Fashion crossed paths with a good cause last weekend at the Alpha Chi Omega fashion show. Members from Alpha Chi Omega, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Delta Tau Delta and Sigma Phi Epsilon came together to strut their stuff down the runway on April 9 in Alumni Hall during Alpha Chi’s fourth annual spring fashion show.

The packed crowd, great music and fun atmosphere made the show a huge success. Boomer the Bobcat even made an appearance on the catwalk.

Models sported looks from local clothing stores such as Kerin, Arabella, Seychelles, Archetype, Denali, Enclave and Modern Formals, all located in New Haven. The Quinnipiac bookstore also lent clothes for the show as well.

“It is so much fun being surrounded by my sisters and working hard together toward something we love,” said Caitlyn Fitzpatrick, a sophomore and member of Alpha Chi Omega.

Meghan Hakim, vice president of service for Alpha Chi Omega, was in charge of the show this year. She said she had a great place to start since past shows have been so successful. She really wanted to make the show bigger this year, however, and added a VIP section after the show. Hors d’oeuvres, cake and drinks were served, all of which were donated from local restaurants.

“Watching the show and seeing it all come together was such a relief,” Hakim said.

In past years, Alpha Chi Omega had donated the money raised to a cause that differed from their main philanthropy: prevention of domestic violence toward women. Last year, for example, the money was donated to The Hunger Project. This year, however, Alpha Chi decided to go international.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to a women’s shelter and medical facility in Nicaragua through Quinnipiac’s Albert Schweitzer Institute.

The idea for the charity was developed after Alpha Chi Omega members Erin Sargent and Jillian Clancy went to Nicaragua on an Alternative Spring Break.

“If the women of Nicaragua had the right resources, they could accomplish so much,” said Clancy, former president of Alpha Chi Omega. “We really want to give back to them.”

As of now, Alpha Chi Omega and the Albert Schweitzer Institute are working to choose which women’s shelter and medical facility the proceeds will go to.

“This is the first year I have not had a huge role in putting the show together and the girls did an absolutely incredible job incorporating every sister and really using our resourses to put on a wonderful event,” Clancy said.

Photo credit: Joe Pelletier