On the night of October 6th, students may have noticed a frenzy of pies flying around Back Circle. Professors and faculty seemed to have found themselves on the wrong side of a plate of whipped cream. What could have easily been mistaken as a cruel plot of sweet revenge was actually changing the lives of thousands of Kentucky children.
That Friday evening, Transylvania’s chapter of the Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity hosted “Phi De Pie,” an event where community members could pay 5 dollars to pie a professor or faculty member of their choice– Dr. Bob, Dr. Jenkins, Corinne O’Bryan and more were all potential targets for a tart à la carte.
I sat down with senior student Lauren McGarvey, who helped lead the event. She shared that this was a continuation of what used to be the annual “pie-a-professor” event, however, Phi De hasn’t been able to host any large in-person event like this since the Covid-19 pandemic. They were thrilled by how many students stopped by to participate.
Of course, it wasn’t all about fun and games– for each pie thrown, the proceeds would go directly towards Kentucky Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Though part of a national organization, the money raised by Phi De would directly benefit children in our home state. It gave all the members of our medical fraternity great joy to be “serving people in our state,” says McGarvey.
A favorite target of the night seemed to be Dr. Bob, a professor of chemistry at Transy since 2007. Though not directly affiliated with Phi De, he considers himself a sort of “informal advisor,” as he teaches nearly all of its members. He was glad to see so many of his students out in Back Circle supporting a great cause. On the pie’s taste, he noted that “it’s good, sweet, and goes right up your nose.”
