Photo by the author.

A speedy devil raced across the Rock Thursday to promote Demon Dash, Kappa Delta’s fall philanthropy project. The Halloween-themed 5K run to support Prevent Child Abuse America will be held 9 am Saturday at the Lakefill. Tickets are available at the Norris Box Office.

Photo by the author.

The NU American Sign Language Club painted the Rock Tuesday night. The club advocates for sign language classes to be offered at Northwestern. ASL Club holds weekly Tuesday meetings and is open to all students.

Photo by the author.

Sophomore members of Gamma Phi Beta painted the Rock early Monday morning. A nearby tree also bore the sorority’s Greek lettering. Gamma Phi Beta member and Medill sophomore Simone Slykhous said the sisters painted the Rock to “get the word out” about their chapter. Gamma Phi Beta had planned to paint the Rock last Winter Quarter but never got around to it, she said.

Photo by the author.

The Associated Student Government exec board painted the Rock Tuesday night to welcome Morton O. Schapiro to the office of president of the university. “We painted it as part of his inauguration gift being given to him on behalf of the student body,” ASG Director of Publications Claire Lew said in an e-mail.

Schapiro will be officially inaugurated during a ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday on Deering Meadow. A “LiveWired Conversation” with President Schapiro this evening will begin a four-day celebration of NU’s 16th president that includes a symposium featuring Hot, Flat, and Crowded author Thomas Friedman, a John Legend concert at Welsh-Ryan Arena, and special halftime event during Saturday’s home football game.

Photo by the author.

The Muslim-cultural Students Association (McSA) painted the Rock Sunday night announcing the launch of Islam Awareness Week. McSA, which works to advance understanding of Islam at Northwestern, will host a number of events this week including fireside discussions, open prayer services and a final conference on Friday at Ryan Auditorium addressing cooperation between members of different major religions. Members of all faiths are invited to attend Islam Awareness Week events; tickets for Friday’s conference are $10 for students and $20 for general admission.

Photo by the author.

Members of the Chinese International Association (CIA) painted the Rock Wednesday evening to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the formation of the People’s Republic of China. The CIA also commemorated China’s Communist Revolution by watching the National Day parade from Tiananmen Square on television.

The exhibition in Beijing celebrates Mao Zedong’s declaration of a Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War on October 1, 1949. Reminiscent of the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Beijing, the National Day parade featured precise performances and military displays.

Photo by the author.

Red and green hot air balloons floated to a baby blue the sky on the Rock in celebration of McCormick senior JJ Cheo’s 23rd birthday Thursday. Friends of JJ included the uplifting message “The sky is the limit.”

JJ shares his birthday with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jim Henson.

Are you one of JJ’s friends? Are you JJ? (If so, happy birthday!) E-mail us at news@northbynorthwestern.com.

Photo by the author.

Cast and crew members of the Web series (Un)Dead Seriously painted the Rock early Tuesday morning with haunting messages from the “living” to promote their online “zombicomedocumentary.” With splatters of red dye, the crew warned students to run for their lives on the first day of classes and brought awareness to the concerns of zombies on campus.

Over the course of the evening, (Un)Dead Seriously posted a nine-part video series depicting founding members B. Makota Kawabata and Paul Foryt guarding the Rock and looking for love. The group also posted an online photo slideshow of the painting of the Rock.

(Un)Dead Seriously is in production of its first season. Five episodes have already been released since May 23.

Photo by the author.

Wildcat Welcome staff members painted the Rock Monday night with a greeting for new students. The message coincided with Tuesday’s move-in activities and the beginning of Wildcat Welcome week. The staff of peer coordinators, peer advisers and members of a board of directors work to acclimate incoming students to their new homes during their first days at Northwestern. Welcome events include information sessions, comedy and music performances and a trip to Six Flags Great America.

Photo courtesy Samantha Brown.

From Weinberg senior Samantha Brown:

Seniors in the Integrated Science Program (called Entering Class 2005, or EC 05) painted the rock to celebrate our last days together, but more importantly to promote science! All over the rock are various science-y things, like a dinosaur, a paramecium, the wave equation, a volcano, a beaker and an atomic model. On the front wall, the top is painted with chalkboard paint to make an interactive writing surface, and acknowledge the countless hours we’ve spent, chalk in hand, working on problems. The middle reads “SonBinh, will you marry me?”, in reference to our program director Prof. SonBinh Nguyen who has devoted so much time and effort to his students that we might as well make it official.

The Shakespeare-oriented theater group Lovers and Madmen painted the Rock on Tuesday to advertise their upcoming performance of Much Ado About Nothing, and continued painting it today. Although painting the Rock during the day is generally frowned upon as unacceptable behavior as per tradition, the performances will be taking place at the Rock and the painted Rock will serve as a backdrop. The original advertisement was painted at night.

If you are interested in seeing this performance, stop by the Rock at May 28 at 7 p.m., May 29 at 7 and 10 p.m., and May 31 at 2 p.m. In case of rain, the performance will move to the Bergen Theatre in the Theatre Interpretation Center. There is no charge for watching all or a part of the performance.

Photo courtesy of Bethany Marzewski.

Pennsylvania State University sophomore Skyler Marzewski, brother of Medill senior Bethany Marzewski, painted the Rock on Sunday.

Bethany sent me an email to notify me of the Rock being painted and included a picture. She said in her email, “I’m not sure if we’d like to endorse the whole ‘kid coming from another school to paint our Rock’ thing, but I figured I may as well send it to you, anyway.”

The members of the sorority Alpha Chi Omega and the fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha painted the Rock on Friday to advertise their joint spring philanthropy, Watermelon Bust, which took place on Saturday.

NSTV painted the Rock on Thursday to advertise the premiere of their annual sketch comedy show. It will take place this Saturday, May 23 at 8 p.m. in Tech Auditorium.

Wrestlepocalypse III painted the Rock on Wednesday to advertise their show, taking place in Shanley Pavillion on May 28 at 8 p.m. and May 29 at 8 and 11 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the Norris Box Office. The show is sponsored by Vertigo Productions.