Homecoming concluded as the women of Gamma Phi Beta rushed to the basketball court to accept their Sweepstakes trophy for the second year in a row.
The sorority won the Homecoming championship at the awards ceremony after the Lip Sync competition. The event was Nov. 4 in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center.
The theme was “Something Old, Something New, Something Bold, Something Blue.” Eight campus organizations competed in the festivities, choosing their own themes within the official theme. Six of those groups entered submissions in all four categories: banner, window, spirit structure, and Lip Sync.
Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Mu, and Kappa Sigma participated in all competitions.
FIJI participated in banner, window and spirit structure competition, but did not participate in Lip Sync. The United States Institute for Theater Technology entered a banner and window for the competition.
Gamma Phi Beta placed first in spirit structure, second in Lip Sync and window and third in banner, awarding them the Sweepstakes prize.
Second place in Sweepstakes went to Alpha Phi, who got first in window, second in structure and banner and received the People’s Choice Award for their Magic Schoolbus-inspired Lip Sync.
Kappa Sigma took third in Sweepstakes, with first place wins in banner and Lip Sync. Alpha Chi Omega won the Spirit Award.
Monica Thompson, music theater/vocal performance senior and Gamma Phi Beta, said she is proud of her sisters.
“Homecoming is all about coming together to celebrate OCU, having fun and utilizing the immense talent we have on this campus,” she said.
Taylor Blackman, acting junior and Kappa Sigma, said that Homecoming always pays off.
“We get so annoyed and ticked with each other during Homecoming week because it’s challenging to stay up late and do things over and over,” he said. “But when it comes to fruition, we see that this has not just made us a stronger fraternity or sorority, but a stronger community. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
After Lip Sync, emcees Daxx Wieser, music theater senior, and Casey Andrews, music theater junior, crowned this year’s Homecoming Royalty.
Zack Travers, business administration senior and Kappa Sigma, and Courtney Beyer, acting senior and Alpha Chi Omega, won the titles of Homecoming Royalty.
Ali Funkhouser, music theater junior, said she liked the results.
“I was not emotionally, physically, mentally, or spiritually prepared for my level of joy when Courtney Beyer won Homecoming queen,” she said.
Students voted for Homecoming King and Queen on OrgSync, and voted for the People’s Choice Award during the ceremony via Facebook. Other competitions were scored by a panel of judges unaffiliated with any participating organization.
Shannon Beshears, vice president for Student Activities Council, said she had only good things to say about Homecoming.
“This year’s Homecoming committee has been one of the most dedicated and hardworking groups I have had the absolute pleasure of working with,” she said. “The Homecoming Commissioner Tamara Doherty is one of the most hard working individuals on this campus and I have learned so much from her.”
Doherty said Homecoming was a huge success.
“We took a lot of risks this year and made some experimental changes, so with that comes a learning process,” she said.
Franziska Harms, acting junior and Gamma Phi Beta, said Homecoming reminded her why she is proud to go to OCU.
“When combined, the organizations on campus created over 27 projects during Homecoming this year that were purely student-designed and produced,” she said. “How often will you find a group of people that will support each other in multiple artistic endeavors to represent a community?”
Leave a Reply