Free In-N-Out burgers, carnival games, a live DJ, a performance by a CSUN student band and the chance to win great prizes, such as an iPad, will take place at the fifth annual Welcome All Matadors Festival (WAM).
WAM will take place today at the Residential Hall Sports Lawn from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The festival, which is hosted by University Student Union (USU) is an attempt to welcome students back to CSUN, said Jajrup Singh, event assistant for special events at the USU.
“Just think of WAM as a welcome back for everyone,” Singh said. “The purpose of the event is to showcase new CSUN students and bring them together with returning CSUN students in an attempt for people to meet each other. You can check out your peers while enjoying a variety of activities.”
The Residence Housing Association (RHA), Associated Students’ Student Production and Campus Entertainment (S.P.A.C.E.) and a bible group on campus called Hope, Opportunity, Purpose and Encouragement (H.O.P.E.) helped the USU with preparations for the WAM Festival. H.O.P.E. along with their Granada Hills–based church, H.O.P.E.’s House, sponsored the iPad prize, Singh said.
“WAM is a family event at CSUN,” said Ali Garcia, executive director of S.P.A.C.E., which showcases comedy events, lectures and concerts on campus. “We were invited by the USU to come out and introduce more of what the CSUN campus offers.”
Garcia, who has been a member of S.P.A.C.E. for five years, joined the organization because she attended a WAM festival as a student.
Incoming freshmen ma ke up the usual crowd of students that come out to the festival because it takes place near the dorms and they are trying to find and create their own groups to hang out with, Garcia said.
“The juniors and seniors, who typically already have established their groups of friends, come out for the free stuff,” Garcia said.
The students who attend the festival have the opportunity to win prizes such as T-shirts, highlighters, pens and movie tickets, Singh said.
Jennifer Davoodian, 20, third-year biology major said she found out about the WAM Festival from a friend who attended last year and recommended she join her this year.
“I thought it would be a great opportunity to attend because I am spending less and less time on campus due to not getting my classes, but having events like this to go to, which have great school spirit and support, makes me feel better about CSUN,” Davoodian said.
This year, the USU decided to reach out to the Matador Involvement Center’s clubs and organizations, as well as the Athletics Department, to have tables set up at the event in an attempt to recruit students. Typical recruitment events that take place during the first two weeks of school were slashed due to budget cuts, Singh said.
“We wanted to put all the clubs and organizations together to come out and introduce themselves to the students at WAM,” Garcia said.
The USU also wanted CSUN students to get more involved about what their school offers, so the campus police department, the health center, financial aid services, deaf services, First-Year Experience Students and the counseling department are a few of the departments that have been approached on setting up tables at WAM, Singh said.
“The biggest thing about WAM is just to meet new people, enjoy great food and be welcomed back with a lot of CSUN pride,” Singh said. “The attendance last year was around 2,000 and this year we are attempting to reach a minimum of that number.”
