Seniors to Celebrate, Scale Bell Tower

"Climb the Bell Tower," an event in which seniors will be allowed to scale the Bell Tower from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, is one of the events included in Senior Week, which started Monday.

Senior Class President Ben Singer, who helped organize the week's events, said the purpose of Senior Week is to bring the class together one more time before graduation May 19.

"(Senior Week) gives seniors a week to be a kid again and enjoy the undergraduate experience," he said.

He added that because the mystery of the Bell Tower is a large part of this experience, seeing the inside is a rite of passage.

"A lot of people wonder what the inside of the Bell Tower looks like," he said.

"It's something to say you did before you graduate."

As part of Senior Week, the class of 2002 also sponsored sumo wrestling in the Pit on Monday and a ceremony for the first Edward Kidder Graham Awards, which were held in the George Watts Hill Alumni Center on Tuesday.

Singer said the awards are a way to honor fellow classmates as well as faculty and student organization advisors.

The awards were divided into 13 categories: 11 for different types of student organizations, one for faculty members and one for advisors. Twelve of the 41 seniors nominated won awards, while five of the 14 faculty nominees and one of the four advisor nominees received awards.

Singer said a committee of faculty and senior marshals selected the winners by deciding which nominees best represented their respective categories.

Other events this week will include a money management seminar; the "Senior Class Last Blast," a barbecue Thursday in Carmichael Auditorium; cotton candy in the Pit; and senior nights at He's Not Here on Thursday and Players dance club on Saturday.

Singer said senior marshals have been planning the events for Senior Week during the course of the semester. He also said some events, such as the Senior Success Series money management seminar, were intended to be informative.

Other events, including "Climb the Bell Tower" and senior night at He's Not Here, are traditions of Senior Week, Singer said. He also said these events spice up the week and ensure that final exams will not be the only memory seniors have of their final days at UNC.

In addition to Senior Week, the final events held for seniors before graduation include the Concert for a Cure on April 17 and the Senior Ball on April 20.

But Singer said he hopes all seniors take advantage of the events going on through Saturday.

"It's a chance for everyone to enjoy these last few weeks," he said. "Because before you know it, we're gone."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.