Students were promised a $500 prize for getting the most house residents to attend this year’s convocation ceremony. Now, seven weeks after the event, the winning house has not been publicly announced.
Week 1 – convocation week, Aug. 31-Sept. 7
The competition was first proposed by Ferguson House Residential Counselor (RC) Geoff Hinchman. He brought it up in a weekly meeting with the social heads from each house.
“During our Wednesday meeting before convocation, he explained that the house with the most attendees, with a photo proving that there were house members there, would get an additional $500 for the house,” Alex Kibbe, Anderson House social head, said.
Student life officials said funds were part of an effort to support house budgets.
“Social heads had indicated they might struggle to get participation, and it was suggested that a competition be done that would benefit the house with the highest attendance,” Dean of Students Mark Hagenlocher said.
The Wednesday social head meeting was held on Sept. 3, two days before convocation. Resident counselors also promoted the $500 prize to first years and athletes in their houses as an incentive for them to attend the event. The convocation ceremony took place on Sept. 5, 2025.
Week 3 – Sept. 14-21
The winning house still has not been officially announced. Rackham House Resident Assistants (RAs) Luke Berberich and Frashia Njenga feel strongly that they won the challenge. They plan to use the earnings to buy merchandise like hoodies for the first-year students in their house and to fund house events.
“They will tell house presidents the winners hopefully soon,” Berberich said. “I do think that Rackham won. I know that we had a whole lot of people [there].”
Despite the confidence of the RAs, Rackham House RC Tiffiny Randolph expressed uncertainty about the outcome of the competition. It has been two weeks since convocation, and many are relying on rumors and hearsay to determine the winner.
“The last we heard, it was between us and Ferg…we were literally neck and neck. The last I heard, there hasn’t been an actual confirmation…I’m going to confirm with Geoff to make sure.”
Randolph, Njenga, and Berberich are waiting on Hinchman or the house presidents to make the final announcement.
Hinchman declined to provide a comment on the record.
Week 3 ⅕ – Sept. 30
There is still confusion about the winners. Neither Hinchman nor the house presidents have officially or publicly announced who won. It is also unclear where the $500 reward is coming from. Randolph reports that Hinchman “helps with the budgeting of student events,” but it is unclear if the money is coming from that specific budget.
Attendance numbers, as reported by house social heads, have determined a verdict. The two houses with the greatest percentage of their residents in attendance at convocation were Rackham and Ferguson. Rackham reported that 42 out of 53 of their students attended, or 79% attendance. Ferguson reported having 37 out of 46 of their residents attend, or 80% attendance. According to these numbers, Ferguson has won. This has not yet been confirmed by Hinchman or the house presidents.
Week 7 – Oct. 23
Some Ferguson residents have not heard about the competition or prize money at all.
“As of today, I have heard nothing about the competition,” junior Ferguson resident Dean Wood said. “It’s kind of weird hearing about it now, even though it already happened. Cause convocation was a little while ago, so hearing about it now is weird.” He says he has not heard anything from Hinchman about the competition or its results.
It is unclear which house, if any, will receive the $500 reward. Travis Booth, Buck House social head, said that the last time the convocation competition was discussed in a social head meeting was five weeks ago.