STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) — It’s the best time of the year for UWSP Chancellor Thomas Gibson.
A new crop of first-year students have settled onto campus, with classes scheduled to begin this week. Gibson says that means new possibilities for everyone, especially the students. “I am over the moon with excitement. Move-in day is just fantastic, it’s a great opportunity to interact with students and their families and get to meet them a little bit while reassuring them that they will be just fine as part of our Pointer community.”
While many colleges and universities have seen declining enrollment, UWSP has managed to buck that trend with three years of growth. Gibson credits that to a dynamic campus atmosphere and a variety of programs, including the addition of several new varsity sports such as men’s soccer and volleyball and men’s and women’s lacrosse. Those additions are part of the university’s recruitment strategy. “[Those students] come in and pay tuition. [More importantly] they add to the vibrancy of our campus community and provide an opportunity for us to rally around something that’s really special.”
The school has also added eSports as a club sport. Gibson mentions that some people may ridicule the concept of competitive video gaming, but students are embracing it. Therefore, the university needs to acknowledge and support this trend. “Just a few years ago we would find tons of students in our Student Union playing these games among themselves. Then we witnessed how other institutions were embracing eSports and how students were just attracted to this particular sport. So we thought we too should provide this opportunity for students to participate in organized, competitive eSports. It has been a blast thus far,” said Gibson.
Gibson adds that the first-year student population is still being finalized, but he expects the number to fall between 1,725 and 1,750.
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