Faculty and staff hit the bricks: 2026 recap 

Hit the Bricks is an annual, student-led campus tradition that draws strong faculty and staff participation each year. Faculty and staff teams play a major role in the event’s success and mission to raise money for cancer research and patient services. This year proved to be a record-setting year for Hit the Bricks. The event brought together 2,407 runners and walkers and raised more than $415,750 for the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund.

Chip on Our Shoulders back on top

This year, 25 faculty and staff teams participated, with the Advancement and UMC team once again topping the leaderboard. Their team, Chip on Our Shoulders, named in honor of former Assistant Vice President of Planned Giving Chip Patterson (’72, MALS ’02), raised a total of $3,215 and completed 254 laps.

See final scores.

“Our team walks and runs in honor of our dear former colleague and friend, Chip Patterson, who lost his battle with brain cancer several years ago,” said Executive Director of Talent Development and Facilities Management Jen Abbinett. “Chip made an incredible impact on the people around him, and this is one small way we can continue to remember him while supporting an incredibly meaningful cause.”

The team’s name, Chip on Our Shoulders, is a reminder of the personal connection behind its participation. “In 2014, Chip was able to walk the final lap, and in 2015, videos were made and sent to him so he could watch in the hospital,” recalled Constituent and Donor Specialist Ryan Whitfield-Smith.

The team has a long history of participating in Hit the Bricks and a reputation for winning. “We had a two-year hiatus, but otherwise we crush it every year. Ryan has the bricks to prove it,” said Associate Director of Creative Communications Grace Morris.

Whitfield-Smith stressed that the team’s success comes from many colleagues pulling together. She also credits Director of Reunion Leadership Giving Vada Lou Meadows with being an integral part of the team’s leadership each year. Advancement and UMC plan to continue their partnership and hope to add many more bricks to their collection.