Message from Undergraduate Student Government President

Aug. 23, 2011

Fellow Hurricanes!

For those of you returning to campus, welcome back! And to the Class of 2015: Welcome to the U! The start of a new year always brings a renewed sense of school pride. As we see old friends and meet new people, our ‘U family’ grows in size and strength. The news of NCAA rule-violation allegations against our athletics program is troubling. But when have we, the students at the University of Miami, ever shied away from representing our school–our family–when a challenge presents itself to us?

Each and every day, we wear the U with pride on our campus and all around the country. We wear it not as just a logo on our shirt but as our heart on our sleeve. We are proud to be Miami Hurricanes, and we have no problem letting other people know. That should not and will not ever change. With the over 15,000 students at this great University and the over 165,000 living alumni, we have over 180,000 family members who bleed orange and green–something no one can take away.

The buildings and fountains on campus make up the University of Miami. But it is us–the students–who make it ‘The U’. When the TV cameras pan at the football games, they pan to us. When the country wants to know how a school is handling a situation, they look to us. We need to show everyone that our family is as strong as it’s ever been and it is a bond that is forever growing stronger.

Now, our U family needs to be stronger than ever. That is why I ask each and every one of you to wear orange on Wednesday to support our family, and to mark the start of a new year–a year that will be defined the way we, and no one else, choose to define it. Together, we will show the country what it means to be a Miami Hurricane. Step by step and day by day our U family will show the country and the world that it truly is great to be a Miami Hurricane.

Go ‘Canes!

Brandon Mitchell
Undergraduate Student Government President