Tension mounted at Changemaker Central in the Memorial Union on Thursday morning as a group of about 20 students prepared for their appearance on “Good Morning America.”
ASU was one of 20 locations across the country and in Afghanistan chosen for a live spotlight in GMA's "Your Three Words" series. This was the first live televised episode of this series.
Thursday’s 5:30 a.m. series was set to a live performance of "Good Life" by OneRepublic, performing on the roof of the GMA New York studios. About a minute and a half into the song, the students at Changemaker Central were on air.
Three students — education junior Anthony Pegg, political science sophomore Devon Romo and marketing junior Grace Hoy — brandished the three spotlighted words: “Be the change.”
A whiteboard full of additional phrases written in multicolored dry-erase markers and many other students filled the space behind them.
Steve Filmer, the ABC field producer who directed the students, picked Changemaker Central because it was new, modern and colorful.
Eliza Robinson, marketing specialist for ASU Housing and the MU said the phrase came from a list compiled by students.
"It also just fit in well with the whole theme of Changemaker Central," Robinson said.
Centered on the board was the phrase “We are ASU,” topped by the rallying cry “Fear the fork.” The rest of the phrases were as diverse as the students themselves.
Film production freshman Edgar Hernandez chose "Don't give up," and the catchphrase of the anti-Senate Bill 1070 movement, "Sí se puede.”
Pegg chose to focus on three values important to him: "Adventure, determination, inspiration."
Communication junior Ashley Womeldorf wrote important advice for college students, "Love your mom," while Hoy channeled Henry David Thoreau in her entreaty to "Live with purpose."
"All the words fit in," Robinson said. "We have such a global perspective at ASU and they were all good words."
With the board decorated, the students prepared for the live broadcast. Many, including Romo, were thrilled for the appearance.
"Who passes up an opportunity to be on TV?" Romo said. "And I am down to rep ASU like this. I really love the school."
Robinson and ASU officials were looking for this attitude as they got the word out to students earlier this week.
"We really pushed it to specific students, student leaders with lots of pride," Robinson said.
The school pride was apparent as the students finally appeared on camera. Everyone upheld at least one hand in a pitchfork and chanted “ASU” over and over until long after the camera panned away.
Reach the reporter at julia.shumway@asu.edu or follow @JMShumway on Twitter
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