March On

At the Tournament of Roses, Golden Ram pride took center stage, thanks to the generous support of West Chester University alumni, parents, and friends.

When Eric Rodgers ’25 (pictured left) and Gracie Tennant ’25 (pictured right) started the seven-mile parade through Pasadena, California on January 1, 2024 as part of West Chester University’s INCOMPARABLE Golden Rams Marching Band, their talents weren’t just on display for the 700,000 people in attendance — they were being seen by more than 25 million people around the world.

“When I heard we were going to be part of the Rose Parade, I couldn’t believe it,” Eric says. “To have the opportunity to represent Philadelphia and West Chester on one of the biggest stages in the world — that’s an experience I’ll never forget.”

While Eric, Gracie, and their bandmates had the will to bring this vision to life, it was the support of WCU donors that made this dream a reality. To fund travel expenses for the band’s 336 members, the University launched “RamBand Road to the Roses ’24,” a collective effort which raised $1 million to transport the band, their instruments, and more than 30 University faculty and staff members to Pasadena for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Launched in November 2022, the fundraising initiative was anchored by a $100,000 matching gift challenge from Dr. James Wells ’54 and Mr. Richard G. Wells ’58, who are both alumni and the namesakes for West Chester’s School of Music. In total, more than 1,400 donors contributed to the effort, including students, who rallied the support of friends and family through crowdfunding to “fund a mile” of their trip. This collective effort was further proof that the band’s students, who represent more than 60 majors, are a constant source of pride for the University.

“Having this opportunity to perform at the Rose Parade meant so much to us, but it really brought our community together,” says Eric. “We’re a DII school from Pennsylvania, and to suddenly be part of one of the most televised events in the world, that’s something to be proud of.”

“It was really inspiring to see the way the West Chester University alumni and friends came together to support us,” says Gracie. “It shows how much of a community we create through RamBand, showing up to cheer on our campus community.”

“Their support proved that the feeling is mutual,” she adds. “We’re their biggest supporters, and they’re ours.”

Eric Rodgers ’25 and Gracie Tennant ’25

RamBand Members

“It was really inspiring to see the way the West Chester University alumni and friends came together to support us."

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