OXFORD, Miss – Visitors to the University of Mississippi might wonder where the camera crews are this weekend as the fourth OMazing Race sends dozens of participants on a campuswide scavenger hunt and other events designed to promote awareness of campus diversity
The event, coordinated by the Department of Campus Programming and the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, is set for Friday and Saturday (March 23-24). The event began in 2006, loosely based on the hit CBS reality show “The Amazing Race.”
The OMazing Race is desgined to place students in an environment where they have opportunities to explore their perspectives and opinions about people seemingly unlike themselves, said Bradley Baker, interim director of campus programming.
“The event is special in that it brings people together who would not normally hang out with each other,” he said. “I think the highlight of the event is watching the teams grow closer together in a very short amount of time. Of course, the excitement and drive builds on Saturday during the scavenger hunt as teams let their competitive nature emerge for a fast-paced race to the prize of $1,000.”
Fifteen teams, each consisting of four members, are set to compete in this year’s event.
The Winter Institute and Campus Programming have worked together each year the event has been staged. The Winter Institute handles the Friday night activities, which include a cultural mapping exercise, a story circles activity with several UM faculty, staff and administrators, and a dinner and keynote address.
Campus Programming coordinates Saturday’s three-hour, campuswide scavenger hunt. Besides a $1,000 grand prize, members of the winning team get their names engraved on a brick on the Walk of Champions.
A selection committee chose the teams from more than 80 applications. Each team includes people from different ethnicities, genders, religions, sexual orientations and other descriptive attributes and interests.
“We hope that the students participating will have fun while learning about each other, as well as themselves,” Baker said.
The Ole Miss Alumni Association, Papa John’s Pizza and the Ole Miss Parents Association also are sponsoring this year’s competition.
For more information about The OMazing Race, contact the Department of Campus Programming at 662-915-1044, Patrick Weems of the William Winter Institute at 662-915-6734, or One Mississippi representative Caleb Herod at cmherod@gmail.com or Margaret Ann Morgan at mmorgan@olemiss.edu.