The annual Sigma Phi Epsilon crawfish boil is today at their fraternity house on Donaghey. The events begin with a volleyball tournament at 11 a.m. and other events scheduled throughout the day. Crawfish will be served, of course. Tonight, Corey Smith will play.

Tickets for the crawfish boil are $10. Tickets for the Corey Smith concert are $25. A ticket for both events is $30. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Space is limited and the event always attracts a large crowd.

All the money collected at the event will be donated to the Conway Regional Health Foundation.

There's a concert here tonight

The Sig Eps had a little trouble getting ready for the event this year. Seven of its members were arrested last week and charged with theft for taking 32 wooden pallets from Tiffany Industries on Salem Road. They planned to use the pallets to build the temporary fence around the fraternity for the party and as fuel for a bonfire. All the charges were dropped Wednesday after officials with Tiffany Industries told the police they didn’t want the students prosecuted.

The Iota Pi chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity has teamed up with the Society for the Propagation of Black Culture to sponsor the “Best of Both Worlds” step competition. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

This year’s show includes Greek organization from throughout central Arkansas competing for $3,000 in prize money. Organizers expect the competition to attract an audience of hundreds of students.

The show orginally was scheduled for March 6 but had to rescheduled because of a shortage of police officers to provide security for the event. University police were preparing for a disaster drill they held March 11.

Phi Beta Sigma offers prize money to the top three finishers. The overall winner gets $1,500. Second place gets $1,000 and third place gets $500.

Tickets are $15 and available at the door.

After the show, Phi Beta Sigma will host a party at The Old Gin building downtown at 1016 Markham St. Doors open at 11 p.m.

Saturday, the Sigmas will host a party at Toad Suck Park. They will provide free food and music.

The sorority held its second annual A21 5K race Saturday and raised more than $3,000 for the A21 campaign, an organization that rescues victims of human trafficking in Europe.  

About 120 people participated in the 5K. It started at 8 a.m. on Bruce Street, passed through the Westminster subdivision, circled back to Bruce Street and ended in the Farris Center parking lot.

Wes Pruitt won the race with a time of 17 minutes and 58 seconds. The largest team in the race was “Agony of Defeat” with 11 runners. Pi Kappa Alpha and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternities entered runners. 

Selling women into sexual slavery is the second-largest global crime today, generating about $12 billion a year. Few women are rescued and few people are arrested and convicted of the crime. Experts estimate that about 1.4 million women are victims worldwide.

Alpha Sigma Tau has declared a national effort to fight this crime. One strategy is making people aware of the problem by sponsoring events like the 5K. There is more information about the A21 campaign and how you can help here.

That’s because the fraternity is holding its 13th annual Alumni Crawfish Boil at the Circle B Ranch on Dave Ward Drive west of campus. It starts at 1:30 p.m. and continues until late at night. Tickets are $25. You don’t have to be alumni to attend.

The party includes food, drinks, live bands and a DJ. This year’s headliner is Ryan Couron. T-shirts will be available for $12.

The event has grown from a small gathering for alumni to one of the biggest parties of the year. Hundreds of students and alumni attend for the crawfish, hamburgers, hot dogs, cold beverages, socializing, live music and dancing.

Grant Blaylock, a Pi Kappa Alpha member, said the party gets bigger every year.

“Alumni still come but the party is now open to everyone,” Blaylock said. “We are expecting some prominent alumni to make an appearance.”

UCA President Allen Meadors is an alumni. So is Rush Harding, chairman of the UCA board of trustees.

The doors open at 6 p.m. and admission is $10.

The brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi know how to step

The All-Greek Step Show combines the historically African-American Pan-Hellenic groups with the historically Caucasian groups in a stepping competition. The event was organized by the sororities and fraternities on campus and the Office of Greek Life. 

 This year’s groupings are: 

• Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sigma Sigma Sigma, and Sigma Tau Gamma
• Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Phi Sigma Kappa
• Sigma Gamma Rho, Omega Psi Phi, Alpha Sigma Tau, and Kappa Sigma
• Zeta Phi Beta, Phi Beta Sigma, Delta Zeta, and Sigma Phi Epsilon
• Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Kappa, Sigma Nu, and Phi Lambda Chi

For more information, contact the Office of Student Life at 450-3137. 

Here are a couple of videos from the show a couple of years ago. This one is of Sigma Sigma Sigma performing. This one is of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

It’s time for the 31st annual Fite Nite presented by the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. The amatuer boxing tournament is one of the biggest social events of the year, attracting hundreds of students.

The two-night event is held in the U.S. National Guard Armory at 300 Exchange St. The action begins at 7:30 p.m. today and continues at the same time tomorrow night. Tickets are $8 and available at the door. T-shirts will be available for $12.

Fighters are matched in weight categories in single-elimination bouts. Winners tonight will fight again tomorrow night for the championship of their categories. Overall winners in each category receive a trophy and $100.

The event includes the popular “grudge match” fights between any two people who challenge each other. And, of course, the often controversial ring girls will be there.

You might want to get there early. Doors open at 7 p.m. and long lines have formed in the past. By the time the fights begin, all available seating usually is taken. The music can be deafening at times.

Some of the fighters confirmed for the event  include Chris Knight, Drew Jordan, Cody Johnson, Tommy Chanphadoune, Kenneth Reddic and Corey Springer.

Here’s a video of some the action in 2007. It’s a bit grainy but you can get an idea of what happens at the event.

The weekend celebration begins at 7:30 p.m. today with a basketball game between the “Nupes” (Kappa) and the “Ques” (Omegas) in the HPER Center.

Additional events include a pool party at 7:11 p.m. tomorrow in the Farris Center, a barbecue at 2 p.m. Saturday in Fifth Avenue Park followed by a party at The Old Gin building downtown. The doors open for the party at 10:11 p.m.

The events are part of the centennial celebration of both fraternities.

Were you nervous at all?    

Oh yeah, I was real nervous for the entire week before the pageant, but when I finally got up on stage, all my nerves went away and I felt confident that I would just do my best.  I definitely didn’t expect to win.  

How much time did you spend preparing for this?  

Basically just the week leading up to it, getting all my outfits together, practicing my dance, etc. (Bridget’s talent was her version of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” dance.)  

Many people are saying you looked way better than Beyonce up there?  

Yeah, some people have told me, but I don’t know about that. Beyonce is pretty legit.  

If you had to eat/drink the same thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?  

Definitely buffalo chicken wings … and I love chocolate milk.  

Bridget Thomas

What is your favorite thing to do?    

I like to do a lot of things!  But my favorite would be hanging out with my pledge sisters. They’re pretty cool and always up to something.  

What is your favorite movie?    

Gladiator!  I could watch it a hundred times and never get tired of it.  

Which is better, coffee or smoothies?  

Coffee, it helped out a lot while pledging.  

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?  

Maybe married and well into my career, broadcasting, hopefully sports.  

Still in Arkansas?    

Yeah, I like it here.
  

The Spring Queen pageant will be held at 7 p.m. today in Ida Waldron Auditiorium. Admission is $6 at the door. T-shirts and raffle tickets also will be sold. All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The pageant allows 12 selected sorority pledges to compete in four categories: Modeling their sorority letters, wearing togas, modeling formal wear and displaying their personalities. One of them will be named “Spring Queen.”

The pageant is hosted by the Kappa Sigma fraternity and Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.

It’s part of their week-long celebration of the members who joined the fraternity in the Spring 2008 semester. The celebration, called “Welcome to Omegaland,” started at 7 p.m. yesterday with a “Stop the Violence” program in the Student Center.

Omega Psi Phi

Other activities scheduled this week include:

• Wednesday – All Greek Basketball – HPER – 7 p.m.
• Thursday – Powderpuff Game – TBA
• Weekend – Several parties and a Sunday picnic with free food at Fifth Avenue Park - TBA

The Omega Psi Phi brothers are known for throwing festive events. Everyone is invited to join them during the celebrations.