Students painted signs and put their handprints on the sheet to raise awareness of hazing during Anti-Hazing Week (Photo Phoebe Doscher/The Gettysburgian).
By Phoebe Doscher, News Editor
Alpha Delta Pi and Sigma Chi kicked off Anti-Hazing Week with a painting party on Stine Lake Tuesday evening where students left handprints on a sheet to raise awareness of hazing incidents. The event was held in honor of Max Gruver, a student at Louisiana State University who died at a fraternity hazing incident in September of 2017.
Alpha Delta Pi President Tyler Keohan ’20 said the event hit a personal note with both her and Sigma Chi President High Garst ’20. The two attended a national conference where the parents of Gruver and Timothy Piazza, another student who died as a result of hazing at Pennsylvania State University spoke.
“[The talk was] really moving; we came together and we’re pairing up nationally so we’re pairing up here,” Keohan said.
Both Greek organizations are internationally committed to being hazing-free, and this is the first event of the week aimed at raising awareness of hazing. According to Garst, President Bob Iuliano and Provost Chris Zappe signed in solidarity for their anti-hazing efforts.
“Seemingly small things have big effects,” Garst said of the impact of hazing on individuals.
The handprints on the sheet are meant to represent all the hands that don’t haze on campus. The sheet will be hung on the side of Plank Gym through the week. Students painted signs with the words, “Fly High Max,” a national hashtag created in honor of Gruver. Bracelets from the Max Gruver Foundation with those words were also scattered on the tables.
Signs branded the words “Fly High Max” in honor of Max Gruver, a student who died from a hazing incident at Louisiana State University (Photo Phoebe Doscher/The Gettysburgian).
Keohan hopes the message will be spread to both Greek and non-Greek organizations on campus, citing the basketball team and the Bomb Squad dance team as two groups banding together against hazing. For that reason, the handprint event was held publicly on Stine Lake in a fun atmosphere to encourage all students to join.
“We’re out here, we don’t haze, and we’re still having a good time,” Keohan said.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, Alpha Delta Pi and Sigma Chi will continue their anti-hazing events with a Hazing Prevention presentation from 6 to 7 p.m. in Bowen Auditorium.
