The University of Louisiana at Lafayette encourages all fans to wear red on Fridays, and the street’s rededication serves as a visible invitation for all members of the university community to join the spirited displays.

"I always wear red on Friday to show school spirit," said Heather Moran, an 18-year-old biology freshman from Madisonville. "You have to show

support."

University officials and student leaders held a brief dedication ceremony at noon Thursday to unveil new "Wear Red Avenue" signs posted along Rex Street.

Matt Tarver, UL’s assistant director for trademark licensing, oversees the "Wear Red" campaign.

He said Rex Street has not been renamed but rather given the honorary dedication as "Wear Red Avenue." He said the Rex Street name needed to remain intact for emergency response purposes.

He said the four signs on Rex Street between East St. Mary Boulevard and East Lewis Street not only tell passersby of the Wear Red campaign but also honor all past and present UL students, as well as "whoever else decides to be part of the Ragin’ Cajun community."

"It’s almost impossible to miss this intersection," Tarver said.

At least 100 students and members of the UL community went to the intersection of Rex Street and East St. Mary Boulevard to watch the sign unveiling.

Cheerleaders lead the crowd in spirited yells, and members of the Ragin’ Jazz dance team gave students t-shirts commemorating the dedication ceremony while university officials passed out slices of cake.

Tarver said Lafayette Consolidated Government donated the four signs placed along both sides of Rex Street. The signs read: "To recognize the spirit of the university’s students, faculty, staff and fans, this streets is designated as Wear Red Avenue."

Kylie Templet, president of UL’s Student Government Association, said the signs are a great physical reminder for students to show school spirit.

"Always wear red on Friday," she told the crowd.

UL President Joseph Savoie echoed Templet’s statements and said wearing red on Fridays is a long-standing campus tradition.

Dustin Plaisance, a 19-year-old pre-law freshman from Youngsville, said he too wears red nearly every Friday. He said he saw the dedication ceremony as he walked between classes and decided to stop and watch the unveiling.

"I think it’s a good thing," Plaisance said. "I like it."

Trey Petitjean, a 21-year-old industrial design senior from Lafayette, helped make Wear Red Avenue a reality.

Petitjean started working in UL’s Communications and Marketing Department during his earlier years as a student, and Tarver asked him to make a poster promoting the Wear Red campaign.

Petitjean walked around the campus snapping random pictures for inspiration, and the street signs at the intersection Rex Street and East St. Mary Boulevard captivated him.

Petitjean then transformed his picture of street signs into a poster with traffic signs saying "Pedestrians must wear red every Friday."

This past fall, those posters were displayed across campus and in several businesses. Petitjean and Tarver then built upon the poster’s idea of UL-themed traffic signs and got the ball rolling to re-dedicate Rex Street as Wear Red Avenue.

"Our goal was to generate a sense of community," Petitjean said. "UL and Louisiana culture has always been about creating community, and everyone wearing red helps do that."

UL’s push to have fans don red on Fridays doesn’t stop there.

The school is sponsoring several contests in conjunction with National College Colors Day, which is today. Those events include:

-School contest: The local school that’s most creative in wearing red any day this week will win a pizza party from Deano’s, featuring Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun pizzas.

-Business contest: A winner from three categories – small, medium and large business – will be selected based on the highest percentage of employees wearing red and will be honored during a home football game.

-Creative sign contest: The business displaying the most creative Wear Red slogan or catchy phrase on outdoor signs or electronic marquees will be honored during a home football game.

-UL Lafayette campus contest: A winner will be selected from university departments, offices, organizations and clubs that wear red and decorate work spaces to show UL spirit.

 

Athletic Network footnote: Click here for photo gallery of the unveiling of Wear Red Avenue.