North Texas Daily

Iyana Edouard / Staff Writer

Type #UNTSpringBall2k15 into the Twitter search bar, and you’ll find hundreds of students tweeting about their excitement, outfit ideas, and thoughts on the nominees for the upcoming UNT Black Student Union Spring Ball.

After the success of the first ball last year, the Phi Gamma chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and the UNT Multicultural Center will host the second annual event at 7 p.m. on April 10 in the UNT Gateway Center ballroom.

Applied technology and performance improvement senior and BSU programming director Trevon Smith said he came up with the idea for the ball when he noticed that the black student community did not have an event acknowledging their activities and achievements.

“It’s one thing to be honored in front of your school but a whole different experience to be highlighted in front of your community,” said Smith. “Especially in a setting where everyone is looking their best, feeling their best, and all around excited for one another”.

There will be food, music, and a live band followed by the award ceremony. The award categories this year are male and female best smile, male and female rookie of the year, best photographer, best videographer, best DJ, best program, best organization, male and female beautiful soul, male and female impact award, and male and female people’s choice.

“It doesn’t matter much to me whether I win or lose but to be nominated with other great men was an honor itself,” integrative studies senior and male impact nominee Patrick Tshimanga said. “I’ve already won in that sense.”

Nominees for each category were chosen by a committee of students from different majors and classifications who are involved in UNT BSU organizations.

“The fact that we are taking the opportunity to celebrate black excellence specifically is such a beautiful thing,”marketing sophomore Erin Porche. “It shows that our actions don’t go unnoticed.”

The winners are chosen by students who vote on orgsync.com through the UNT National Association of Black Journalists page. Voting closes this Wednesday.

Student can start purchasing tickets for the Spring Ball Tuesday, March 31 for $10 at the Progressive Black Student Organization’s meeting at 7 p.m. in ESSC room #255. Tickets will be sold outside the meeting for $15 this week and $20 next week. For more information about the event and tickets, visit the Twitter page @UNTSpringBall.