The Huntsville Item, Huntsville, TX

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July 8, 2009

Junior Bearkats learning about university

By Christi Laney

With more than 16,000 students enrolled at Sam Houston State University and the number of alumni each semester growing exponentially, there are many more thousands of younger siblings, children and grandchildren across the state who are building their own dreams of also becoming a Bearkat one day.

To give these future SHSU students and supporters a place of their own within the university, the Junior Bearkats program was created this past spring and is scheduled to begin spreading orange and white pride to younger generations this fall.

Brandy Pace, SHSU registrar’s assistant and director of the program, first thought of the idea last spring when the university hosted their final Saturday @ Sam of the school year.

“My daughter had to come with me when I went to work the Saturday @ Sam, and I thought, ‘There needs to be a program to entertain the younger ones when their siblings come to these events,’” Pace said. “I am just happy to get it going and get the kids familiar with the university and its name.”

The Junior Bearkat program is open to children 13 and younger and there is no cost to participate. Students who sign up will receive e-mail newsletters, birthday cards and other interactive material over the Internet to help them learn more about the university and its traditions.

Through the program, Pace said she hopes to build pride and spirit that many of the children probably already experience through their older siblings or relatives who attended Sam Houston State University.

“This university is very old and we have multiple generations that go here,” Pace said. “We are getting the younger generation involved with the university; now you can even have the novelty of having a new baby as a Junior Bearkat.”

In order to join the Junior Bearkat program, parents must fill out an application for their children and submit it to the university. Any child under the age of 13 is eligible to participate, including siblings, children or grandchildren of alumni, current students or other supporters of the university.

As the program revolutionizes the spread of Bearkat spirit and brings pride to ever younger generations of SHSU fans, Pace said she hopes to see more offerings and more participants as the program grows.

“I would love to see thousands sign up became this is a doorway and they can do it from home,” Pace said. “We have always had a small-town college, now we have a small-town family.”

For more information about the Junior Bearkats program or to download an application, visit www.shsu.edu/enrollment or contact Brandy Pace at jrbearkats@shsu.edu.

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