Gamecock Entertainment

By Holly Poag

Gamecock Entertainment, the university’s events and programming o ce, is “the main source of free and fun stu to do” on and around campus, according to the group’s uno cial motto. Alongside classics like Tiger Burn and Homecoming, GE will also bring in some new events to present to students this fall.

Courtney Buzan, assistant director for campus programs, said students can anticipate a semester similar to pre-COVID conditions.

“The basis of this semester is that it is your traditional calendar of fun,” Buzan said.

Buzan recognizes that Gamecock Entertainment has hurdles to overcome as they strive to spread the word about the events they plan to hold this semester.

“We know we have a challenge ahead of us to just inform students that might have not caught wind of GE over the last year, especially our [sophomore] students that just had a very confusing rst year,” Buzan said.

Gamecock Entertainment is primarily comprised of a few student-run organizations: Carolina Productions, which brings concerts, comedy shows, and unique events like foam parties to campus; Dance Marathon, the largest studentrun philanthropic organization on campus, which focuses on raising money for Columbia’s local children’s hospital; the CarolinaClemson Blood Drive, which will be celebrating their 37th year of giving back to our local community; and Homecoming, a group of students who plan a week of fun to celebrate the university’s legacy. Ella Mays, president of the Homecoming Commission, said the theme this year is “Around the World, Destination: UofSC.” Mays said they chose this theme to promote inclusiveness during Homecoming. Mays said she is looking forward to welcoming students back onto campus and reconnecting with students who have missed out on some of the typical college experiences.

Gamecock Entertainment also manages a few recurring events and programs for student enjoyment: Thursday A er Dark (TAD), a Thursday-night event series that provides always-free entertainment like bowling nights, skate nights, and escape rooms at local Columbia venues; Gamecock Picture Show, an outdoor mobile movie theater that hosts free movies at unique venues like the pool deck at the Wellness & Fitness Center; and Tiger Burn, an annual Rivalry Week pep rally in which a giant wooden tiger constructed by mechanical engineering students to represent Clemson is burned down in a blaze of glory.

Carolina Productions also provides an exclusive on-campus streaming service, CockyTV+, in partnership with the Residence Hall Association, which allows students connected to university Wi- to stream a large and constantly growing catalog of popular movies and TV shows.

Throughout the year, GE provides events and entertainment in a newly renovated event space in the Russell House called Russell Underground where students can attend trivia nights, comedy shows, and student performances, as well as relax; play video games, pool and ping-pong; or even rent out

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY STEVEN TAPIA-MACIAS / DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT LIFE

the space for student organization events.

Gamecock Entertainment has a page on GarnetGate for students who want to learn more and get involved in the organization or one of its many di erent areas.

@gamecockentertainment

@gamecockent

HOMECOMING

By Mafe Balthazar

USC’s annual Homecoming celebration is an opportunity to highlight and enjoy the history, traditions, people and places that make USC unique. Events generally center around the Homecoming Week football game, this year against Vanderbilt University, and bring together sta , faculty, students and alumni for a variety of fun opportunities. School spirit at the university can be observed year-round, but “Homecoming is a week of the year where it’s … ampli ed even more,” said Courtney Buzan, assistant director of campus programs.

Homecoming aims to strengthen the sense of community within the student body. All students are welcome to come as they are and participate with “no strings attached,” according to Buzan. Although the Homecoming Commission partners with certain organizations such as the O ce of Multicultural Student A airs, Dance Marathon and Fraternity & Sorority Life on campus, individual students can also nd ways to get involved.

A celebration that is as much by the students as it is for the students, Homecoming is entirely planned and executed by student leaders of the Homecoming Commission, which is part of Gamecock Entertainment. Student leaders reach out to groups for collaboration, contact vendors, market, plan and run the series of events.

Any student can apply to be part of the Homecoming Commission and partake in the behind-thescenes leadership that shapes the celebrations. The commission will begin recruiting a er this year’s Homecoming ends, and applications can be found on Homecoming’s GarnetGate page. It is an opportunity for any major to gain experience and have a “good time with people,” said USC students from all walks of life have come together every November for the last 37 years with a common goal: save as many lives as possible and beat Clemson.

The rivalry between the schools is among the oldest in the United States, spanning 112 years. Carolina and Clemson initiated concurrent blood drives in 1984 to give back to South Carolina communities during the holiday season, when blood donation is typically low. The idea of saving the greatest number of lives added a new element of competition to rivalry week and began a tradition of service.

One pint of blood saves three lives. The school that collects the most pints wins. In partnership with the American Red Cross and The Blood Collections, the rival schools’ competition has collected over 47,000 pints of blood, saving around 141,000 lives over the years.

Students “passionate about giving back” are the primary organizers and champions of the drive, according to Courtney Buzan, assistant director for campus programs. The blood drive committee works year-round to plan, fundraise, reach out to potential sponsors and run the drive itself.

“We really just rely on the students,” said Committee Co-President Julia Ballou, a fourth-year studio art student. “We really pride ourselves on that.”

The annual event brings together the student body through di erent channels. In addition to donating blood, students can donate their time or money to the drive through attending CCBD percent nights, volunteering during the drive or joining the Carolina-Clemson Blood Drive Committee. The drive also partners with di erent campus organizations, such as the Student Nurses Association and Dance Marathon, that support healthcare in Columbia.

As part of a long-standing tradition, the blood drive directly bene ts the surrounding Columbia community. Blood collected through the drive goes into the local hospitals and blood banks of the city. The blood drive is “an opportunity to participate in school spirit and really get involved on campus while saving lives,” Ballou said.

The 2021 Carolina Clemson Blood Drive will take place Nov. 15-19. The Russell House ballrooms serve as the main collection hub, but more than 10 donation buses will be set up across campus. Students who participate or attempt to participate will receive either a 2021 drive T-shirt or a sweatshirt and be entered in a ra e for the chance to win other prizes.

Prior to the rivalry week drive, four mini-drives will take place to make up for the negative impact the coronavirus pandemic had on blood collection. These drives will be Aug. 25, Aug. 30, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2. The blood collected in the mini drives does not count towards the competition, but still bene ts local Columbia blood banks. Students who wish to participate in the mini drives will also be eligible to donate in November.

Students can sign up to donate through the American Red Cross and Blood Connection websites, but walk-ins at the drive are also accepted. Blood drive student leaders invite all students to participate and come together as a community to save lives and beat Clemson.

Homecoming President Ella Mays, a fourth-year visual communications student.

Homecoming 2021 will take place Oct. 11-16. The week of events begins Monday with an Olympics opening ceremony-type kicko and concludes with the annual Cockstock concert the night before the big football game. Students can expect to see the Spurs and Struts dance competition and Stroll-O , put on in partnership with the four Greek councils. A special Thursday A er Dark is also on the books.

The 2021 theme, selected to encourage inclusivity, is “Around the World, Destination: UofSC”. The student body includes many di erent identities, cultures and individual experiences. This year’s theme is a way to continue celebrating the tradition of homecoming while highlighting the diversity of the campus. It uni es students from di erent background and walks of life under the commonality of being Gamecocks.

“It’s just nice to live in that sort of optimism and realizing that we have the power to change things, and traditions are fun and important, but we’re sort of adapting the experience for college students as we go,” Mays said.

UofSC Homecoming

@uofschomecoming

@uofschomecoming

CAROLINA-CLEMSON BLOOD DRIVE

By Mafe Balthazar

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