Combine prizes, free food, live music and informational booths for NSU clubs and organizations and you get Sharkapalooza — a NSU tradition. The event is free and open to the NSU community. It was established as part of the Weeks of Welcome, a university initiative to familiarize new and old students with the campus and NSU organizations. Sharkapalooza will take place on Friday, Aug. 27 at the Don Taft University Center from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
One of the highlights of the event is a raffle. The raffle is based on a card game developed to help students become involved and learn about NSU services and programs by visiting specific offices on campus and Weeks of Welcome events.
Participants can obtain game cards from this issue of The Current and other offices and buildings on campus including the Office of First Year and Transitional Services located on the first floor of the Rosenthal building.
Students obtain a game card and fill it with stamps, which become tickets for the raffle. They must then visit the offices outlined on the game cards. The office will provide one stamp per student to complete the card. NSU identification (SharkCard) or student number (N-number) is required to receive a stamp, or to win any prize at Sharkapalooza.
Once completed, all the game cards must be turned in at the Sharkapalooza check-in tables. Each stamp counts as one ticket for the student and there is a maximum of 18 tickets per person.
The first prize of the raffle is a getaway for two, which includes two airline tickets to anywhere in the Continental U.S. and a stay at a Courtyard by Marriott® hotel. A variety of gift certificates and electronics will also be given away.
Organizers say that this year’s celebration will be a large one.
Sean Pepin, assistant Director of student activities said, “This Sharkapalooza will be the biggest one to date. There were 2,000 people last year, and I think we will outgrow the University Center this year,” said Pepin. “There has been more fine-tuning this year to ensure that new students are connecting and old students are reconnecting to NSU,” he said.
Though the grand prize will be announced at 10 p.m., the activities will continue until 2 a.m. The event will end at the Glow in the Dark Party, a free event open to all NSU students, hosted by Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity Inc. at the Flight Deck from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets are not needed to attend any of these events.
Cassandra Lopez, senior majoring in paralegal studies has attended two previous Sharkapalooza events and thinks it will continue to grow.
“Sharkapalooza is a great opportunity for involvement and networking,” said Lopez. “This year will be the biggest one of all.”
For more information on the WOW game card rules, visit www.nova.edu/wow.
Information on how to play the WOW trivia game in the Office of Student Media is located on the back page of Issue 2.
