USU’s Mardi Gras targets nontraditional students

It may be a celebration rooted in tradition, but the goal for this year’s Mardi Gras at Utah State, which took place Saturday night, was to attract the nontraditional.

“All of our events are catered to all types of students, not just traditional students,” said Sawyer Hemsley, Programming Vice President for the USU Student Association.

The university considers students age 25 or older who may be married or have children to be nontraditional students. Hemsley adds international students to this category.

“We are trying to cater to a wide variety of students even though those (nontraditional) students might not think they’re invited because it’s more of a traditional student type of event,” Hemsley said.

According to Felicia Gallegos, USUSA’s Activities Director, the ability of Mardi Gras to appeal to different types of students lies in its versatility.

“It’s an event that appeals to multiple people because there’s a lot of events that are going on,” Gallegos said.

These events included the dance party and casino games that have come to be expected of USU’s Mardi Gras. Attractions also included henna tattoo artists, tarot card readers and a photo opportunity with live reptiles. However, it was the addition of two new performers, a knife juggler and a voodoo magician, that made this year’s festivities unique.

“We’ve really tried to cater to student needs and to make sure that all different types of students are at least getting one thing or another that they can relate to,” Hemsley said.

Kelly Jeong, an international student who attended the event, agreed that it was a unique experience.

“Everything is so different and new,” said Jeong, a Korean student set to graduate this spring. “I think it’s really cool that we can actually participate in various activities. We get to participate in every kind of event like the other students.”

Spencer Perry, a sophomore studying health promotion and education who volunteered at the event, said he frequently sees nontraditional students participate in USU programs.

“Everyone’s involved,” said Perry, who made a goal to collect every volunteer T-shirt at events this year.

Perry added that it’s the students themselves, whether traditional or not, who really contribute to the excitement of any USU event.

“Each time I come out to these bigger events you’d think they would be super rowdy and hard to kind of handle but people are awesome,” Perry said. “You get to see a better side of people than you would.”

According to Gallegos, events like Mardi Gras wouldn’t be possible without the positive participation of USU students.

“Our students are fun,” Gallegos said. “They make the events run smoothly, they participate… It’s just a good experience for everybody.”

Gallegos and others in USUSA have noted increased student participation this school year, especially considering the admission of a larger class of incoming freshmen. Although the Howl sold out two days in advance this year, Gallegos said she didn’t expect similar numbers for Mardi Gras, an event which typically hosts 3,000 to 3,500 in comparison with the Howl’s 5,500 to 6,000.

“Mardi Gras isn’t that old, so it hasn’t had the time to build the hype like the Howl has,” said Gallegos, “which is kind of nice because we get more of a USU student base.”

Hemsley noted that Mardi Gras’s more tame atmosphere adds to its appeal for a wider variety of students.

“It’s more low-key,” Hemsley said. “The Howl just has a more hyped-up stereotype whereas Mardi Gras is just more of a fun, more of a relaxed-feeling type of event.”

For now, the programming office is in no hurry to try and elevate Mardi Gras to the Howl’s level, said Stefanie Brooksby, program coordinator for USUSA.

“We could handle it, definitely, but there’s no push to make it as big as the Howl,” Brooksby said.

For many, including Gallegos, the event’s charm lies in the fact that it is smaller and can appeal to more students.

“It’s my favorite event,” Gallegos said. “Not to be biased, but it is. It’s like a hidden gem.”

— ac.roberts95@gmail.com

@alyssarbrts