On February 28, 2024, more than 100 prospective students, along with parents and school counselors, converged on the OUAZ campus for Spirit Stampede Visit Day, a day filled with rodeo-themed fun, food, activities, and information. Joining them were 300 current OUAZ students, who not only enjoyed the activities along with the visitors but showcased the Ottawa Spirit to their guests.
The Arizona Mobile Petting Zoo was on campus for the event, with students having the opportunity to pet and hang out with 15 different animals, such as bunnies, goats, chickens, baby cows, and llamas. A mechanical bull was also a major hit, with participants riding to country tunes played by KMLE radio, which set up shop at OUAZ for the visit day. To continue the rodeo theme, visitors and students enjoyed barbeque provided by the OUAZ dining services, decorated cowboy hats on the patio of Scholar’s Lawn, and played a variety of lawn games.
As a visit day for prospective students, the Admissions department had t-shirts to give away to current students and visiting high school students, with visitors also receiving swag bags and personal campus tours.
“It was amazing to see students involved in the planning process of this
event with our Student Activities Board (OUAB),” said Director of Student Life Sarah Barker. “We got so much positive feedback! Many said it was their favorite event of the year, and they hope to see more of these types of events on campus, which provide an incredible opportunity to see our students outside of academics and athletics and see how much they are growing through their experiences here at OUAZ.”
For visitors desiring more in-depth information about the OUAZ experience, Admissions provided a Q&A session in the City Chambers with student ambassadors and Adawe and Financial Aid experts at the end of the day.
“This was a record-breaking event for OUAZ,” said OUAZ Director of Enrollment Michelle Sandoval. “Integrating our current students and our prospective students in one event has proven to be so much more productive and memorable for everyone involved. Our guests were able to chat with current students and feel comfortable enough to ask those tough questions. [Many] said this was the best college tour they’ve experienced. And utilizing the City Chambers was an impressive session to end the day. Students and parents were able to dive deeper into the admissions process and understand the next steps for financial aid, enrollment and housing. The best part was having Russel Baker, from the City of Surprise, explain our unique partnership with OUAZ and the city.”
Three students were impressed enough to give a cowboy-nod (make deposits) for attending OUAZ in the fall, with many others expressing interest.