Name that floor; ORU "wings" it
By Jessica Allen

Editor's Note: This article was previously featured in the Spring 2003 edition of Excellence..

Delta Tau, Kappa Kai Alpha, Sigma Tau Sigma. No, this is not a recipe for Greek alphabet soup. Neither is it a list of addresses on fraternity row. These are just a few of the many creative names wings have adopted over the years to keep dorm life at ORU exciting. Some are old (Shekinah and Youngblood); some new (Divine, Heirborn, Passion, Oasis); some borrowed (Gucci); and some... Red?! (At least on the second floor of Susie Vinson Hall.)

Wing names and affiliations have become one of ORU's longest standing traditions. Jack Wallace, ORU's first Dean of Men, and later, Dean of Students, is reputed to have created the brother/sister wing concept that is key to much of the social interaction on campus. According to Chris Royael, Assistant Dean of Men, students are allowed to name their floors, and they can change that name at any time with the approval of Student Affairs. For instance, the first and second floors of Frances Cardone Hall were formerly known as LECC 1 and 2, an acronym for Ladies Exemplifying Christ's Character (though lovingly nicknamed "Lake Evelyn Country Club" by residents). Students changed the names to Eden and Passion in 2000. And the seventh floor of Wesley Leuhring Hall, once affectionately known as Granville (after our beloved Chancellor's first name) is now known as Heirborn. Braxton Hall 2 Middle, which previously shared the name Refuge with another wing on campus, became Delta Tau in 2002. The letters represent the Greek words for "seek and run."

"Our vision is to seek after all that God has for us and to run after His plan," sophomore chaplain Kara Dixon said.

Some wing names are chosen for their deep spiritual meanings, while others are merely for fun. The second and eighth floors of Susie Vinson Hall, the two most popular female floors based on housing records, illustrate this concept. Susie 2 has been called Red since the 1990s as a symbol of the blood of Christ, while Susie 8 is referred to as Ducks because the ORU swim team used to live there. However, some wing names are almost as old as the University itself. Shekinah (EMR 3 South) celebrates its 30th anniversary this year; roommates David Barton and David Grothe chose the name from the Hebrew word for "glory" because that is what they wanted the wing to represent. Today many of Shekinah's traditions have become institutionalized. Jared Maki, a fifth year senior, has lived on the floor since his freshman year and has received the title of "Grand Master of Lore" from his wing mates. He is responsible for upholding the many idiosyncrasies that make his floor unique. These include a flag, an 18-year-old piece of okra and a history box containing wing relics (like grass from the field where Shekinah beat Youngblood in intramurals).

The tale of the okra is a rather interesting one. Shekinah was playing an intense intramural football game, and earlier that day one of Shekinah's players had bought a piece of okra. To make a long story short, Shekinah went on to triumph, shouting, "Remember the okra!"-a phrase that has become its victory chant. Every summer, the okra is buried on campus, and every fall it is unearthed for the annual Shekinah Okra Banquet in the dining hall. Shekinah invites its sister wings, and the Grand Master of Lore reads the history of the okra. Nevertheless, no woman is allowed to actually see the vegetable; according to Maki, the only one who did turned into a pillar of salt.

Maki says he has remained on Shekinah for the camaraderie. He also says that some of his wing mates have genuinely shaped the way he perceives God and looks at his life. "I know I wouldn't be anything that I am if I were somewhere else," he added.

Senior Jason Law shares a similar sentiment about his wing, Youngblood (EMR 5 North). Established in 1973, it is almost as old as Shekinah.

"If a floor fits your personality, you're going to have a good time...and this floor fits my personality," he said. Law especially appreciates the diversity and brotherhood on his wing. "The guys that this floor draws give me a good perspective of what life is like outside of ORU," he said.

Youngblood's competitive spirit has also kept Law attached to the wing. It has remained in the top three of the intramural top 10 ranking, right behind Full Armor and Covenant. YB often celebrates its many intramural wins at Goldie's Restaurant, another wing custom. It has even established its own dress code, consisting of khaki pants, a white shirt and a tie with the official wing colors: maroon and gold.

Some of YB's traditions include its sister wing, Gucci, one of the oldest female wings on campus. Located on Claudius Robert Hall 5 South, Gucci stands for "Growing Under Christ-Centered Influence." The YB/Gucci banquet is one of the biggest brother/sister wing events of the year, according to participants. It is open to all of the alumni of the two wings (former members as well as graduates).

Like its brother wing, Gucci has always been in the top three of the women's intramural rankings; yet it also has a number of traditions of its own. During the first wing devotional, the chaplain will lead the girls on the floor through the Prayer Gardens to the flame behind the Graduate Center. Each member of the wing receives a white candle with red, yellow and green ribbons (after the wing's official colors). The chaplain will light all of the candles to symbolize wing unity.

"We keep the candles all year to remember what our floor stands for, and that we are united," said Kaneesha Thomas, a 2002 graduate and member of Gucci her sophomore year.

Many students like Maki, Law and Thomas agree that they are impacted by the floor on which they live. In spite of all of the myth and legend surrounding these various wings, it is clear that ORU would not be the same without them.

Finals Schedule