25 September 2018
Travis Boren
The Excel Languages Center is hosting is annual game night for foreign language board games and video games.
The Sept. 28 event will take place from 4p.m. to 9p.m., offering food and a selection of board games and fighting games.
Ryan Smith, a tutor for Japanese for four semesters, says that the game night gives an opportunity for friends to hang out and meet new people on campus.
“I feel like the purpose of game night is to get more awareness of the Excel Languages Center, but also to kind’ve strengthen the bond between UCCS students,” says Smith.
Smith says that the job of tutors is to make people feel comfortable going to the language center.
“[My goal is to see] more numbers from last year for game night,” says Smith.
Mackinnly Knoerzer, a Spanish tutor for the first semester, wants to spread knowledge of the languages center.
“This place isn’t necessarily a place you come just to do language work, you can do homework here,” says Knoerzer.
The Director of the Excel Languages Center Sandy Ho started the game night.
“Game Night is intended to connect students with other individuals who have an interest in foreign languages, American Sign Language, and English as a non-native user,” says Ho via email.
The game night will host board games that coincide with language the center tutors.
“I incorporated video games because I wanted to keep the event inclusive to students who might not consider themselves specific language learners,” says Ho.
Ho’s experience as a member of the Colorado Springs fighting game community showed her that video games help people connect and have fun no matter culture and language. Ho has attended the Evolution Championship Series in Las Vegas since 2007, and says she is impressed by the diversity of the community.
Students are encouraged to register for the event on the Facebook or Mountain Lion Connect page to make sure that the Excel Languages Center has enough food for all attendees.