By Lexus Partipilo and Grace Soenksen
Partlr15@uwgb.edu & Soeng03@uwgb.edu
On Nov. 7, two of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay’s (UWGB) organizations brought the community together with a lighthearted event, “Pie an Athlete.” Running from noon to 2 p.m., the event encouraged students to pay $1 per pie for the opportunity to throw a pie in the face of an athlete.
The event caught the attention of passing students and united two UWGB organizations. The Student Government Association (SGA) partnered with UWGB’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to create a memorable event for students and staff.
Poster for Pie an Athlete, made by the Student Government Association and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to promote the event. (Credit: Lexus Partipilo)
Nathan Halbach, a member of UWGB’s swim and dive team, played a significant role in organizing the event. Halbach serves on the executive board for SAAC and is also the recreation and athletic chair for SGA. Halbach helped SAAC and SGA come together for the first-ever “Pie an Athlete” event. Halbach explained, “Student Government and SAAC both had a goal this year, to create inclusivity and engagement with the student body. In prior years, it’s been tough, where it is one organization and the other organization not really working in unison. We decided that since we have the same goals this year, we might as well work together.” All proceeds from the event will be split evenly between the two organizations: half will go to SGA for future events, while SAAC plans to donate its portion to Toys for Tots.
Nathan Halbach and his teammate, putting shaving cream back into pie tin. (Credit: Grace Soenksen)
The event not only brought together two of the University’s organizations but also created an opportunity for collaboration among UWGB athletes from various sports. In preparation for the event, the UWGB athletic teams organized 15-to-20-minute shifts, with different teams taking turns participating.
The campus collaboration of this event does not stop there. Mike Kline, UWGB Cross Country Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for academic and student welfare, also sat in on the action. Mike Kline attended the event and allowed one of his athletes, a cross-country runner, to pie him in the spirit of the event. Kline said, “It (the event) gives the campus a chance to see athletics from a different viewpoint and get to have some fun in the process.” Kline said that he would participate in this event in the future. Kline continued, “The big thing is to just have fun. Do some events that are going to have fun where people can laugh at each other. We need a little more humor. We need some lightness. With all the stress and worry and everything going on, we need some lightness. We need to just have fun.”
Cross Country Coach Klien and Nathan Halbach, Pie an Athlete event organizer, after getting pied. (Credit: Grace Soenksen)
One of the main goals of this is to bring the community together and create inclusivity and engagement in the student body. Halbach noted, “There seems like there’s a bridge between student-athletes and the student body and then even student athletics and arts and gallery, like, just different parts of campus.” Halbach continued, “I think this is really going to level things out, and it’s going to build a bridge where we can meet halfway and not one group having to do all the work and another group not doing anything but creating opportunity where everyone’s included and involved.”
The success of this goal can be measured through the observations of attendees. According to Ellie VanCamp, a student ambassador working the event, “Pie an Athlete” was a very engaging and entertaining event. VanCamp stated, “It’s very entertaining to watch… It’s very fun.” For students interested in attending the event in the future, VanCamp recommends showing up early so students can get in line right away. “I’ve noticed everyone shows up at the same time and then have to wait in line.” Lindsey Gloede, a graduate student and participant in the event, shared, “It (the event) was good, and I’d love to do it (Pie an Athlete) again.”
UWGB’s students and athletes are looking forward to seeing if this event will continue to be held in the future and work to find ways to improve inclusivity and engagement on campus. Kline concluded, “We’re all students, and we all have our own different sports. When people think of sports, they think of maybe basketball, football, baseball, and stuff like that. But art, theater, music, whatever people’s interests are, those are sports. So, you know, the athletes got pied today… Next time with the athletes, maybe we’re going to have some musicians and artists, and theater people. We’re all students; just bring us together and have fun. It’s our campus. It’s our Phoenix country.”
Nathan Halbach getting pied by a student. (Credit: Grace Soenksen)
