Students flooded Seeger Chapel on Tuesday for this year’s Sweetheart Convo which was rescheduled after a lengthy delay due to snow. The special convocation usually takes place in February.

 

Dr. Robert Mahan, professor of accounting and area chair of business, hosted the convocation dressed as “Sven the Swede.” He was soon joined by Milligan’s own President Bill Greer, who dressed as Darth Vader, and rose to the occasion quite literally as he made his grand appearance by way of a rising stage.

 

Each class nominated their peers to participate in Sweetheart Convo. The nominees came up with their own acts to perform, ranging from a dance performance titled “Evolution of Mom and Dad Dancing” by juniors Sarah Knapton, Joshua Foote and Joe Matherly, to a “First Date” skit performed by freshmen Keila Treviño, Eric Meadows, Cara Williams and Jonathan Russell.

 

The audience laughed and even participated in a dance-off contest, as Mahan (“Sven the Swede”) pelted unsuspecting students with candy from the balcony.

 

Treviño said participating in Sweetheart Convo for the first time was “extremely stressful.”

 

“I was so nervous,” she said, laughing, recounting her back-up plan in case she threw up.

 

Treviño said she and the rest of the freshmen group did a lot of research into “awkward first dates” for their skits.

 

“We asked a lot of people about their awkward first date experiences and googled #awkwardfirstdates and watched a few Jimmy Fallon videos,” she said.

 

Nominations for the next Sweetheart Convo will be held near Valentine’s Day in the spring semester.