The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the clock tower was ticking, but there was one thing missing: Where was Willie?
Willie’s Carnival was hosted today on Trinity Lawn by the Recreation, Hospitality and Parks Management students to gain experience in event hosting. However, Willie the Wildcat was not in attendance.
“We tried reserving him, but I forget why he couldn’t come,” said Frances Daly, the operations and logistics senior for RHPM. “He could only come for 30 minutes max anyways.”
Willie is Chico State’s designated mascot. There is a statue of a wildcat in front of the Bell Memorial Union, popular among students for photo opportunities. Every once in a while, the mascot makes its way around campus posing for photos with students and waving to the Éstom Jámani Residential Dining Center.
Though Willie was absent, the campus community showed up.
About 200 people attended the carnival from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students who attended felt campus events, like Willie’s Carnival, made the campus feel more connected.
“It makes (campus) more lively,” said freshman Chanthavi Thao.“It’s a very welcoming environment.”
Various clubs and organizations tabled the event, including the Cross-Cultural Leadership Center, Volleyball Club, College Corps, Rowing Club, Rugby Club and Green Campus.
The clubs had on-theme carnival games, including Plinko, Down the Clown, bucket toss, ring toss, stack ’em up and a spin wheel to win prizes. There was a live DJ and Red Bull ambassador handing out free, cold Red Bulls and mixing music for the event.
For many students, this was their first time hosting an event, said teacher associate Abraham Trujillo.
“This course is actually giving them the opportunity to get some hands-on experience of programming or event money here on campus,” he said.
The students in the course had to learn how to book a space, work with vendors and connect with clubs. They had been setting up on campus hours before the event, making sure everything was moving efficiently.
Maybe Willie was basking in the sun, hunting the birds or scaling the clock tower, but he would have added whimsy to the event. Though RHPM students gained experience in hosting and planning community events, they missed the mark of bringing in the character they named the event after.
Aiden Masson and Josephine Bowman can be reached at [email protected]
