Alpha Gamma Delta is looking to cast two non-Greek organizations to their “Lights, Camera, Action” annual Lip Jam event this year for the first time ever.  The sorority’s annual lip-syncing and dancing competition raises funds for diabetes education and awareness.

Last year alone, the competition raised $40,720 for the cause making Sonoma State’s Alpha Gamma Delta chapter the largest contributor.

This year, Lip Jam coordinators are making an effort to bring non-Greek organizations to the competition. Erica Pecho, a senior and coordinator of Lip Jam explained the sorority’s reasoning to include other campus organizations in the event.

“We chose to add two new organizations because we have always said it was open to all groups on campus but really only offered to the Greeks,” said Pecho. “So this year we thought it would be a great way to incorporate more campus groups and get more people involved in our philanthropic cause.”

Organizations were able to submit applications up until last Friday. Invitations were sent by the university to clubs and all club sports groups on campus.

Organizations were asked to send their interest, the number of participants and why their club would make a great addition to the dance and lip syncing event.

Their applications would later be reviewed by the sorority and Lip Jam coordinators. The two selected organizations will be announced later this week.

When asked if this is a trend the sorority will continue each year considering that new fraternities are set to come next semester to campus, Pecho believes so.

“I think that in the future we will try to do this every year to make it not just a ‘Greek event’ but a school wide event,” said Pecho. “Due to the length of the show, who knows how we handle it next year with the new fraternities. It is a work in progress but at the same time, I think that we will try and do this for future years.”

“I think it’s awesome that we are bringing new fresh blood to our Lip Jam event,” said Katelyn Reimer, a senior and member of Alpha Gamma Delta. “Sometimes the Greek community gets a bad reputation that it doesn’t really involve the whole Sonoma [State] community totheir events and I am glad [we’re] bringing one of the best events we have to the whole campus. Plus it’s all for a really great cause.”

Albert Tigranyan, a junior and member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, also agrees with the sorority’s decision to include non-Greek organization in Lip Jam

“It’s cool that non-Greeks can now participate in Lip Jam,” said Tigranyan “There’s always people that want to join and are discouraged when they find out you have to be affiliated.”
When the two non-Greek organizations are chosen they will pick from a pool of classic and award-winning movies such as “Casablanca”, “Indiana Jones”, “Star Wars”, “Pirates of the Caribbean”, and “Avatar” to base their lip syncing and dance routines.

“If somehow my club gets chosen I’ll be excited because deep down I’ve always wanted to do something like this,” said Peter Lee, a junior Nursing student.

Lip Jam will be coming to Weill Hall for the second year in a row on March 4, 2016 at 7 p.m.
For more information, students are encouraged to contact members of Alpha Gamma Delta or visit theirFacebook page.