UC Greeks Go Vegas During Spring Tradition

The sun is back, the grass is green, and around this time of year, campus T-shirts are modeling letters that look like Pi’s and pyramids. Greek Week at the University of Cincinnati takes place

April 17-22

– a friendly competition among UC’s 21 fraternities and 11 sororities.

Yes, there will be the traditional belly-flop competition, which takes place in the pool of the new state-of-the art Campus Recreation Center. That’s also where the contest on the rock climbing wall will be held. And of course, “Greeks Go Vegas” Greek Week wouldn’t be the same without a good tug-of-war competition, pie-eating contests or the chariot race. But amidst all the fun and the good-natured rivalry, there’s a unified effort to make a positive connection with the Cincinnati USA community.

This year, UC’s Greek organizations aim to raise $15,000 for the local Make A Wish Foundation to benefit two children who are seriously ill – a little boy named Joseph, diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, who wants to go to Disney World, along with eight-year-old Julia, a young girl with epilepsy, who shares the same wish.

“I wanted to join a fraternity because I wanted to get involved on campus, and I felt like the fraternity would be like my home away from home,” says Alpha Tau Omega member and marketing major David Kay of Akron, Ohio, president of the Greek Week Executive Board and Senior Class Vice President of Programming. He says that over the past two years, UC’s Greek organizations have raised a combined total of $24,000 from their Greek Week celebrations to make the wishes of four children come true. “Greek organizations open doors to get involved in other leadership opportunities on campus. More than 60 percent of our student campus leaders belong to Greek organizations,” he says. UC’s Student Body President, Andrew Burke, is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, and UC’s Student Body Vice President, Dominic Berardi, is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

The fraternities and sororities will also compete to bring the most donors to their annual Order of Omega blood drive during Greek Week. Vicki Calonge, UC program coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life at UC, says every year, UC’s fraternities and sororities contribute more than 20,000 hours to community service and philanthropic events.

Greek Week Schedule of Events:

Monday, April 17

• Barbecue
  11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  Location: McMicken Commons
  Sponsored by JTM’s, the cookout is a free event to mingle with members of the UC campus community.
• Casino Night
  7 p.m.
  Location: Alumni Center
  Games include the popular 21 Black Jack and Texas Hold ‘Em, as well as roulette, “Go Fish” and Uno.

Tuesday, April 18

• Order of Omega Blood Drive
  10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  Location: Stratford Heights Pavilion
  Up to four members of each chapter can participate and earn 10 points each toward their organization’s points awarded for Greek Week participation.
• Dodge Ball competition
  Noon-4 p.m.
  Location: Stratford Heights Pavilion
• Lip Sync Competition
  7 p.m.
  Location: Zimmer Auditorium
  Greek organizations do their best song-and-dance routine to a pre-recorded soundtrack.

Wednesday, April 19

• Water Volleyball
  2-5 p.m.
  Location: Campus Recreation Center
  The round-robin tournament will be held in the pool of the new state-of-the-art Campus Recreation Center that just opened in February.
• Greek Step Off
  7 p.m.
  Location: Zimmer Auditorium
  Each chapter will prepare a step show presentation.

Thursday, April 20

• Rock Wall Climbing Competition
  11 a.m.-1 p.m.
  Location: Campus Recreation Center
   Two members per chapter will participate. Points are awarded either by the number of climbing holds touched or by the speed to reach the top of the wall.
• God & Goddess Talent Show
  7 p.m.
  Location: Zimmer Auditorium
  This is an event that traditionally draws a large crowd, as chapters compete by showing off the variety of the talents of their members.

Friday, April 21

• Belly Flop Competition
  4 p.m.
  Location: Campus Recreation Center
  Contestants will be judged on creativity, crowd participation, costume and quality of their belly flop. Points will be awarded to the top three sororities and the top three fraternities.

Saturday, April 22

• Greek Games
  11 a.m.
  Location: Sigma Sigma Commons
  Teams will participate in contests including the chariot race, pie-eating contest, egg toss, human pyramid, dizzy bat, troll toss and slip ‘n’ slide.