Songfest raises money for shooting victims in Florida

Greek organizations here on campus raised around $7,000 through Greek Week’s annual Songfest event on Mar. 22 for victims of the recent school shooting in Parkland, Fla.

Each year, the money raised at Songfest benefits a philanthropy. This year, Greek organizations decided that the money should go to the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

Tommy Ponson, head of Student Life, said that Songfest is an annual event for Greek life. This year, eight chapters participated: Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, Kappa Alpha, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Delta Zeta, Gamma Phi Beta, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Phi Mu.

Cameron Bourgeois, biology junior from Thibodaux and Greek life member, said that this year’s winners were Kappa Sigma and Sigma Sigma Sigma. Both chapters did a skit on travelling.

Ponson said that even though Songfest has occurred at Nicholls since the 1980s, the format has never changed. Greek organizations are able to choose their own skit to perform, and there is never a unified theme.

At Songfest, winners for academics, most philanthropy money raised, community service hours and intramural champions are announced.

Academic winners were Sigma Sigma Sigma and Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

Delta Zeta and Sigma Alpha Epsilon won community service hours and most money raised for their philanthropies. Delta Zeta raised $32,875, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon raised $10,710. Delta Zeta recorded 9,073 hours of community service, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon recorded 5,970 hours. Intramural champions were Phi Mu and Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

“[Songfest] brings Greek members together. It’s a week [when] the Greeks are actually supposed to come together to have fun to culminate the year,” Ponson said.

Bourgeois said that this year, in addition to the money raised at Songfest, they held a canned food drive. Throughout the week, they collected around 700 cans, which they will donate to the food bank.