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Zac Andrus, the Man Behind Vikes Nation

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Femi Tunde-Oladepo Student Contributor, University of Victoria
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Melissa Guenette Student Contributor, University of Victoria
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Vic chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Vikes Nation is a new school spirit program at UVic centered on building community. Its main focuses are healthy eating and active lifestyles. Vikes Nation is a place where anyone and everyone passionate about UVic can feel accepted. Zac Andrus, marketing and campus engagement coordinator, works hard to make sure this message is recognized by all UVic students.

Background

Zac played basketball at his Seattle high school and continued to play when he entered Whatcom Community College. There, he played for two years before being recruited by UVic. During his time at UVic, Zac was on the Vikes team for three years while studying business. After graduating in 2012, Zac worked as an assistant until December, when he gained his position as the marketing coordinator for the Vikes.

Finding His Passion

Zac always knew he wanted to work in an area relating to sports. He also had a serious passion for business. He is aware of how the presence of students “can add to the atmosphere of [a] game.”Zac saw the need for this in Canadian sports, in particular. He really wanted to bring to UVic what he was seeing in U.S. sports teams. He believes that living actively and being healthy are important in the life of a student. Events, like the recent dodgeball game in the dark, provide students with an opportunity to be active in a safe and fun environment.

Zac’s Goals

Zac’s main job is to capture the campus’s attention and hopefully get it to accept the Vikes Nation concept. Zac wants to get “students more passionate and involved” in the UVic community. He works to make sure this happens. This includes promoting events in order to increase school spirit and running ads to get the community involved in UVic as well. In the near future, Zac hopes that more people will “consider themselves a Vike.” He wants everyone to feel as if they are members of the Vikes Nation, as opposed to being just UVic students. Zac says that this feeling of acceptance will lead to more people eagerly “coming out to games” and registering for the many programs UVic Recreation has to offer. 

To find out about how get involved in the Vikes Nation, check out govikesgo.com/vikesnation.  

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Femi Tunde-Oladepo

U Vic

Femi Tunde-Oladepo is in her final year at the University of Victoria where she is studying at the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business. After her undergrad, Femi hopes to read law and master French, Spanish and Italian. She is an active volunteer in her community and enjoys working with the Rotaract Club on campus. Having filled numerous notebooks as a child, Femi adores writing — especially short stories. She likes to dance (spontaneously), listen to all genres of music, laugh loudly and be the sassiest person in a room. In her spare time, Femi likes to window shop online, go for runs and reorganize spaces. One day, Femi hopes to perfect the art of soft pretzels. Follow her on Instagram @femzieb to see her attempts at being artsy and pensive.
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Melissa Guenette

U Vic

Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Melissa Guenette currently studies business at the University of Victoria's Peter B. Gustavson School of Business. When she's not studying for midterms or finals, Melissa enjoys reading Harry Potter, being out in nature, and considers herself a connoisseur for all things dessert related. With her dry sense of humour and charismatic personality, she often leaves a room in stitches, a quality she considers beneficial while working on HerCampus' UVic Chapter. Follow her on Twitter @MelGuenette.