Exciting Shofar Cup competitions foster community

Exciting Shofar Cup competitions foster community

Getting ready to hit the buzzer at the Trivia Bowl.
All smiles at the House Cook Off, a part of the Shorfar Cup competition.

Senior, Tryphene Dewanou is all smiles at the House Cook Off, a part of the Shorfar Cup competition. (Photos by CIU Student Photographer Nathaniel Rabon)

By Naomi Balk, CIU Student Writer

CIU students rallied for the fourth annual Shofar Cup, a week of nightly events where the six houses, Fidelitas, Dignitas and Veritas for the women and Virtus, Justitia, and Sapientia for the men, competed for house points.

The week’s events included a dodgeball game, a cook off, a trivia bowl, a coffee house event, and a 2K video game competition.

The Shofar Cup is a part of the House Collective, an initiative to foster Christlike community on CIU’s campus and includes community-rich events, service projects, and house competitions to earn points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is proclaimed house victor, golden laurels hung on their building, and the house goes on a special outing.  

On the first night, Dignitas and Justitia won a fierce competition in dodgeball as house members cheered in face paint and fast-paced music played in the background.

The next night, Tryphene Dewanou and Christian Brown, brought home the cook off win, serving up an outstanding appetizer, entre and dessert for a panel of the judges comprised of CIU faculty and staff.  

“Food always brigs people together! The House Cookoff is my favorite event during Shofar week!” said Dewanou, “I love to see the passion and the creativity that each house brings. As a chef, I enjoyed the support of my house. It turns all the stress into fun.”

The pressure ran high on the third night of the competition during the Trivia Bowl. Competitors raced to hit the buzzers and answer questions in each round.

“It’s a great time to get into the CIU community. It’s good for the new students to get involved as well,” said sophomore Michael Kennedy, a member of the House of Virtus after their win that night.

On the fourth night, the Student Center was transformed into a display of student creativity. The House of Veritas, also known as the House of Truth, hosted a coffee bar, poetry and dramatic reading. The competition included any type of painting or drawing, photography, and poetry reading. Students clapped and snapped after each reading to show their support.

On Friday night, Virtus hosted a 2K video game competition. Justitia came in first with Dignitas coming in second.

The winner for the week? Congratulations to the House of Justitia! Check out this video recap of the week.

Community is at the heart of Columbia International University. CIU consistently ranks among the Top Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report. Excitement is growing on campus with increased enrollment and new academic programs such as the Bachelor of Science in Disaster Relief and Emergency ManagementRequest information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.