Andrew Lim opened a piece of paper that read, “Smile, it’s contagious,” on the Plaza of the Americas on Tuesday.
The UF biochemistry sophomore attended U Matter, We Care’s first U Matter Day, where ambassadors of the program played games with students and handed them inspirational messages.
Students could also write their own messages on whiteboards and answer questions to win prizes, including highlighters and T-shirts.
U Matter, We Care hosted the first U Matter Day on the Plaza of the Americas on Tuesday. Program ambassadors played games with students and handed them inspirational messages throughout the day.
U Matter, We Care has been planning the event since May 2015, said Rachel Clark, a graduate assistant at the Dean of Students Office.
The organization decided to hold U Matter Day to educate students about support services available to them on campus, Clark said.
They chose to hold it Tuesday because there were fewer events going on compared to other days.
“We looked at the calendar and today seemed like a good day for everyone,” she said.
Alex Timmer, an ambassador for U Matter, We Care, handed students messages that said, “every Gator counts.”
She said she joined the organization to reach out to students and to create a culture of care on campus.
“I wanted a tangible way to be able to help students on campus and let them know that we care, even though they may feel like they are in a sea of people,” the 21-year-old UF psychology senior said.
Raymund Gaviola, also a U Matter, We Care ambassador, said students need to know they can find their community at UF.
“It is important to let students know that they are not alone in a campus so big,” the 19-year-old UF biology sophomore said.
Lim, 19, said he liked how the ambassadors engaged students during U Matter Day.
“I like how they’re actively engaging people and welcoming them into the event,” he said. “They weren’t just tabling and making people come to them.”
Kasey Tahmosh, a 20-year-old UF marketing sophomore, takes a picture of two students with an Instagram photo frame with the #UpLiftUF on the Plaza of the Americas for the U Matter Day on Tuesday.
