Raiders Tout Successful Blackboard to Backboard Challenge Program
2/4/2011 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 4, 2011
It was a simple idea at first that has led to increased attendance and school spirit for the Wright State University basketball programs.
The brain child of WSU biological sciences professor and president-elect of the faculty Dan Krane, Ph.D., Wright State faculty and staff were asked to encourage their students to come to select basketball games in January and February and place a vote for that faculty or staff member. WSU students get two free tickets to all sporting events, and votes can be placed at the Raider Pack tables where students get incentives for coming to games. It's a win-win.
"There is much more to the college-experience than just attending classes," Krane said. "When faculty and staff encourage students to attend athletics events, they are effectively encouraging them to be more open to those other opportunities to learn and be an active member of the community. Students in my own classes have been invariably receptive to my encouraging them to attend athletic events. They are excited to hear that others share their pride in their University."
"I have been excited to see how many faculty and staff have risen to the challenge and encouraged students to attend athletic events as a result of the Blackboard to Backboard Challenge. It is definitely something that we will want to repeat again next year and may even expand."
WSU communication associate professor Jeffrey John, Ph.D., chairs the subcommittee that oversees the program and came up with the process to initiate it.
"We started it last year with moderate success and agreed to continue it this year with some minor adjustments," John said. "We decided to increase the publicity through emails and flyers, and we added to the prize package associated with it. I firmly believe it will be that involvement for the students helps the overall environment of a college campus and this is a small way we can help with that."
The first was on Friday, January 14 as the men's team hosted Valparaiso. More than 3,000 students showed that night as it was their first game back from quarter break. There were other factors such as increased publicity for the game and the first 5,000 fans received a Raider t-shirt.
The other men's games include February 3 vs. Loyola, February 7 vs. Youngstown State and February 19 for the annual BracketBuster game against Hofstra. The women's team had their first event on January 6 against Butler with the others set for the UIC game on January 27, Cleveland State on February 17 and Green Bay on March 3.
The names of the winning faculty or staff member are drawn at halftime of those games with the winner receiving various prizes such as $50 gift card at Fricker's Restaurant and Raider gear.
For more information, contact the WSU athletic department at 775-2771.
