On Thursday, Oct. 17, the sisters of Phi Mu hosted their annual Greek week philanthropy event, Phi Mu Presents: Hopkins’ Most Eligible Bachelor (HMEB). For almost two hours, selected participants from different Greek organizations and athletic teams unleashed their inner bachelor to seduce the packed audience in Hodson Hall.
Derek Fischer of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity won the competition.
His challengers included Ryan Keenan of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji), Eddy Shiang of Lambda Phi Epsilon (Lambda), John Cotoia of Phi Delta Theta (Phi Delt), Daniel Ovelar of Phi Kappa Psi (Phi Psi), Mike Peven of Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike), Tomas Rojas of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE), Preston White of Sigma Chi (Sig Chi), Dave White of Sigman Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep), Daulton Newman of Alpha Delta Phi (Wawa), Austin Bridges from Swimming, Giovanni Cragnotti from Water Polo, Michael Buxbaum from Tennis and Andrew Bartnett from Track.
Hopkins’ legendary “Shush Lady” — Carrie Bennett — returned to Homewood for the occasion to judge the contestants alongside Phi Mu President Debra Schwitzer and Chapter Advisor Nicole Errett.
The event began with a choreographed dance in which the bachelors dressed in various pink accessories ranging from high-knee socks and overalls to boxer briefs and bandanas.
Following this introduction, Phi Mu senior Lucie Fink and sophomore Jenny Hansen briefed the audience on the philanthropic side of HMEB.
“There is a very important reason that we are gathered here tonight, something that goes beyond what you just saw and beyond all the fun that we’re going to have,” Fink said.
All of the proceeds from the event support the Katie Oppo Research Fund for ovarian cancer. In April 2011, Oppo, a Phi Mu sister at Hopkins, passed away from the disease.
“In the last three years, we have raised $15,000 for the Katie Oppo Research Fund,” Schwitzer said.
This year’s HMEB competition raised approximately $4000 for the Katie Oppo Research Fund.
Suzanna Fisher, Oppo’s best friend from home who made a special trip to campus for the event, also spoke. She thanked the sisters of Phi Mu Gamma Tau for their continued support.
“We have had three walks and two concerts for Katie, and we have raised a total of $120,000,” Fisher said.
To kick-start the official competition, the bachelors showcased their muscles in the swimsuit section.
During the talent section, which came next, White of Sig Ep wowed the judges with his rendition of Bruno Mars’ “If I Was Your Man,” during which he declared his love for “steak and cheese hoagies.” With critical acclaim, his performance won him a place in the final top five.
Newman of Wawa performed a live preparation of his mother’s fried-chicken recipe for the audience. With his southern accent and helpful cooking tips, Newman drew much laughter from the crowd while informing them of ways to improve their fried chicken’s flavor.
“This is what makes my chicken good and all the others bad,” Newman explained as he dipped the chicken into milk before putting it in flour.
Newman ended his performance by giving a pre-cooked piece of his fried chicken to judge Bennett, who immediately gave a nod of approval. With this performance, Newman also secured a spot to the top five.
Fischer of Beta started his performance by playing acoustic guitar and singing. He then pretended to fight off a disobliging audience member, after which he smashed his guitar to pieces, ripped off his shirt, pulled a hot pink bandana over his head and whipped out his numchucks as Survivor’s “Eye of a Tiger” began to blast from the speakers. Through a mix of fighting and dancing, Fischer found himself in the top five.
The other members of the top five included Peven of Pike, who showcased his gymnastic abilities, and Crotoia of Phi Delt, who, while wearing sunglasses, shiny black underwear and a pink brassiere, danced around the room.
After an interlude featuring a performance by the Vocal Chords, the top five went head to head in the question and answer section of the contest, a section giving the bachelor’s the opportunity to show off their wit and intellect.
When asked about the biggest challenges facing Hopkins students today and how to overcome them, Cotoia presented a unique solution.
“Twerk it out,” he said.
While this answer drew much laughter from the audience, it was not enough to bring home the grand prize. In the end, the judges crowned Fischer as this year’s “Most Eligible Bachelor.”
Sophomores Piper Janoe and Charlotte Johnson, both Phi Mu sisters, were very pleased with the competition’s large turnout.
“It was an incredible event that kept the whole audience laughing the entire time,” Janoe said.
Johnson also noted that the chapter’s philanthropy only goes to the Katie Oppo Research Fund once a year, making the event extra great because it is so much fun for the audience and the participants, but it also raises a great deal of money for this amazing cause at the same time,” she said.
Schwitzer, too, expressed her gratitude.
“We are very proud of the continued success of our HMEB event,” Schwitzer said. “We are grateful that so many students came out to support this incredible cause. It’s a great feeling to hold such a fun event that benefits a good cause.”
