Ready to Ride? ‘VAQ PAQ’ Concept Ready to be Unveiled

Corinna Scott • September 30, 2008

Students may have noticed large banners on campus with the words “VAQ PAQ” on them. These banners are the beginning of what organizers hope will become a school spirit program, developed by the Associated Students of Glendale Community College (ASGCC).

The term “vaq pack” comes from “vaquero pack,” meaning group of cowboys – the school mascot. The school spirit program is based on the heritage of the hard-working, industrious and resilient Spanish cowboy. The idea of having a Spanish cowboy as a mascot originated more than 20 years ago.
“We’re developing a community on campus where we’re proud to be Glendale College students. We’re proud to be vaqueros,” said Steve Ferguson, president of ASGCC, at a board of trustees meeting on Sept 15.

Ferguson said the group is creating a $5 T-shirt that will be sold to faculty, staff and student. Students who sign up and provide e-mail addresses will receive notifications for football games.

“With the new vaq pack comes our new ‘vaq pack call.’ Someone will say ‘saddled up,’ and then someone else will say ‘ready to ride,'” said Ferguson.

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Cecilia Aksu, co-chair of the vaq pack and vice-president of student activities, said Ferguson came up with the name and helped come up with the idea for the program.
Aksu said the program would be a way to increase school spirit and get everyone involved with football games. The idea, she said, was originated in the late July by the executive board and was introduced to the new members at a September retreat in Ojai. The project is still undergoing metamorphosis.

“It’s not the butterfly yet,” said Aksu. “We’re meeting with the committee over the course of this next month to kick it off.”

When asked how the associated students would involve the faculty Aksu said we haven’t ironed that out; many ideas are in the process of being formed. She said on-campus spirit makes for a good atmosphere.
“We’re meeting with the committee over the course of this next month to kick it off,” she said.

Christine Shirvaniah, senator of actives and co-chair of the vaq pack program said that more information would be available later.

About the Contributors

Corinna Scott, Staff Illustrator

Corinna Scott is a self-proclaimed artist, writer, and journalist. She has studied journalism since 2000. Starting at East Los Angeles College and ending up at the award winning Glendale Community College’s El Vaquero. She has won an award for her newswriting, taken top place in a news poll for her Board of Trustees stories, and won an honorable mention for her cartoon. Corinna has studied animation arts while attending GCC from 1998 to 1999 whereupon she changed her mind on her major and entered the exciting world of Journalism complete with competing in state-wide competitions.

Jane Pojawa, production assistant

Jane Pojawa is a Southern California-based print media editor/writer who also dabbles in web design. Her passion is historical research and has served as a secretary/archivist/historian for the Cabot’s Pueblo Museum board of directors 2008-2010), the communications director for the Friends of the Michael White Adobe (2009 – current) and the media and communications chair for the Morongo Basin Historical Society (2010-current). She writes a a blog for her husband, Raven Jake, and brews mead. She is a past editor-in-chief for El Vaquero 2005-2006, and Spring 2011 and served as the editor-in-chief for the Insider, GCC's student magazine, from 2008 - 2014.