Sigma Delta Tau will host its ninth annual benefit concert for Prevent Child Abuse America on March 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. on the Alvin Sherman Library quad.
The concert will feature local pop and alternative artists Evan Grushka, Bryant Del Toro, Defy the Skyline, as well as NSU students Carolena Albert and Bert and Tiara Baldoni. There will also be a silent auction and carnival-style games and booths. Cotton candy, popcorn, T-shirts, pinwheels and VIP tickets will be available for purchase during the concert to benefit PCAA.
PCAA is a preventative organization that arranges home visits for families who are at risk of child maltreatment due to histories of mental health issues, substance abuse, intimate partner violence and trauma for three to five years after a child is born. PCAA also conducts child abuse prevention research and advocates for policies that promote children’s physical and mental health.
Yara Khalifa, freshman biology major and philanthropy chairwoman for Sigma Delta Tau, said that PCAA is one of Sigma Delta Tau’s national philanthropies.
“The concert is important because the cause is important,” Khalifa said. “In order for PCAA to keep doing what it does, it needs support. This is our way of giving back.”
Khalifa said that, unlike in past years, this year’s event will not just be a concert.
“We want to make it a place where you can come and have fun, play carnival games, get some cotton candy, take a photo, and listen to some good music,” she said.
Katlyn Magnotta, sophomore biology major and president of Sigma Delta Tau, said she wants the concert to become an important part of NSU tradition.
“Everyone knows that FIJI does Miss Black Diamond, Kappa Sigma does the Zombie Run and Phi Sigma does Stroll-Off,” she said. “I want everyone to know that Sigma Delta Tau does a benefit concert. I want it to be something that we’re known for, that we’re known for putting on a great event for PCAA.”
In addition to raising money for PCAA, Magnotta said that part of the purpose of the concert is to showcase Sigma Delta Tau.
“We don’t mess around,” she explained. “We work towards great things, we put on great things, we do great things, and we’re here on this campus.”
Khalifa said she hopes the student body comes out for the concert.
“We have a smaller student body than most schools,” she said. “But I hope NSU sees the importance of coming to events that benefit philanthropies. Even though we’re a small school, we can still do great things.”
Magnotta said that it’s important for students do more than just attend classes and go to parties.
“It’s important to give college students a bigger picture,” she said. “We can work toward something that means something and do something bigger than ourselves. It’s a humbling thing to put all this work toward raising money for a philanthropic organization.”
VIP tickets, which include food and special seating, can be purchased for $10 from the sisters of Sigma Delta Tau before the concert. For more information about the concert, contact Khalifa at yk80@nova.edu or 317-629-7058.
Photo Credit: Printed with permission from K. Magnotta.
