User talk:Macampeau

{{hangon}}

About

Rusk Eating House, Inc. is an eating club at Davidson College.

History

Rusk became the first all-female eating house to join Patterson Court at Davidson College in 1977. Similar to a sorority, an eating house provides a non-nationally affiliated fraternal dining environment.

Only a few all-male eating houses existed before 1972. All-male eating houses closed or became co-ed in 1973, when women were first accepted to the college.

In 1977, forty-six female students joined Rusk. Nineteen of the women were rising juniors and seniors and twenty-seven were sophomores. That same year, Rusk moved into house 11 on Patterson Court. The college helped furnish the house, and Kappa Alpha donated picnic tables. Board was $270 per semester.

Rusk was so popular by the early 1980s that it filled to capacity. Warner Hall opened in 1982, relieving Rusk's over-population by taking girls from its waiting list.

Rusk was named after Dean Rusk, Class of 1931 and Secretary of State during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. The name began the tradition of naming female eating houses after notable Davidson alumni.

Tradition	Details
Mission Statement	Rusk Eating House is a welcoming community which strives to empower women by providing opportunities for growth in areas of service and leadership, and by fostering genuine relationships.
Values	Community, Acceptance, Sincerity
Mascot	Cowgirl
Colors	Pink and Blue
Cheer	R-U-S-K Root for Ruskies all the way, Number one we’re lots of fun, Throw it back until it’s done, R-U-S-K party hardy everyday, Hot damn body slam, WE LOVE RUSK!

Membership

Women join Rusk through the Self-Selection system used by all Davidson Eating Houses. An inversion of the traditional sorority bid system, freshmen women rank their house preferences in the spring of their freshmen year and are placed into one of four houses by random lottery. Davidson women are then welcome to join the house at the beginning of subsequent the semester.

Once house members, Rusk women are encouraged and expected to eat at the house and as participate in social and service events. In addition, Rusk women meet weekly over dinner for a required house meeting.

Major Events

Fall Semester

2nd Night Down BBQ

Housewives & Handymen

Destination Unknown

Viva Las Vegas

Freshmen Brunch

Dancing Through the Decades (Fundraiser for Barium Springs)

Hot Damn, It's Cold Outside (Finals Study Break)

Spring Semester

Self-Selection Breakfast

Rusky Business Self-Selection Party

Junior Men's Champagne

Big Sis/Little Sis Week

North vs. South

Cheeseburger in Paradise (Kick-off to Spring Frolics)

Anything But Clothes (ABC) Party

Service Destination Unknown

Spring Formal

Leadership

Rusk encourages all of its members to take an active role in the house. In addition to its own Executive Board, Rusk has leadership opportunities in the Davidson Student Government Association, Patterson Court Council, and Patterson Court Judicial Board.

Current Executive Board

Position	Name
President	Marybeth Campeau
Vice President	Carell Brown
Vice President	Jane Morrison
Treasurer	Grace Barkley
Secretary	Alayne Kane
Service Chair	Mari O'Connell
Service Chair	Rebecca Worrell
Social Chair	Kayla McCann
Social Chair	Diane Pappayliou
Kitchen Manager	Amanda Loeb
Kitchen Manager	Christina Perez
House Manager	Nmeli Nnoromele
House Manager	Whitney Webb
Historian	Meredith Weinberg
Alumni Relations Chair	Corinne Hester
Lil' Boots	Eliza Dewey

Related Links

• List of Rusk Eating House Presidents: http://library.davidson.edu/archives/ency/eating_houses_rusk_presidents.asp

• House Cleanup Schedule: http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x33466.xml

• Official Website: http://ruskeatinghouse.webs.com/