COURTESY OF: ASSOCIATED STUDENT BODY
Everybody’s Tent, an Associated Student Body-run tailgating event, hopes to include those who feel as though they don’t have a “home” in the Grove.
This year the tent’s organizers expect to expand the event with fundraising efforts and increase its student involvement.
William Fowler, last year’s director of Everybody’s Tent, is now is a member of the ASB Inclusion Committee. His main goal this year is including as many people in the Grove as possible.
“We want to bring the Grove to everybody,” Fowler said. “The majority of visitors at Everybody’s Tent come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including international students, students who identify as black and the LGBTQ community. Our location in front of the Student Union Plaza also makes the tent accessible for people with disabilities.”
Although they aim to attract non-Greek students, they welcome anyone who wishes to meet new friends.
Michelle Ley, a Gamma Chi in the 2014 sorority recruitment, believes that Everybody’s Tent gives students the opportunity to find a safe place in the Grove.
“Sometimes right after recruitment people tend to feel left out if they did not go Greek,” Ley said. “ASB’s Everybody’s Tent is a great way for people to meet others: non-Greek or Greek. It will also show them that there are actually more people in their same shoes, who are not in a sorority or fraternity.”
At the Louisiana-Lafayette game, Fowler said Everybody’s Tent handed out an entire roll of stickers and had about 1,000 people visit the tent throughout the day. They expect to have similar results at upcoming games.
Emilie Street, another member of the ASB Inclusion Committee, worked at the tent during the first home game and saw an immediate impact on students who participated. She noticed that they were thankful they had found a welcoming tent with free food and diverse people to talk to.
“For the future, we have discussed implementing new sponsorship options that will allow smaller contributions from student groups and private donations,” Street said.
Street said they have also created a fund primarily for Everybody’s Tent, and this fund will accumulate money for each year. The extra money will be used in preparation for the next Grove season.
In regards to student participation, ASB would love for students—especially sophomores and freshmen—who are interested in making the Grove a more inclusive environment, to join their efforts.
