Student government wears Carolina Blue for athletes

Since the release of the Wainstein report in October, Student Body President Andrew Powell has watched student-athletes and the athletic department squirm under the national microscope.

To show support for student-athletes, the executive branch of student government has asked the student body to wear Carolina Blue today.

Some student-athletes have felt underappreciated and attacked for events that happened in the past, Powell said.

“The vast majority of our student-athletes have been unfairly marginalized and criticized,” he said. “Student-athletes are part of the student body, and they deserve our support.”

Powell said he hopes this event, which has more than 250 people signed up to attend on the Facebook event, will remind everyone that it is important to recognize the work and effort of all students.

“Anytime that students aren’t feeling supported or aren’t feeling welcomed, that’s when student government needs to get involved and make sure that our community is as strong as it can be,” he said.

Loren Shealy, a senior field hockey player and a member of the Student Athlete Athletic Council, said the event is a great way for the student body to get more involved in athletics.

Shealy said she hasn’t been treated differently since the report came out but said other student-athletes feel differently.

“I know some people have felt a little lack of support because it’s a negative report in a lot of ways, so I think tomorrow will be great,” she said. “It will ramp up the support a little more and just let people be a little more vocal about their support without having to say anything.”

Junior Jake Bogerd said the idea of collegiate athletics is silly with the amount of work the student-athletes have to do for no pay, and the day’s attire is not remarkable enough to make a difference.

“I don’t think it is going to be that noticed — people wear Carolina Blue all the time,” he said.

Freshman Josiah Evans said Tuesday’s event is a good way to move forward as a University.

“I feel that it’s a pretty decent idea just to restore some of the faith in our athletes, seeing that with the recent scandal that it did have a debilitating blow to the school,” he said.

Evans said students can further help student-athletes by attending games and being vocal supporters on and off campus.

Powell said students and professors should express pride.

“It’s tough to hear from (student-athletes) that they’re feeling down or not quite as proud as they used to be about being a student-athlete,” he said. “They’re an important part of the student body.”

Shealy said she thinks the day of appreciation will be a great way to bind the University together.

“I think ultimately it’s just going to be a really cool day to see the student body come together and unite over one thing.”

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