By Michael Harman
Elm Staff Writer
It’s time to play the Family Feud! But this time, there is no Richard Dawson to flirt with you as ponder the simple questions that plague our everyday minds such as “what do people put in their pockets?” or “what is the most common last name in the United States?” This time around, the Office of Multicultural Affairs is introducing Washington College Family Feud, a more toned down version of the widely popular game show.
Created by freshman Taneisha Scott and hosted by sophomore Patrick Derrickson, WAC Family Feud conisted of four teams of five people who competed against each other by trying to name the most popular responses to a survey question. These questions were thought of by Scott and she even walked around campus to ask various students and “get all of the answers together,” she said. “Everyone in the office was in charge of a different event and this event was my baby.”
Four “families” came to play: the Jones Family, the Rogers Family, the Cleo Family, and the Claire Family. Each person on the team had a chance to come up and answer a survey question.
“There is no right or wrong answer, just common and un-common ones. So the point is trying to guess which one is more popular,” said Scott. “It’s all about luck and trying to think like another person.” Such survey questions asked were: “Who is the most talked about celebrity right now?” and “what is the happiest day of a person’s life?” Although each team struggled a bit to think how someone else may answer this question, ultimately, one team was declared a winner. This team then went on to play the fast money round and earn the chance at a bonus prize.
In addition to events such as WAC Family Feud, the Office of Multicultural Affairs has come up with some very interesting projects in the past.
“This semester, we have had diversity chats, which allowed students to talk to one another about issues that are going on around the world, and we have also done an Apollo Night, which allowed students to show off their talents and compete for prizes,” said Scott.
These events are more than just acknowledging the aspect of diversity; they are also a way for students to come together and meet people who are very different than themselves. It is a way to “bring the campus together and give everyone a chance to have fun,” she said. “For WAC Family Feud, it gives students a chance to show off their teamwork skills and have fun with their peers.”
Jenna Chirico, a freshman who attended the event, said, “I think it is a good idea to have students who would not necessarily be very close to one another, come out on this one night and work together to complete a goal. Participating in such events would definitely build a better understanding of your peers on campus.”
This is exactly the goal that Scott had hoped for when planning the event and that is evident through the message from Director of Multicultural Affairs Darnell Parker, which can be seen on the website for the Office of Multicultural Affairs. It states, “We recognize and value the uniqueness of each person at Washington College and what they contribute to the community.”