Photo by Charlotte Legrand.

Is SAMU improving school spirit?

Alem Tesfay, SAMU vice-president (student life), spoke about trying to increase student attendance at MacEwan Griffins events during his term. Though Tesfay has undoubtedly made efforts towards his promise, the results of his efforts are yet to be determined.

To foster better school spirit in the Griffins’ bleachers, SAMU ran the Athletic Student Engagement survey, which rolled out to students on Jan. 19. The survey was a collaborative project with MacEwan Athletics, particularly with input from Jen Zandstra, MacEwan’s athletic events and operations lead. 

Zandstra said that MacEwan Athletics has “been working hard this year to engage more students and encourage them to attend.” She said her role in the Athletic Student Engagement Survey was a “great opportunity” to better understand the disconnect between students and the games. 

MacEwan Athletics also reportedly has initiatives of its own to promote attendance. “We’ve created more promos and activities that are geared towards MacEwan students and added more in-game elements to make our games more fun to attend,” says Zandstra.

“My belief is that not a lot of students know some of the perks of these games.”

— Alem Tesfay, SAMU vice-president (student life)

According to Tesfay, the Athletics Student Engagement survey is “the first step” towards an improved school spirit. He said he hopes that the survey results will provide SAMU and MacEwan Athletics with more information about the barriers students face in order to attend Griffins games. “The purpose of [the survey] is not just to spread awareness of the fact that the games are free or within walking distance, but also to see where students are at, so that way we can get that information and we can better work with it and address those barriers,” he said. 

Tesfay listed parking, cost of living, and mental health as potential factors contributing to the lack of attendance.

“The survey is the first step.”

— Alem Tesfay, SAMU vice-president (student life) 

The halftime shows at athletic events have featured student performances from on-campus clubs, such as the MacEwan Dance Club (MUDC), which performed at a Griffins basketball game in October. Tesfay credited Zandstra with introducing student group performances and sees further student involvement as an opportunity for more students to become engaged with athletics on campus. Tesfay hopes for more “performance-oriented” student groups to have similar halftime show opportunities, describing the collaboration as a “win-win for both the student groups and MacEwan Athletics.”

The results of the Athletics Student Engagement Survey are yet to be determined, but Zandstra says she has seen an increase in student attendance through initiatives this past year. “We’ve seen a good increase in student engagement at our games this year, which has been amazing,” she says. 

Only time will tell the true results of Tesfay’s initiatives towards school spirit during his term. However, the Athletics Student Engagement Survey is something he takes pride in, and there is no doubt that he is passionate about working towards student engagement.