SOU Launches New Sports Band

(Ashland, Ore.) —Fans attending Southern Oregon University home football games this fall can expect an even more fun experience than in previous years: a sports band. Raider Band director, Travis Moddison, has already begun recruiting students.
“The first home game is scheduled for September 12, so we need to have our members identified and begin rehearsals before classes start in the fall,” Moddison said.
Moddison, who is an alumnus of SOU, envisions a band that will bring another level of excitement to the experience of attending an SOU athletic event. “The intent of this band is to entertain the fans, promote school spirit, provide momentum to our sports teams, and have fun,” he said.
Although fans can expect to hear some familiar sports band music, the Raider Band will not be a typical marching band. “We are excited about making something unique at SOU. The environment of creativity and excellent leadership is the basis for building a program that serves the community in a variety of ways,” Moddison said.
Although bringing more excitement and fun to events on campus at SOU is among the primary goals of the band, it is expected to be a tool in recruiting and retaining students as well. “We know from national studies and our own internal data that students who are engaged in extracurricular activities on campus persist at higher rates than students who aren’t involved in such activities,” according to SOU President Roy Saigo. “They retain at higher rates and are more likely to graduate.”
The Raider Band is expected to be made up of up to 30 students, many of whom may not have attended SOU if not for the opportunity to participate in the sports band.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.