A nationally renowned game-day venue isn’t the only sweet deal about this year’s rivalry football game against Lafayette.
Lindsay Lebresco, Lehigh’s director of brand and social media, developed the idea to create a diorama in honor of the game using products made by Bethlehem-based candy manufacturer Just Born, according to Jordan Reese, Lehigh’s director of media relations.
Just Born, whose headquarters are located on Stefko Boulevard, manufactures Mike and Ikes, Hot Tamales and marshmallow Peeps, among other products.
“The idea was to pay homage to a Lehigh Valley business and also to do something that’s cute and appealing to everyone,” said Jennifer Mauric, ’15, an intern in Lehigh’s communications office.
Dylan Petruskevicius, ’15, spearheaded the creation of the diorama’s Yankee Stadium “skeleton.” Among other details, Petruskevicius developed a miniature replica of the stadium’s distinctive white façade using a 3-D printer.
The communications office opened up the opportunity for all students to help complete the project at a Make-and-Take in Lamberton Hall on Nov. 7.
The night before the event, Mauric and Jessica Marriott, ’16, went to arts and crafts retailer Michaels to purchase any materials students may have thought to use to decorate the diorama’s Peeps, Mauric said.
She said she hadn’t known what to expect but was blown away by the level of innovation and creativity students brought to Make-and-Take.
The finished diorama depicts a football field packed with players from both Lehigh and Lafayette, as well as coaches, referees, cheerleaders, members of the Marching 97 and fans carrying glittery, sequined signs. All featured characters are made of decorated Peeps, and the diorama is complete with football field lines, goal posts and bleachers.
“It’s its own little world!” Mauric said.
Photos of the diorama, which can be found on the LehighU Tumblr page, are accompanied by the caption “Eat Lafayette!”
“It’s cool because this is a fun, creative way to get students involved, show that we know our way around a 3-D printer, and a nice way to give a shout-out to our local neighbors Peeps and Just Born,” Reese said.
The diorama traveled to New York City along with Lehigh’s communications team, Mauric said. It is on display outside of the Lehigh-Lafayette Rivalry 150 Welcome Center at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square.
For Mauric, the diorama is just one example of Lehigh’s passion for this rivalry game.
“Everybody involved and proud to be a part of Lehigh — whether students, faculty, staff, alumni, or otherwise — has pulled out all the stops for Rivalry 150,” Mauric said.
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