UK Happenings

Step into Homecoming weekend at the NPHC Step Show

step show
A performance from the 2022 NPHC Step Show. Arden Barnes | UK Photo.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 10, 2023) — The 2023 National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) Step Show is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, in the Gatton Student Center ballrooms. Tickets purchased ahead of time will be $10 for students and $15 for general admission. The day of the event, student tickets will be $15 and general public will be $20. Click here to purchase your tickets.

Come and be a part of the culture, community and celebration through the time-honored tradition of stepping by UK’s own NPHC fraternities and sororities. The event will be hosted by Ja’Mahl McDaniel, director of the UK Martin Luther King Center, and Jason Brooks, executive director for Institutional Engagement.

“I am truly honored to once again take on the role of co-host for this year's Step Show,” said McDaniel. “It's not only a chance for me to recognize and celebrate the dedication and effort put in by our current NPHC student members but also an opportunity to reconnect with my fellow alumni in a meaningful way.”

Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) is looking for volunteers to assist with day-of operations for the step show. If interested, complete this form TODAY (Oct. 10). Selected volunteers will receive a confirmation email from uriah.carter@uky.edu with a complimentary ticket to the show.

"Historically Black Greek Letter Organizations have a rich legacy of uplifting our campus and global communities, celebrating Black culture, achievement and service,” said McDaniel. “The Step Show serves as a vital platform for these organizations to honor their unique traditions, seamlessly intertwining African and African American culture through creative and rhythmic expressions. At our UK campus, the Step Show stands as a beacon of representation for Black culture, unifying diverse individuals and bringing many people together to celebrate.”

“As a 20-year veteran within the ranks of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., it still brings me great joy to see the traditions of those before us continue,” said Brooks. “The steps, the claps and the creative processes speak to our roots and heritage of the originators of step; the South African gumboot dancers. To be a part of this process and occasion is always incredible and inspiring to see.”

At the University of Kentucky, students are at the center of all that we do. From the moment you become a Wildcat through graduation and beyond, the Office for Student Success is committed to supporting you. Comprised of five areas and 25 units, together, they have one vision — to help students live a life of meaning. Student Success works through an equitable, holistic and inclusive lens to design and deliver unparalleled services and support a diverse community of learners in achieving their wildest ambitions. In the Office for Student Success this is what we do — this is who we are. You can explore resources available to you here. If you have additional questions, you can reach a Student Success team member by calling the helpline 859-218-YouK (9685).