When walking through ETSU’s campus, it is impossible to not feel a sense of pride and unity when passing the Pridewalk.
Over the last few years, Pridewalk has become one of the most memorable sights at ETSU for students, faculty and visitors alike. These images portray ETSU for what it is, a diverse family with pride for their university and causes a sense of excitement for ETSU pride.
Pridewalk painting was first introduced to ETSU in 2014 to launch the now annual Civility Week, a week focused on increasing awareness of the diversity on campus and creating unity and civility in a place where everyone feels at home.
SGA chooses a theme for Civility Week in spring and Homecoming in fall. Previous themes include Mardi Gras and Dare to Care. This year, with the theme being Superheroes, over 60 organizations submitted deigns to be painted for Pridewalk, but only 50 were eligible to participate.
Some of the organizations that were showcased this year include Silent Bucs, Black Affairs Association, Residence Hall Association, members of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Gospel Choir, HASCA, The Farmer’ Market, the Student Alumni Association, the Marching Bucs and multiple academic clubs.
“We were really excited because we had never had over 40 organizations submit (designs), but this year we had 61,” said Assistant Director of Student Activities Carter Warden. He also said that his favorite part of Pridewalk painting is seeing all the students get out and work together in a creative and exciting environment.
During the event, students from different campus organizations paint their hearts out to loud music and socialize with each other. Many ETSU students really enjoy the process of Pridewalk painting.
“We paint all the time,” said junior Alexis Whitaker, a member of Student Painting and Drawing Association, “but this is such a cool thing to see other people and organizations painting and expressing themselves by doing something that we do every day.”
This year, Volunteer ETSU and Alternative Breaks teamed up to paint two squares into one.
“We get to have a fun time doing fun things with other students we don’t always get to see on such a cross section of our university,” said senior Sam Mitchell, from Alternative Breaks.
“Pridewalk sets ETSU apart from other schools in that their students have center-stage opportunity to portray themselves to the rest of campus through creativity in a 10-by-10 square that is seen every single day,” said junior Rebekah Cisney, a member of the Residence Hall Association.
To watch a mash-up video of this year’s Pridewalk painting, see the SGA website.
