Goal of dance is to unify black Greek community

Black Greek Council is hosting an icebreaker party tonight in the Kent State Ballroom. Doors open at 10 p.m. and the party will end at 2 a.m.

Aaron McCorkle, president of Black Greek Council and member of Phi Beta Sigma, said the event aims to promote camaraderie among the black Greek community.

“The event is to try to unify us as a whole,” McCorkle said. “We’re asking that people just come out to just have fun.”

Ryan Brown, treasurer of Black Greek Council and Omega Psi Phi member, said the party would be a good way to meet people for the new school year.

“This is just to get everyone together to socialize,” Brown said. “It’s a chance to introduce the new freshmen to the black fraternities and sororities here.”

McCorkle said the Black Greek Council did not have an expected number of people who will come to the event, but they are hoping for the best.

“Hopefully, the promotion will work and bring a lot of people out,” McCorkle said. “The ballroom holds 700. So if we can get 700, let’s go for it.”

Admission for the event is $5 before 11 p.m., but members of Greek organizations are offered a discount, and Greeks who attend Kent State get in for free.

“We need to make profit somehow to host our other events,” McCorkle said. “We host a cookout at the end of the year and a stepshow.”

Rachael Marshall, vice president of Black Greek Council and Sigma Gamma Rho member, said all nine fraternities and sororities from the National Pan-Hellenic Council would be represented at the event.

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, the organization representing black Greek organizations, is composed of nine fraternities and sororities, known as the “Divine Nine.” Kent State only has five of these organizations including sororities Delta Sigma Theta and Sigma Gamma Rho and fraternities Kappa Alpha Psi, Phi Beta Sigma and Omega Psi Phi.

“Akron has Iotas (Iota Phi Theta fraternity) and AKAs (Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority).” Marshall said. “We do like to represent all the Divine Nine at our events.”

McCorkle said it is not common to see all nine organizations at one university.

“You can look at other universities,” McCorkle said. “It is rare to see all nine fraternities and sororities all together in one place. This is just a good chance for us to bring them all together at once.”

The icebreaker is also being used to promote the Rubber City Stepshow and Dance Competition being held Saturday at the John S. Knight Convention Center.

Contact Greek life reporter Samantha Donegan at [email protected].