Ohio State gave Woody Hayes a drive and Jesse Owens a couple of gyms. Now, Sloopy’s Diner, a new facility at the Ohio Union, is giving people a chance to have their own sandwich — at least temporarily.
The Union recently released the names of the 13 members of Sloopy’s Sandwich Club, the group of people heavily involved with the university that will have the honor of having a Sloopy’s Diner sandwich named after them. The sandwich will be in their name until June 2011, when a second group will be inducted into the club to continue this new tradition that sponsors plan to hold annually.
The 13 were picked from 218 applicants and are current and former students, professors and employees of OSU.
However, the winners did not get the chance to pick which sandwich would be named after them. The names of the sandwiches had to be sent in right away for the restaurant’s signs and menus to be completed in time for the Union’s opening. Because there was not enough time to ask the recipients which sandwiches they wanted to be named after, Tracy Stuck, assistant vice president for Student Life and director of the Ohio Union, decided they would let the sandwiches “decide” through a Harry Potter-themed Sorting Hat ceremony.
“We kind of joked that ‘the sandwich has to select you.’ And then we got really creative and just went with it,” Stuck said.
For those who aren’t familiar with Harry Potter, the Sorting Hat is a magical hat that assigns students to specific houses, sort of like dorms, that they will live in during their years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At the ceremony for the sandwich club, which took place March 16 at the Union, the recipients went on stage one by one to have the Sorting Hat placed on their heads. On the big screen behind them, their assigned sandwich was announced.
Captain Kirk Noce, professor of naval science and commanding officer of naval ROTC at OSU, was assigned the chicken and tuna salad sandwiches. He was told the reason this sandwich chose him was because naval officers serve on both land and sea. Noce said he was honored to be chosen as a member of the club.
“It is one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me,” Noce said. “It is not like flying a hair-raising mission or saving a life, but just as memorable. It will be fun to tell my grandchildren that I had a sandwich named after me at The Ohio State University.”
Joseph Clark III, a Moritz law student and member of the club, shared Noce’s enthusiasm for the award and said he felt humbled to have a sandwich named after him.
“It has definitely given me a new perspective of the Ohio Union,” Clark said. “The staff has been working tirelessly to incorporate alumni and students into every aspect of the new Union, right down to the food choices.”
The club members were selected based on how creative they were in their applications and how much they contribute to the university.
Members of the club include OSU softball home run record-holder Sam Marder, Student Alumni Council founder Matt Desch, and Theme Park Engineering group founder Brad Okeson.
Even though the sandwiches were named in their honor, the members of Sloopy’s Sandwich Club do not get to eat for free. Award recipients receive one free meal a quarter for themselves and a guest, but otherwise, they have to pay for their sandwiches just like everyone else.
