On Friday, April 1, at Scripps Hall Amphitheater, an event that has been on hiatus since the start of the pandemic is now making its return. Mr. University is a male-identifying pageant hosted by Ohio University’s Alpha Delta Pi, or ADPi, sorority.
Carson Sarver, a sophomore studying political science and psychology and chair of Mr. University, said this will be the first time she gets involved in the event despite its annual tradition.
“I think it's gonna be fun, and I think having it be flipped to male-identifying people participate in a pageant, I think that's always fun to watch and see people get out of their comfort zones,” Sarver said.
The event will include four rounds: introduction, trivia, beauty and talent. After each round, a number of contestants will be removed, and eventually one participant will be left standing.
The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and attendance will be $5 per person. All proceeds will go to the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio and the ADPi Foundation.
Tickets can be purchased at the event or through a link on ADPi’s social media.
Currently, 22 people have signed up, Catron Arnold, a sophomore studying social work and ADPi’s director of philanthropy, said. There is a mix of participants representing different organizations, clubs and fraternities on campus.
“We have representation from fraternities on campus, (and) we have some people from Spikeball that are doing it, as well as Bobcathon, so it's a big, wide range of people participating,” Sarver said.
Arnold said in the past, the event has been geared toward fraternities, but as director of philanthropy, he felt it was time to see a change and expand outreach beyond Greek Life.
“University outreach is important, and representation from all sorts of organs is important, and so I wanted to make that opportunity known for people across the university,” Arnold said. “We wanted to bridge the gap between (Greek Life) and the rest of the community.”
Nick Schriner, a junior studying mechanical engineering, will be taking part in the pageant and said he looks forward to the talent portion the most, although he isn’t sure what talent he’ll be showcasing quite yet. He also looks forward to raising awareness for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
“I’ve heard of the Ronald McDonald foundation before, but I've never actually gone into depth, understanding the full concept of it,” Schriner said. “So I think just getting involved like that and showing support from the community is important.”
Sarver, Arnold and Schriner all agree the event will be nothing short of a good time and a great opportunity to raise money.
“Being able to put money towards such a great cause, I think, is an amazing thing, and especially with how everything has been impacted because of COVID, I think it's even more important than it was before to attend events like these,” Arnold said. “Five dollars — that's something I feel like college students can hopefully spare. But in the end, that can add up to a lot for (the Ronald McDonald House).”
