Although it’s only February, Bluffton University is already looking ahead to next fall and planning ways to enhance the on-campus culture next year. One idea being discussed: a tailgating section for home football games.
“The idea for tailgating started with Dr. Wood,” said Claire Clay, alumni relations manager and marketing coordinator. “Getting students involved in different things on campus is a big priority of hers, and so she thought this would be a relatively easy way to do that.”
So far, the idea is still in the beginning stages. Clay, Athletic Director Phill Talavinia, President Jane Wood and Chris Gable, the administrative assistant for the University Event Complex, Athletics and HFS department, went to Franklin College last fall to learn from their process.
“[Franklin does tailgating] really well. They’ve been doing it for a long time, and they invited us to come to what’s called the President’s Box, where the president hosts guests of the opposing school,” said Clay. “We went early, looked around and asked them how they do tailgating—just because we knew it was an idea that we had and that we wanted to do it at Bluffton.”
Clay, Talavinia, Gable and Robin Bowlus, interim vice president for enrollment management, have been named members of a tailgating committee charged using their strengths and respective positions on campus to figure out how to put all the pieces of tailgating together in order to make it possible in the near future, according to Clay.
“We have people that come to the games and tailgate anyway, but we want it to be more of a community atmosphere because that’s what Bluffton is about—community—so getting that coordinated is our goal and figuring out how to coordinate it is what we’re doing right now,” said Clay.
Junior Takayla Gadberry said she believes tailgating would help build community and bring people together for football games.
“I think tailgating is a good idea, because I think it will bring people in,” Gadberry said. “I went to Franklin to watch the game, and they had so many people and so many families and students out tailgating—and they’re a dry campus, too.”
Clay and Gadberry both believe tailgating has the potential to bring together students, families, and alumni.
“We want students to be there playing cornhole, listening to music, eating lunch together, cheering on your classmates and friends and doing all of these things in a community setting,” Clay said. “That’s what it’s all about—supporting each other—but we want it to be more organic. We’re not going to tell the students what to do, we just want to get the students there, and once you’re there, do what makes you happy.”
There are no official tailgating policies in place yet, but the Bluffton University rules will still apply, including the alcohol policy. Sophomore Sydney Staton said she has some concerns with this arrangement.
“I think it depends on if we’re a dry campus or not,” said Staton. “I think that if we’re not a dry campus then tailgating is fine—it’s part of football—but if we are a dry campus, then we need to stick to that.”
While the tailgating isn’t approved for next school year yet, progress is being made. The committee is getting different price quotes on items such as tents, grills and cornhole boards. Clay said she is excited about the possibility that it brings.
“We’re hoping that this uplifts the community,” Clay said. “We want students who are living in the residence halls across from the football stadium to hear the music starting at 9 or 10 a.m. and be like ‘What’s going on outside?’ and instead of just sitting in their dorms all day, coming out and being a part of campus activities—the tailgate, the football game, everything. We’re hoping this is something that adds to the campus experience.”
