By Adam Zeisel

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a place surrounded by a sea of black with the sounds of ‘Go NU’ echoing in the air. A place where legends are made in a single heartbeat and traditions are born from common desires.

Later, banners are raised to the rafters so no one will ever forget. A place where competitors hear the roars of their inevitable fates; that Matthews, Cabot, Parsons, Sweeney Field, Barletta Natatorium or Solomon Court will be their final resting place. With a rejuvenation of school pride, Northeastern University can be that place.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) proposes a university-wide fundraiser to draw the collective attentions of all students out of the streets and into our arenas. By selling uniformed T-shirts with the slogan “No Matter the Jersey” on the front, and “We’re All Family” on the back, SAAC hopes to restore lost Northeastern Pride and reclaim the good name of the school, one Husky at a time. By wearing the shirt at Husky events and around campus you, the fans, will cheer alongside Northeastern athletes.

Now, I know what you’re thinking “We’re All Family” sounds like a remake of the 1970s Pointer Sisters’ song, “We are Family,” and couldn’t possibly become the slogan for promoting unity and pride at Northeastern University. But think about this: every year student athletes from across the world leave a place of familiarity and comfort, having left an indelible mark on a school, team and community to join 571 other athletes who have taken the same journey. Some of those athletes cheer on the already established, gaining experience from watching every crossover, spike or lap.

The lucky ones get thrown into the fire and are made to prove their worth to coaches who are hoping to discover the next Guerriero, Hicks, Ezekiel, Vanin or Schmaling. Whatever the path to competitive greatness, one thing needs to be clear: no matter the jersey, we’re all family.

NU’s family, however, doesn’t consist solely of student athletes. Yes, athletes are the ones that get most of the headlines and share in trophy ceremonies, but it’s because of the fans any of those moments get remembered. Thanks go out to those students, faculty and staff who have the spirit to raise their voices higher than all the rest and let all those around know there truly “Ain’t nothin’ but a Husky dawg.” To those in the “Dog House,” who epitomize Husky Pride and make it their job to let everyone around know, including the opposing goalie, that pride is not only a 60-minute affair. It is also a living, breathing entity of energy spread throughout the arena by the common red and black.

So, what if you’re none of the above? You’re someone who has glanced at the back pages of The Northeastern News on occasion or perhaps you’ve even gone to see a sporting event to see what all the fuss was about. Are you not “family” material? Do you have less pride than the next Husky?

You don’t need to be an athlete, a coach or a fan who attends games to have pride. Northeastern University is home to roughly 20,000 educated, determined, hard-working students from all walks of life. All are here to get a top level education and gain practical job experience through the best co-op school in the country. So whether you’re a book-worm or a socialite, a teacher or a pupil, a Red Sox or a Yankee’s fan, a couch potato or a party-goer, we are all part of the NU family.

So go ahead, buy a shirt that supports Northeastern and wear it with a sense of pride. Anyone can buy a shirt to blend into a crowd, but it takes a true believer to wear it with pride and honor.

– Adam Zeisel is a junior business major and a member of Northeastern’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.