Spreading North Dakota Spirit: The Pride of the North band

Alyssa Shirek

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-12-2012

Abstract

Spreading North Dakota Spirit: The Pride of the North band

Text Your Pledge event supports beloved student organization

When Heather Church and Cory Driscoll came to UND as freshmen, they found a big new campus, an unfamiliar place full of strangers, and unlimited possibility for their futures. They also found a second family – a big one. Their new family consisted of 150 flutists, drummers, trumpet players and saxophonists. Their new family was the Pride of the North band.

“It gives you a family when you first come to college; it gives you friends you can count on. Instantly, everybody respects each other,” said Dricoll, 23. “And you learn a good work ethic.”

Most friends of UND recognize the Pride of the North from its performances at hockey, basketball and football games. Whether they’re playing “Stand Up and Cheer” or “In Heaven There Is No Beer,” the Pride of the North gets the crowd on its feet. It’s the largest student organization on campus, and represents every field of study.

Because the Pride of the North is so important to the spirit of UND, and because it represents such a huge cross-section of students, the University of North Dakota, UND Foundation, and generous friends of UND are cooperating to support the band.

In conjunction with Spirit Week, the Text Your Pledge program will utilize the most current technologies to collect pledges for the Pride of the North. Hugo’s Family Marketplace will match pledges made during this weekend’s UND vs. U of M men’s hockey series Text to Pledge campaign. All pledges also support North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND, which seeks to raise $300 million for the benefit of UND’s passionate students, inspirational educators, innovative programs and extraordinary places.

Church, a 21-year-old drummer and senior music education major, says she would like to see the money used for new uniforms or for travel costs. “The Pride of the North works as a team to represent the University of North Dakota,” she said. “I’d like to see some new uniforms that match our high standard of playing. It’s also a good opportunity to take trips with the teams to other states.”

Driscoll also points to the band’s national representation of UND. “Scholarships would increase the band’s size, and make the band better to represent UND,” he said. “And if we could have more support for traveling and new instruments, we’d look and feel more like other D-I bands.”

Click here to learn how you can support the Pride of the North through the Text Your Pledge campaign, and remember that you’re helping to develop the next generation of UND’s passionate students.

“I wouldn’t be the person or musician I am today without the Pride of the North,” says Driscoll.

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