This spring break, a number of organizations on campus have been asked to do something unusual: encourage students to stick around Ellensburg. The Diversity and Equity Center (DEC) will take the opportunity to try out an idea recently developed by their programming staff, according to Justin Santoli, the new program manager.

Most years, organizations at CWU have little to no programming or activities for students over breaks. 

“So, the idea from that came from a sort of university-wide initiative that we were asked to help out with in an effort to … create some incentive to stay on campus so that we … reduce the risk of spreading [COVID-19],” Santoli said. 

A scavenger hunt marks the first event run by Santoli from start to finish. Santoli said a number of events were in the finishing stages of development since he arrived two months ago.

 “We really wanted to focus on sort of the history of justice on campus, and just how much CWU at Ellensburg has grown,” Santoli said. 

Clues for the search will be posted on the DEC Facebook and Instagram accounts over the spring break. According to Santoli, three to four clues would be posted during the weekdays.

“They range in difficulty, which is intentional, to try to give everyone an equitable chance of finishing it,” Santoli said.

The clues themselves will give students, new and old, a better sense of the history around campus, Santoli said.

The Assistant Director for the DEC, Katrina Whitney, was a major part of the historical information used in the event, according to Santoli.

“The idea is at the end of the week, students have a form link [that] will be shared out on social media,” Santoli said. “And students will be able to submit all their photos throughout the weekend.”

Santoli said it was fun developing clues for the event and learning about the history of Ellensburg and CWU.