UMW hard launches its first ever dating show for students

by IZZY SCHEFERMANN

Staff Writer

It was official, cuffing season had arrived, and brought with it cold temperatures, making it even more essential for students to find a cuddle buddy. 

For couples, situationships and even besties, UMW organized the perfect event for students indulging in the festivities. On the eve of Valentine’s Day, the Office of Student Activities and Engagement hosted “Hard Launch: the situationship showdown,” a fun, low-pressure and irrestiably watchable gameshow. 

“If this event makes you nervous, you don’t have to get on stage,” said Lilly Lester, Assistant Director of New Student Programs. “Just come and enjoy it from the crowd. Watch your friends be silly, that’s the whole point.”

The event was split into two parts. The first half was modeled after the classic Newlywed Game—four pairs of students were pulled straight from the audience. Once on stage, the pairs sat back‑to‑back with whiteboards, answering questions about each other like, “what’s their favorite color?” or “what’s your favorite thing about them?”

Matching answers earned points and the pair with the highest score won a $50 Chili’s gift card for dinner and a movie date night of your choice.

The second half shifted into full dating‑show mode. One pre-selected student sat behind a curtain while three potential matches, chosen from the audience, answered personality-based questions. At the end, the curtain rose, a match was made and the two were once again rewarded with Chili’s and a movie.

Everyone who participated on stage also received a free steak dinner from the Top of the Cedric Rucker University Center, thanks to a partnership with Dining Services.

Students didn’t need to sign up in advance. In fact, showing up spontaneously with energy was probably the best strategy for pairs.

“If people bring good energy and are hyped in the crowd, we’re more likely to pick them,” said Lester before the event.

Jo Lent, a junior finance major and the social chair and event coordinator for the UMW women’s rugby team, said the show felt exactly like the kind of chaotic, community‑building event students needed in mid‑winter. 

“Everyone’s been cooped up from the snow, so something goofy and low‑stakes like this is perfect,” Lent said. “I think it goes back to participation numbers, the more people that are there, the more fun it will be.”

Sophomore political science major Maddison Kryszon agreed, saying the event stood out because it’s not just another dance or movie night. 

“It’s different and that’s why people are excited,” Kryszon said. “I think students want events that feel interactive and unpredictable.”

The co-hosts, Lester and senior class officer Josiah Schlechty, an accounting and economics double major, opened the night with a few scripted jokes and rule explanations, but after that, the show became mostly improvised. Audience reactions helped settle close calls and maintained the light, playful and communal.

Behind the scenes, the event was the product of collaboration between New Student Programs and SAE, who helped with logistics, marketing, decorations and space reservations. Lester credits the teamwork at SAE for bringing the idea to life.

“It’s been very collaborative,” she said. “SAE plans most of the campus events, so they really know what they’re doing.”

The spark for Hard Launch didn’t come from a planning meeting or a brainstorming session, it came from a cruise ship.

Lester was on a Thanksgiving cruise with her family when she attended Carnival Cruise Lines’ Love and Marriage Game Show, a spinoff of the classic Newlywed Game. Sitting in the audience with her aunt, she had a moment of recognition.

“We looked at each other and were like, ‘This would be so fun to bring to a college campus,’” she said.

The simplicity of the questions, the mix of long‑term couples and brand‑new ones and the way the show encouraged people to learn about each other all stuck with her. When she returned to campus, she pitched the idea and it landed.

Although this is the first time UMW is hosting Hard Launch, Lester hopes it won’t be the last.

“I’d love for it to continue and for other people to get a chance to host it,” said Lester.

With Schlechty graduating this year, future versions of the show could be co‑hosted by students, staff or a mix of both. Lester imagines the event evolving, growing and becoming a staple of UMW’s Valentine’s season.

For now, though, the focus was on Feb. 13 and on making the inaugural show a night that students could talk about long after the prizes were claimed.

“It’s something fun to do on a Saturday night, especially after being snowed in,” Lester said.

Crowd prizes made it so that even if students didn’t want to participate on stage, there was still a chance for them to leave with a prize. 

Whether you’re hoping to win a date night, cheer on your friends, or simply witness the delightful chaos of UMW’s newest event, Hard Launch promised a night of laughter, surprises and maybe even a few love stories.