He's beauty and he's grace, and although not quite Miss United States, Wharton senior Steve Brown is the Big Man on Campus.
The Alpha Chi Omega sorority held their third annual BMOC pageant last Thursday night at Chrome night club downtown to support the efforts of their national charity Women Against Domestic Abuse.
Chrome was filled with enthusiastic students who were more than ready to party with and to swoon over some of Penn's finest men. However, "it wasn't just a party," said event organizer Erin Kennedy, a College senior. "It was raising money for a good cause."
This year's event saw an approximate $500 increase over last year's $6,000 profit.
Alpha Chi sister Vivian Rotter, a College junior, said she was extremely pleased with the young pageant and sees it being "a tradition that will definitely be long standing."
Eleven senior men were selected to compete by Alpha Chi from a variety of organizations on campus, making this year's group of men as diverse as they were sexy.
The evening opened with a choreographed dance and then the successive rounds were talent, swimsuits -- or lack thereof -- and questions such as "If you had one night with Ms. Judith Rodin, what would you do with her?"
"I rode in an Escalade limo, drank a little, sang some Britney Spears, roller-skated and won $150 to Striped Bass all in the name of charity," first-runner-up and College senior Marc Sinoway said. "What more could a BMOC ask for?"
Prior to the event, contestants were prepped by Alpha Chi women, who taught them the opening dance and who helped with props and organization. But for the most part, the contestants put together their own talents -- which included blowing flames with alcohol, cooking on the George Foreman Grill, getting painted with ketchup and mustard and, of course, a little song and dance.
In a little extra preparation for the event, second-runner-up and College senior Seneca Price-Kern said that five minutes before the show began, he did a few pushups and took a few shots.
The competition was judged by Alpha Chi alumnae, sisters from Villanova University and Penn's chapter adviser. The judges selected Brown as the 2002 winner, and he walked away not only with the title but also with a free Spring Break trip for two, compliments of Student Express Travel.
"The best part about it was that it all got to go to a good cause," Rotter summed up.
