This letter is in response to Michael O’Rourke’s negative anti-Awesome letter published in The Oracle Nov. 1.
I would say, Dr. O’Rourke, I truly think you are under-appreciating the meaning of the word “awesome.” As it is my first name, I think it is a fairly important word. Although the word has been used as a cliché over the years for the more relaxed and less professional members of our society, for the more dignified and educated people, in which I assume you are a part of, the word stands by its definition of “inspiring awe” or “exemplifying terrific or extraordinary qualities.” I personally think we as a university are fully “awesome.” Our programs are rated as some of the best in the Southeast, our sports teams rank among the top in our conference and our campus is completely stunning. All of these things in my book are “awesome.”
As for our website and slogan urging students to “unleash their awesomeness,” I think that is one of the greatest things we can do. It is a great advertising campaign. Most other universities tend to place their schools up on a pedestal of being large, no-nonsense institutions and then shove the vapid and stale aspects of education down the throats of potential students, which can tend to frighten some. However, we don’t do that. Tech encourages students to look inside themselves and truly find what is awesome to them and then peruse it and study it. We give students something to relate to and make the choice of a college a personal one. The cartoon version of myself on the website is there to give a sense of school pride, which we should all have as members of the University.
As for me personally, I’ll have you know I like my name, and I’m pretty set in my gender. And I’ll let Goldy Gopher from the University of Minnesota know that you think he has a girl’s name. He’ll just love that.
– Awesome Eagle
