Brookings, SD (KELO AM) - South Dakota State University students returned from Thanksgiving break with Christmas on their minds, and the Main Street of the University Student Union is evidence of that.Students representing 41 organizations spent part of their afternoon Dec. 1 putting tinsels and lights on 6-foot Frasier firs as part of the annual tree-decorating contest sponsored by the University Student Union. The trees are up through Dec. 15 with the winners to be announced Dec.12.
Anyone who visits the Union is free to cast a ballot at the Information Exchange desk on the west end of Main Street.
Voters can write down their choices in four different categories: "Making Spirits Bright," Santa's Nice List," "Yellow and Blue" and "Best Showcase of an Organization or Department," according to Courtney Donnelli, Information Exchange student manager. Winners will receive gift certificates to local businesses.However, in talking with several students Dec. 1, they were less concerned with winning than marketing to their classmates.Nate Walstrom is president of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society, which became an officially recognized student organization in September.
They entered the contest to gain exposure for the group."We've done some community service projects with chemistry presentations at the Children's Museum. If we had more members, we could do more projects," said Walstrom, a senior from Rapid City. The group used traditional decorations. Next year it hopes to decorate beakers and test tubes to hang on the tree.Jenna Croymans, secretary of the Panhellic Council, coordinated the Greek Life decorating effort, which was done to "get Greek Life out there on campus and show some Christmas spirit."
The tree will have a decoration or symbol from each of the four sororities and eight fraternities on campus using the theme "No matter the letter, we're all Greek together," Croymans, an Aberdeen sophomore, said.Sisters Marisa and Ashleigh Hare of Flandreau decorated the American Indian Science and Engineering Society tree. The president of the group, which was just formed last year, suggested that the society enter the contest and Marisa Hare volunteered to bring decorations from home.Older sister Ashleigh, a sophomore, said they customized the tree with flags from Native American tribes.