For many university students, summer can mean a welcome break from classes. But for students who remain on campus or stay in the city, the quieter months can also bring fewer opportunities to connect with friends and community.
The Memorial University Black Students Association (BSA) is working to change that. On Saturday, more than 150 students gathered at the Fortis Canada Games Complex in St. John’s for the association’s inaugural Inter-House Sports Festival, bringing together students for a day of friendly competition, music, food, and community.
Building Community Through Sports
The event featured a variety of activities, including relay sprints and egg-and-spoon races, with students competing in teams for the top prize.
Organizers initially hoped to attract about 130 participants, but the festival exceeded that goal, with more than 150 students taking part and additional people attending to watch and support the competitors.
For organizer Julie Mwendanga, the event was created in response to a gap in summer programming for students who remain in St. John’s.
“We were looking to host an event for the summertime for students who stay on campus or who are just in the city,” Mwendanga told CBC News, noting that there were not many engaging community events hosted by the university during the summer.
The strong turnout demonstrated the interest in creating more opportunities for students to connect during the summer months.
Creating Connections Away From Home
For students who are far from their families and home communities, maintaining social connections can be especially important.
Mwendanga explained that summer can be a difficult period for students who are no longer attending classes and therefore do not have the same regular opportunities to see their friends.
The sports festival provided an opportunity to address that isolation by bringing students together in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
Participant Oluwademilade Fatokun, who finished second in the men’s 400-metre race, described the event as an opportunity to be active and connect with others.
“It’s a very nice way to network with fellow Black people and other people from other nationalities,” he said.
For Fatokun, the gathering also reflected the importance of community for students living far from home.
“No one is a lone wolf,” he said, emphasizing that whether participants won or lost, the experience was ultimately about having fun and being together.
Bringing a Piece of Home to St. John’s
For BSA president Fawaz Osideru, the festival also carried a cultural significance.
He said the event reminded him of sports days held in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, where sporting activities can bring people together and create a strong sense of community.
The BSA wanted to bring that experience to St. John’s while creating a space where Black students and members of the wider community could come together.
“We wanted to incorporate that here in the city and also in the Black community and beyond, to just show that we’re here and we’re represented,” Osideru said.
For students from African and other international backgrounds, recreating familiar community experiences can help make a new city feel more like home.
Osideru described bringing the event to St. John’s as a significant achievement.
“Having this here in St. John’s, Newfoundland, that’s a big win,” he said.
More Than a Sports Festival
Although sports were at the centre of the event, the festival was also about creating space for broader community interaction.
Food and clothing vendors were present, adding another dimension to the gathering and giving participants opportunities to engage with local businesses and cultural offerings.
The combination of sports, food, music, and social interaction helped create an environment where students could meet people outside their usual circles and build new connections.
For a university community that includes students from different cultural and national backgrounds, these informal opportunities can play an important role in fostering belonging and inclusion.
Looking Beyond 2026
The Inter-House Sports Festival was the first event of its kind organized by the Memorial University Black Students Association, but its organizers hope it will not be the last.
The response from students suggests there is an appetite for more community-focused programming during the summer, when university activities and classes slow down.
For the BSA, continuing the festival could provide an annual opportunity for students to stay connected, celebrate culture, build relationships, and remain engaged with the broader Black community in St. John’s.
The initiative also demonstrates the important role that student-led organizations can play in creating community spaces that respond directly to the experiences and needs of students.
Building a Stronger Sense of Belonging
The inaugural festival shows that community does not have to stop when classes end.
For students who stay in St. John’s during the summer, events such as the BSA Inter-House Sports Festival can provide opportunities to remain active, meet new people, celebrate culture, and create connections that extend beyond the university campus.
More broadly, the event highlights the value of Black student organizations in creating spaces where students can see themselves represented, share experiences, and build a sense of belonging.
As Fatokun put it, the event was about “bringing home to home.” For students living far from their families and familiar communities, that sense of connection can make a meaningful difference.
The Memorial University Black Students Association’s first Inter-House Sports Festival was more than a day of competition. It was a celebration of community, culture, representation, and connection — and a promising beginning for continued summer programming in St. John’s.