MAY WEEK 2008... "BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT TO CELEBRATE!"

May 14, 2008

Contact: Scott Fry

Fry.164@osu.edu

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Student Alumni Council (SAC) in coordination with the Alumni Association helped to welcome the Spring Quarter with the annual “May Week” which was held from May 3-11^th. The theme for the annual celebration was “Because There’s a lot to Celebrate”, with daily activities throughout Ohio State’s campus. This year, May Week was inspired by an “around the world” ideal, using a passport system to register in a raffle for two free airline tickets courtesy of American Airlines. The week included events such as: “Laugh Olympics,” “Alpha Psi Lambda: Cinco De Mayo BBQ,” “Official Ring Ceremony,” “An Evening with Al Gore,” “Kayak in Mirror Lake,” “May Week Picnic,” “Off the Lake Productions: AIDA,” “Bucket and Dipper’s 2^nd Annual Golf Frisbee Event for Hunger,” and “8^th Floor Improv May Week Show” to name a few.

In the spring of 2003, the Student-Alumni Council resurrected this Ohio State tradition which dates back to the 1900s. This week-long celebration showcases campus organizations and departments through events which link students, faculty and staff. Members of the steering committee organize programs focusing on academics, wellness, recreation, athletics, cultural diversity, Ohio State traditions, Buckeye pride and community service. May Day was first celebrated by the university in 1910 when the Women's Council organized a May Fete to replace traditional May pole dances. The term "May Week" was then adopted to describe the May celebrations in 1939. The week-long event has also been known as Traditions Week. Historically, May Week served to showcase initiation ceremonies for class honoraries including Bucket and Dipper Junior Class Honorary, Mortar Board and Sphinx Senior Class Honoraries.

This year SAC’s Elizabeth Moeller was the Undergraduate Chair of May Week, who helped coordinate the weeklong festivities along with May Week SAC Coordinator Priyanka Joshi, SAC Advisor Josh Harraman, SAC President Paul Barash, and the May Week Committee. The committee has been planning the event throughout the school year and is comprised of more than 30 members. Also, May Week had over 100 volunteers, to help plan and run the many events on campus. Congratulations and a job well done!

The Student-Alumni Council is a student advancement organization dedicated to serving Ohio State students past, present, and future through the support and coordination of university and The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc. events. A member of the Association for Student Advancement Programs (ASAP) and its parent organization, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), SAC strives to advance The Ohio State University through programs which enhance the student experience, promote student-alumni interaction and establish a spirit of loyalty to the university.

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