SMU members of Alpha Chi Omega sorority attend their Mothers Against Drunk Drivers event. STUART PALLEY/The Daily Campus
Let’s face it: The beginning of school is stressful. Between adding and dropping classes and sitting down with new textbook readings, students need a little break. As the summer sun simmers down and a nice breeze kicks in, all tensions seem to fizzle.
The sorority women of Alpha Chi Omega gathered near Clements Hall Tuesday evening to meet and greet fellow students over a relaxed, cookout meal.
Students from all areas of campus dropped by and munched on hamburgers and chicken sandwiches from Outback Steakhouse, while discussing light topics such as hometowns and majors.
“It’s a really fun way to get the campus together and meet new people,” said Alpha Chi Omega President Hannah Nelson.
The annual event provides free food for the whole campus, though donations were accepted. Last year the event raised more than $800 in donations, according to Nelson.
The sorority also sold a variety of cookies from Tiff’s Treats and cupcakes from Society Bakery, the proceeds from which went to Mothers Against Drunk Driving to help the organization put on events and spread awareness about drunk driving prevention.
This philanthropy has a deeper meaning for the women. Nelson said that the sorority’s support for MADD is “in honor of our sorority sister who was killed in a drunk driving accident a few years ago.”
“It’s a really good turnout this year,” said sophomore Alpha Chi member Mallory Nutt. “Last year it rained, unfortunately.”
“I’m really thankful for Alpha Chi Omega putting on this cookout,” junior English major Mickey Dollens said as he chowed down on a hamburger. “I was already eating my dinner when I got a call to come out, so I rushed over.”
As the Outback Steakhouse trailer took off, students quickly gathered around a cafeteria table for an apple pie eating contest. Ten fraternity boys dug their faces into tinfoil pie plates.
Michael Gruben, a junior civil engineer major representing the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, won first place and received a gift certificate to Burger House. With a face still covered in pie as he backed away from the table, Gruben’s fraternity brothers cheered on their pie-eating champion and handed him a congratulatory napkin.
Just a couple of yards away, the Chi Alpha Christian campus ministry had a cookout of its own. Some members sat near the flagpole in front of Dallas Hall and strummed the strings of acoustic guitars, while others threw around some frisbees.
As summer comes to a close, students focus on how to become an integral part of their surroundings. SMU offers over 200 student organizations to choose from, 28 of which are national sororities and fraternities.
Alpha Chi Omega hosted one of several upcoming meet-and-greet events. The Panhellenic schedule is packed with back-to-back speakers and ice-breaking events throughout the semester. Visit smu.edu/samsa/Organizations for more information on student organizations.
