2023 Best of CASE District V Award Storytelling Category
Playing with Fire is a Huskies Pep Band Tradition
Category: Communications > Storytelling
Description: Best of CASE District V Award
Institution: Michigan Technological University
Title of entry: Playing with Fire is a Huskies Pep Band Tradition
About this entry:
Known for their striped overalls and wacky hats, Michigan Technological University’s Huskies Pep Band leads the cheering at athletic events and regularly performs in community parades. Their enthusiasm, intelligence and endless quirkiness make them unofficial student ambassadors of the Husky spirit. Oh, and they’ve also turned a few old trumpets into personal pyrotechnic displays.
Our challenge in telling the story of the flaming trumpets was to figure out how to feature this quintessential Michigan Tech engineering marvel as more than just a compelling visual. We wanted our multimedia package to be like the Pep Band itself: ebullient and engaging, a collective expression of both our students’ enthusiasm and the close-knit community that is Michigan Tech.
We sent our senior content specialist, social media manager, photographer and videographer to interview a current flaming trumpet player. He explained the mechanics of the flaming trumpet and succinctly articulated the Pep Band’s mission and sense of humor: “We don’t march. We meander.” However, the origin story of the flaming trumpet tradition remained lost to posterity.
“We don’t march. We meander”
We published our story and posted it to social media. The comment thread on Facebook alone soon filled with dozens of images, videos and stories, posted by proud alumni, of flaming trumpets of the past. Two alums even teamed up to solve the mystery of the flaming trumpet’s origin: It was the brainchild of an engineering student in 2005.
Thus, the story came full circle by way of the fun, participatory, collaborative spirit that epitomizes our school.
About the Council for Advancement and Support of Education:
"The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is the global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement professionals—in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services—who share the goal of championing education to transform lives and society.”
