No prerequisites required. No application necessary. Symbols of a sorority and fraternity are not even required.
The only two requirements necessary to be granted the license to party under the Dallas Party Degree: being at least 18 years old and a SMU student.
“It’s a non-Greek organized party,” Charles Margiotta, a sophomore at SMU and co-founder of Dallas Party Degree, said.
Founders Cameron Purcell and Charles Margiotta began a new system of partying this year. The two, who are Greek members, were tired of the standard Thursday night out and sick of the same old crowd. They put their letters aside and set out to unite the campus bringing together the “Greeks” and those not in sororities, commonly known as “GDI’s.”
“You have a way better time when everyone’s there anyway,” Purcell said.
Not only are the events limited to SMU students, but all bartenders and DJ’s are Mustangs too.
Purcell and Margiotta hire student artists to spin the records while 21 and up students get paid to mix drinks.
“There’s a lot of good music around SMU that students don’t know about…and they (artists) don’t get that much exposure,” Purcell said.
Many student artists have already approached the two in regards to performing. DJ’s and bartenders are all paid for their service and all one needs to mix drinks is a Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission license (TABC).
“It’s hard to say ‘hey you want to come work from like nine to three in the morning?'” Purcell said, although they have had no shortage in offers thus far.
The idea is simple. A $7 cover charge is required, but each “party-goer” receives two free drink tickets at the door if they are 21 years old. Underage guests pay a $10 fee. Like other clubs or bars, bouncers check ID’s at the door and grant those of age access to the exclusive SMU parties, which are 18 and up.
“We’ve had flyers passed out to get the word out, also advertising it on Facebook as well by putting it as our profile pictures,” Mi-Sun Bae, a freshman and student promoter for DPD, said.
Three Dallas Party Degree events were hosted this year, all which took place at Encore Bar located on Greenville Avenue.
“The frats rent out bars on Thursday nights and it’s basically all sorority girls and that fraternity,” Sarah Heller, a freshman, said.
Next year, however, the boys hope to expand their business and move from the traditional 18 and up Greenville area to the ultra-hip and more mature Downtown Dallas scene.
“We’re getting out of the Greenville area, Greenville has gone down,” Purcell said.
For many SMU students, partying downtown represents somewhat of a graduating point in terms of their social life.
“Dallas is a huge place, a lot of good people, a good place to get your name out,” Purcell said.
The duo got the idea from friends at Florida State University where events like Dallas Party Degree have already become a success. The two say that although FSU is much bigger than SMU, the idea is the same and should work the same way.
“The point was not really to compete with the Greek system, but to open a new option,” Margiotta said.
Margiotta and Purcell are members of the Phi Delta Gamma fraternity (Fiji) and are both natives of Florida.
They said on the long drive back to Dallas together, from Florida, they concocted the idea.
“Right now it’s hard because we’re sophomores and we’re trying to get two grades above us to buy into this idea,” Margiotta said.
According to Margiotta, 320 students showed up to the first party while 250 appeared at the next. Purcell said only 200 attended the last one on April 12.
“Next year we’re going to change it up a little bit, keep it all students, but have performers come to us and have student DJ’s open for them,” Purcell said.
Margiotta said,”It’s gonna get bigger next year, this is just the beginning.”
