K-State’s greek community, the Black Student Union and other supporters gathered in Bramlage Coliseum Sunday evening to kick off Homecoming Week 2015 with Pant the Chant.
Performers and attendees were asked to bring a nonperishable food item or a donation of $1 to go toward the Flint Hills Breadbasket as an entry fee.
According to Kylie Sturgis, senior in public relations and member of this year’s university homecoming committee, the greek community partnered with Order of Omega to collect the food and financial donations for the breadbasket.
“It’s super great because we get to partner with Order of Omega, which is the greek honors society, which kind of collects all of those cans for us,” Sturgis said. “It’s just helping the community, which is a great way for a mass part of the greek community to give back.”
Andrew Lee, a member of Pant the Chant’s judge panel, said that being part of an event that helped the Flint Hills Breadbasket get donations was a chance for students and others to join forces for a good cause.
“I think it’s a wonderful organization and a wonderful way to have students not only have some fun and participate together, but for a good cause and to do something good for the community,” Lee said.
During Pant the Chant, groups performed chants pertaining to this year’s Homecoming theme, “A Century of Coming Home.” Each team created a chant based on a different decade, going back as far as 1900.
Ayana Hall, freshman in open option, performed in Pant the Chant with the BSU. Hall said that preparing for the performance was fun once rehearsal time came around, but had its challenges during brainstorming stages.
“We had a lot of ideas, so the biggest challenge was just trying to put them together into one consecutive decision,” Hall said. “But my favorite part was actually getting to know the people that I was doing the chant with and just performing it together.”
Abigail Newton, sophomore in mass communications, said that though she did not perform with members of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, in Pant the Chant, attending the event to support them and other students was a way to show her school spirit and passion for her sorority.
“I think it’s really fun to not only show your love for your chapter, but I think it’s an opportunity to see everyone else’s passions for their chapters, and it’s just a cool time to come together and get to cheer each other on,” Newton said.
Hall said she hopes more groups participate in Pant the Chant or come to support participating groups in the future, as according to her it is a fun way to make a difference.
“I think a lot of other groups should get involved in Pant the Chant,” Hall said. “It’s good to see other people’s performances and work with people to come up with something, and it also benefits the Flint Hills Breadbasket, which I think, is a good thing.”
Sturgis said a goal of the homecoming committee this year is to see more individuals and groups get involved in all homecoming events, and that K-State organizations that aren’t part of the greek community are encouraged to attend as well.
“Come to homecoming events, even if you’re not greek,” Sturgis said. “I know we get this idea that it’s only for greek groups, but we really want it to be a whole K-State experience.”
According to Sturgis, results from Pant the Chant will be announced Friday.
Photos from Pant the Chant
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(Photos by Miranda Snyder | The Collegian)
