Mirror Lake is lit up by lights last night to kick off the holiday season. The event concluded with students gathering and singing 'Carmen Ohio.' Photo by Christian Lautenschleger.CHRISTIAN LAUTENSCHLEGER/THE LANTERNMirror Lake is lit up by lights last night to kick off the holiday season. The event concluded with students gathering and singing ‘Carmen Ohio.’
Campus got a little brighter Thursday evening as members of Ohio Staters Inc. hosted the annual Light Up the Lake ceremony. Students and community members gathered at Browning Ampitheater, by Mirror Lake, at 7 p.m. for the festive event.

In addition to turning on the holiday lights around Mirror Lake, the event featured performances from the glee clubs and a speaker.

“I’m excited to see all the lights and see the holiday spirit,” said Brittany Wenger, a first-year in accounting.

Craig Baldwin, Adam Rapien and Mary Reft, members of Ohio Staters Inc., have been planning the event since Spring Quarter last year.

“The three of us have collaboratively worked together to plan this event,” said Baldwin, a third-year in accounting. “The main goal is to kick off the holiday season and embrace the diversity within the Ohio State community.”

The event started with a performance by the men’s and women’s glee clubs.

Rebecca Nelson, assistant vice president for Student Affairs and director of the Multicultural Center, followed the performance. Nelson spoke about the significance of lights in different cultures.

“This year we are having a speaker focused more on diversity,” said Reft, a second-year in pre-civil engineering.

“We are trying to focus on the multi-cultural aspect of the event.”

Following tradition, the event concluded with students joining hands around Mirror Lake to sing “Carmen Ohio.” As students reached the last line of lyrics, the lights around the lake were turned on.

“Singing ‘Carmen Ohio’ was my favorite part,” said Jeff Gannon, a fourth-year in microbiology.

“It was a good experience. It shows the friendships that everyone has at Ohio State,” he said.

This year’s display included new LED lights and banners for the light poles surrounding the lake, Baldwin said. “We have worked hard to enhance the ceremony, but most importantly the display,” he said.

The lights will be turned on daily at dark during Winter Quarter.

“This time of year can get pretty cold and dismal, so we look to brighten up campus during these winter months,” Baldwin said.

Kristin Schmotzer can be reached at [email protected].