Alpha Phi Omega runs two major charity fundraisers every year, the Ultimate Manifestation of Hardk0re contest, and the Institute Screw contest. Both contests are week-long events, during which candidates compete by having monetary donations given on their behalf at a booth in Lobby 10. Each candidate chooses a charity, and the charity of the candidate who raises the most money during the week receives the total amount raised during the week.
The Institute Screw Contest, popularly referred to as "Big Screw," takes place during the spring term. MIT faculty and staff may run in this contest. Unlike UMOC, most Big Screw candidates are suggested by others, usually students. Although the trophy -- a four foot, left-handed aluminum wood screw -- is often awarded to the candidate the students feel have screwed them over the most, some candidates have run (and even won!) because they frequently deal with mechanical screws.
The Institute Screw contest is an event which is unique to MIT. It began as a mirror to UMOC, but quickly evolved into an event even more anticipated than UMOC. Alumni pass down stories of professors campaigning -- one professor tried to win by giving a lecture in French, despite the fact that he was teaching a math class!
The dates for the 2005 Big Screw contest were April 4 to April 8. If you would like more information, please contact big-screw _at_ mit.edu.
Past Winners and Charities| Year | Winner | Charity |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Paul Hill | International Relief Coalition |
| 2004 | Charles Vest | Make a Wish Foundation |
| 2003 | George Verghese | Doctors without Borders |
| 2002 | Steven Leeb | Pine Street Inn |
| 2001 | Hale Bradt | MIT Community Service Fund |
| 2000 | Neil H. Dorow | Shepherd Center, Josiah Seale Fund |
| 1999 | Carl D. Martland | Audobon Society |
| 1998 | C. Michael Mohr | Greater Boston Food Bank |
| 1997 | Neal H. Dorow | MIT Community Service Fund |
| 1996 | Wesley L. Harris (Unified) | American Heart Association |
| 1995 | Matthew H. Braun | Boston Food Bank |
| 1994 | Robert D. Logcher | Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts |
| 1993 | Eliot S. Levitt | AIDS Action of Massachusetts |
| 1992 | (not held) | |
| 1991 | Pascal R. Chesnais | |
| 1989 | Alan Brody | |
| 1985 | Shirley M. McBay | Aid for Ethiopia fund |
| 1978 | Luise Keohane | American Cancer Society |
| 1976 | Judith Bostock | |
| 1975 | Tom Hill | |
| 1971 | Ken Browning | |
| 1968 | Kenneth Wadleigh | |
| 1967 | Arthur Mattuck |
Are you hardk0re? Then run for UM0k.
In previous years the fall charity contest has been the Ugliest Manifestation on Campus (UMOC). MIT students ran for this title, although in recent years many students opted to run on behalf of particularly ugly manifestations, such as Transparent Horizons (otherwise known as The Big Black Scrap Heap) or the Random Hall Milk (10 years old and aging daily). Students running as themselves often had interesting platforms; the 1999 winner ran on the platform that she was "too cute to live".
UMOC was not originally an MIT contest; the idea came from other APO chapters across the country. However, few chapters still run it. UMOC started at MIT as the Ugly Man on Campus contest, and remained that way for many years. After a rather stunning woman ran one year -- and won! -- on the platform that she made a rather ugly man, the contest's name was changed to the Ugliest Manifestation on Campus.
The dates for the 2005 UM0k contest are October 31 to November 4. If you wish to run for UM0k, or if you just wish more information about it, please contact us.