51ÉçÇø

Strolling could not be contained to the stage at Saturday night’s . After a round of performances featuring five of the University of Nebraska at 51ÉçÇø’s (UNO) National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations, the night ended with competitors and alumni strolling in the aisles.

The Stroll-Off marked the first of these events in recent memory. JaNae Smith, a Divine Nine alumnus and the event's chief organizer, said she needed more exposure to the Divine Nine, meaning the nine fraternal organizations formed by Black college students nationwide.

“I wanted to uplift the greatness of the Divine Nine and highlight its rich history and bold future,” Smith said.

Adorning her sorority’s royal blue and white colors, she joined the packed ballroom at Milo Bail Student Center (MBSC). Many in attendance, students or alumni, donned colors and cheered on their chapters and the NPHC.

Many students jumped at the chance to participate. Promise Lloyd, one of the performing members of Delta Sigma Theta, said a simple text message was enough to convince her to rally others. Soon after, the work started to develop a theme, rehearsing three times a week for over three months.

For the Zeta Phi Beta chapter, members in the performance were made up of student bodies from several universities in Nebraska, which caused the need for weekend practice sessions and even Zoom meetings.

At night's end, the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and Delta Sigma Theta sorority won the Stroll-Off championships. Zeta Phi Beta also earned special recognition as the crowd favorite.

“The stroll off was a great experience to bond with my Sorors, and other Divine Nine organizations,” Lloyd said. “To see how much support we got and how many people came to the event it was an amazing feeling.”

With so many alumni gathered, there was a decisive tone of legacy. Each chapter displayed posters showcasing its organizational histories and outreach efforts, with the goal of reuniting its former members.

Smith points out that alumni’s dedication to Divine Nine differs from other Greek organizations.

“It’s important for Alumni to support their undergraduate chapters and reach back to show current members the way,” she said. “It’s a lifelong commitment.”

For many students, the night meant celebrating a common cause even in a competitive environment. Lavone Walker, a student and president of the Alpha Phi Alpha chapter, stressed that the Stroll-Off was about sharing NPHC students’ service to the community.

Performing also carried special meaning for Avery Laing, a member of Zeta Phi Beta, who used to attend events with her dad when he was a UNO student. “Being part of this community now in college is a full-circle moment for me. It was amazing being on that stage and seeing those in the crowd that I used to see perform when I was young,” she said.

For the future, Smith — serving as a staff advisor for the NPHC — envisions more community engagement and a more visible presence at UNO, including holding more stroll-off competitions.

“I would like this event to be the beginning of something monumental on campus and in the community,” she said. “NPHC is not done bringing greatness to UNO.”