Holding a frosted metal bowl, Alan Dominique wandered Free Speech Alley yesterday asking permission to blow nitrogen fumes into crowd members’ faces. Dominique, sociology and physics senior, was one of the many students representing organizations at the Student Organization Fair. A member of the Society of Physics Students, Dominique said his group offered a unique draw unavailable from other participants. The fumes Dominique offered, rising from a swirling bowl of liquid nitrogen, created a gentle cooling sensation offering relief from the sun’s rays. “It’s free air conditioning,” Dominique said. Nearly 120 student organizations registered for the fair, many bringing presentation boards and pamphlets. Some groups stood under tents, and many offered goodies from candy to king cake. Purple and gold balloons floated in the air among waves of music and the wafting smell of food. A vinyl plastic mat lay on the concrete near the Union’s north entrance, where students took turns break dancing to music from a small boom box. “We’re always looking to have more people dancing,” said Kevin Moore, psychology junior and leader of the Hip-Hop Coalition.
The group, which features music as well as dancing talents, performs locally and participates in competitions across the country. On the north end of Tower Drive, a small sign reading “Free Godless Cookies” called attention to the Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics group. The immediately adjacent booth featured a sign reading “Christ the King Catholic Center.” Another group represented was The Millennium Volunteers of LSU, a group dedicated to tutoring local students that also offers outreach to needy children in Barbados. Lauren Joerg, mass communication sophomore and Millennium Volunteer member, said the group focuses on more than academic tutoring. “It’s not just about going there and teaching them to divide. It’s about building relationships with them.”
—–Contact Daniel McBride at [email protected]