Hoosier Sweetheart benefits YouthAIDS

Though junior Katie Mitzell said she enjoyed being onstage and performing in this year’s Hoosier Sweetheart, she said she was taken off guard by her win in the talent competition.

“I felt really awkward because I’ve never won anything before, and I’ve never worn a crown before,” Mitzell said.

Mitzell represented Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority in this year’s Hoosier Sweetheart, a philanthropy event organized by Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity to support YouthAIDS.

The event, which took place Friday in the IU Auditorium, was in its second year.
Sigma Phi Epsilon members Vlad Chirica and Brent Hirschy acted as emcees during the performances of the 14 sorority members.

In addition to the competitors’ performances, the event featured two songs performed by members of The Buzzkills and a dance medley by Offbeat Dance Team, an all-greek dance squad.

Each competitor shared a talent – including singing, instrumental solos and a color guard performance to The Darkness’ “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” by Kiersten Thoma of Kappa Alpha Theta – for the judges.

Sophomore Taylor Quigley said she enjoyed many of the evening’s performances.

“I love watching students get up there and do their thing,” Quigley said.

But in the end, only one woman could be crowned Hoosier Sweetheart. Six judges scored the women on talent, spirit and fundraising and awarded three additional titles to women who excelled in each individual area.

Sophomore Stephanie Demar, who performed an original mix of Taylor Swift’s “You’re Not Sorry” and “Breathe,” won a talent achievement award.

Demar was a favorite performer of sophomore Cara Bushemi from Pi Beta Phi sorority.
The fundraising achievement award went to Kara Tudor of Gamma Phi Beta, and
Thoma won an award for spirit.

In addition to the competition, organizer Jeff McMurray said attendees should remember the reason for Hoosier Sweetheart.

“HIV/AIDS is still an epidemic causing disease and despair worldwide,” McMurray said before showing a video of young, HIV-positive Cambodian singers.

McMurray told the audience before the video started that the children would be singing a familiar song as they began singing “Indiana, Our Indiana.”

Junior Cale O’Bryan, judge and Sigma Phi Epsilon president, said this year’s Hoosier Sweetheart showed a lot of improvement from last year, noting a stronger turnout and more sorority participants.

“It was a lot of preparation,” O’Bryan said. “I think it has a lot of room for improvement, but it’s an event we’ll be looking forward to for years to come.”