The Campus Activities Board is constantly thinking of ideas that will allow students to socialize and enjoy themselves. Casino Night accomplished just that as students convened in the Student Union Ballroom last Wednesday night.  
Students enjoyed games such as Texas Hold’em, Blackjack and other casino classics in hopes of winning a prize at the end of the night.
CAB did not put on Casino Night alone. Members from the Order of Omega were greeting students and handing out tickets while members of Phi Mu sorority were acting as the dealers for the evening. Todd McElroy, coordinator and advisor for CAB, spoke about the goal CAB set for Casino Night.
“It is a stress reliever. It will hopefully build the community by bringing out a diverse student population and putting them together in a room to meet each other. We want to build a community around Southeastern while letting the students blow off some steam,” said McElroy.
The ballroom in the Student Union was decorated with neon lights. More than $500 in chips were available for students who won and competition commenced throughout the night. Chips would be exchanged at the end of the night in return for raffle tickets for prizes such as a television and a mini-refrigerator. Smaller raffles were held throughout the night, offering students the chance to win Southeastern apparel.
Students playing the games were not the only ones entertained. Anna Rudesill, one of the card dealers from Phi Mu, spoke about her participation in Casino Night.
“We were in charge of the games and helping out the people playing them. It was a big crowd at first but died down after a while. It was fun anyway,” said Rudesill.
Mason Owens, a student in the biology department, participated in Casino Night and had positive comments on the event.
“Tonight was great. I enjoyed the atmosphere. Everybody had a great time,” said Owens. “My favorite part of the night was seeing the lights and getting to use real chips.”
Every semester, CAB works to put on an event to keep things interesting for the students. Alongside events like Gumbo Ya Ya and Strawberry Jubilee, CAB also hosts different events in between for students to enjoy. Due to the success of Casino Night, McElroy contemplated the idea of bringing the event back in the future.
“Everybody seems to have enjoyed themselves. It was a nice turnout. The ballroom in the new union was a nice room to show off. We will definitely consider bringing it back after analyzing everything at the end of the year,” said McElroy.