Steve Ward, head of the First Year Experience program, started the Community University Points (CUP) program for freshmen dorms after being inspired by Harry Potter.
Two years ago the idea for CUP was launched by the Foundations of Excellence, a group formed to brainstorm ways to get freshmen involved on campus. According to Ward, the group drew inspiration from Harry Potter and the idea of “house points.” Much like students of Hogwarts, students of USD will compete against each other by attending events including lectures, sporting events or Program Council activities. All of the CUP events can be found online under the Student Life tab in the myU student portal.
Unlike Harry Potter, instead of “houses” competing against one another, different halls and the floors within the halls compete for prizes. There are three prizes awarded each semester. Third place receives $300, second place receives $450 and first place receives $750. There is also a grand prize of $500 awarded to the floor that accumulates the most points over the course of the year.
Because the program is so new, many members of the university are unfamiliar with how it works. Ward has changes planned for fall.
“I still don’t think the word got around enough so I think we need to do a better job with marketing,” Ward said. “I envision using the Munster University Center as a central place to use for events and advertising.”
However, Ward thinks that the students have to want to be involved on campus for the program to be a success. By encouraging students to attend events around campus, CUP will introduce freshmen to other activities where they can become involved.
The Volante > News > Freshman Issue 2009
Program plays off Harry Potter
Published: Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Be the first to comment on this article!