Students strive to win second Victoria’s Secret collegiate concert

IU was the first school to win the Victoria’s Secret’s PINK Nation back-to-school concert this past fall, and students are working to bring another concert for this coming school year.

Pink has several interns that serve as campus representatives at IU, including junior Lizzy Gerard, who played a key role in the planning of the B-town Bash last fall, which featured DJ Girl Talk and resulted in Dunn Meadow being reduced to mud, for a time.

“This year’s event was hugely successful,” Gerard said. “There were thousands of people that waited in line for hours.”

Along with Girl Talk, the main musical event at the B-town Bash included Cobra Starship and local band Dot Dot Dot. The event was also coordinated with the Middle Way House for battered women and children in Bloomington by collecting toiletries and clothing for their cause.

Gerard leads a Facebook group that updates students and spreads awareness of Pink events on campus. Gerard said that while there are some who say negative things about the Pink events on Facebook groups, she has had no personal issues with opposition to their initiatives on campus.

For the second annual back-to-school concert, Pink has developed what is called the “Collegiate Showdown.” Students of the 59 colleges nationwide associated with the Pink clothing line can vote for their school on the Pink Nation Web site to win a concert to kick off the 2010-2011 school year. 

Gerard said the musical performers and celebrity appearances won’t be announced until much closer to the event, but both are guaranteed.

Currently, IU is in the Super 16 round, which lasts until Thursday, and battling against Binghamton University to advance to the Outstanding Eight. For the Hoosiers to advance further in the tournament, IU needs to garner as many votes as possible through the online voting where everyone is allowed to vote once a day.

Sophomore Kaleigh Branchick, who attended the B-town Bash this year, continues to vote daily through the elimination rounds.

“I may have even made a few extra e-mail accounts for myself to vote with,” Branchick said. “I just hate how there’s so many Facebook groups that everyone joins, but no one actually votes.”

Freshman Lauren Eickhoff missed the event this year but is making up for it with her committed voting as well.

“I had class this year and was disappointed I had to miss the awesome opportunity, so I’ve been voting twice a day for us to win again,” Eickhoff said.

Gerard encourages all students, including the males, to vote daily for the chance for IU to win the concert for another year.

“I feel like some guys wouldn’t want to vote because they have to go to the Victoria’s Secret Pink Web site,” Gerard said. “They should be encouraged to, though, because it is just to vote for the event. People should vote if they want to have another amazing night.”