On the Sunday afternoon of Oct. 6, Georgetown Pep Band members bundled into a small room on the first floor of Lauinger Library amid camera shutters and the triumphant tones of “Eye of the Tiger.” Not wanting to disturb the silence of studying students around them, Pep Band members entreated new arrivals to close the door quickly as they came in.
Last year, then Pep Band president Alex Henn (CAS ‘24) had the idea to hold a media day for the Pep Band, a tradition typically reserved for sports teams on campus. During her time at Georgetown, Henn worked in media for the athletics department.
The current board decided to move forward with the idea over the summer.
“I had sent in an email I think, like, ‘I want JCPenney family photo style pictures with you all,’” current Pep Band President Simone Guité (CAS ‘26) said in an interview with the Voice.
Media coverage of collegiate sports teams has become more and more sophisticated in recent years, and social media content of student athletes has proliferated. Most teams use media days as opportunities for players to take photos and connect with the press. For the Pep Band, holding a media day was as much a chance to take professional pictures as ridiculous ones.
“The idea was never to take it seriously. You know, a lot of these sports teams use media day photos to promote the team, and we’re planning on doing that. But I think it was also just for us as well, to have fun pictures of ourselves together,” Guité said.
Pep Band is a student-run band that performs at athletic events both on- and off-campus. In 2022, the organization celebrated its storied 100-year anniversary—a history that has included performances in everything from presidential inaugural parades to steamer ships.
The band currently has around 45 members, with sections of flutes, clarinets, saxophones, mellophones, trumpets, low brass, and percussion. For media day, each section arrived for a scheduled 15-minute time slot over a period of two hours.
“Everybody in the band that I talked to that was there, I think, had a really great time. I had a great time—I was there the whole time, kind of watching and helping,” Guité said. “It was really funny to see the different poses that people came up with, too.”
Editor’s Note: Yunji Yun, pictured, is a Photo Assistant for the Voice.
Photo by Izzy Wagener The mellophones deliberate on poses.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener Elliot Schusky (SFS ’28) stocks up on mellophones.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener Vice President Yunji Yun (CAS ’26) moves lighting equipment.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener The camera is adjusted for a new shot.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener Anna Holk (CAS ’27), Co-New Member Coordinator & Alumni Relations Coordinator, throws a drumstick.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener Heather Begg (SFS ’28) shows off a cowbell.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener Conductor Allie Schlicht (SFS ’27) laughs between photos.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener Christian Smith (CAS ’27) carries Nate Morris (CAS ’27) for a picture with the percussion section.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener Raghav Akula (SFS ’27) mimics playing the saxophone.Photo by Izzy Wagener
Photo by Izzy Wagener Nick Vianna (CAS ’25), Mr. Pep Band, sports his signature sunglasses.Photo by Izzy Wagener
