Johnathan Peña
Sports Editor
Students, staff and alumni came together to establish a new tradition with Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s first-ever Jaguar Den Tailgate on Oct. 31.
The event, hosted by Student Life, was filled with school spirit as attendees enjoyed free food, music and games in preparation and support of the women’s and men’s soccer games against Huston-Tillotson University later that day.
The tailgate event was also used as a replacement for A&M-San Antonio’s seasonal Fall Festival which had been held annually for the past 15 years.
Director of Student Life, Emily Banda gave her insight on the challenges faced during the event’s planning stage.
“I think the biggest one is having people understand the vision that you’re trying to bring to life,” Banda said. “Everybody that we worked with was an amazing partner and was excited about this event. Everybody came together and was willing to do the work.”
The event took place on Halloween, adding to the festivities and spirit of the event for some students.
Alejandro Mendoza, a freshman in business management, attended the tailgate in full zombie costume with prosthetics and makeup.
“It feels pretty amazing. I like it; it’s awesome for everyone to enjoy,” Mendoza said. “The fact that we get to experience this and enjoy different costumes and things around here is really cool.”
One of the first of its kind at A&M-San Antonio, the tailgating event gave students the opportunity to establish new traditions at the university and within the community.
“It’s really fun, I thought it would be a lot bigger but I think this is a good size with a good amount of things here for students to do,” said biology freshman Cristina Armenta. “This contributes to community engagement and it makes people feel included.
Approximately 700 students, staff, and alumni attended the Jaguar Den Tailgate, marking a successful gathering for the A&M-San Antonio community.
