The Biola Bookstore recently announced a T-shirt design contest to take place between now and April 1. The winner’s original T-shirt design will be sold in the bookstore, and the student will be awarded $50 and two free Biola T-shirts.

“It is open to any of our students to come up with a design,” manager of the Biola Bookstore Harry Edwards said. “We’ve asked students to go ahead and post [the design] on our Facebook page. People can ‘like’ it … and the one with the most ‘likes’ wins.”

Idea announced on Facebook

Edwards said that the idea was originally from Lilia Martinez, assistant manager of the Biola Bookstore.

“The idea had been in the back burner for quite some time,” Edwards said. “We could have done it by fliers around campus, but now with Facebook, we have over 2,000 fans. It’s easy to announce with social media.”

Contest meant to create enthusiasm

Edwards thought this contest would particularly appeal to the art or graphic design majors on campus.

Edwards said he hopes the contest will generate enthusiasm among the bookstore customers. The store’s purpose, according to Edwards, is to serve Biola’s students during their education, and to keep school fun through exciting contests such as this.

“I don’t think it’s an objective competition of skill,” participant junior Jonathan Goossen said. “I think my odds of winning are however much effort I put in to getting my friends to vote.”

Competition between several designs

Goossen’s design is a white V-neck shirt with the bold words “Todd Can.” Above the words is a picture of Todd Pickett, dean of Spiritual Development.

Goossen said he received his “Todd Can” design idea from his roommate, playing off of the “Run DMC” and “God Can” designs currently being worn around campus. He said this humorous, satire-style shirt only took him a few hours to design.

Two other Biolans submitted their designs as of Friday, including sophomore Rebecca La Fleur and programmer and analyst for Biola Orlando Bucao. La Fleur’s design includes a men’s or women’s black T-shirt reading “Eagles 1908” in red. Bucao’s competing design reads “Biola Univ-Ersi-Ty” in options of red, black, grey or white. As of March 17, La Fleur’s design is in the lead with 20 “likes.”

Voting period ends this month

“I think the ‘Todd Can’ one will win cause so many people have already voted on it,” freshman Kyla Whittenberg said. “[The T-shirt design contest is] a really good idea. It provides motivation to win free T-shirts and 50 bucks. It’s also good to get others thinking about ideas.”

The Biola Bookstore will encourage voting toward the end of March and will pick a winner soon after.