A Parade of Milestones

For Hannah Hank ’24, there’s nothing quite like the energy that comes from performing with The Pride of the Dakotas.

The scuff of hundreds of footsteps moving forward in time with one another. The shining flags of the color guard, snapping through the air in sharp twirls. The reverberation of Jackrabbit musicians, using their talents to produce a signature sound. A sea of yellow and blue supporters, clapping along from sidelines, bleachers – and soon, from the busy streets of Chicago on Thanksgiving morning as The Pride represents SDSU at one of the country’s largest holiday parades. 

After six years of performing with The Pride, Hannah’s story at SDSU is a story of growth.

Hailing from Tea, Hannah spent all four of her high school years in the color guard. The school had a marching band, but the small group only did street marching, so Hannah had never field marched before arriving at State. She mulled over the idea of joining The Pride as she looked ahead to her college career as a senior in high school. 

When she heard SDSU’s largest musical group would be making a historic appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, her decision was made.  

During her undergrad years at SDSU, she received a crash course in field marching while pursuing her degree in human development and family studies. Throughout her first four years in The Pride’s color guard, Hannah had her fair share of life-changing moments, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a show at Target Field. One of her favorite memories is the group’s performance at Jackrabbit Football’s second win at the FCS National Championship in Frisco, Texas.  

During her junior year, she became co-captain, responsible for creating all the routines and choreography for the 20-25 performers of the color guard. Though she never envisioned herself in a leadership position, the choreography is a fun puzzle Hannah loves to crack, thinking through the intersection of music, movements, and how to convey her vision to others.  

“Being in The Pride has taught me teamwork and leadership skills,” she says. “It’s been something that’s really beneficial to grow in my leadership skills and be a part of the team – not just the color guard team, but the band as a whole.”  

Being in color guard also entailed additional practices beyond the large group rehearsals with the band, so Hannah’s group could be ready with their own specific choreography. While the work can be tough, the payoff is what’s kept her coming back for more.  

“The best part is performing for our fans and seeing that excitement in the stands and seeing all that energy from the crowd. It makes every practice and rehearsal worth it, and it’s very rewarding to create an atmosphere that brings people together.” 

Looking ahead to The Pride’s performance at the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, Hannah is eager for one last unforgettable milestone with the group. Since she was a part of the history made at Macy’s and remembers what that day is like, Hannah is looking forward to making another favorite memory: when the band joins together after the parade to share Thanksgiving dinner.  

“It’s cool to be spending Thanksgiving not with your family but with your second family,” she says. “This experience has been very fun, but it’s a bittersweet moment to my final chapter at SDSU. It’s been six years in the making.” 

Now pursuing her master’s in school counseling, Hannah is set to graduate in December 2026. She predicts her final semester and her last trip with The Pride will bring her a lot of nostalgia, but she wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Her journey, and that of more than 300 others in the group, is made possible because of the generosity of the Jackrabbit community. The cost of travel, lodging, and meals to send just one band member to Chicago is approximately $1,500, and private donations are pivotal in ensuring every student has the chance to experience the trip. In addition to their performance, the group will take in iconic destinations in the windy city, like Millenium Park, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Shedd Aquarium, and more. Opportunities like this, whether it’s their first year in The Pride or their last, will help students engage with new ideas and perspectives while exploring one of the country’s most dynamic metropolitan areas. 

Though Hannah’s time with The Pride is nearly complete, it’s a chapter in her college career that will stick with her. After graduation, she hopes to work in an elementary school, ideally in a small town, where she can coach fledgling color guard teams; she’s already spent several summers helping coach middle and high school programs in her hometown. She plans to put her leadership skills and all that she’s learned at SDSU to good use, sharing her talent and education with countless students in the future. She’ll explain to those students how The Pride means so much more than playing music or spinning flags overhead – that it’s a group truly for everyone, inviting Jackrabbits to grow, to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and to make SDSU proud with one milestone performance after the other.