Alpha Sigma Tau (AST) quizzed the sorority girls at their fall event, “Are You Smarter Than A Fraternity Man” to raise money and awareness for their local philanthropy, The Ashley Lauren Foundation, on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
This was the second time AST has held “Are You Smarter Than A Fraternity Man.” This year’s event raised $1,827, exceeding the amount of money it raised last fall. Tickets were sold for $5 in advance and $7 at the door.
Members from each organization of the Greek life community took the stage to play a mock game of the television game show Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader. The fraternity men, or the class, consisted of Joe Lozito (TDP), Jordan Maly (PhiPsi), JD Foye (STG), Maxwell Kenney (TKE), Nash Weiner (DTD), Eric Romanowski (SigPi), and Jose Aguilar (AKPsi). Answering the questions were the sorority girls, Crystal Diaz (LTA), Mollie Dunnigan (AXiD), Krysten Brannick (AOPi), Alexis Asaro (DPhiE), Robyn Belen(Phi Sig), and Melissa Crosta (ZTA). Each fraternity man was given $5 in Bagel Guys Deli cash for participating, and the winning sorority girl was given a $10 Surf Taco gift card.
Contestants were given the opportunity to pick whichever category she wanted. If the sorority girl got through each category without an incorrect answer, she advanced to the final round. The categories included Monmouth, television, Greek life, food, sports, and music. Contestants were given three lifelines: peak, copy, and save. Each sorority girl could peak at a chosen fraternity man’s answer and choose to use it or their own, copy their answer, or be saved by a fraternity man in the hopes he has the right answer.
AST kept the event lighthearted and fun, with hosts Kendal Adams (AST) and Adam Scarangella (TKE), cracking jokes throughout the event. He enjoys “Are You Smarter Than A Fraternity Man” because it’s a fun event that gives each contestant an opportunity to participate.
“It brings Greek life together, which benefits not only Greek life, but Monmouth as a whole,” Scarangella said. Scarangella has represented AST as their “sweetheart” since the spring of 2013. “Being the sweetheart of an organization is so much more than wearing the letters. It’s representing an organization and their ideals. Having the opportunity to live up to the values of Alpha Sigma Tau is truly an honor.”
The event used a twitter hashtag to keep the audience involved, which seems to have become a trend during recent Greek events. Audience members tweeted their thoughts about the event and contestants throughout the night to #AST2014, which the hosts read off sporadically during the show.
Four out of six sorority girls advanced to the final round, including Diaz, Dunnigan, Brannick, and Asaro. Each sorority girl chose a fraternity man to be her partner to answer the final question. Whoever raised their hand first had the opportunity to answer. If the answer was correct, the pair won “Are You Smarter Than A Fraternity Man.” Adams asked, “what is the mission of The Ashley Lauren Foundation?” which she had stated at the beginning of the night. Diaz of LTA raised her hand first, and answered correctly with aiding families who suffer from pediatric cancer.
The Ashley Lauren Foundation is an independent, New Jersey based non-profit organization. The foundation aims to ease the pain of families suffering from pediatric cancer by hosting events for children to participate in and raising money to find a cure for cancer.
“As the AST advisor, I am proud to see the ladies have fun while doing something good for the students and the community,” mentioned Professor Douglas Stives.
The sorority plans to host more philanthropy-based events in the future, aiming for two per year. In the upcoming spring, Alpha Sigma Tau will host their annual Love Struck event. The event is based on a dating show, and allows a bachelor to find his dream date. Proceeds will benefit the sorority’s national service project, Habitat for Humanity.
“I was overwhelmed by the outcome of the event,” said Adams, host of the night and AST event chair. “I cannot thank the Monmouth Greek community and my sisters enough for their support!”
PHOTO COURTESY of Jose Aguilar
