Join the ‘Bird Shirt’ tradition

  • Author By Illinois State University Staff
  • June 1, 2009

The newly designed 2009 Edition of the Bird Shirt is available at the Illinois State University Barnes & Noble Bookstore and at the Lobby Shop, both in the Bone Student Center.The Bird Shirt was developed by a committee of Student Affairs staff in the summer of 2007 in an effort to promote Redbird spirit and tradition. Everyone is encouraged to wear the shirt (t-shirt or polo version) on Fridays and, on selected Fridays throughout the academic year, anyone wearing the shirt (any edition) can take part in various promotions offered by businesses located within the Bone Student Center.One of the most fun and successful promotions is the Spring Break Contest. Students are encouraged to submit a photo of themselves and/or their friends wearing the shirt while on spring break. As a result, Student Affairs has received many photos of students showing their Redbird pride while visiting locations all over the country and the world. These photos show students participating in a wide variety of activities during spring break, from going to the dentist to relaxing on the beach to helping others while participating in the Alternative Spring Break program to seeing sights around the world. The photos are used in various Bird Shirt advertisements, displayed in the Bone Student Center and posted on the University’s Web site. Although there are a lot of great spring break photos, Student Affairs welcomes and encourages people to submit photos anytime of the year via e-mail at Student Affairs.After only two years, students have embraced the Bird Shirt as one of their favorite Illinois State traditions. Last year, there were more than 6,000 “2008 Edition” Bird Shirts on campus. Each year, the new design is unveiled in June so that the shirt is available in advance of the fall term. The “2009 Edition” is available now at the Illinois State University Barnes & Noble Bookstore and the Lobby Shop in the Bone Student Center in a variety of children and adult sizes.You can learn more about the shirt by visiting the Bird Shirt Web site.