This year, Step Sing-scheduled for Feb. 2 and 3 at 7 p.m.-has two new additional teams that are competing to support United Way. Cheryl Mathis, coordinator of programming in the Office of Student Engagement, is looking forward to the event.

“I am incredibly excited two new groups are involved,” Mathis said.

The two new groups that will be competing this year are the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and the honors program.

“It has been many years since Step Sing has seen so much participation other than the traditional groups, such as Greek organizations,” Mathis said. “Though it is typically a Greek-oriented event, any campus group can participate,” Mathis said.

Jerry Saylor, GSA public relations chair and team captain for the GSA Step Sing team, explained the reasons that GSA decided to break the traditional expectations.

“We are just trying to be more of a face on campus,” Saylor said. “Participation has grown, and this is a good way to get our name out there and benefit United Way.”

Saylor said being a part of the first GSA Step Sing team was stressful, but overall pretty fun. According to him, the Step Sing experience has unified and brought together a group of individuals that may not have otherwise worked together.

“I am a freshman trying to get involved,” said Tori Sparks, part of the 10-member GSA team. “It was cool to see people working together and getting to know each other.”

Sparks said getting people to participate was the biggest challenge. Saylor agreed, adding that working on dance moves and lyrics also required a lot of work.

Saylor said creative thought was placed on the theme of the GSA team’s performance.

“I am really excited to see how creative each team is,” Mathis said.

Step Sing’s overall theme this year is “Once Upon a Time” which was chosen by University Program Council, Mathis said.

The GSA Step Sing group is using the musical works of Lady GaGa in order to do something different from what other groups might be doing.

The GSA team’s theme is titled “Once Upon a Time in the Haus of GaGa.”

“I think the honors program got involved because we thought it would be a fun new opportunity,” said Leslie Carter, freshman double majoring in English and secondary education. “And the honors program had never done it before.”

Carter also explained her personal experience with Step Sing so far and the reasons behind her personal involvement. She also furthers the sentiment that Step Sing brings groups closer together.

“I joined because it seemed like a fun new college experience and a memory I would like to make,” Carter said. “Step Sing has been so much fun learning the songs and working with people toward a common goal. I have made new friends and forged closer ones. I will kind of miss working with them all of them.”