Did you really think we weren't going to review the amazing year we had? Never! This year was an amazing one for us as a faculty. From going viral on Twitter, exam memes, increased school fees, final year week, elections, and so much more. 2023 was fun and you guys made it an awesome year. So, let’s go down memory lane together.
The year started with students resuming for the second semester of the 2022/2023 session. Those in 500 level were excited about completing their degrees and final year week activities. The 400 level students began their SIWES program—well, some of them, because a few were still seen at the faculty👀. Meanwhile, the rest of the faculty continued their battle against engineering. The days went by and in February, the ULES Games were announced. This was the first faculty sporting event since the advent of COVID-19. The games took place in March and it was a wholesome week filled with sporting activities and memorable highlights.
After the games, the annual Engineering Ladies Day came around. This event was preceded by a series of outings, such as the Pad-a-Girl campaign which distributed 100 reusable pads to economically challenged girls from a select secondary school. ELD also successfully hosted its inaugural movie night, which quickly sold out shortly after announcement. During this period, ELD rebranded to the Engineering Ladies Initiative (ELI), and the main event began with a morning session featuring insightful discussions with diverse panelists. Later that day, it hosted a dinner party, attended by engineering students and ELI executives.
The second quarter of the year witnessed the peak of activities in the faculty. One such activity was the final year week, which commenced in April. It was a week to remember and you had to be there to fully appreciate it. From Corporate Day to Sweatshirt Day and the memorable Costume Day, every day was a back-to-back hit. The final year students showed their stuff with pictures from the costume day even going viral on X (formerly Twitter). To top it all off, the final year students hosted a parody “Owanbe” wedding party and shut the place down, literally. It was like a scene out of a movie.
By June, students were already gearing up for their exams and our ULES politicians began their campaigns for departmental and faculty executive positions. The elections were free, fair, and cordial, and the candidates were able to demonstrate their prowess during the debates.
The faculty dinner, themed Renaissance, wrapped up all activities for the session. It was attended by students from all levels. And, it marked the end of what had been an exciting session.
As we all vacated school to enjoy our ‘3 months’ break, we did not expect what the university had in store for us. First, our our tuition fees were significantly increased, causing considerable concern among students and their families. To compound this situation, the resumption to the new academic session was postponed. At this point, many students were quite frustrated with house chores and eager to leave their homes, but UNILAG had other plans...
After numerous meetings and interventions, the school agreed to reduce the fees. Shortly after that, we balloted for accommodation slots and it goes without saying that the entire process was hectic, disappointing, and mentally exhausting. So, congratulations to the lucky few that managed to secure accommodation🥳🥳.
The new session finally commenced on 30th October and we had new things to look forward to. For one, the faculty had a new set of excos with exciting plans to execute. In addition, ECX classes resumed. They started their newsletter and community to foster stronger bonds among volunteers, beneficiaries, and all stakeholders interested in the program. Furthermore, ECX provided a total of 10 training tracks to nearly 700 students, offering opportunities to learn technical skills from experienced tutors and the hacktoberfest. Finally, they launched their merch, so go check it out!
ULES OWLS kicked off their semester activities with a writing and speaking competition themed "Write it, Speak it: The Power of Words and How They Shape Our Narratives". The competition was open to all undergraduates nationwide, and the winners will be soon be unveiled. The virtual writing and physical oratory classes have seen remarkable success, with 3 consecutive classes conducted so far. The ULES Blog (yours truly) was also born and our faculty PROs have spammed us with weekly broadcasts (make those guys dey try relax small) 😅.
The faculty welcomed a fresh group of aspiring engineers and to aid their integration into the faculty, the executives provided ULES tutorials for 100 and 200 level students, beginning just a month after the start of the academic year. The tutorials cover general engineering and science courses such as GEG113, GEG117, FSC112, FSC115, EEG211, and MEG211.
PAADC held the seventh edition of its competition, perhaps the best so far. This event was so memorable, with many exciting ideas, activities, and prizes, that it earned its own full article to capture the magic of the stellar executives. So, watch out for it over the next few days.
The ULES ARB (Academic and Research Board) organized an academic quiz competition on December 15th, featuring 10 departments. The competition included segments in engineering math, physical sciences, general knowledge, and logic questions. Each department earned 10 points for every correct answer in the four rounds of each course. Following an intense competition, five departments (Met n Mat, Elect, Computer, Chemical, and Systems Engineering) emerged victorious. These departments will compete in the next semester to determine the ultimate IDAN of engineering.
2023 in engineering concluded with the Rhythm and Rave event, themed Glow in the Dark. This party featured a diverse range of video and board games. Students enjoyed abundant food, and face painting, and participated in a raffle draw where they won exciting products from entrepreneurs within the faculty. A notable highlight was the presence of Sydney Talker, a popular Instagram Skit Maker. All in all, the turnout was quite impressive as the party continued late into the night. This December 20th event was, true to ULES tradition, a resounding success.
This year was full of memorable moments. And, while we are recognized for academic excellence, hosting fantastic events, and simply just being the best, the faculty also showed up for one of its own when a student had an accident in the faculty and required surgery. Kudos to everyone for their support. As we reflect on this wonderful year, we also remember those that are no longer with us. May they rest in peace.
While enjoying our Christmas break, let’s remember to pursue academic excellence. The excos have so much more for us come 2024 and you do not want to miss out on any of them. On this note, cheers to a much more amazing 2024!
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