Rose celebrates “Blue Friday”

Last Friday, Rose-Hulman celebrated the Indianapolis Colts’ first Super Bowl appearance since moving to Indianapolis with Blue Friday. Royal blue was worn by many students, faculty, and staff to show support for the team, and large support signs were autographed by hundreds of the campus community.

Gerald Jakubowski, President of Rose-Hulman, was the key motivator behind the sea of blue worn by the campus. “The mayor announced ‘Colt’s Week’ and named Friday ‘Blue Friday’. In support of the mayor and the Colts, we also wanted to contribute in Blue Friday here at Rose-Hulman,” Jakubowski declared.

Jakubowski stated, “We are hoping to renegotiate the contract with the Colts so that they will return for more years.” (They will return next year.) Rose-Hulman is a key supporter of the Indianapolis Colts football team. Eight years ago, the campus began serving the Colts with facilities for athletic training. The Colts practice at Cook Stadium until a week before the beginning of first quarter.

With the anticipation for Sunday’s Super Bowl game, nearly every student watched the game. The Colt’s 29-17 win excited students: cheers, hoots, and waving banners could be seen and heard from anywhere on campus. Bill Gros, a freshman Chemical Engineer who attended the game in Miami, exclaimed that the game was “really awesome,” even though he had favored his hometown’s Chicago Bears.

Jakubowski also attended, commenting that the game was “quite extraordinary.” He also added that, “Certainly with my first year here at Rose and having the opportunity to meet the president, coach, and players, I feel that Rose played an important role in helping the win.”