AED and the Honors College Host Charity Ball

by Stephanie Huynh | Contributor | smh2026@jagmail.southalabama.edu

Photo credit: Mujahid Hawramy

Students put on their dancing shoes for a Disco-themed charity ball on Friday, April 15. Co-sponsored by Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) and the Honors College Association (HCA), the charity ball was the first that either of the two organizations have planned since the pandemic.

Big LED marquee letter lights, colorful balloons, vibrant photo backdrops and confetti-filled beach balls were some of the decorations that helped create a disco-esque ambiance.

“We decided to put on a charity ball because we wanted to sponsor an event that would foster community among the AED and HCA members and champion a great cause,” AED secretary Ivy Nguyen said.

Even SouthPaw made a special appearance and danced with students for a majority of the night.

Mega Musical Chairs, also known as MMC, is a fundraiser where students play a huge game of musical chairs (hence the name), and the winner gets to choose which charity the prize money goes to.

In 2021, a grand total of $13,000 was raised to go towards Camp SMILE, winner Sai Reddy’s philanthropy of choice.

This year, the MMC sponsorship committee and the AED officer board have set a goal to raise $15,000, a “record-breaking amount” for the MMC philanthropy.

Despite the 2022 Mega Musical Chairs being scheduled for September 30, this large amount will certainly take time to reach. Nguyen shared that the organization raised about $500 towards the MMC prize fund.

“All in all, it was a fantastic event where Honors students got to bond with AED students and money was raised for an amazing philanthropy.”