The Lobo Spirit Club has set out to rethink the way UNM is perceived.
The group began as a homecoming committee, but it has developed over time and started activities such as Red Rally, where club members create and burn a giant papier-mache NMSU Aggie.
Junior Cate Wisdom, director of Lobo Spirit, said the club has steadily gained momentum.
"We start events that are small, but over time they can become much larger," Wisdom said. "We do things like Red Fridays, where if students wear their red on Fridays, they have the chance of winning prizes all over campus. It isn't just for students who go to games, although that is an easy way to become involved."
Senior Melissa Marquez, assistant director of Lobo Spirit, said the group is preparing activities for the holidays.
"Since it is the holiday season, Lobo Spirit created a backdrop for the students, staff and faculty to take pictures in front of," she said. "This year's backdrop was a gingerbread house."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Marquez said the group is always putting on activities to make students feel more connected to the University.
"A lot of times, people don't have the opportunity to take a picture with the Lobo mascot," she said. "We tried to allow people to have a lot of fun with it, and a lot of faculty come by and take pictures."
The club also participates in Hanging of the Greens, which is put on by the Mortar Board organization to raise money.
Marquez said the Lobo Spirit club constructed a luminaria Lobo paw to the decorations.
"When we participate in Hanging of the Greens, for the past couple years, we have created a Lobo paw design," she said. "It seems to be one of the most-photographed places on campus."
Wes Henderson, a first-year member of Lobo Spirit, said he wants the club to help the Athletics Department get as many fans as possible at each sporting event.
"Student involvement on this campus, for sporting events especially, is very low," he said. "Slowly but surely, I think that Lobo Spirit can help make students become more involved and really boost the amount of students who go to games."
Henderson said Lobo Spirit, in conjunction with the Howl Raisers, has already started helping the cause.
"You can look at other universities and want to have 10,000 students at a game, just like those other universities do," he said. "Student involvement is going to be a huge area that I want to work on with my time in Lobo Spirit."
Wisdom said Lobo Spirit is a good opportunity for students to get involved in athletics and other aspects of campus and the college experience.
Marquez said the more students participate, the better time they will have in college.
"If you are more involved, in anything from groups to games, a student just has more drive to do well," she said.
Wisdom said part of the improvement comes from bonding with fellow students.
"When you get involved into groups like Lobo Spirit, it creates friendships with people that you can go to and ask for help with classes or anything," she said.
Wisdom said Lobo Spirit aims to help students and create memories that will last a lifetime.
"Chances are, a person won't remember their math classes," she said. "What you will remember is sitting on Johnson Field with all your friends and watching the Aggie burn - those moments are what make college great."
