More than 700 students relived a favorite childhood television series last night as they dressed as Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael or Donatello in a successful attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Held in the Livingston Recreation Center, students were successful in their attempt.
One of the first to get in line was Livingston Sophomore Glen Karnas.
"I grew up with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as the staple of my morning," he said. "I don't mind that I'm 20-years-old and dressed like a turtle."
The previous record was held by 200 people dressed as Ninja Turtles, but is not featured in the Guinness Book of World Records.
The event, sponsored by Rutgers Residence Life and Rutgers Recreation, was organized to encourage students to come together and complete a goal, said Residence Life counselor Matthew Ferguson.
"Our first idea was the record for 'Largest Gathering of Smurfs' but that record is at 900...so one of my Resident Assistants came up with the idea of Ninja Turtles," Ferguson said.
Supplies permitted 700 students to receive a long-sleeved ninja shirt, face paint, turtle mask and commemorative certificate for their participation and students had to be photographed and videotaped for 15 minutes to document their attempt.
A few hundred students were unable to participate in the competition due to lack of costumes, although they were invited to come in, watch and eat pizza, said event participant and Cook College senior, Andrea Mahon.
Throughout the evening, participants were quizzed on the series and received toy-like slinkys and silly putty for correct answers.
Many said they felt nostalgic about the turtle series.
"My brother and I used to make a ninja turtle van out of couch cushions," said Amy Miele, a Livingston College Junior.
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy first-year Sandra Girgis' felt the same as Miele.
"I used to play the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Nintendo game and I fell in love with them," she said.
Others were just excited to be part of a world record.
"I read the Guinness Book of World Records when I was younger," said School of Engineering first-year Stav Ben-aarosh. "I'm hoping my name will be in some sort of registry."
Executive Director of Recreation Diane Bonanno said the first step in the process of scheduling the event was for Rutgers Recreation to request that Guinness allow them to make an attempt at a world record.
After Guiness gave permission, two witnesses unaffiliated with the University, were recruited from New Jersey City University and the Middlesex County Law Enforcement to verify the record was broken.
"This is the first and hopefully not the last attempt at a Guinness World Record," Bonanno said.
If the record is achieved, a sign will be placed in the hallway of the Livingston Recreation Center, she said.
Public relations company Peppercom played a hand in the record attempt by asking to promote the 25th anniversary of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Company employees said they found the University request to attempt the world record on the blog site, www.gawker.com.
"I'd like to think that a lot of these people were fans when they were growing up," said Peppercom employee Jacob Thomos. "It's great that 6-year-olds are watching the show now and 18- to 20-year-olds are here setting a record."
Peppercom employee Rob Longert was impressed with the generation impact of the show.
"I grew up in the 1980s with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," Longert said. "Our parents showed us the television show so there's a cross generation of people connected with it."
