Submissions are currently being accepted for the Bird Shirt Spring Break Photo Contest, where students can spread school spirit and win valuable prizes, until March 22.

The contest’s host, the Bird Shirt program, is about encouraging school pride and tradition, Erin Watts, marketing coordinator at the Bone Student Center, said.

“We just think it’s a really neat idea for students to be traveling, in some cases all over the world, and represent Illinois State University at the same time,” Watts added.

In order to qualify, students must take a photo of themselves during spring break with the Fear the Bird shirt.

Students can choose to do individual photos or they can be part of a group.

In the individual category, the first place prize is an iPad mini, second place is a $100 gift card to Barnes & Noble, third place is four tickets to a Chicago Cubs game and fourth place is a free dinner for four.

Prizes for groups includes a pizza party for 20 at the Bowling and Billiards Center, eight Chicago Cubs tickets, dinner for six at Einsteins Bros. or McAlister’s and dinner for four.

Students must submit an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with their pictures, name, address, phone number and an indication of whether they are an individual or a group.

The names of the students in the photo, where it was taken and a short explanation for why the location was picked must also be included.

People may submit as many photos as they want.Winners will announced by April 5.

Pictures have been submitted from France, Italy, New York, Las Vegas, beaches and cruises.

The setting does not have to be exotic as the contest is more about creativity than location, Watts said.

Past creative entries have included artsy photos taken at the beach and pictures taken while in the dentist chair. One student even took a screenshot of an ABC news report where she was viewable in the background.

It should be noted that any photos students submit for the contest might be used for future marketing purposes.

The contest has gained a fair share of excitement,  with students telling Watts how they are coming up with new ideas and asking when the next contest would be.

The Bird Shirt program, which started in 2007, also looks at promoting and increasing interest and traffic in the Bone.

Shirts can be purchased at the Barnes & Noble and the Lobby Shop located in the Bone Student Center.