Looking to create an event celebrating student’s completing the necessary credits to become a sophomore after one academic year, the got 28 campaign hosted the celebrate 28 event Sept. 7, in the Oakland Center.

“This event really shows how much OU faculty value their students and how much they want to see them succeed,” said Scott Shermetaro, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering and spanish.

The event featured music performed by the Killer Flamingoes, a Metro-Detroit based cover band, an ice cream bar, and giveaway items.

The creators of the event and the got 28 campaign stressed the event was not simply about the give aways but was about celebrating students attaining sophomore status.

“(The event) is about more than just ice cream, it is about giving students the opportunity to become sophomores, juniors, and then seniors,” said Yoel Joa, assistant director of new student programs.

According to sophomore and Health Science major, Nichole Jamil, students should not shy away from trying to attain 28 credits in their first year.

Jamil, who completed 38 credits her first year, said students should utilize summer classes to help them attain 28 credits.

“If you have a really hard class save it for the summer, so you can focus on it,” Jamil said.

According to Sara Webb, who was part of the team who came up with the got 28 campaign, the university was looking to create a program to stress to freshmen the importance of staying on track to graduate on time.

The number 28 was chosen because it is the amount of credits required to attain sophomore standing at Oakland University.

According to Joa, students who are able to attain sophomore status after one year, are more likely to graduate after four years.

The got 28 program is only the first step in the university’s plan to help students graduate on time.

This year the university launched the first year advising center, aimed at helping freshman adjust to a university work load.

Erica Walendzik, a sophomore majoring in Communication and Studio Art, said the first year advising center and the got 28 program provide first year students with a lot of resources to be successful at OU.

The university is hoping these two new student programs will increase the retention rate and motivate students to graduate after four years.

“The campus community wants to help them be successful,” Webb said.

Webb said after count day, in a couple of weeks, they will have a better understanding of the programs success rate after one year. She added it is really to early to tell the impact the program will have on the retention rate in feature years.