High School students visited campus to compete in games and explore the university through French Immersion Day

The French language program held its annual French Immersion Day, called “Let’s go to WSU!” or “Allons-à WSU! on Friday, Sept. 29.

According to Brigitte Roussel, associate French professor and event organizer, approximately 200 students from 12 Wichita-area high schools would attend. Students ranged from high to low-level French courses.

“The purpose is, first of all, to connect with the other French programs: the French teachers in their high school (and) French students, so that we can have an ongoing community with common activities together,” Roussel said.

The event was held across the main campus as students alternated rounds of French language and culture related activities.

“The second goal is for them to have fun while they discover Wichita State (and) roam around the campus, so they can discover what the campus is like, and they kind of will be familiar with it if they enroll later,” Roussel said. “The third goal is to recruit students to enroll at WSU.”

Shortly after the event began in the CAC theater, representatives from the study abroad program spoke about travel opportunities to French-speaking countries, including France, Belgium and Canada.

Anna Dixon, the high school recruitment manager from the office of admissions encouraged students to enroll. The representative called now “the best time to be a shocker”, referring to campus perks such as Wichita State being Kansas’s most diverse university, the record enrollment increase, and the Shocker Success Center expected to be built by Summer 2024.

After listening to the speakers, the high schoolers played Music Mania, a popular language class activity that involved making a bracket of eight French songs and narrowing them down to the “best song” through voting. Popular French-language singers such as Stromae, Khaled, Aya Nakamura and Indila were included.

Students were then split into groups and completed a 30-minute activity across campus. Pétanque, a European yard game, was played on the lawn outside Ahlberg and Elliott Hall. A scavenger hunt began by the Jardine Hall Fernando Botero sculptures. Pictionary was played in rooms across the second floor of RSC.

Lunch was served on the third floor of RSC before the event ended and students were dismissed.

“My favorite part is lunch, to be honest. The food is good,” Jonas, Wichita Northwest High student said.