Students and staff express their appreciation for ISU’s president with a “Bowman chant” outside his office Dec. 7

Around 11:40 a.m. students and faculty met by the flag pole in preparation for the “Bowman Chant,” as it was called in a university-wide email sent to students. The gathering was an effort to show support for Bowman before his departure to Washington for the ISU football game.

The first round of student Bowman chants brought the president to a Hovey Hall window, where he waved and took pictures of the crowd.

Linda Bowman, the president’s wife, spoke first, expressing the couple’s amazement over student tweets and Facebook posts telling the Bowmans how students feel about the past nine years of the president’s work.

“This man is very easy to love,” Linda said.

After introducing President Bowman as “the best president ISU has ever had,” he responded by saying that as the best university in the country, ISU needs to have the best president.

President Bowman called the week of his retirement announcement a “roller coaster ride of a week.”
    
“I wish I could retire every damn week,” he added.

He also addressed concerns that have been expressed by students and faculty, namely the direction of ISU once he leaves.

Offering encouragement, the president said the university will get better.

“Illinois State, today, knows what it is, it knows where it’s going, and we are one of the best in the country,” he added.

Before departing with the chanting crowd, President Bowman wished students luck in the future and instructed them to remember one thing.

“Remember … you started it all right here at Illinois State, and we love you.”

The love has been received among students and faculty, evident by the large, enthusiastic crowd that ended the rally with the ISU Alma Mater.

Michelle Paul, director of the Bone Student Center, said she was anxious to see the gathering.

“[President Bowman’s] record stands on its own, and I wanted to be a part of it today,” Paul said.

Steve Chorba, head cheerleading coach, added that because of President Bowman, academics and athletics are headed in a positive direction.

“When you say Illinois State University it has a certain weight to it,” Chorba said.

And the #ByeByeBowman Twitter feed agrees.