SEO: Univ. of Md.

students transition to Big Ten Conference

The New Kid in Town
UMD student body reacts to being the newest school in Big Ten
By: Sarah Matzelle
The crowd roared in a sea of red and the band played the Maryland fight song as
the Terrapins football team paraded its way out in front of a sold-out Byrd Stadium for
the first Big Ten game of the universitys history.
The university made the switch from the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Big
Ten conference on Jul.1, 2014. The dynamic of the university has changed since joining
the Big Ten sparking differences of opinions between students.

On-campus Comradery
Joining the Big Ten has diminished school comradery. I feel like its all about
the profit now, said junior communication
major Brandon Sticca. A vast difference of
perspective comes from sophomore Caroline
Finnell, a double major in government and
politics and broadcast journalism. I think the
school comradery has been the same since

Maryland Students have strong opinions,

both negative and positive, regarding the
switch to the B1G.
Photo by: Sarah Matzelle, Facebook

joining the Big Ten, but after a few years of joining the Big Ten I think it will be vastly
improved, Finnel said.
Junior Erika Sanders, a sociology major and former university cheerleader,
believes that the increase in TV coverage and improved schedule has drawn more
positive attention to this university's football program. The difference in attendance at
the football games between this year and last is astounding.

[Joining Big Ten] has improved [comradery] because more people are proud of
our sports teams and support them, said Avery Clair, a sophomore mechanical engineer
major. Clair also believes that joining this league has affected school spirit positively.

Greek Life feels the effects

Since the university joined the Big Ten, it has encouraged Greek Life to tailgate
on campus in the hopes that more students in Lot 1 will mean increased attendance at
games. The abrupt change of scenery has left many students involved in Greek Life
outraged because many students are used to the tradition of tailgating off campus.
Taylor Noeth, sophomore nutrition major in Alpha Epsilon Phi, normally tailgates
off-campus, and believes that the school has made tailgating more difficult to do since the
merge. I don't like these changes specifically because my plans are never organized due
to the fact that the school has to interfere, said Noeth.
For some, the change has been rewarding. Sarah Vallerelli, sophomore
communication major in Kappa Alpha Theta, expressed how tailgating on-campus brings
all of Greek Life together instead of smaller, more limited backyard tailgates. She started
attending the games this year because it became much more convenient to get to the
stadium.

Connecting with the students

Although some students may have different viewpoints on the merge, marketing
experts at the university have been working overtime to make sure every student is
involved in and excited about Big Ten activities. Assistant director of marketing Jordan
Looby explained that they used grassroots marketing in order to connect with the student
body on a deeper level.

A much greater emphasis has been placed on engaging with the campus
community in a way that's both compelling and informative. This tactic has proven
successful, as the first Big Ten game was played in front of a sold out crowd.
Change is an inevitable part of progressing as a university. While some may not
be in favor at first, with a little luck from Testudo the university will soon adjust to the
Big Ten.
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