The UCF Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Student Government Association (SGA) hosted a collaborative tailgate prior to the UCF vs. UAB football game on October 6. The IFC brought together its 17 fraternities and thousands of members for the “U-Knight” initiative at the IOA Plaza in front of Brighthouse Networks Stadium.
The tailgate began at 2 p.m. with activities including a concert and wing eating contest, and continued until the game began at 8 p.m. Each fraternity set up a tent around the IOA Plaza attracting a diverse cross-section of the UCF community. The U-Knight event proved that different student organizations can come together toward a common goal: cheering on the UCF Knights while supporting U.S. troops stationed overseas.
During Wednesday’s tailgate, IFC encouraged the Greek community and attendees to help energize the U.S. troops by writing thank you cards, which were accompanied with donated “energy drink shooters,” to the Army’s 101st Airborne Division troops stationed in Afghanistan.
IFC Executive Vice President Adam Brock sums up the experience: “Tailgating will always be one of the most memorable experiences in a college student’s life. It felt great to be able to not only unite our Greek community, but our university community as well. Coming together and giving back to our men and women overseas has been the most rewarding of all things.”
The council thanks Keal Blache with SGA Campus Traditions, who coordinated the event, and IFC member Anthony Zanette, who arranged the philanthropic element. For more information on the event or IFC, contact Kyle Schumacher at: ifc@mail.ucf.edu.