Valparaiso University President Joins Fraternity in ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has raised millions of dollars for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in just a few weeks of popularity and continues to grow in momentum nationwide.

On Wednesday, Valparaiso University joined in on the fun, all for the worthy cause of supporting ALS research and finding a cure.

University President Mark Heckler, along with Carolyn Whittier, assistant dean for Greek Life and members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity were doused with buckets of cold water as students, onlookers and members of the media watched in front of the University’s Chapel of the Resurrection.

“It’s great to be here for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and support awareness for ALS,” Heckler said moments before receiving the splash from members of Chi Omega, an on-campus sorority.

“It was cold, and it was wet,” Heckler said after receiving the cold rush while donning a nice suit. “It was good to see everyone come out for a very noble cause.”

Before a video shot by VUTV, Heckler challenged Provost Mark Biermann and the men of Lambda Chi Alpha to take the bucket.

Whittier said she had been challenged nine times by student organizations and friends.

“The men of Phi Kappa Psi then asked me to take the challenge with them, so I said yes,” she said.

Whittier then challenged Phi Delta Theta, a group whose national philanthropy is ALS and Dance Marathon, a student organization that raises money for Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Phi Kappa Psi also took the challenge at the same time as Heckler and Whittier. They followed with a challenge to the women of Chi Omega and the Valparaiso University Social Action Leadership Team (SALT).

In the end, the fun associated with the Ice Bucket Challenge all comes down to eventually finding an end of the deadly disease.

“Let’s find a cure,” Heckler said.