August 20, 2017
Open day and Last Frost concert success
Thousands of future students try before they apply
Thousands of visitors defied forecast high winds to ‘try before they apply’ at the University of Wollongong’s annual open day before enjoying The Last Frost festival at the Innovation Campus on Saturday 19 August 2017.
The University opened its Wollongong Campus to the community from 10am-4pm, with thousands of prospective students, parents, family and friends taking advantage of the opportunity to see and experience what it’s like to be a UOW student.
Pre-event registrations were up on previous years and campus and accommodation tours fully subscribed, indicating that more students and their families are planning their visit in advance to get the most from the day’s program.
Exhibits from all UOW faculties in the University Hall provided the chance for HSC students to explore the many study options on offer for 2018 and have questions answered there or at the more than 110 information sessions held throughout the day.
Visitors explore faculty exhibits.
Current Year 12 students learned how they can get into UOW before their final exams via the UOW Early Admission program and about the first year student accommodation guarantee, scholarships, overseas study programs and potential career opportunities after graduating.
The fully-booked campus and accommodation tours showcased UOW’s picturesque bushland study environment, its modern student accommodation—including the Kooloobong Village expansion due for completion in 2018—and surrounding Wollongong attractions.
The revamped STEM Zone proved a hit, with visitors seeing industrial robots in action, tasting ice cream being made with liquid nitrogen, inspecting UOW’s 2017 championship-winning race car and observing natural scientific wonders.
UOW’s Desert Rose team explained how some 200 UOW students from all study areas were shaping the future of housing by designing, building and operating a futuristic solar-powered home as part of an international student competition in Dubai.
UOW Library’s Makerspace tours were well-received, as were performances by current music students, demonstrations by media students and the hands-on creative arts experiences on offer.
Sports fans enjoyed the drills and a ball juggling competition presented by Wollongong Wolves and Japanese football star Yuzo Tashiro and the Nutrition and Dietetics information session featuring Illawarra Hawks player, Tim Coenraad.
Experiencing the STEM zone, creative arts and media demonstrations.
Prospective students 'find their Why' at UOW's open day.
Last Frost concert at iC
After 4pm it was time to celebrate as The Last Frost hosted by Yours and Owls got underway at UOW’s nearby innovation Campus.
Despite cold winds picking up late in the afternoon, more than 3000 people streamed through the gates at the beachside campus for the all ages event featuring an eclectic and epic line-up of artists including Violent Soho, Cloud Control and the Kite String Tangle.
Organisers said the festival’s alternative rock and luscious psych pop beats, combined with a strong police and security presence, created a safe and enjoyable vibe for attendees of all ages.