A new program to encourage competition between students entering different academic faculties helped to boost attendance at UWindsor Welcome Week orientation activities, says organizer Amber Norman.

The inter-faculty rivalry had students form teams from within each major of study, earning points for participation and success in a series of events.

“It was about them creating an identity and then defending it,” says Norman, a student development specialist in the Student Success and Leadership Centre. “They made new friends while building on the team concept.”

She credits that sense of team spirit for great turnout at orientation activities before the start of classes.

“We had so many people come to the River Games, our scavenger hunt, and the Involvement Fair,” Norman says. “I think we had record engagement with our commuter students.”

The Moose Tracks team from arts, humanities and social sciences claimed top honours, earning a prize package that includes a social outing to a local restaurant and a shield-shaped trophy. Created by engineering students, it will be displayed in the Lancer Lounge in the CAW Student Centre, and bear an inscription of each year’s winning team.

Team member Makayla Soares, a psychology and education student, attributes the victory to teamwork.

“We just participated in everything and collaborated well,” she says. “Our team showed a lot of spirit.”

The Polar Bear team might take issue with that. Representing human kinetics, its members burst into a sustained cheer when they learned it had won for most spirit. Members received T-shirts and other prizes.

“I think we’ll keep building on this rivalry concept for next year’s Welcome Week,” says Norman.

Human kinetics students hold T-shirt trophies for their win as most spirited team during UWindsor Welcome Week.

Find an album of photos from Wednesday’s Welcoming Celebration on the UWindsor Facebook page.