Win Rez contest winners named

Win Rez was the first contest of its kind for the university.
More than 2,225 prospective students from coast to coast entered.

By Kim Gordey

The U of C Win Rez contest that shared screen time with pre-Christmas movie blockbusters has five lucky winners from across Canada.

Good news phone calls were made last week to: Kathryn Cotton, Fine Arts (Calgary); Kevin McIver, Schulich School of Engineering (Saskatoon); Sahir Memon, Science (Saint John, NB); Jourdan Schmidt, Humanities (Abbotsford, BC); and Jen Sissons, Haskayne School of Business (Cranbrook, BC).

The contest, for a year of free residence and meals for five first-year students, ran from Nov. 11 until Feb. 28, with ads appearing in theatres and in transit locations in Alberta and British Columbia. Winners will have to be admitted and registered as University of Calgary students to collect their prize.

Win Rez was the first contest of its kind for the university. More than 2,225 prospective students from coast to coast visited www.winrez.com to enter. The popularity of the contest was so great that the deadline was extended by a month to accommodate the web traffic.

“Win Rez was a fun campaign to promote living on campus as a first-year student,” says Kathleen Massey, registrar and assistant vice-president of enrolment. “We had fun with it and so did the students.”

Response from winners ranged from tears of joy to utter shock.

“This is the only contest I have ever won,” said Sahir Memon of Saint John. “I entered the contest in January and was totally surprised to be a winner. I’m really looking forward to it. My parents are really glad that I won and were probably excited to know they don’t have to feed me for a year.”

Win Rez was one of three innovative projects aimed at increasing student enrolment at the U of C this year. The Great Marks Scholarship campaign launched in March announced $1 million more in automatic admission scholarships for new students. The annual Spring into U of C event garnered excitement as three prospective students were treated to a weekend on campus, compliments of the Prospective Student Office. The draw winners received return airfare, meals, a VIP campus tour and special event passes.