All proceeds from the event will go to Camp Quality Ohio, a nonprofit summer camp benefitting children suffering from cancer.
With the warm weekend behind them, faculty members are preparing to awe students and coworkers alike for the seventh annual Ava Nichols Faculty Pageant, showcased by the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity.
On Monday evening, seven OU faculty members will competing in three arenas for this year’s crown: a formal wear round, a talent show and a Q&A session.
Though specific performances to be included in this year’s event have not been announced, spectators can look forward to a variety of talents, which have previously included everything from singing and dancing, to stand-up comedy routines.
Stephanie Tikkanen, an assistant professor at the Scripps School of Communication Studies, took home the coveted tiara during last year’s pageant, and is set to take the stage once again in defense of her title. According to Tikkanen, this year’s performance will include cameos from members of OU's National Communication Association Student Club, which she advises.
“I am very excited to be performing in this year’s pageant again.” Tikkanen said in an email. “I have always loved working with children, and I think this is an incredible cause. The campers I met last year were such wonderful people and the pageant brought them so much joy; I was so excited to be asked to take part again.”
Throughout the past week, Tikkanen could be seen tweeting gifs from the TLC’s reality show, “Toddlers and Tiaras,” garnering retweets from interim Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones, who is also slated to compete in the pageant.
Me, @JennyHallJones and @JSPMIH at this years #APhiOFacultyPageant: pic.twitter.com/ub0fHMwQos — Stephanie Tikkanen (@stephtikkanen) February 15, 2016
“It’s going to be a very silly show—but we’re very excited about it,” Tikkanen said in an email. “Last year, I was dared to wear my wedding dress for the formal portion, but this year, I actually made my own formal gown for the event. Let’s just say my sewing room is covered in glitter.”
The pageant is held annually in honor of 6-year-old Ava Nichols, a girl from Marietta who died in 2012 after losing her battle with an inoperable brain tumor. To keep her memory alive, members of Alpha Phi Omega will be donating 100 percent of the pageant’s proceeds to Camp Quality Ohio, a nonprofit summer camp for children with cancer.
“This event is very special to Alpha Phi Omega on a few different levels,” Alpha Phi Omega President Sarah Bell said. “Many of the members of the fraternity attend this camp as a companion during the summer, so being able to donate a sizeable amount of money is just something extra that we love to do.”
According to Alpha Phi Omega member and faculty pageant co-chair Abby Wood, last year’s event brought in about $2,400. This year, the organization hopes to raise at least $3,000.
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The 2016 faculty pageant will be held Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Baker Center Ballroom. Though the deadline to purchase discounted pre-sale tickets has passed, tickets for the event will be available at the door for $5.
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