VEISHEA's Future 2: Taking a Stance
From: Trevin Ward Date: Thu, Apr 10, 2014 at 9:27 AM Subject: VEISHEA's Future To: [email protected]
President Leath,
I do not envy your position in the least and I know I am far from likely to be the only individual emailing you today, or over the coming weeks and months on this matter. That being said, I felt it important to share my position and a little bit of my own personal VEISHEA story.
I'm the son of two Iowa State graduates; I once lived in University Village as a child back when it was only for married student families. My first VEISHEA experiences had nothing to do with riots or drinking (despite the fact the event was not dry at that point) and had everything to do with cherry pies, clown cars in the parade, and a hug from Cy. Bits and pieces of VEISHEA constitute some of my earliest childhood memories; they are fond ones of the tradition and of the University.
My first VEISHEA as an Iowa State student was in 2004. I learned of the riots that year the next morning. I lived in Richardson Court (right across the street from the Knoll, in Lyon Hall) and was fortunate to not have tear gas come in through my dorm room windows like members of my classes sleeping in Friley. I've lived in a world without VEISHEA for a year, thankfully it was only a year. I remember the April of 2005 feeling recognizably empty, despite efforts like "This is Your April." Iowa State was not the same place that year, and it was not for the better.
In the years since, I've seen happy VEISHEAs from the perspective of a student, and as a non-Student, including 4 in my time working late nights serving food from street carts in the thick of it all and three now as a board member of the Campustown Action Association (which I am not speaking for today). That time included nights with a near riot the night of an Iowa Football game or two but few unfortunate events relating to VEISHEA. Those were some of the best VEISHEAs I remember, cementing VEISHEA as a time I can relish in nostalgia and experience how my University has grown. I obviously have an emotional connection to VEISHEA, but it's one that shares space with my emotional connection to this University.
Which brings me to my point. There is an undeniable history of unfortunate events attached to VEISHEA but I can't help but feel that the good far outweighs the bad. We've seen riots at university campuses and college towns for decades for all sorts of reasons, major political events (Bin Laden's death comes to mind), successful sporting events, and unsuccessful ones. Arizona, Wisconsin, and Connecticut aren't discussing canceling their basketball programs involvement in the NCAA tournament. If these unfortunate events are to occur in a world without VEISHEA what will we gain from it's cancellation? Does it outweigh what we lose?
I don't believe so.
Trevin Ward Iowa State Student 2003-2008
