In honor of Valentine’s Day, The Ole Miss Big Event hosted the annual Cupid Run, a 5K fundraiser, on Sunday, Feb. 11.
“The Ole Miss Big Event Cupid Run is a 5K on campus designed by students to
raise money for the Big Event,” Connor Gee, a Big Event board member and sophomore biological sciences and general business major, said. “This fundraiser allows students to not only support a great cause, but also ro get active and have a fun experience.”
Scheduled this year for April 6, The Ole Miss Big Event has become a beloved tradition for University of Mississippi students in which all who are interested in giving back to their community come together for one giant day of service projects.
Executive committee member and sophomore biology major Braeden Watters explained that events such as the Cupid Run are another outlet for students to serve their community.
“What compelled me to get involved in the executive team for this event is the chance to connect with all the people who perform the incredibly difficult logistical work to put this event together and who are fully committed to service,” Watters said. “My passion and desire for service has burned in me since I graduated high school, and I feel like I am in a community who shares this through the Big Event team.”
More than 250 participants both from the UM community and afar participated in the race. Sophomore integrated marketing communications major Braxton Dagg decided to join the race in an effort to support campus organizations.
“It was a running joke between my friends for a while that we were all going to run the race,” Dagg said. “I work with the Associated Student Body, so I do my best to support other big organizations on campus.”
Landon Wong, a senior biomedical engineering major and Big Event co-director, said the Cupid Run and participating in the Big Event is a one-of-a-kind experience.
“My favorite part is right when the race starts when everyone is cheering and smiling,” Wong said. “It is truly a heartwarming experience to watch the impact our Big Event team has on the runners when we come together to support and cheer them on. The bigger picture is seeing a group of people that just want to help any way they can to make our community a better place.”
The female winner of the race was Julia Stradinger, a sophomore accounting major, with a time of 22:13. The male winner was Grayson Redden, a junior at Pleasant Grove High School in Texarkana, Texas, with a time of 18:50.
“I would definitely recommend this event to others,” Stradinger said. “The environment was so great. Even though it was pouring down rain, all the volunteers were smiling and happy to be helping, and the participants were all happy to be there to run or walk in support of the Big Event cause.”
Redden said he heard about the Cupid Run when visiting Oxford over winter break.
“I thought, ‘Why not go run it?’” Redden said. “Little did I know I would end up winning it and setting a record for my best time.”
Although the executive team strives to increase participation in events such as the Cupid Run, the main goal is to maximize student involvement in the main service day.
“I am trying to spread what the Big Event is so people all over campus will have a chance to partake in such a selfless opportunity to help the Oxford-Lafayette community,” Wong said. “We would love to increase the number of participants in the 5K, but more importantly, our actual service day every single year.”
