Student life: Help for the Philippines in the "Bayanihan" spirit

With song, dance and a silent auction, the SAIS Europe community came together last week to raise funds for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines.

Supported by students, faculty and staff, we raised more than 1,000 euros for the Philippine Red Cross during a holiday happy hour planned by the Diplomacy Club, International Development Club and Global Securities and Conflict Management Club.

Hot ticket items at the auction included two seats at a poker night with SAIS Europe Director Kenneth Keller and Economics Prof. Michael Plummer; a coffee date with Prof. Filippo Taddei; two man servants for the day, and a ball gown (for the Austrian ball in February). Not to mention the squash racket, golf club, tea collection, art books and Venezuelan necklace.

Singing stars emerged from the shadows for the karaoke competition. The winning team of Shauna Aron and Nick Van Vliet rapped to the tune of Royals to describe the Bologna Center experience. Check out the video here.

The winning rappers

Late night studying, gotta get that paper done
Few drinks, up all night, end up at Soda Pops
We don’t care

Riding bicycles in the street

Cause everybody knows

Rush to SAIS, late to class

Caffè at Giulio’s

Hit the books, work to do

Lost a night of sleep or two

But, we don’t care

It’s the grind that’s why we’re here…

Thea Dickerman broke it down to Shoop by Salt-N-Pepper, while Kyle Cooke sang Mr. Bombastic by Shaggy. Star duos included Sirtaj Kaur and Jagabanta Ningthoujam, and Philipp Hlatky and Paul Stack. 

 

Why was the event hosted in "Bayanihan" spirit? "Bayanihan" is Filipino for "community", captured by the tradition of neighbors volunteering to relocate a family by carrying the family's house on their backs to a new location.

SAIS Europe wanted to do its part for the Philippines, in Bayanihan spirit.

Ingat po.

Shauna Aron and Ian Hamilton (BC14/DC15)

Photographs by Jag Ningthoujam (BC14/DC15)