(Matt Mittgang | Student Life)

(Matt Mittgang | Student Life)

With his hands resting on his legs while sitting onstage in a high-set chair, Matisyahu commanded his quietly captivated listeners Thursday with the performance of three serenely delivered acoustic songs in a blend of words, hums, beatboxing and other sounds.

At times his legs were slightly crossed, rocking to the rhythm; his hands may have moved to grasp the edge of his seat. But one thing remained constant: He kept his eyes closed throughout the performance.

He was accompanied on guitar by Adam Weinberg, the Washington University graduate who first introduced the campus to the Jewish artist more than six years ago.

The first song he performed on Thursday does not appear on any album and is inspired by the Jewish day of observance called Tisha B’Av, commemorating the fall of the First and Second Temples of Jerusalem.

That the song’s religious context likely escaped most of the listeners who filled Graham Chapel did not prevent them from appreciating Matisyahu’s music.

“Matisyahu is an artist I respect for his integration of his personal values and talent in the mainstream industry,” sophomore Anthonia Ojo said. “His songs have great lyrics, and even though they come from his religion, they can be applied to everybody.”

Ojo’s comment points to a universal quality that many have come to attach to Matisyahu’s music.

“Some of the music is clearly based on biblical or Hasidic liturgy or values, but he has the unique ability to translate that into substantive messages that resonate with a large population of areligious people,” said Hershey Novack, rabbi for Chabad on Campus. “Even as a cultural interpreter, he is unique and successful.”

Assaf Shelleg, a visiting Israeli scholar in the Jewish, Islamic and Near Eastern Studies program, also finds Matisyahu’s image unique. Shelleg provided the program’s introduction.

“Seeing him creates some sort of cognitive dissonance, because you don’t expect such an image performing this type of music,” he said.

According to Shelleg, Matisyahu is well received among religious communities in Israel—especially younger generations.

“It gives them the legitimacy of listening to something very modern and is not limited by something that they know is Jewish from the music their parents heard,” he said. “It breaches something in Judaism and kosherizes the fact that we can listen to Jamaican music or hip-hop music with kosher texts.”

Though Matisyahu is an artist with widespread international appeal, students in the audience still found him personable and took the opportunity to ask him questions during the question-and-answer part of the program.

When asked if he has ever struggled with his beliefs, Matisyahu replied, “I struggle with believing in God, because God, honestly, is invisible. It’s kind of like having a relationship with an invisible friend.”

One student also asked about his past experiences with using acid, amid much laughter from the rest of the audience. Matisyahu seemed to share their humor and told stories of his high school days and experimentation with psychedelic drugs.

“The first time I did mushrooms with my friends was 16,” he said. “I remember one experience when we were lying on this field and looking up at the sky, and I remember all of a sudden everything feeling really clear, lucid. I think it depends on the person. For me, it changed a lot of things.”

But he also pointed out the less-pleasant experiences that can come with drug experimentation, to which the student responded with a “yeah.”

“You know, obviously,” Matisyahu joked.

The atmosphere ranged from the more serious to the jovial, which surprised some students like Ojo.

“I did not expect him to have such a great sense of humor and great stories,” she said. “During his question and answer session, he was very open and honest, which I really respected and loved.”

Sophomore Josh Yudkin echoed Ojo’s impression of Matisyahu’s honesty.

“I thought it was really good,” he said. “I found it to be a very candid but…provoking performance and talk,” he said.

For Novack, Matisyahu is an example of an individual who is able to bridge religious and cultural barriers and bring people together.

“Some of his songs resonate deeply with me,” Novack said. “I think his music is incredibly potent and has a very positive effect on many, many people. That is something that can never be taken away from him.”

Check out video of his appearance here.

(Matt Mitgang | Student Life)

The campus groups co-hosting the reggae, rock and hip hop-fusion American Hasidic Jewish artist Matisyahu also reserved May Auditorium in the Olin Business School as an overflow seating area. This, along with the appropriately all-capped Facebook event name, underscores one thing—Matisyahu’s performance will be no small deal for Washington University.

But what most students do not know is that this will be the 30-year-old Grammy nominee’s third show on campus.

University alum stumbles upon musical gold

The story begins in 2003, when University alum Adam Weinberg, then between his undergraduate and graduate school years, saw his friend’s band perform at a Jewish community center in New York City. Opening for the band was a young man called Matthew Paul Miller, a little-known local artist who went by his Hebrew name of Matisyahu.

“I saw him perform and it was pretty raw,” Weinberg said. “I saw him performing for 20 minutes. He kind of blew me away.”

Back in St. Louis, Weinberg, with his connection to Matisyahu’s manager at the time and the support from various campus groups such as KWUR, helped orchestrate Matisyahu’s performance in the Gargoyle.

“It was totally mind-boggling. We hosted a show and we had nothing to really go on—no one really knew him,” said Weinberg, chuckling as he recalled the first concert. “We had painted the whole Underpass ‘reggae night’ or something. We also blasted his music all day in Mallinckrodt and people were really into it. They didn’t know what to expect.”

To top it off, Weinberg, a jazz performance minor, ended up playing backup in the show when the rest of the band could not make it because of flight delays.

“It was interesting, because I didn’t really know the music,” he said. “His drummer kind of called the shots. Fortunately, it was December and Shabbat ended earlier, so we had some time to listen to the record.”

Though it would take months before Matisyahu released his first album and a year before he hit number one on the charts, Weinberg already knew: “There was no doubt in my mind he was going to be huge.”

In March 2004, Weinberg invited Matisyahu back to the Gargoyle for a second show.

Third time running

Since 2003, the two have developed a bond of both friendship and musical collaboration.

Weinberg now works for Gelb Promotions Inc., an agency that produces for and promotes big-name artists like Andrea Bocelli and Itzhak Perlman. In addition to promoting many of Matisyahu’s non-tour-related events, he also continues to accompany him in some performances—including Thursday’s program.

The main event, which begins at 4 p.m., will feature Matisyahu’s acoustic performance and a discussion of his musical style, his latest album “Light” and his development as an artist, followed by a question-and-answer session.

The arrangement is meant to generate a more interactive and “coffee-house” atmosphere, according to senior Sam Guzik, the president of the Jewish Student Union (JSU).

“[The setting] is less academic and more of a chance for students and community members to really interact with him,” Guzik said. “It’ll probably be pretty free-flowing; we’re going to be taking cues from him.”

Prior to the main event, students will have an opportunity to meet and talk with Matisyahu in an informal open reception in the Danforth University Center Courtyard from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m.

As a bigger picture, Guzik believes Matisyahu’s program will present a distinctive experience and perspective in the University’s Assembly Series.

“This is really an opportunity to bring in someone really recognized around campus, but even more so, to do with the Assembly Series something really creative, something that hasn’t been done in the past,” he said.

There is little doubt in the community that Matisyahu fits the bill for originality.

“The notion of religious people playing music is certainly nothing new,” said Hershey Novack, rabbi for Chabad on Campus. “But he is an example of someone who lives in two separate worlds: He is both a practicing Hasid and he is also a very legitimate musical performer. That’s unique.”

Novack also played a part in Matisyahu’s 2003 and 2004 campus performances.

“He was a talented person back then—no doubt,” Novack said. “He certainly matured as a performing artist over the past five or six years, but he was very, very talented. I think his music is incredibly potent and has a very positive effect on many, many people.”

“That is something that can never be taken away from him,” he added.

The Jewish Student Union, Assembly Series, St. Louis Hillel at Washington University, Student Union, Congress of the South 40, Chabad Student Association and Congregation B’nai Amoonah, a local synagogue, are jointly sponsoring the program.

Doors to the main event will open at 3:30 p.m.

Editor’s note: Sam Guzik is the director of new media for Student Life.

The IFC and WPA gave the fraternities and sororities complete creative control over how they could raise money for this philanthropic endeavor. The competition began Jan. 24, and all the money had to be turned in by Feb. 1.

Sophomore Chandler Ronchetti, Pi Phi’s vice president of philanthropy, designed the T-shirts, which were inspired by the sorority’s unofficial angel mascot; they were sold only within the sorority for $10. Pi Phi sought donations from local St. Louis businesses, including Fitz’s, and student-run businesses such as Wydown Water. Each business that donated at least $100 had its logo put on the back of the shirts; a total of eight businesses donated money that went directly to Partners in Health.

Pi Phi President Natalie Evans is proud of the sorority’s initiative in branching outside the Wash. U. community and developing relationships with future partners in other altruistic activities. Pi Phi also wanted to demonstrate to its new members and the whole Wash. U. community that Greek life is more than just partying and crafting a social network. The current members strive to foster a community of character education and, in particular, emphasize the importance of philanthropy within the Greek community.

SAM, a fraternity that has suffered some setbacks in the past year, took advantage of the “Live Strong” bracelet fad and designed purple bracelets with the logo “Help Haiti.” SAM set up camp in the Danforth University Center and Upper South 40 House during the competition week. The fraternity sold approximately 400 bracelets, suggesting a donation of $5. Like Pi Phi, SAM is dedicated to the philanthropic aspect of Greek Life. President Adam Savaglio wants to construct a “culture of accountability” and revamp the philanthropy chair position by hosting events at least once a semester.

Last year, when they lost their housing privileges, SAM’s members had to decide to salvage the charter and come together as a brotherhood ready to rebuild the fraternity through both academic and philanthropic success; returning brothers moved into apartments off campus as to not further fracture the brotherhood.

Sophomore Austin Ekaireb, this year’s philanthropy chair, is a key figure in getting members and new pledges involved in fundraising activities, like Relay For Life and ThurtenE, the Greek-run carnival in April. SAM has also completely restructured its internal judicial system by creating a standards board and an alumni council that is actively involved in the day-to-day fraternity life. Though the transition from on-campus housing to off campus strained the fraternity, it has motivated the brothers to implement a “change of culture,” educating members on SAM’s new philosophy and expectations.

“Fixing our relationship with the University and building a better rapport with the St. Louis community is of the utmost importance,” Ekaireb said.

The IFC competition was just one step in SAM’s rebirth process. Not only did the fraternity contribute to the Haiti relief, but it also made strides in its objective of transforming its image.

SAM is motivated to continue its philanthropic work for the tangible goal of receiving housing privileges and assembling a brotherhood of conscientious and concerned gentlemen.

“We have the academic success,” said Savaglio, referring to how the fraternity has the highest Greek academic GPA, “but now we need to focus on humanitarian work.”

Fraternities and sororities have the unique opportunity to get involved with communities in St. Louis and even as far as Haiti due to their strong, organized and motivated band of brothers and sisters. Pi Phi and SAM are continuing their involvement with Partners in Health by having a second sale of their winning fundraising creations. The second sale of the T-shirts and bracelets will raise more money for donation and get the new pledge classes immediately involved in philanthropic work. The whole Greek community plans to continue working on relations within Wash. U. and Greater St. Louis, spreading an altruistic philosophy and being a role model for all Wash. U. students.

Freshman Bennett Rosenblatt (center), Campus Kitchen Public Relations Officer, grabs some food during the Campus Kitchen kick-off reception. Wash. U.'s newly founded chapter of Campus Kitchen, an student-run operation, cooks salvaged food from Bon Appétit and delivers it to shelters in the St. Louis area. (Johann Qua Hiansen | Student Life)

Bam! After baking eggplant Parmesan, boiling greens and dicing melon, a group of Washington University students delivered food to The Shalom House—a special needs women’s shelter—and spent an afternoon eating and playing Jenga with the residents last Saturday.

This event was not a one-day volunteering endeavor. On the contrary, the event marked the inauguration of the University’s newly founded chapter of Campus Kitchen.

Beginning this semester, Wash. U. students can continue the service by volunteering to cook salvaged food, delivering it to shelters in St. Louis and eating with the clients they serve.

Instead of buying ingredients, Campus Kitchen only uses excess food salvaged from Bon Appétit and partner organizations such as Operation Food Search.

From the select ingredients procured, shift captains unleash their creativity and devise recipes, leading a group of 10 to 12 students to prepare a meal for about 40 people.

While the chapter founders originally had difficulty finding a place to cook on campus, they partnered with First Congregational Church, which has agreed to let Campus Kitchen use its industrial-sized kitchen.

Not only does First Congregational Church offer the necessary space and facilities, it is located right behind Hitzeman Hall and is a short walk from the South 40.

In addition to delivering the food to The Shalom House, student volunteers also deliver to Our Lady’s Inn, a shelter for pregnant women or women who have recently given birth. Both of these shelters are within 10 miles of the University.

Although Campus Kitchen launched its operation only last weekend, it has already received warm support from students.

Bennett Rosenblatt, a freshman who was attracted to the organization’s mission and now serves as a public relations officer, shared why he enjoyed Campus Kitchen at the kick-off reception.

“Cooking is a pretty popular thing­—a lot of people like to cook—so [people] can fuse their interest in cooking with actually helping people directly,” Rosenblatt said. “Why not just cook and help people out?”

Sophia Cinel, one of the shift captains for the kick-off delivery, also shared where she finds enjoyment in her involvement. “Not only can you cook the food for them, you get to go there and eat with the clients and interact with the clients and meet up with them, so you get really see what you get involved with and who you are helping,” Cinel said.

As of now, Campus Kitchen hosts two cooking shifts per week—one from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and one from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays—and two delivery shifts—one from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays and another from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

In the coming semesters, however, the leadership core is interested in adding an additional shift to accommodate the many students who have expressed an interest in volunteering for Campus Kitchen.

One of the most notable aspects of Campus Kitchen is that passionate students run the entire operation.

“Our entire operation is student-run,” said sophomore Catherine D’Antonio, president of Campus Kitchen. “Our students run our shifts, our students plan the shifts, our students deliver the food, our students cook the food. I love the empowerment that Campus Kitchen offers to students at Wash. U.”

D’Antonio spoke of her passion for the program: “I fell in love with Campus Kitchen probably in our training—during the first meal that we cooked. It was just the most fun thing.”

Stephanie Kurtzman, director of the Community Service Office, applauds the students’ initiative and places high hopes on this new organization.

“I am incredibly proud that they finally got to this place,” Kurtzman said. “I believe this is going to grow over time and become a staple and tradition at Wash. U. and become something that we can all be really proud of.”

This year’s Africa Week will conclude with a performance on Friday and Saturday night of “Sundiata: King of Mali” by St. Louis-based Western African Dance Company Afriky Lolo. The African Students Association aims to expand students views of Africa beyond the stereotypes by exposing them to the rich culture. (Courtesy of Afriky Lolo)

The African Students Association wants to show the Washington University campus that there is a lot more to Africa than the stereotypes and myths that many students believe.

This year’s Africa Week, taking place this week, is titled “Myths and Legends.”

The main event will be at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Edison Theatre, where the West African dance company Afriky Lolo will present “Sundiata: The King of Mali.” Through dance, storytelling and drumming, this performance will explain the legend of Sundiata, who was the founder of the Malian empire in 1235 C.E. Though Sundiata was physically handicapped, he was able to build an extensive empire.

Ife Salako, president of the group (ASA), is especially excited about this event because it spotlights African cultures.

“We have Diwali, LNYF and Black Anthology, but there’s never been an Africa culture show,” Salako said. “It’s definitely something different for Wash. U. We don’t get this kind of spotlight normally, so it’s definitely something new that we get to see and experience.”

The week’s events will begin at Ursa’s Stageside on Monday with an event titled “The Warmth of the Human Voice,” where WU-SLam, WUStyle and other performance groups will have presentations.

(Courtesy of Afriky Lolo)

Africa Week will continue Tuesday with a roundtable about the misconceptions about Africa and African identity in the Western media.

“Tuesday we’re going to be talking about the African identity and how a lot of Africans come off to people in society, but there’s so much behind the culture and continent itself,” Salako said.

ASA hopes to connect students at Wash. U. to the African cultures that many rarely experience.

“By discussing identity and how people relate to each other, it’s a way of humanizing Africa and making a personal connection where people can look at it from a different point of view,” Vice President of ASA Betel Ezaz said.

Salako mentioned that these questions about identity apply to cultures worldwide and not just to Africa.

The Feast for Legends will take place on Wednesday. Local restaurants will provide African food. In addition, ASA will screen the documentary “Throw Down Your Heart.” The film traces banjo player Béla Fleck’s trip through Africa and uses music to break through misconceptions that people have about Africa.

A fashion show will put African fashions and jewelry on display Thursday.

These events may be the only opportunity many students have to learn about Africa in this depth, ASA members said.

“I want [students] to take the events as an opportunity to get one step out of the comfort zone or to learn something that you won’t get to experience in classes,” Salako said.

ASA wants people to learn more about Africa than what they see in the media.

“It’s an education too, because some people might leave here without ever having been challenged in what they think about Africa in a different sense than what they see constantly in the news,” Ezaz said.

Salako hopes that students will learn from the events and leave with different visions on the African continent and people.

“These are things that we associate as being part of our home and culture…This is our way of life, so I definitely expect people to come with an open mind, and I hope they take something from it and not just leave it as they found it,” Salako said. “When they’re leaving the fashion show, [I hope] that they understand that fashion doesn’t stop in the western world, and there’s amazing beautiful people in fashion all over the continent in Africa, and it extends beyond our borders.”

Ezaz agrees with Salako in that she too hopes many students learn more about the realities of Africa this week.

“The main thing is kind of showing a different view of Africa other than the one we see of AIDS and starving children, because while that is definitely there, that’s not what defines Africa as a whole…In general, Africans are just very happy people and have a very rich culture—and there’s not just one culture, but it’s how they come together,” Ezaz said.

Specifically, Ezaz hopes that the generalizations and myths about Africa can be broken.

“I guess on a personal level, you get really bothered when you’re in a class or when you read something and it generalized an entire continent, because when you know something is not true or is not the whole…truth, it makes you want to prove that there’s more,” Ezaz said.

Lee Beau WUSA Jose Antonio Sanchez gets excited as the incoming freshman class enters the Athlectic Center for convocation. WUSA applications are due this week. (Matt Mitgang | Office of Orientation)

As the Office of Orientation prepares for its annual Washington University Student Associate selection process, the relatively young program seems to have been successful in helping freshmen and transfer students with their transition into college life.

The WUSA selection process is becoming increasingly competitive, and the Office of Orientation expects to see a rise from last year’s approximately 300 applications. There are only around 60 WUSA spots each year.

Implemented in the fall of 2008, the program (WUSA) was created to help new students with their academic, personal, cultural and social integration into the Wash. U. community. The role of a WUSA is to serve as a dependable resource for incoming students to make their first year a fun and positive experience.

Prior to the WUSA program, there were Orientation Ambassadors (OAs), but unlike a WUSA, an OA’s position was only a weeklong commitment during the first week of school. The semester-long bonds created between WUSAs and their freshman floors did not exist.

Each year, two WUSAs are assigned to every freshman floor, and their responsibilities include spending a minimum of an hour per week on the floor, maintaining a floor academic resource bulletin and social calendar, and attending freshman floor meetings.

“Being a WUSA has been a very worthwhile experience for me because it expands your social and professional sphere,” said sophomore Jacob Witt, a WUSA for Eliot House 1. “I’ve made some lasting friendships with the people on my floor. There is a certain amount of patience and time commitment involved, but it’s fun, so I don’t notice.”

WUSAs say they personally gain a lot from the experience.

“Being a WUSA is important to many people just because they’re representatives for the rest of campus,” sophomore WUSA Parker Brogdon said. “Anyone who enjoys their place here would want to show it off.”

The WUSA program is increasing in popularity.

“The feedback we get each year from the freshmen regarding their WUSAs is very positive, so we want to encourage as many people to apply as possible—not just the freshmen, but also sophomores and juniors,” said sophomore Spencer Goodman, orientation executive board recruitment chair and WUSA for Lee Hall 1.

Many freshmen say they love their WUSAs and feel that they have improved the freshman year experience.

“I think that the WUSAs are extremely valuable to the freshman experience, both [through] the activities that they provide for the floor and also by the relationships that they build with the members of the floor,” freshman Nate Brodell said. “I think that having RAs [is] important, but the WUSAs can provide a different dynamic that is crucial to the freshman experience. I love my WUSAs.”

Other freshmen find the program to be less successful.

“They’re nice, but I need only point at the calendar in the hallway to state how relevant they are to the floor right now,” freshmen Francis Wu said. “I like my WUSAs and find them fun to be around, but they’ve never seemed to become as much of a fixture in the community as we would’ve liked, which I’m assuming is due to their busy schedules.”

The freshman experience, molded in part by the residential advisors and WUSAs, depends on many factors. The success of the WUSA program, and even the RA program, varies greatly depending on the individual.

“With both programs it comes down to the person, because there are good and bad WUSAs and there are good and bad RAs, and the position is only as successful as the person who carries it,” said junior Dithu Rajaraman, an RA and a former WUSA. “The teamwork of the RA and the WUSA is only as effective as the camaraderie that the two people share.”

Goodman also noted that in the coming years, there will be a greater focus on the yearlong commitment aspect of the WUSA position.

“The program is continuously evolving to better meet the needs of the freshmen,” Goodman said. “We learn from our mistakes and improve for the future.”

Current WUSAs shared Goodman’s sentiments.

“I can definitely see the WUSAs having a more active role in freshman programming and working more closely with the RAs,” Witt said.

The application process consists of an online application form, individual interview and group interview.

Junior Kate Gaertner was named the 2010-2011 editor in chief of Student Life on Saturday Feb. 20. (Courtesy of Kate Gaertner)

Junior Kate Gaertner was named editor in chief of Student Life for the 2010-2011 school year. The announcement was made Saturday at the annual banquet held by Washington University Student Media Inc. (WUSMI), whose board oversees Student Life.

Gaertner is currently studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland, and was notified of her selection in a Skype conversation held from the Moonrise Hotel on the Delmar Loop. Gaertner’s tenure as editor will begin April 1.

As editor in chief, Gaertner will bear the responsibility of hiring Student Life staff, supervisiing newspaper production and making all executive decisions.

Gaertner has been involved with Student Life since her freshman year in 2007. Prior to being named editor in chief, Gaertner served as senior Forum editor and a staff columnist for the Forum section.

Gaertner is majoring in both English and American culture studies, with a minor in economics, and is a National Merit Scholar. She is one of the founding members of Drop Knowledge, a cultural magazine staffed by students at the University. During her semester abroad in Dublin, Gaertner is writing for the news section of Trinity College’s campus newspaper.

Gaertner was happy to have received the position. She said she is looking forward to next year.

“I was really thrilled. I’m just really excited,” she said. “I realized all of the things I feel like Student Life can do, and the entire application process makes me more and more excited.”

Gaertner sees journalism as a key component of the University community.

“I think that journalism at its core is about connecting people,” she said. “I want Student Life to have a central role in the University community. Next year, I want to become closer to students and student groups. I want the paper to be something that people can rally around.”

One of Gaertner’s main goals is to create positions within each of the sections charged with pushing online and multimedia content.

“I would like to see every section have an editor working with online and multimedia content exclusively,” she said. “We’re moving into a new era of journalism. We have the opportunity to do some cool things with new journalism.”

Additionally, Gaertner wants the newspaper to be a forum for students.

“Student journalism can be a good testing ground for new ideas,” she said. “I’m looking forward to everyone’s unique perspectives to come through.”

WUSMI’s board of directors selected Gaertner on Saturday based on her application, an interview with student members of the staff, and an interview with the board.

Junior Perry Stein, the current editor in chief, is enthusiastic about Gaertner’s selection.

“Kate did great things to help the forum section grow, and I know she will do the same for the paper as a whole as editor in chief,” Stein said. “I am very excited that she will be leading the staff next year, and I’m glad to that I will have the opportunity to work with her again next year.”

In addition to announcing the editor in chief, the board also awarded the Gregory M. Freeman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Journalism to senior Sam Guzik, current director of new media and former editor in chief. This award recognizes an individual’s significant contributions to the quality of Student Life and its service to the University community. Those reading the applications for the award considered promoting journalistic values as among the most important traits of an award winner.

The Board also awarded the Gregory M. Freeman award for Excellence in Journalism to both senior Dennis Sweeney, a current managing editor, and junior Brittany Meyer, the current design chief. This award recognizes outstanding contributions that appeared in the paper. Judges looked for applicants to demonstrate witty writing, strong reporting and effective visual storytelling.

(Johann Qua Hiansen | Student Life)

To the unknowing passerby, the rowdy scene in McMillan Café on Wednesday evening might have resembled an unrehearsed, B-rated drag show.

But the seven young men strutting around in dresses were no drag queens—they were contestants in the Mr. Engineering Pageant (EnPageant).

Hosted by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at Washington University, the “beauty” pageant is part of Engineering Week (EnWeek) and the larger efforts of engineering student groups to promote their field and show the entire student body that engineers really do know how to have a good time.

EnCouncil, the student governing body of the engineering school, coordinates EnWeek.

“I think [EnPageant] represents the spirit of engineering and that our students will get out there and have fun,” said Melanie Osborn, assistant dean in the engineering school and one of the pageant’s five judges.

And there was plenty of fun to go around Wednesday night as the seven male students—each representing a different department in the engineering school—danced to pop songs, paraded in the pageant’s “evening gown” portion and wooed the crowd with their eclectic collection of talents.

Fifth-year senior Sam Wight, or “Mr. Mechanical Engineering,” showed off his aptitude as an impromptu haiku writer.

The subject of his haikus? Mechanical engineering courses yelled out from the audience.

Mr. Chemical Engineering, junior TJ Pepping, used principles of gas expansion to fit an egg through the narrow opening of a bottle. Meanwhile, junior CJ Carey—Mr. Computer Science—counted to 31 in binary with one hand.

Prior to the talents portion of the evening, the contestants performed a semi-coordinated dance routine to the Spice Girls hit “Spice Up Your Life.”

“I noticed during the dance, Jeremy, that you weren’t wearing any underwear,” Associate Dean Chris Kroeger, another one of the five judges, said to Mr. Electrical Engineering amid laughter from the audience.

The pageant also included an interview portion, in which the contestants answered different questions from the judges.

In the end, Carey, or Mr. Computer Science, clinched the pageant’s grand title.

Could there have been bias, especially since Bill Smart, associate professor of computer science and engineering, was on the panel of judges?

“Absolutely! Total bias,” Kroeger said.

Smart agreed. The self-proclaimed “Simon Cowell” of the judging panel joked before the pageant, “I can tell you right now—CJ is going to do very well.”

Emceed by engineering school seniors Dan Brewster and Sydnie Lieb and sophomore Katie Disterhoft, the pageant had a great turnout.

“We had more people than we initially anticipated,” said Lieb, SWE president. Everything went really well. The contestants, audience and judges all had a really good time, and that was our main goal.”

Brewster, president of EnCouncil, said that he predicted that EnPageant would be one of the more popular events this year, and that the good turnout fits well into the purpose of EnWeek.

“We’re increasing our visibility to other students,” Brewster said. “Our audience is not just engineers but students across the entire school. It’s a good opportunity, and we want people to come out.

According to Lieb, the male beauty pageant had been an event in previous EnWeeks, though not since the 1990s. This year, SWE decided to bring it back—but with its own spin.

“When they were doing it, they had boxer-shorts and tights. We thought it would be more fun to do drag,” she said.

For Lieb, EnPageant was a perfect event for showcasing the excitement of engineering during EnWeek.

“EnWeek is about being really exciting to be in engineering, being really spirited,” she said. “The idea [of EnPageant] was to do an event with all the different schools within engineering together and have a great time.”

Aside from the pageant, EnWeek featured events such as a Nerf gun capture the flag competition in Lopata Hall, a paper plane competition, a “Super Smash Bros.” tournament, EnWeek student breakfast, and various panels focusing on research and career opportunities for engineering students.

EnWeek, which began on Sunday, will continue through Saturday.

Friday, students can enjoy a field trip to Monsanto Co. EnWeek will end on Saturday with Women in Engineering Day, which is also put on by SWE, Engineering Without Borders Community Service Day and a catapult competition.

Mr. Computer Science was crowned with a tiara lined with pink fuzz, and handed a bouquet of plastic flowers. The runner-up was Wright, Mr. Mechanical Engineering.

Nomealpoints.com launched on Jan. 19, the first day of spring semester, and lists all of the free food events that are happening on campus each day. Events also include targeted audiences, with keywords such as “everyone” or “international students.”

In addition to going straight to the Web site, students can access the Web site’s information through Facebook, Twitter, RSS, Google Cal and iCal.

“I think the best thing is that [the Web site] essentially takes all information that would otherwise be spread out and puts it all in one place,” said freshman Will Johnson, who has launched a Web site of his own that allows users to create music playlists. “It’s a great way to find free food, but also [to] be able to get involved with other clubs.”

The Web site is managed by Rosenthal alone, who receives e-mails from organizations across campus about the details of events and takes five minutes each day to update the Web site.

“I have a filter on Gmail that sorts through everything that has to do with free food,” Rosenthal said.

The Web site recently added a tool that allows subscribers to receive daily e-mails at 7 a.m., listing all of the free food events for that day.

In the future, Rosenthal hopes to add on special deals by local restaurants.

“Right now it’s just free meals, I hope to expand that to free meals and good deals,” he said. With that, he also hopes to generate revenue to cover the costs of running the Web site, and perhaps pay someone to update the page.

“I’m also working on having updated daily menus for various [dining] places, for example what they’re serving at the DUC on a daily basis,” he said. Although this information is posted on Wash. U.’s Dining Services Web site, Rosenthal hopes nomealpoints.com will be easier to read and to access along with other free food information.

The Web site has had more than 700 individual visitors since its creation, with more than 200 fans on Facebook and 53 followers on Twitter.

“I’m trying to…encourage more groups to send in their free meal events; that way [organizations] get free advertising for their events, and of course it helps the Web site,” Rosenthal said.

Despite its success, students see possible minor drawbacks.

“I think the obvious pitfall is that not all events are meant to be open events, or [have] people going for [only] the food and not being interested in the organization or the event,” Johnson said. He added that Rosenthal has put up “good mechanisms” to counter this problem by creating an intended audience subheading.

When asked about possibilities of imitation on campus, junior Harvey Multani, a systems science and business major, said he doesn’t expect much competition. “There’s money to be made, but it’s not [that] much money, and building up the brand recognition would take up so much time,” he said. “[The new Web site] would have to be unbelievably awesome to get people to switch.”

A GO WUSTL pilot program has been underway since mid-January. Student Technology Services (STS) representatives said it has been a success.

“The feedback has been generally good,” Director of Student Technology Services Barbara Braun said. “There have been a few hiccups along the way that were Microsoft-related.”

According to Marcia Mannen, associate director of client support for Arts & Sciences Computing, most of the questions that students participating in the pilot have raised were not technical. There have not been many questions regarding the actual program, but rather addressing issues such as mail forwarding.

The Student Technology Advisory Committee (STAC) has been happy with the pilot.

“It’s going to be a good transition,” said sophomore Brandon Lucius, a member of STAC. “There are a lot of tools and applications that are going to make students’ lives more organized and efficient.”

Tools available with the new GO WUSTL program include video and text chat, an application similar to Google Documents, and a global address book.

According to Braun, the global address book is among one of the favorite applications of the pilot program participants.

Issues that have plagued the new e-mail service since the pilot started include backlogged e-mail and issues with the spam filters.

Sophomore Betel Ezaz, who is participating in the pilot program, has found some of its drawbacks.

“It seems inefficient right now, even compared to what we already have,” she said. “My main issue is that it loses e-mails and that the spam folder always has legitimate e-mails. I think they can figure it out. They’ve been really good about feedback.”

To remedy the issue with regular mail ending up in spam folders, all e-mails from Wash. U. addresses have been whitelisted.

“Overall I think it will be better because of the options that are available through GO WUSTL,” Ezaz said. “It’s just a matter of working out the small issues before we go live with it. I think it’s good.”

Arts & Sciences and engineering students are making the transition from Squirrelmail.

“From our perspective we know it’s something to be excited about,” said Kristen Hornberger, communications specialist for the Engineering Public Relations & Communications department.

The business school is transitioning from a less advanced version of Microsoft Outlook.

“It’s a very smooth transition,” said Sharon Yoon, associate director of MBA student affairs. “It’s very nice I think. Students are very savvy, and this is very intuitive.”

The old e-mail accounts will not be phased out immediately; their end dates have not yet been decided.

STS will be offering a series of hour-long workshops in early March to help acquaint students with GO WUSTL. In the meetings STS will discuss how to use specific applications and how to forward mail. STS is also encouraging students to look to the GO WUSTL Web site to find answers to simple questions.

Expectations for the program’s success are running high.

“If the pilot program was any indication, it was pretty smooth,” Braun said. “I don’t think it will be too difficult.”