For the past decade, the UW has been striving to create a song that would represent the school and be remembered by students and faculty for years to come.

The latest effort was culminated in Friday’s revealing of “Rise Up With Pride For Washington” at the UW’s Recognition Gala and Campaign Celebration.

Senior humanities student Catherine Henderson beat out 382 other applicants who submitted their entries in May to win the Song of Washington contest. Henderson, who plays in her own band, Quarter Past 8, with her husband Michael, has been writing songs professionally for the past eight years. She has not only won a spot in UW history, but also $1,000 and a lifetime membership with the UW Alumni Association.

With music composed by award-winning, “Rocky” series composer Bill Conti, the song was sung by David Margulis, a tenor who is pursuing a Master’s degree in voice. The performance was accompanied by the Husky Marching Band, who will play the song publicly for the first time at the Arizona State football game Nov. 8.

This opportunity and permanent association with the UW and Conti was the “cherry on top,” said Henderson.

According to the Alumni Association’s Web site, judges of the contest were looking for “lyrics that captured the spirit and tradition of the UW, were easy to remember and easy to sing.”

However, the song received mixed reviews at the event.

Alumnus Peter Chong disliked the slow tempo and opera-style singing of the song and thought it was too classical.

“They should design it so that students would sing it at a basketball game,” said Chong.

Junior Lauren Cook found the lyrics symbolic of UW pride.

“The song’s message really came across in that there’s so many different people coming together and uniting under Washington,” Cook said. “It’s what Husky Pride is about.”

“Rise Up With Pride for Washington” joins a list of several other school songs in the UW’s song bank, including “Bells of Washington,” written in 1918, “Bow Down to Washington” and the UW alma mater.

Runners-up Donna Schultz from Bellevue and UW bioengineering student Jessica Garbern both won $500 for their entries.

Reach reporter Nicole Ciridon at news@dailyuw.com.