Visit Greenville, NC, and the purple and gold are everywhere, welcoming visitors to revel in the school spirit of East Carolina University. Take a drive through Chapel Hill, and one cannot help but bask under the Carolina blue sky of color that the town displays in honor of UNC – Chapel Hill.

Take a vacation in Wilmington and … what? No mascots or flags with UNCW colors flanking every lamppost, no businesses with marquees that read “Go Seahawks”?

Visitors and students alike may wonder where the school spirit is at UNCW and in the city. Even the students wear clothing that supports Chapel Hill, NC State, Wake Forest, or even Georgia Tech.

Some argue that support of UNCW by some students, community members, and local businesses leaves something to be desired. The lack of a football team has been stated as one reason that UNCW does not get more support from some members of the Wilmington business community. Sports bars and other businesses in places with college football teams often lend massive support to their local university during football season. According to former Chancellor James Leutze, it would cost an estimated $50 million dollars for UNCW to have a football team.

 Another theory reasons that the high cost of UNCW paraphernalia at the on-campus bookstore and other places may prevent some students from buying UNCW-related merchandise. For example, the lowest priced UNCW sweatshirt at the campus bookstore costs $29.99. Given annual tuition increases, rising costs of textbooks, and a decreasing job market, expensive college merchandise may be a luxury that many students cannot afford.

Some students think that the spirit level is just fine.

“I think there’s a good amount of it [UNCW pride],” said senior Marty McCall. She thinks that there would be more, however, if UNCW had a football team.

In an effort to mobilize the university and town communities toward showing that UNCW pride, a press conference was held to launch the “Paint the Town Teal” campaign on June 23. This event was held at FNB Southeast Bank on S. College Road. Speakers at the event were FNB Southeast Bank City Executive Paul McCombie, UNCW Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo, and Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce President Connie Majure-Rhett.

 The campaign is a joint venture of UNCW and the Chamber of Commerce.

“The effort is designed to show how the Wilmington business community supports UNCW students, faculty and staff,” Star-News business editor Bonnie Eksten said. One of the main reasons that the business community supports UNCW is because the university has a large, important economic and social impact on the Wilmington area.

“With its more than 11,000 students, 1,600 faculty and staff, and an annual $400 million economic impact on Southeastern North Carolina, UNCW also brings visitors to town the equivalent of a major conference each month,” University Relations intern Sarah Briney said.

 At the press conference, UNCW related items were unveiled. These items can now be purchased by Wilmington-area businesses to show their support for the university. One local business, Kohl’s frozen custard and jumbo burgers, unveiled and served a special “Seahawk” flavored custard at the end of the ceremony.

With the efforts of the university to spread the love of the navy blue, teal and gold, maybe pretty soon anyone who comes into Wilmington, NC, will be entering “Seahawk Country.”