At least 1,000 University students milled through the organized rows of tables in the Michigan Union Ballroom and Pendleton Room yesterday to check out various campus organizations during the fourth annual Winterfest.
Sponsored by the Office of Student Activities and Leadership, Winterfest gave 130 student-organized groups an opportunity to attract new members and tell students about their associations.
"We want our definition of who Africans are to be expressed to the University," said one of the founding members of the recently formed African Student Association. "We're also hoping that students who support us are aware and come and join."
The African Student Association was among the groups to perform on the ballroom stage.
LSA first-year student Omar Gaines said the three different dances the association performed represented dances done in the northern region of Ghana.
SAL Director Susan Wilson said the number of student organizations is up from last year's 96 participants.
"It says to me, 'They're getting something out of it,'" Wilson said, adding that students looking for involvement also benefit.
Both group members and students looking to join said the event was well organized.
"It seems very smooth, even the presentations ran smoothly," said Engineering first-year student Bobby Green. "Most of the groups seem satisfied with the turnout."
Green, who is in the SAL work-study program, passed out information sheets containing group's contact people and the time of their mass meetings.
"Turnout is more than I expected it to be," said Engineering sophomore Lydia Yeung, who talked to interested women about her sorority, Alpha Xi Delta. "We're just trying to get our name out and have people know what we do and that we exist."
Alpha Xi Delta, which will begin winter rush Saturday, was among the groups who used free candy, fliers and photos of members to convince students to join.
"I'm really happy with the outcome," said LSA junior Makaiya Brown, who put the event together. "There was so much to do."
As a part of her internship with SAL, Brown was in charge of both Winterfest and Festifall, which usually takes place two to three weeks into the fall semester.
Students said they came to Winterfest for various reasons.
"When you go out to find a job, you need the basic education in your field and you also need the experience of extracurricular activities," said School of Education junior Anita Burton, who is a transfer student looking for volunteer opportunities at the University.
Many organizations said they are not necessarily trying to recruit new members, but instead want to make students aware of their issues.
"You never know where one of our brochures might end up," said Public Health graduate student Jason Lang, who was passing out information about eating disorders.
Lang and about 15 others are members of University Health Service's student-based group Body Image: Health and Disordered Eating.
Members of University Christian Outreach, an ecumenical Christian organization, performed a 25-minute religious program.
"We really enjoy doing it," said Engineering senior Jennifer Leonard, a UCO staff member. "(Winterfest is) one of the many ways to get your name out and get people involved."
Wilson said Winterfest has grown each year and she anticipates future success for the program.
JOSH BIGGS/Daily
Jamie Farah, an Engineering first-year student, speaks with LSA senior Samuel Kwan at the Air Force ROTC table yesterday at Winterfest.