The Ferris marching band is progressively getting all the planning and details for their comeback in the fall of 2025.
Dr. Bill Pink started a “Bulldog Caravan Tour” going across Michigan to spread the word about the marching band coming next fall, along with other updates on Ferris.
“Bulldog Caravan is helping folks understand that this time next year when you come to see campus, come to a football game or you may be on campus, there’s some event we have where we have either a drum line or the band itself,” Pink said.
As mentioned in the previous article on the upcoming marching band, there has been talk of scholarship opportunities for band students, but it was unconfirmed. Daniel Atwood, director of athletic bands, says there will be a scholarship opportunity, but details of the criteria and amount are still in the works.
“It looks like there will be scholarships offered, but we don’t know exactly how that’s going to work yet,” Atwood said. “We’re still working with the budget, as the university is going through a new budgeting process.”
Atwood has also been going to different high schools in Michigan to talk to band students about the Ferris marching band as a part of the recruitment process. He has been trying multiple ways to spread awareness to potential incoming and current students about the marching band for recruitment, including tabling at events and working with high school band camps in the summer.
“I have a couple of visits for high schools this fall, for visiting and doing some work with the bands,” Atwood said. “Just last weekend, we had our first band day that we called a side-by-side, where we invited area high school students to come and join us.”
The recruitment efforts have been going on a positive route, seeing as Atwood has about 20 incoming students on the official recruitment list so far, with the rest of the school year to go. Most of the current pep band members will also be marching next fall, which has doubled in the past year. Atwood is hopeful that the number of members joining each year will steadily increase.
“We had about 30 students in the pep band last year and we are up to about 60 this year, so we brought in about 25 to 30 freshmen,” Atwood said. “If we do the same thing, we could be looking at starting next year with 80, 90 or possibly even 100 students.”
The Ferris marching band would also like to include a color guard and even the involvement of majorettes for a full field show.
Drumline students will be getting new equipment, and everyone will be getting new instruments. Current pep band students are even getting the opportunity to be involved in the details and designs of the marching band. They will be able to give their input on the marching uniform designs.
Kyren Passenier is a sophomore in secondary education. He will be a part of the marching band next year, and he is glad he can be a part of the start of the Ferris marching band coming back and watching the process of it coming together. He thinks that the official start of the marching band performances will be something everyone will enjoy.
“I’m seeing it form right before my eyes and it’s crazy,” Passenier said. “I think it would be a shell shock in a way because we haven’t had a marching band in about 40 years.”
Joshua Smith is a sophomore biology education major and a part of the pep band. He was marching throughout high school and is glad the marching band is coming back to Ferris so he can participate. He thinks having a marching band is important to bring people together through music.
“I’m glad [Atwood] is bringing back a marching band, because I think every university deserves a marching band,” Smith said. “I feel like music is a great way to keep the crowd into the game.”