Park, Brady dominate in philanthropy competition

By Rachel Scaman

Michelle Park and Scott Brady took home victories at the end of Delta Zeta’s 19th annual Dream Man and Greek Goddess competition.

Dream Man and Greek Goddess is a beauty pageant where members from fraternities and sororities compete in formal wear, talent, swimwear and question and answer. The event took place 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium.

Dream Man and Greek Goddess is one of Delta Zeta’s events to benefit its national philanthropy, the Painted Turtle camp. The Painted Turtle, a summer camp in California, is a place for children with serious medical conditions. Delta Zeta raises money to pay for children to stay at the week-long camp.

Bridget Hickey, senior special education major, internal philanthropy chair for Delta Zeta and coordinator of Dream Man and Greek Goddess, said last year Delta Zeta raised about $5,000 from Dream Man and Greek Goddess and the sorority should know how much it has raised by next week.

“This year I’m hoping we raise a lot more, especially with all the publicity we’ve been having,” Hickey said. “We also do penny voting all week, and right now we’re over $500 in penny voting.”

Hickey said this year each contestant had a pageant coach from Delta Zeta.

“It’s really brought our community together” and helped Delta Zeta sell more tickets, Hickey said.

Park, sophomore early education major, member of Delta Gamma and Greek Goddess winner, said she was relieved she won.

“My whole chapter has helped me through the process of Greek Goddess and I was super nervous,” Park said. “But because they were behind me I was able to get through it.”

Christi Johnson, sophomore hospitality and administration major and member of Delta Zeta, said Dream Man and Greek Goddess is the most-attended philanthropy on campus. Johnson said this philanthropy is important to her.

“I think every kid deserves to feel like they belong,” Johnson said.

Nick Bourke, junior communication major and member of Sigma Nu, said he went to support his brother, Kenner Spriggs, in the Dream Man competition.

“The best part about [Dream Man and Greek Goddess] is to be able to hang out with my brothers and support all of the Greeks that are competing,” Bourke said. “Also, it’s for a great cause.”