This Friday, Jan. 17, Red Riot returns to campus for the spring semester. Hosted by Southern Utah University’s Presidential Ambassadors, it gives high school students who are searching for colleges an opportunity to try out being a T-Bird.
A Red Riot is an overnight recruitment event that is catered to high school juniors and seniors. These students arrive on campus on Friday afternoon and depart on Saturday morning after experiencing a day of SUU’s student life.
“Helping students navigate the college process and [showing] them all the amazing opportunities that we have at SUU is my favorite part,” said Alaina Herrera, a senior at Southern Utah University.
Herrera has been a part of the PA team for four years and even remembers when she attended a Red Riot as a junior in high school.
“My presidential ambassador encouraged me to apply to SUU and as a presidential ambassador, and I did,” she said.
During the event, students will be able to attend a resource fair, speak with a panel of department officials, take a tour around campus, and most importantly, have a great time.
At the end of the day, Red Riot attendees will stay overnight with a PA and experience college living firsthand.
Herrera stated that each Red Riot has its own unique theme. Past themes have been Casino Night— inspired by the concurrent annual events, Top Gun, Survivor and Game Day.
In recent years the conversion rate for Red Riot attendees who end up enrolling at SUU is about 80%. The event offers a unique opportunity for those students to explore and connect with the university.
“I would say that my favorite memory from Red Riot is getting ready to raffle off the scholarship to a new incoming student,” Herrera said.
For more information on Red Riots or ways to get involved in University recruitment, contact the PAs through their website or visit the Welcome Center in the Sharwan Smith Student Center Room 169.
Author: Scierra Ganter
Editor: Heather Turner
Photos by Alaina Herrera
life@suunews.net
