The women of Sigma Theta Chi won first place in the sorority division of the homecoming parade competition last Saturday for the first time since 2017.

Sigma Theta Chi chose the theme of Alice in Wonderland, complete with a float designed to look like a teapot, prospective members dressed as Alice and Sigma Theta Chi’s Keeper of the Key, McKenzie Losher, dressed as queen of hearts on the float.

“I love doing things that are really chaotic and fun and crazy,” said Losher, junior communications major from Sunnyvale. “Wonderland seemed fitting because I did not want to do anything that would have been simple and boring.”

The planning process was intense and began in August. In the two weeks leading up to homecoming it required full attention.

“I had to find a warehouse where we could build the float, I had to find a trailer for it, I had to book a church where the Squigs could practice the homecoming dance and song,” said Losher. “I had to go to Lowe’s literally all the time to get supplies, like foam boards, wood, and I had to order pomp for the teapot in advance; there was just a lot to think through.”

Many of the women of Sigma Theta Chi dedicated their time and skills to creating a memorable homecoming parade float. A team of women helped design costumes for the new members marching in the parade, create lyrics to the song that was sung and choreograph the steps to the dance.

The competition for the homecoming parade in the women’s sorority division is always stiff. There were other creative themes such as Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, and Girl Scouts.

“I knew that there was going to be very hard competition,” said Losher. “I was confident in my abilities but I knew that there would be other people who were going to do really well who are really creative and artsy.”

Pledging new members were heavily involved in the homecoming parade; they were responsible for helping build the float, learning lyrics to a Wonderland themed song, and learning the choreography for their dance.

Though winning the float was exciting for the women of Sigma Theta Chi, the process is what they enjoyed most.

“I loved getting to dress up and be in Wonderland while bonding with the other girls,” said Emma Taylor, a sophomore kinesiology major from Edmond, Oklahoma. “I got to stand next to a lot of squigs I may not have spoken to a lot, and it made so happy to get to know them better.”