Pitt freshmen attempt world record for glowstick image

Pitt freshmen gathered in the Petersen Events Center this morning to set a world record for… Pitt freshmen gathered in the Petersen Events Center this morning to set a world record for creating the largest glowstick image.

About 3,800 students held blue and gold glowsticks to form the Cathedral of Learning at 10:31 a.m. in the stands. While the Guinness World Records organization still has to make the record official, it appears that today’s event broke the previous record of 308 people.

Vice Provost and Dean of students Kathy Humphrey had the freshmen class set a world record at the same time last year as well. The 2014 freshmen class set the record for the largest torch-lit logo, spelling out “Pitt” during orientation week.

“It’s an opportunity for the class to have a like experience,” Humphrey said.

The record was timed for four minutes, and Star 100.7 and KDKA timed and filmed the students, which will be submitted to Guinness for verification.

“It’s pretty cool to show what we can all do when we try together,” freshman Victoria Sepich said.

Freshman Isha Vasudeva said that setting the world record was exciting because she’s never tried for a world record before.

“It gives us something to remember about our first year,” Vasudeva said.

Currently, the record for largest glowstick image belongs to 308 participants at an event organized by the Département de Chimie of Université Laval in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada in March.

“I feel like we got it in the bag, but I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch,” said Kenyon Bonner, the director of Student Life, who MCed the event.

Humphrey said that next year, she plans to have the freshmen class create the largest moving image in the form of a panther.