Texas Woman’s University participated in this year’s Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) Campus Challenge and won first place among 98 other college campuses across the nation.
This year’s competition racked in over 13,000 participants and more than 65,000 outdoor activities, leading to the school’s title as overall champion among Division 1 universities. Along with winning the AORE Campus Challenge as a whole, TWU also won awards for School Environmental Champ, School Health/Wellness Champ, School Developing Skills/Personal Growth Champ, and School Southwest Champ.
In previous years, when the competition was known as Outdoor Nation, TWU ranked third two times and second once. This time around, the university earned a total of 135,064 points and 8136 entries.
Third-year nutrition dietetics major Alexandria Wells said that she was impressed by the amount of points TWU earned in the competition.
“I didn’t even know that we were doing so well,” third-year nutrition dietetics major Alexandria Wells said. “I would see the events going on and think that they looked really fun, so much so that I even forgot it was all a competition.”
The AORE Campus Challenge’s goal every year is to get people outside and active. The participating universities promote interactive outdoor activities open to all students and faculty including activities like camping, stargazing, puppy yoga, service projects and biking.
Karrie Fletcher, associate director of Fitness and Recreation, said it’s important every year that the school gets the community involved and promotes healthy habits.
“It was a university-wide effort,” Fletcher said, emphasizing the success that came out of the participation of students.
Students like second-year theatre major Alisha Hannah only took part in a few AORE challenges, but said they enjoyed the events.
“The puppy yoga was really fun and creative,” Hannah said. “That one was definitely my favorite of the few events I ended up going to.”
A celebration for the university’s win will be held Nov. 5 at 12 p.m. in front of the Fitness & Recreation building at the Denton campus, with celebrations at the Dallas and Houston campuses already underway. The events will include celebratory goodies such as t-shirts, door prizes and more.
For more information on the AORE Campus Challenge, visit their website.
Gakenia Njenga can be reached via email at gnjenga@twu.edu.
Featured image: Participants walk back to the Fitness and Recreation Center during the Walk with the Chancellor at the Texas Woman’s University Monday, Sept. 17, 2019. The walk was one of the activities offered during the month-long AORE Campus Challenge. Photo by Amber Gaudet.
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