How Clemson Celebrates National Pan-Hellenic Council Traditions at Fall Fest

Drum roll, please. In first place, we have. I think Fall Fest is basically A chance to step outside your comfort zone. Homecoming atmosphere. Some really big stunts. That sense of competition. Who’s the best fraternity, sorority? Who is the best period.

It would mean a lot to me if we won. My sorority won last year. We’re coming back for first place. It really allows the campus to really showcase what black Greek letter organizations are here at the University. For many students at Clemson, joining a fraternity or sorority is a way

To carry on a tradition through your own personal Clemson experience. My mom is an AKA, so all my life I grew up around AKAs. I’m a legacy. I wanted to be just like my mom and the women, like her friends, the community, the sisterhood that came with it. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Is one of the historically African-American chapters of the National Pan-Hellenic Council or NPHC. These fraternities and sororities provide an important place to belong on Clemson’s campus. I went to a technical college to obtain my associates degree, and then I transferred here. It’s a big atmosphere change.

Students need to find that sense of community and that sense of belonging that allows them to feel they have somewhere to call home here at Clemson University. During homecoming, alumni in the National Pan-Hellenic Council return to Tiger Town to watch their line brothers and sisters perform in a competition showcase.

This past year four organizations Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Kappa Alpha, all vied for first place in this competition called Fall Fest. Fall Fest is basically where all the fraternities and sororities get to put on a show which includes steps, wow factors, themes.

My fraternity. I was not a part of it last year. They did not have a theme. And, um, it really hindered their, their grading that they got. Over the summer, we obviously knew Fall Fest was coming up, so we started pitching ideas of themes that we wanted to do.

Ultimately decided to go with Michael Jackson as a theme. Michael is denoted by a spotlight every time a new song comes on. I’m Michael towards the middle of the show. You’ll see me do the moonwalk. We’re jumping over people. We’re doing all this extra stuff. We’re coming back for for first place. Yo.

Yo. During a performance such as Kappa Alpha Psi’s Michael Jackson themed show, a panel of judges grade the performances based on several factors, including the quality of their strolling and stepping. There’s history within doing steps and strolls. Stepping is just the opportunity of using your body

To make different noises and different sounds. It’s a lot with, like, your feet and hands. Basically, it makes music in your dances. Stepping has transcended and moved into strolling, which is more of a choreography based experience. Our competition is we’re stepping and we’re strolling. It’s like a mix all in 15 minutes.

Only your organization is doing your type of stroll. We’re known for shimmying our shoulders, whereas other fraternities and sororities do different things. There’s march and marching is a different form of stepping. It goes to a cadence, to a certain rhythm. We do it differently than how other people, quote unquote, step.

So that’s why we call it marching. We have showman aspect and different things tied into the show to get the crowd involved. It would mean a lot to me if we won because that means the hard work that we put in going into the show really paid off and that everybody enjoyed it.

We’ll see. I’m doing it for fun. Sha-boom boom. Shacka boom. Shacka boom boom boom. And we pledge Omega with a — Psi Phi. Phi. Q Psi Phi. Q Psi Phi. Alright, alright, alright. Q. Organizations such as Omega Psi Phi each demonstrate their unique styles and talents to come out on top.

While the year long bragging rights are important, the winner and the other competing chapters put in the work for more than just the title. Our first place winners get $200. After we’ve pretty much done revenue and everything, we give that money back to the chapters.

It’s a big fundraiser and our orgs really do need the money that comes with Fall Fest. And most of the time those organizations are using this money from Fall Fest to either take care of those dues that they have to pay; putting that money back into the community

Through their community service and other philanthropy. We do a lot of community service. Deltas are all about like helping the Black community and everybody around them. My mom’s a Delta, so I’m a legacy. She showed me basically what a Delta really is.

I just wanted to be a part of an organization I know would have my back, but also I can give something to them so we can keep getting bigger and stronger. I hope people are able to see that this was continuous

Hard work, building up, building up to put on a great show for everybody. We are Del-tectives instead of detectives cause we’re Delta’s. I think that was pretty smart. May the best people win, but just know it does take two hands to do real work. And that’s all I’m gonna leave you guys with.

I think I found it. I think I have something to address. We have something to get off of our chest. All of our haters, seem to be stalking. Delta Sigma Theta won’t just stand by. We’ll fight for change to the day we die. The Delta’s emphasis on social action is echoed

In the many other philanthropic efforts Clemson’s NPHC funds through Fall Fest. But Fall Fest also supports the brotherhoods and sisterhoods of participating members by strengthening their bonds through months of preparation. It’s a lot of just late nights practicing, grinding, getting the routine together, practicing the steps, practicing the strolls.

We practiced about every day before the actual show happened. It was a lot of thinking, a lot of getting in shape for it. I learned more about my brothers, things that they like. Having to be with them every day for the last two months, you know, definitely makes our bond stronger.

Not gonna lie, we’re all gonna need a break from each other after Homecoming is over. It really is a great sisterly bonding moment. Like you get so close with the girls. My sorority won last year. I’m graduating in December, and I really just want to leave my chapter with a bang again.

AKAs are known as like the pretty girls. So our competition is survival of the prettiest. And we’re gonna be on a plane that crashes. Some really big stunts that we’re so excited for people to see. Winning was so special, but it’ll be so special

To know what I’m leaving behind for everybody else that’s coming after me. What! What! After the final performance of the night, participants and audience members eagerly anticipate the judges’ final decision. As they wait, current students and alumni get to fellowship with their brothers and sisters, reminding them

Why they joined these organizations with such rich traditions. But I think one of the biggest reasons why I tell people to join a Greek letter organization is specifically here at Clemson is because you have something to come back to. Joining a fraternity helped me make more friends.

It does, like, bring you closer to the other African-Americans in the school. You know, I love these guys and I know they love me, likewise. Going to a PWI, having NPHC is like a place where minority students to come and be with people that look like them and understand them.

Having that chapter to say, “Oh, I’m coming back for Homecoming.” There’s always gonna be somebody in that same stride or that same space that you were in when you were here on campus at the undergraduate level. Drum roll, please. In first place. We have the Lambda Theta Chapter of

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. I’m so excited. We put in so much hard work. Go Tigers! The AKAs’ second consecutive Fall Fest victory will forever be a part of Kamora’s Clemson experience. To learn more about the number one student experience, be sure to subscribe to Clemson Student Affairs

Or go and experience a tradition by attending Fall Fest. My time at Clemson has been so, so sweet and rewarding. If I could go back, I would always choose to come to Clemson. I would join my same sorority and I would do it exactly how I did it.

I love the community and family that Clemson gives. Having my sisters in my sorority is even more special.

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