On Wednesday, Oct. 13, UFV held an Arts Expo in the Envision Athletic Centre to offer students the chance to explore the different departments and programs offered by the College of Arts.
“The Arts Expo is designed to help all students see the variety of different majors and minors we offer in arts here at UFV. We hope this is an opportunity for students to meet faculty and staff and learn about programs in a fun environment,” said Samantha Pattridge, associate dean of students, college of arts, and the organizer behind this event.
With the midday sunlight streaming in through the Envision Centre’s big front windows and students revitalized by the lure of free pizza, the Arts Expo kicked off to a lively start.
The expo drew students in even further with freebies, prize draws, and games like life-size Jenga and Giant Yard Pong. Some booths had their own mini-games to bring their department to life and give students a chance to win prizes, such as the communications department’s game of Scrabble and the history department’s “name this person from history” challenge. Many students participated in games, bolstering the involved and dynamic atmosphere with the crash of falling Jenga blocks.
Featuring booths showcasing departments such as theatre, psychology, graphic design, English, history, modern languages, visual arts, geography, and communications, the Arts Expo demonstrated the breadth of disciplines in the BA program.
If you came to the expo for a better understanding of the different avenues departments in the arts program have to offer, there were plenty of resources to help you. Each booth provided pamphlets on different careers stemming from their department and information on whom to contact to learn more. Additionally, each department had representative faculty members eager to offer their expertise and guidance — an invaluable resource if you are not sure what to do with your major, or even what your major is going to be.
Not only that, it offered an opportunity to learn about different departments you would not normally cross paths with or would like to learn more about. (Did you know that geography is offered as both a Bachelor of Arts and Science? Me either.)
The Arts Expo was also a wonderful opportunity to talk to people in your department and remind yourself why you love your major. Whether that means geeking out with the English department over Chaucer, talking costumes with the theatre department, or finding the perfect Scrabble word with the communications department, there is a lot to love in the arts.
