Beta Kappa Psi and Nu Theta Chi host speed dating event
By Jasmine Leach
On Feb. 10, Betta Kappa Psi and Nu Theta Chi had their first Speed Dating event for Kean University students. The event was in the University Center Greek Lounge from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Betta Kappa Psi and Nu Theta Chi wanted to do something fresh and fun for its school this year. They wanted to do something that would attract many students, and this event definitely lived up to their expectations.
Kean University student and Betta Kappa Psi co-chair and brother, Gerard Smithwrick, explained what inspired them to create the event this year.
“Kean has never had a speed dating event on campus, so we wanted to do something new and something that the students would respond positively to and something we can do annually,” said Smithwrick. “It was for Valentine’s Day.”
He also provided information about the students that attended as well.
“Every kind of student you can think of. Students from different nationalities, ethnicities, commuters and residents and sexual preferences,” said Smithwrick.
In addition to these students, there were also quite a few sorority and fraternity groups present. Betta Kappa Psi brother and treasurer, Paul Agui, explained information about the Greeks that attended the event.
“Overall [there] [were] about six organizations that came out three fraternities and three soroities. Nu Delta Pi, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, Chi Upsilon Sigma, Lamda Theta Alpha, Beta Kappa Sigma…,” said Agui.
The Speed Dating event included about thirty male and thirty female students. A majority of the students were single, some were solely there to show support to the Greeks, and the others were there just to network and have some time away from their schoolwork.
Each male and female had a minute and thirty seconds to form a conversation, which was typically followed up by general questions. These questions included topics revolving around sports, interests, hobbies, education, characteristics that you look for in a partner, or for people that were already dating, questions regarding the duration of the relationship, and where you met your boyfriend or girlfriend.
Some people were also there at the event to make new friends, and Kean student and fraternity leader of Nu Sigma Phi, Zach Denelsbeck, is one of them. Zach discussed his experience at the speed dating event and he also explained that Betta Kappa Psi and Nu Theta Chi should make this speed dating event a tradition for each year.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the speed dating because it gave me the chance to meet new people while being my goofy self,” said Denelsbeck. “I did make new friendships there, I’ve seen some of the people I’ve met there and have said hello to them on campus.”
The Greeks have quite a few events in store for this semester and if would like to find more information about them feel free to go to Cougar Link, and click on one of the Greek organizations to check out their events calendar.
“I think they should continue this,” said Denelsbeck. “I know both orgs somewhat well and they are two great outgoing organizations and they should continue what they started.”