Kyle James Smith and Brittany Mouzourakis spent Wednesday night with pie on their face.

The Dewitt and Garden City freshmen and Honors Outreach Network members completed tasks while eating cream pie.

Smith’s task required locating an M&M in the pie, which took longer than he expected.

“I couldn’t find it,” he said. “It was small, and pie is in my nose.”

The pie-eating contest was part of the registered student organization competition in Finch Fieldhouse.

The competition was part of LEAD week, a program designed to promote the Leadership Institute and student leadership development on campus.

More than a dozen RSOs participated in the competition which included the pie-eating contest and an obstacle course, as well as other events.

“I think it was an excellent turnout,” said Dyke Heinze, director of the Leadership Institute. “It’s not just all Greek (RSOs), which made it more exciting.”

Fraternity Beta Theta Pi took home the Maroon Bucket, the RSO competition’s annual trophy. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps took second, and Best Buddies and Barnes Hall tied for third.

Beta Theta Pi also received five spots for members to attend the November’s Leadership Institute’s Connections Leadership Conference in Traverse City.

Additional activities included a tug-of-war contest, a quiz bowl and the final obstacle course.

For Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the tug-of-war was about bragging rights within the Greek community – one that Beta Theta Pi won.

“It’s fun to represent,” said Chris Saylor, Blissfield sophomore and Beta Theta Pi member. “We try to put our name out there.”

As for the obstacle course, members from each team were required to run through the obstacles blindfolded and make football and basketball tosses.

John Morelli, Warren junior and Beta Theta Pi member, competed in the obstacles blindfolded without touching the cups that lined the course.

“I knew if I high stepped it, I would be fine,” he said.

Maj. Gregg Mays, department chair for military science, said he had high expectations for his ROTC cadets, who participated in the event.

“We had to tire the cadets to give the rest of the university hopes of winning,” he joked.

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