Mercer University Quadworks’ Leadership, Education, And Diversity (L.E.A.D.) committee hosted the first annual Step Up or Step Off Friday, Oct. 11, on Cruz Plaza.
Step Up or Step Off featured three performances. Chi Omega and Lambda Chi Alpha paired for performance, followed by Omega Psi Phi. The Soul-Stepping-Soldiers (Triple S), a step team from the campus ministry AGAPE, finished off the night. The Triple S team won over the other two teams, winning $400 and a trophy.
Victoria Wright, a senior at Mercer University and President of Quadworks, said, “It turned out even better than we thought it would. It was executed really well.”
Nora Essien, co-chair of the L.E.A.D. Committee and co-director of Step Up or Step Off, said, “This is the first time we’ve done it and we hope that it would be a traditional thing that happens every year.”
Wright also said, “I can say fairly confidently that it will be repeated in the future.”
Kathryn Alexis, co-chair of L.E.A.D. Committee and also co-director of the event, said, “Everyone I talked [with] seemed to enjoy it a lot. It’s just Mercer traditions and bringing out the things that students do outside of the classroom.” She continued and said, “It was a way to bring out the camaraderie among students. It was just bringing the student body out.”
In regards to participating teams, Alexis said, “We were excited to do Step Up or Step Off with Mercer’s organizations and Greeks.”
Wright said, “We had really good feedback from students. It was a good way for teams to come together.” She continued and said, “We had a lot of student organizations that really wanted to participate.”
As far as Greek organizations, Wright said, “It was a good way to not only put on a show for the community but to collaborate within Interfraternity Council (IFC), National Pan-Hellenic Council, and PanHellenic Council.”
According to Alexis, “it was something to get people acquainted with what the organizations stand for and awareness of the organizations. It was also a way to amp up excitement for Stompfest.”
Essien said, “There’s a connection between Greek and non-Greek students. Bringing the event connected people together.”
According to Wright, “Step Up or Step Off was a preview” for Quadworks’ annual Stompfest. Stompfest is held in early February and hosts schools from around the state and southeast region.
“The only reason we put [Step Up or Step Off] on was to bring something like Stompfest to Mercer University where people get to see what Mercer Greeks have to offer to students,” said Essien.
Additionally, Wright said, “We wanted to do something smaller and that was committed just to Mercer students. This was really exclusive, just catering to our students and our community. We were hoping that it would just be fun.”
However, as far as Stompfest is considered, Wright said, “We’re making it bigger and better this year.”
Essien said, “All of the members helped us make this show successful. We hope that since it went so well that more Greeks and non-Greek organizations would participate next year so we can have a bigger and better show.”
Alexis said, “Hopefully, [next year] we look to double attendance and participating organizations.”
