April Reign Brings Friendly Competition Back After Pandemic Break

Baldwin Wallace University’s April Reign tradition returned back in person on Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2. The event features a number of friendly competitions between different teams representing student organizations. 

April Reign, formerly known as May Day when the BW academic period lasted longer into May, has always been a time for Baldwin Wallace students to release stress and celebrate the end of their academic year.  

Due to COVID-19 and social-distancing measures the traditional activities of April Reign had been canceled since spring of 2019. As in the case of sophomore Jonas Ardillo, this year’s April Reign was most students’ first experience of the event. Ardillo spent most of Friday competing and watching all the various events. 

“It’s a time where it’s competitive but you are also able to come together and show pride,” Ardillo said. 

Senior Gennete Saciri, one of the relatively few current students that experienced an April Reign during her freshman year, shared similar sentiments about the event.  

“April Reign is like a time for the BW community and the [Fraternity & Sorority Life] community to come together and bond over Olympic-style events,“ Saciri said. 

This year’s April Reign included an obstacle course, Scoot, tug-of-war, egg race, karaoke night, a concert by BWBeatles, and an ‘End of the Reign’ charity concert. Event participation was lower than pre-pandemic years, but event organizers said that was to be expected since many students had not previously heard of the event. 

Saciri noticed a difference between the two April Reign’s she attended, but she has faith that it’ll gain its former glory back again.  

“More people knew about it [then], there was more excitement around it,” Saciri said, “I think the more we do it, the more people know about it, and it’ll grow again in popularity.”  

Most students, like Ardillo, are grateful that the event was able to take place this year considering it’s been gone for a while.  

“I’m just glad that I was able to have an experience like this, and hopefully it keeps going on,” Ardillo said.