iPad winner collects prize
The winner of the emergency SMS messaging contest and recipient of a new Apple iPad is first-year mechanical engineering student, Peng Xu. His name was drawn on November 6 from a list of 2,120 students who registered to receive emergency text messages during the months of September and October.
“I feel really lucky,” said Xu. “The chance of winning was so small. I knew a lot of students were going to participate because of the iPad. I think it’s a great way to encourage students to sign up because everyone wants one.”
About 10,000 students have signed up for Concordia’s emergency SMS text messaging service to date. It’s just one part of the university’s strategy to notify the community during emergencies and one of the most effective methods for reaching students.
“The contest was such a huge success,” said Darren Dumoulin, Senior Advisor on Emergency Management. “We can’t automatically register students in the emergency SMS text messaging system because of regulations, so enticing students is the only way to get them to do it themselves.”
The contest was so successful, Dumoulin says his department is considering running another one next year.
Meanwhile Xu will take his new iPad to classes instead of lugging around his “old, big, heavy laptop.”
To sign up for emergency SMS text messages, log in to the MyConcordia portal and click on the “messaging” tab.
Emergency texts will include basic information about a situation, as well as the phone number for the emergency information line (514-848-8800), where more detailed information will be available.
Emergency updates are also posted on the Concordia.ca website and Emergency Management’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, as well as sent by email.
Related links:
• Concordia’s Office of Emergency Management
• Emergency Management on Twitter
• Emergency Management on Facebook