USAO’s annual Droverstock event is finally returning to campus after a nearly three-year hiatus. Due to COVID-19, the festival has not been held since 2019, but the preparations are in place for the 2022 Droverstock event to be held on April 7. The festival is also known as the Spring Triad and will take place all day in and around the Oval.

“Come out and enjoy. We are excited to be back this year,” said Cynthia Fuston, coordinator for student engagement, who expects between 600-1,000 students to be out enjoying the day this year.

The second part of the triad is the chalk art competition. A limit of 200 squares was placed this year so artists will need to register for a square quickly to ensure they have a space. The artists may begin at 8 a.m. and the judges will come out at noon to evaluate the designs. Fuston said that in past years the designs were “absolutely stunning” and that many teams come prepared with sketches so they can hit the ground running. The Oval will be blocked off from Thursday until Sunday so people can continue to walk through and enjoy the chalk art.

The third part of the day is the Droverstock, or live music, events. The Oval will be home to five live bands from around lunchtime to about 8 p.m. including The Cracks, The Odyssey, On Holiday, Husbands, and Fox Royale.

Five food trucks present in the Oval including local favorite, the Urb, along with Some Like It Tot, Oak Wood Fire Pizza, Popworths Kettle Corn, and Jungle Ice. Fuston said she was still in communications with Viridian to see if they would bring out their coffee truck.

“We really just want to have something that has something for everybody,” said Fuston.

If you want to let your adventurous side loose for the day, at another portion of the Oval there will be a 100-foot inflatable obstacle course. There will also be an inflatable boxing ring and jousting arena for those who want to safely release some aggression on their fellow students.

The Admissions team is hosting Junior Day April 7, as well. This event invites all high school juniors onto USAO’s campus to learn more about the college and what it can offer them. Lining the walkways that run east to west in the Oval will be many of the University’s clubs and organizations. The Student Activities Board plans, organizes, and runs the day said Fuston.

The tables will provide more information about themselves, sell items for fundraising, or pass out magazines. A few of the tables will include the Student Government Association (SGA), the Accent, the Drama Club, the Music Appreciation Club, and PRISM. The SGA will have a complaint or compliment box at their table for suggestions. Fuston said she expects to see around 16 clubs in the Oval. She also said that the link to register for a booth will be up until after Spring Break.

Fuston said she sent out an email before Spring Break with an attached link for students to register for a Droverstock shirt with the deadline already now passed. The shirts will be handed out first-come, first-serve on the day of the event. Fuston said that the shirt design will not be released until April 7, but that it is based off the Droverstock design, which should be released soon. Stickers and other surprises will be happening throughout the day, as well. 

“They all have a unique feel. I love how each one of them [Droverstock] has their own little flair,” said Fuston.

For USAO students, it is up to the professors on whether classes will be canceled or not. Fuston said she has an idea for an after party for the colligate students but hasn’t settled on one yet. She said in past years they’ve had foam and glow stick parties.

Another part of the Spring Triad is the academic competitions. Since the competitions are normally held inside of USAO classrooms, USAO decided to cancel them this year. Fuston said COVID was still a concern for the all-indoor event.

Emily Loughridge is a freshman Communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.