With warmer weather approaching, students are getting excited for a long-standing Murray State tradition, All Campus Sing, which will be held in the quad on April 15.

For 56 years, All Campus Sing has had unique themes, songs and surprises. In years past, rain has postponed performances, Student Government Association election results have been announced and last year, a proposal took place on the steps of Lovett Auditorium.

Gabrielle Wibbenmeyer, junior from Fenton, Mo., and a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, has played an important role in the organization of the 57th annual show.

Wibbenmeyer said although the categories and awards are the same as years past, there are a few new groups performing this year.

“We have new groups performing this year that we haven’t often seen in past years,” Wibbenmeyer said. “I’m extremely excited for new groups to get involved.”

All Campus Sing is not only welcoming new groups to the line up, but also a new goal.

  “We are also trying to push friendly competition and a stronger focus on the philanthropy more than competitiveness,” Wibbenmeyer said.

As part of this philanthropic approach, there will be “Change Wars” and “Paint the Piano,” which is an opportunity to paint on a piano for a small fee, to raise money for The People-to-People Project, a philanthropy which provides material assistance and encouragement to schools, music organizations and musicians in developing countries.

The application fee for groups to perform has already been turned in as a donation to The People-to-People Project.

A unique way for groups to receive points and give back to other students or The People-to-People Project is through the instrument drive at All Campus Sing.

“We receive new and used instruments from groups and they receive points,” Wibbenmeyer said. “We either donate the instruments directly to schools in need, donate them to a program (Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis) who fixes them up and then sends them to schools, or we sell the instruments and send the money to the philanthropy.”

Although All Campus Sing is an event organized and put on by Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha, Wibbenmeyer said Student Affairs and the Alumni Association donate tremendously and the cash prizes and trophies would not be possible without these organizations.

Despite some changes, All Campus Sing will be similar to previous years. The announcer, Logan Stout, will again keep the audience interested and informed throughout the event.

The occasion will kick off with a pre-show when the Murray State football team will perform the school fight song and Racer Men’s Choir will perform.

The performances will begin with independent groups, followed by residential colleges.

Performances by sororities will follow and the competition portion of All Campus Sing will close with fraternities.

Serving as intermission entertainment, Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha will perform. Following intermission, awards will be presented to the winners in each category and overall.

Unfortunately, a familiar face to the All Campus Sing tradition will not be present this year.

Jim Carter, who passed away earlier this spring, was a positive influence for the event in years previous and will be remembered with a moment of silence during the show.

For those students who cannot make it to the event, All Campus Sing will stream live on Murray State’s YouTube channel.

The link will be posted on Facebook as the event draws near.

To keep the glare out of students’ eyes during performances, sunglasses will be sold for a low price instead of T-shirts as in previous years. Space will be reserved quickly on the lawn of the Quad by students with blankets, so be sure to get to All Campus Sing early for the best view possible.

Story by Tiffany Whitfill, Staff writer