Top five My SHSU:30 videos in tight race

Sam Houston State University is holding a contest to see who can sum up their college life in a thirty second television commercial. The contest started on Aug. 31 and will end on Nov. 21.


Professors, students and alumnus are all competing to see who will win the prize and get to be the face of SHSU in their new commercial. First place will win the opportunity to air their entry as a SHSU commercial that will be shown regionally and will also win a Nook Tablet. Second place will win a Nook Color and third will win a Nook Simple Touch.


The SHSU:30 contest gives Bearkats the chance to show what Sam Houston State University is all about. Whether it is the football games and Bearkat Nation, the education or the community that the students build here with one another.


With less than a month left to enter and vote, Kats are hopeful to win the big prize of having their entry become the commercial for SHSU. Right now, the MySHSU:30 video gallery consists of 18 video entries.


In order to vote, viewers can visit myshsu30.com and click the Facebook "like" button for their favorite commercial entry.


For the most part, the videos either have hundreds of likes or hardly any at all. Viewers wonder if this is more of a popularity contest or whether the commercial really represents SHSU.


Based on the most Facebook likes, the top five video submissions are running very close together.


The first place entry is from Amanda Crowley called SHSU Gangnam Style. This video submission has over 300 likes on Facebook. This video shows students wearing their Bearkat colors dancing Gangnam Style. Students throughout the film join along for the fun ending the video with "Sammy Bearkat Style". Although this does not quite capture what SHSU means to its students, it is still a fun and entertaining video to watch.


"That was random but funny," Orlando Martinez said in the Facebook comment section.


Next in close second is Video Eight submitted by Carolina Torres. In her video submission, Torres shows why she is proud to be a bearkat. With pictures from football games, school events and SHSU surprises, her video has 300 likes.


Erika Wright is taking third so far in her video submission "Bearkat Unity". Wright's video plays "We Are Family" while showing pictures and highlights from previous football games and of course, Sammy. "Bearkat Unity" has pulled in about 276 likes.


With 275 likes, Sarabella Helton's video entry "Sarabella's SHSU 30" really hits home. Helton not only focuses on what her life is like at Sam Houston State, but also takes a look into other students, organizations, majors and groups at SHSU. Helton's video starts by introducing SHSU's motto "The measure of a life is its service.”  This entry does a fantastic job of representing not only the university but the campus life as well.


"Very well done. I'm proud of you. I'd go if I was 40 years younger. You've sold me," Judy Mears, Customer Service Manager at Wal-Mart, said.


Members of the Facebook community also liked Helton's entry.

"This is wonderful! I think it represents SHSU very well," Summer Palmertree said in the Facebook comment section.


The Fifth video has a way to go following Sarabella's SHSU 30 video with 100 less likes on Facebook. Keenan Jones shows he is happy to be a Bearkat by riding a bike around campus to the song "Sometimes (I Get A Good Feeling)". Although this video is high quality and well done, viewers are having a hard time understanding what the purpose of the video is.


With three weeks left to vote, show some Bearkat pride and pick the video you think best represents education, student life and Bearkat pride. Eat 'Em Up Kats!