Michelle WhiteReporter

The Jacked Up Rabbit Race has given SDSU’s Residence Hall Association national recognition.

The program won the Program of the Year award at the Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls Conference in Springfield, Miss. MACUHR is one of the seven regions in the nation. The three-day conference ran from Nov. 5 to 7.

The RHA presented the program “bid” for Program of the Year at the conference.

“Five bids were submitted for the Program of the Year award, and the MACUHR board narrowed it down to two,” said Dijon DeLaPorte, co-advisor for RHA.

DeLaPorte said SDSU’s Jacked Up Rabbit Race and NDSU’s Cancer Awareness Week were the final two programs. After it was narrowed down to two, SDSU and NDSU had to each make a 15-minute presentation explaining why their program should be selected the winner.

Chris Miller, RHA president, said the presentation had to include planning, budget and how the program was successful on campus.

“The board deliberated for an hour, and the first vote came back as a tie,” Miller said.

However, the board’s second vote revealed SDSU as the winner.

Miller said the program was chosen because of the large amount of student involvement.

“We had 180 students participate, which in residential programming is huge,” Miller said.

Miller said now the Jacked Up Rabbit Race committee will have to present at the National Association of College and University Residence Halls’ Semis at Western Illinois University in mid-January.

“If we win, we will present at the national conference in May, which will also be held at Western Illinois University,” Miller said.

If SDSU wins at nationals, it will allow RHA more effective organization and create a better residential hall experience, Miller said.

“This award shows how organizations on campus are making a unique experience for students,” said Maria Tracy, one of last year’s winners of the Jacked Up Rabbit Race.

The Jacked Up Rabbit Race is a 24-hour scavenger hunt and amazing race where teams of six work together to participate in various challenges and collect many retrieval items, Miller said.

Tracy said the race is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“How many people can say they won a 24-hour scavenger hunt where you can only ride your bike around town?” Tracy said.

She said she thinks this is good publicity for SDSU and shows “how outstanding the program is”.

“The Program of the Year award is a major milestone for RHA,” Miller said.

#1.1814414:54399045.png:Jacked-up-Rabbit-Race-Submitted.png:Left to right: Allison Lawler, Tylee Norman, Amanda Chicoine, Chris Miller and Kristie Vice make up SDSU?s Residence Hall Association, which is accepting a Program of the Year Award with the Jacked Up Rabbit Race.:Submitted Photo