The Department of Athletics took the Oakland University community by surprise by doing something rarely seen before.

The Sweets, Treats and Grizzly beats event was conceived as a project to bring student-athletes closer to the Oakland University community. The games inside the tent were all about candy. Oreo face eating contests, pie-eating competitions, guess the amount of candy inside the jar, skittles and straws and many more.

The event brought a lot of joy to all of the participants.

“It was definitely one of the best events so far this year,” Grizz Gang Treasurer Adam Coddington said. “There were so many different things to do and so many people to mingle with.” 

“It was a great way for athletes to meet other students on campus,” Amy Carlton, a basketball player at Oakland and also one of the masterminds behind this project, said. “Also, the event was a way for athletics at Oakland to provide a fun event to kick off the year and enjoy meeting new people while enjoying deserts and playing fun games.”

This event was not only great for the students and athletes but also for the Athletics Department in general. Athletics Academic Advisor Evan Dermidoff believes the entire department is doing a good job getting involved with the Oakland University community.

“It is something we are passionate about and always working on,” Dermidoff said. 

Among the many events, the pie-eating contest stood out because of the excitement it generated. It was good for the athletes because it brought a lot of attention to the event and at the same time the non-athletes had fun watching and also participating in the contest.

The event was full with students. According to Dermidoff, around 250 non-athletes took part in at least one game. The student-athletes were also present, not just hosting the different games and greeting people but actively participating as well.

Carlton believes the event was a great way to kick off the Homecoming Weekend and got everyone ready for the other events and sports competitions. According to Coddington, these events are a great way to interact with athletes and know when they have upcoming games and grow the support of Ou’s athletic teams.

For Dermidoff, the initial goals of having student-athletes create and manage an event on campus and at the same time involve the Oakland University community through a fun event were both accomplished.

With such a positive response to the event there is hope for another event taking place soon in an effort to provide students the opportunity to get out of their comfort zone and explore what is else out there.