KSC’s Delta Phi Epsilon (DPhiE) sorority completed its search for its 2025 Iris Icon last week in an event that brought community, philanthropy and entertainment together in the L.P. Young Student Center’s Mabel Brown Room.
The annual event was equal parts competition and fundraiser, as it saw four KSC students take on a multi-round contest requiring them to display talents, dress up in formal wear, answer trivia questions about DPhiE’s values and raise money toward the event’s fundraiser for DPhiE’s philanthropic partner, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
All of the ticket sales for the event were in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which is an organization that funds research and drug development with the goal of finding a cure for cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system, according to the organization’s website.
When all was said and done and every round of the competition had been completed, a panel of judges made up of DPhiE members and alumni, the sorority’s staff advisor and a former Iris Icon selected senior Evan Parker as the competition’s winner and the 2025 Iris Icon. It was also announced at the end of the night that the event had raised $762 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation through ticket sales and donations.
DPhiE President and KSC senior Lia Ospina explained how the annual event works, describing it as a “huge talent show.” She said any students who are not in DPhiE are allowed to enter the Iris Icon competition, and the event is open for anyone on campus to come to and watch.
“I’ve been in this org for almost three years now and I’ve been to three different Iris Icons,” said Ospina. “It’s different every time, it’s fun every time. I’m a judge this year, so that’s exciting.”
Ospina said the most important aspect of the event is the philanthropic fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
“The most important part of this is obviously raising money for cystic fibrosis since this genetic disease really affects a lot of people, and it’s really close to home for some sisters specifically, so we just want to make sure we’re raising money,” said Ospina.
Jodie Tsekrekas, development director for the Northern New England Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, attended the event and gave a speech thanking DPhiE for their fundraising efforts.
“Tonight, you’re not just raising funds, you’re raising hope,” Tsekrekas said in her speech. “Every dollar brings us closer to better treatments and ultimately, a cure. Thank you for standing with us and believing in this mission and for making a difference in the lives living with cystic fibrosis.”
Each Iris Icon contestant had their own individual page for the overall fundraiser, Ospina said, and one of the factors that the judging panel considered when deciding a winner was which contestants were able to raise the most money for the cause.
Along with who raised the most money, Ospina said the judges considered the contestant’s performances in each round of the competition to find a winner that they felt best represented what they were looking for in an Iris Icon.
“When all of the rounds are done, we go and meet and discuss the contestants and see which one is Iris Icon material,” said Ospina. “We need to find somebody that will love our organization just as much as we do, and that will support us and donate to a bake sale or come to our formal and want to be a part of our organization without actually being a sister.”
Ospina said the winner of the Iris Icon competition becomes the sorority’s “sweetheart” for the year, which is essentially an honorary member of the organization.
This year, those honors went to Parker, who said he was motivated to compete in this year’s event after an unsuccessful run two years ago.
“We didn’t hit the mark that time, but since then my best friend Kayla joined the sorority and we just love doing things together,” said Parker. “We’re both seniors, so we thought that it would just be a really fun opportunity to spend more time together and get more connected.”
“I’m not a super social person, but I love everyone in DPhiE,” he added. “They’ve always been super nice to me, so it just felt natural.”
For his talent this year, Parker put on a puppet show to recreate a famous scene from the movie “Mean Girls” where one of the main characters, Regina George, gets hit by a school bus.
“I spent many hours with a lot of cardboard and hot glue and yarn,” said Parker, describing how the idea came together. “I mostly did it because I was like, ‘This is going to be fun for me, putting it all together.’”
Parker said he identified with the greater purpose of the event and the philanthropic fundraiser meant a lot to him as someone who has a chronic illness.
“It’s really important, whether you have a chronic illness or not, to be aware of what’s going on around you and give other people hope,” he said. “Everyone deserves to have hope in life, no matter what your circumstances are, so I think that building people up is the best thing you can do.”
“I just really identify with that struggle and the lack of hope,” Parker added. “It’s hard to rely on other people sometimes, but it’s up to the Earth, the community, to put that effort in and to have a voice for the voiceless in any way.”
Sophomore and DPhiE member Jordan Gall said she thought Parker’s win was “absolutely deserved.”
“I love Evan Parker,” said Gall. “The org loves Evan Parker. We love all the people who have truly committed to this, but I can easily say we are all very excited for our new Iris Icon.”
Justin Dearborn can be reached at
jdearborn@kscequinox.com
