No matter how college students slice it, they are consistently drawn to free food. This Friday, South Beach will be bursting with Athenian pizza vendors for Slice of Athens.
“It’s the first weekend, and as a freshman, you’re not exactly sure what to do; this is giving it to you,” said organizer Kellie Snyder, the University Programming Council special events co-chair. “Free pizza, good music and hanging out — all on South Beach.”
Though the event is aimed at freshmen, Friday’s third annual Slice of Athens is free and open to all Ohio University students. The event offers free pizza and, new this year, the jams of DJ bustedBASS.
UPC collaborated with the Black Student Cultural Programming Board to present the event from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday. Last year, the event drew a crowd of more than 700 students with pizza running out in the first hour and a half, said Kate Willse, UPC special events co-chair.
The event offers free slices from GoodFella’s Pizza, Domino’s Pizza, Hungry Howie’s Pizza, Papa John’s Pizza and Donatos Pizza, and more might be added before Friday’s event. D.P. Dough also will be there offering calzones.
Thanks to the donations of food from pizzerias and the free show from bustedBASS, the only event cost is paper products and rentals, said Snyder, a junior studying public relations.
“The reason why we do it is we like to show the new students the independent pizzeria that’s in town. Everyone knows the chain,” said Rachael Ritchie, GoodFella’s owner. “Hopefully we will get them coming in for the next four years.”
It might be the first time many freshmen try these pizza joints — and the only time they will have them for free, said Willse, a junior studying public relations.
This is the first event held by UPC and BSCPB, with each putting on more than 15 events during the school year. The event doubles as an opportunity to introduce new students to the two organizations, Snyder said.
“It’s a great back-to-school social,” Willse said. “You can just stop by whenever you want and grab a slice of pizza.”
jc543108@ohiou.edu
