Chi Omega hosts new 'X-Factor' spring philanthropy event

 Chi Omega (Chi O) hosted its spring philanthropy event, X-Factor, in Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall on Friday, April 17. From 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., the sorority held a talent show and lip-syncing competition, with all proceeds from ticket sales going to the Massachusetts and Rhode Island chapters of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, according to their Facebook page.

Chi Omega President Maddy MacDougall, a junior, said that Chi O has raised over $13,600 so far this year, and the organization is close to collecting enough funds to donate another wish to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“[Donating a second wish] would be something great for us to do … [it] provides more tangible effects of what we are doing,” MacDougall said.

This is the first time Chi O has put on the event, according to MacDougall. X-Factor replaced the organization's previous fundraiser, Dishes for Wishes, which was not as cost-effective, she said.

MacDougall explained that the sorority hoped to attract different crowds with this new, more accessible event.

“[Chi O] has done a lot of revamping with our philanthropy recently,” MacDougall said.

MacDougall explained that one issue the sorority has had to deal with recently is the large size of its chapter. She said that the planning of X-Factor took a long time because the organization needed to find a space to fit all of its members.

“As the chapter size gets bigger every year, we are trying to find events for 150 girls to be involved in,” MacDougall said.

According to MacDougall, Aislinn Cook and Catherine Caffey, the two philanthropy chairs for Chi O, took the lead on planning the event.

“They’ve been unreal, really planning all of it,” she said.

According to MacDougall, all of the sorority's members were involved in marketing X-Factor by getting publicity for the event and encouraging friends to sign up for teams.

MacDougall said that the event was inspired by a nation-wide event called “Mr. Fraternity,” but added that Chi Omega modified X-Factor to make it more Tufts-friendly.

“[X-Factor] is open to the entire Tufts community,” MacDougall said.

According to MacDougall, teams consisted of three members of any gender instead of one person.

“[We] wanted it to be a little … funnier, so you can lip sync,” MacDougall said.

MacDougall explained that members of the teams came from all different groups on campus.

“[We had people] on the women’s club soccer team, a couple of fraternities … we’ve also reached out to other organizations on campus [who have signed up],” she said. “We wanted to do something more fun, made more sense, to attract a bigger audience.”