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Clemson University ΠΚΑ
In this Issue... Derby Days
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Greek of the Month Page 2 Pahellenic Pride Week Page 3 SigEp Paw Painting Page 3 Sigma Nu Ball Run Page 4 First Friday Page 4
Questions or Concerns? Contact IFC Vice President of Public Relations Ward Jones ecjones@clemson.edu CPC Vice President of Public Relations Camilla Hundley chundle@clemson.edu
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• volume 2 • Issue 5 • October 2013
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Float Week: History Repeats Itself Since 1914, the Clemson Homecoming celebration has unified the surrounding community and returning alumni in a variety of spirited ways. This beloved tradition takes place on Bowman Field the week leading up to the Homecoming game, most commonly known as “Float Week.” Float Week began in 1956 and has since materialized into one of the most unique pastimes Clemson has to offer. With a total of 32 groups and five nonGreek organizations participating this year, massive floats were constructed out of chicken-wire, pomp and support beams. This process has changed very little since its inception, but the structures themselves seem to get more complex each year. At the end of the week, Central Spirit crowns a winner in three categories: movable floats, non-movable floats and one overall champion. The judging is based on a variety of criteria ranging from how well the float relates to the theme to maintaining a clean construction site once the structures are unveiled for the public. Senior Britney Bernard, the Central Spirit Homecoming Director, said about the process, “The float build is one of Clemson’s greatest traditions and the continuation of this awesome procedure is what constantly draws back alumni year after year. Central Spirit, and myself in particular, take pride in showing the community what Clemson spirit really is.” Clearly when the phrase, “Once a Tiger, always a Tiger,” is spoken, it’s nothing but true. Times may change, but great traditions like this will always remain the same.
“Once a Tiger, always a Tiger” Matt Olinger molinge@clemson.edu
Over Thirty Years of Derby Days Success Derby Days, Sigma Chi’s annual week-long philanthropy event, took place this year during the week of Oct. 7. Since its inception in the early 1980s, the Eta Psi chapter has upheld a strong history of raising funds for various charities. During the first year Sigma Chi put on the event, about $10,000 was raised for a small school in Tamassee, S.C. The week involves daily competitions among Clemson’s sororities. Contests such as the Derby Chase and the banner painting competition have remained the same since the first Derby Days over 30 years ago. The event is consistently the top-grossing philanthropy project of any fraternity at Clemson. This year, over Zeta Tau Alpha took home first place in the Derby $23,000 was raised to fund cancer research at the Daze dance competition after “wowing” the crowd and judges with a space-themed routine. Huntsman Cancer Institute. Zeta Tau Alpha won the Derby Cup after earning the most points throughout the week’s events. Delta Delta Delta surpassed all other sororities with online donations with an amount of $6,651. The brothers of Sigma Chi are already looking forward to hosting next year’s events. Derby Chairman Chris Doerring said, “This year’s Derby Days was a huge success, and our chapter couldn’t have done it without the support of our peers and family members. Thank you all for your cooperation in the fight against cancer. We truly did make a difference this week.” -William Harrison wlharri@clemson.edu
Greek of the Month Megan Schmalz of Kappa Delta has been chosen as Order of Omega’s Greek of the Month for the Month of September. Her involvement on campus with medically based organizations has made her stand out in the community as an individual deserving of this honor. Schmalz is a sophomore microbiology major interested in medical missions in third world countries following graduation. On campus she is the fundraising chair for FIMRC, the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children. This organization is a medically based service club that is involved with medicine in the local and international communities. Schmalz has travelled to the Dominican Republic with this group and hopes to do so again. Schmalz has also begun volunteering at the Oconee Medical Center. She is also the secretary for the Microbiology Club and is actively involved in Greek IV and FCA. Schmalz was also recently intiated into Order of Omega, and we could not be happier to welcome someone like her into this organization. Because of her commitment to helping others in our community and even in different countries, Order of Omega is pleased to name Megan Schmalz this month’s Greek of the Month.
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-Lindsay Heyman lheyman@clemson.edu
Panhellenic Shows Its Pride
Panhellenic Pride Week is an opportunity for the members of each Panhellenic chapter on campus to come together for fun events while continuing to support the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation. This foundation represents a worldwide humanitarian effort--by sorority women--to help women access education. The week kicked off with the “Panhellenic Day of Service.” On Sunday, September 30th, members participated in various events including a campus cleanup on Bowman Field. On Monday, the members viewed Half the Sky, a film about turning oppression into opportunity for women. On Tuesday, Panhellenic women participated in a night of singing and dancing at TD’s for Karaoke Night, with 10% of all dinner proceeds going to the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation. To help further empower sisterhood, the members also attended a speaker at on Wednesday at 8pm in Tillman. As Thursday night finally rolled around, Panhellenic Pride week closed with a carnival, which included a barbeque dinner and music, as well as raffles and games. Kristen Salstrand, Vice President of Panhellenic Council, Panhellenic women participate in explained how “Panhellenic Pride Week really represents the the Day of Service culmination of everything that all twelve Panhellenic Chapters at Clemson stand for. Incorporating service, philanthropy, and social events into one week brings us together as one community rather than twelve individual chapters.” While this was the first time the Panhellenic community has celebrated Panhellenic Pride Week, the council looks forward to continuing the event as a Clemson Greek tradition. -Julie Casale jcasale@clemson.edu
SigEp Brothers Leave Their Print
Have you ever walked through campus and wondered where those big, orange Tiger Paws come from? Every Paw is actually painted by members of the Greek organization Sigma Phi Epsilon. In July 1970, the former official Clemson logo of the block letter “C” was replaced with the Tiger Paw Print. The Natural History Museum of Chicago sent Clemson a plaster cast of an actual tiger’s paw, and the logo stuck. During the following fall semester, just months after the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity was founded at Clemson, the members took the initiative to paint Tiger Paws throughout campus and on many of the main roads that lead to campus; the Paws now guide fans all the way from I-85 to Clemson. Chase Lanier, Vice President of Philanthropy for SigEp’s from the 1970s with Sigma Phi Epsilon, said that Paw painting “is one of their Paw stencil. the most distinguished things SigEp does as a fraternity. The Paws are the first things people see when they drive into Clemson.” Over forty years later, SigEp continues the tradition by touching up the current Paws and by adding Paws in more locations. There are now hundreds of Tiger Paws throughout campus, including a giant Paw at the four way stop sign by Sikes Hall. -Ward Jones ecjones@clemson.edu Page 3
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From Esso to Williams-Brice Stadium One of Clemson’s most time-honored Greek traditions is the Sigma Nu Game Ball Run preceding the Clemson vs. USC football game every year. The run was originally started in the fall of 1977 by the Theta Zeta chapter of Sigma Nu at Clemson, when the Tigers played in Columbia. The late Bobby Tinsley, along with Frank Thompson, Doug Scruggs and Dwight Frierson came up with the idea the Saturday night before the USC game, and the first run was held five days later on Friday. The Sigma Nu brothers mapped out the route, split into groups and drove to their assigned locations on the way from the Esso Club to Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia. Every other year when Clemson traveled to Columbia for the game, the Sigma Nus would run the game ball there. A few years after the Clemson Sigma Nus started this tradition, the USC Sigma Mike Schenck, Clemson and Sigma Nu class of Nus started running a game ball from Columbia to Clemson when 1987, running the game ball towards Columbia in 1985. the game was held in Clemson. Eventually, the two chapters started meeting in Greenwood, SC and they would each run half the distance. In previous years, the fraternity raises money to support research of various diseases, such as Lou Gehrig’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis, and starting this year, all of the money raised will be donated to the Dabo Swinney Foundation. “We really wanted to contribute to something that is nearby and works with local charities to make a difference,” said senior Sigma Nu brother and Philanthropy Chair Davis Riddle.
Clemson Tigers
-Katherine Schenck kschenc@clemson.edu
Kicking off the Season Right with the First Friday Parade First Friday Parade is a rich Clemson tradition that unites the students and the community as they celebrate the beginning of football season. Fans and students line the street downtown preparing to watch the floats arrive. The cadence count is heard from visiting alumni, current students, and children. This parade is crucial for raising school spirit for the opening game of the season. Generations of Clemson students have participated in the making of these floats and enjoy being a part of the history. Organizations throughout campus prepare all week to present their hard work. Students stay up all hours of The sisters of Sigma Kappa the night building and pomping in order to have the best ride in the First Friday Parade float. This effort allows students to meet people of all organizations and truly brings the community together. Students have the chance to leave their mark in Clemson’s history. Visiting alumni reminisce as they return for the opening game of the season. One student, Caitlin Cox, stated, “First Friday is one of my favorite traditions at Clemson because it’s our chance to add to Clemson’s legacy. While it is tedious to pomp the floats, it’s all worth it when we get to see the Clemson community come together.” -Danielle Preskitt dpreski@g.clemson.edu
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