On Saturday Sept. 20, (rescheduled from Sept. 6), approximately 120 students will hike up to the A near Hughes Stadium and work together during three-hour shifts to repaint it.
Dating back to 1923, the A represents the University’s beginnings as an agricultural and mechanical school. That was back when the Rams were the Aggies and the colors were orange and green.
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CSU graduate Bill Woods is credited with spearheading the annual maintenance of the A, with support from the University’s Alumni Association. Students must register online to reserve a spot for the experience.
Katie Bennett, a director of alumni relations, noted that students participate in order to become part of the tradition.
“It is a chance to be part of the history,” Bennett said.
According to Bennett, volunteering to paint the A is just one of the many opportunities that students have to connect with the University’s long-running story and its influence on the school’s community today.
According to the event’s page, the A stands 410 feet high and 250 feet wide, and is thought to be the largest collegiate symbol in the country. It is an icon that sparks pride and nostalgia for our collective history, and the view from the top can only magnify those feelings.
Check-in and free transportation for those who have registered will be located in the Moby parking lot. Although the shifts fill up fast, students are encouraged to add their name to the wait list in anticipation of replacing those who may not show up. Volunteers receive a t-shirt that says “I Painted the A” upon completion. If you miss out this year, don’t forget to sign up early the next time around.
Collegian Reporter Haleigh McGill can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @Haleighmcgill.
