to be able to see a wolf. I think it will be really cool.” A movie screening in the Johnson Center pool followed Thursday night. This will be followed by a homecoming court pep rally and homecoming dance today and a homecoming game Saturday. Wafer said he expects the week to be a success. “It’s going to be so much fun,” he said. “I feel like it’s going to be really fun, especially for the volunteers because they’ve worked so hard to this week rolling.” But Rebecca Fritsch, homecoming chair for Lobo Spirit, said homecoming week is already a success because each day offered “something new, something different.” “It went really well,” she said at the decoration party. “I was really glad with the turnout, and I was really glad to see how excited everyone was to help us out.” Wafer said he encourages students, especially freshmen, to savor the event. “It is different from the high school experience,” he said. “Come out and see the event and get everything out of it that you can.”
William Aranda / Daily Lobo Rory Zoerb and a real-life lobo, Zoerro, entertain UNM students and faculty outside Zimmerman Library on Wednesday. The event was organized by ASUNM as a part of Homecoming Week at UNM.
‘Wouldn’t it be wild to do it?’ Nontraditional student runs for homecoming queen
Nicole Perez and Antonio Sanchez
news@dailylobo.com UNM student Tanley McMullan spent the past week tending to buckets of mealworms in her living room, taking her duck Daisy for leashed walks and campaigning for UNM’s homecoming queen. “It’s just so fun,” she said. “It’s fun, fun, fun.” McMullan, a 52-year-old education student, is the only candidate over the age of 30. She said she was convinced to run for homecoming by members of the Association of Non-Traditional Students (ANTS) — of which she is a member — after she drank too much root beer and got overexcited. When she “came to,” she decided it would be a fun thing to do because of her age and student status. “We were talking about it, wouldn’t it be wild to do it at my age?” she said. “I’m still laughing about it.” She submitted her application and at the first meeting told the other queen contenders that she is 103 years old and arrived on the back of a brontosaurus. Her submitted photo is of her walking Daisy, her pet duck. “I figure those girls (queen
Inside the
Andy Harrington/ Courtesy photo Homecoming queen candidate Tanley McMullen smiles as she flips through her photo album, showcasing her medieval themed wedding. McMullen, 52, is graduating with a degree in psychology in the spring after pursuing the degree for 30 years. contenders) are cute as buttons, “It’s really important that we but not quite as cute as my duck,” have some kind of presence at she said. the University so that people can Vice President of ANTS David know that if they need an area Drezner said the organization that’s not normal undergraduhas supported McMullan since ate kind of fun-in-the-sun kind she decided to run. of thing, that you get a more ma“I think it’s cool that she’s ture kind of relationship here,” running, I think it’s cool that we he said. get some visibility. Maybe she’ll McMullan has pursued a dewin,” Drezner said. gree in positive psychology at Drezner said McMullan’s run UNM over the past 30 years. Her has helped raise awareness of see Homecoming PAGE 2 ANTS among younger students.
Lobos win
Freshmen take charge
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Daily Lobo volume 118
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Arsenii Movin / Daily Lobo Taylor Stern encourages students to vote for her for homecoming queen at Smith Plaza on Wednesday morning.
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