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Texas Tech celebrates Carol of Lights, 100 years of history

Thousands converged on the Texas Tech campus to celebrate the Carol of Lights, which also marked the kick of the university's centennial celebrations.

In 1959, a few students from Texas Tech residence halls gathered at Memorial Circle to sing Christmas carols and socialize while drinking hot chocolate.

In the following years, that holiday gathering of students who stayed on campus rather than traveling home for the winter break has evolved into a community wide event that draws the eyes and hearts of Red Raiders across the world.

On Friday, tens of thousands from the community flocked to Lubbock – with many more watching online – as the university hosted the 64th annual Carol of Lights.

This year, the Office of the President announced it would reimagine the event in a new way to help usher in the holiday season, but also to mark Tech’s 100th birthday.

Speaking at the event, Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said Carol of Lights is not only a moment to reflect on the history and culture of the university but also to look ahead to what it may become.

“Our university was born out of a need to serve West Texas and this community,” he said.

Thousands converged on the Texas Tech campus to celebrate the Carol of Lights, which also marked the kick of the university's centennial celebrations.

Shovancec reflected on the close bond the university and Lubbock share and how one aspect of the centennial celebrations is the goal of having the Tech community volunteer one million hours of service around Lubbock.

Blayne Beal, director of Centennial Celebrations, said in an earlier interview with the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that as of the morning of Nov. 28, the Red Raider community has logged 97,000 hours of service since the volunteer campaign kicked off earlier this fall.