By Meighan Ashford
This Friday the Association of Black Students will hold its annual Family Weekend Fish Fry, an SMU tradition for over 25 years.
The 27th Annual ABS Fish Fry takes place on Friday, September 29th, from 5-7p.m. in the lower level of the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, near The Varsity. The event is free of charge and open to all SMU students and their families; the menu includes fried catfish, French fries and salad.
“This has become one of the signature events for ABS, and it continues to grow each year,” says Dr. Jennifer (JJ) Jones, SMU’s executive director of student development, social change and intercultural engagement. Dr. Jones will be cooking the fish and ABS will be putting on a plethora of fun games and activities for guests to enjoy.
Jones says she’s been a part of the event since 1996. “This event was an annual barbecue for the Black Faculty and Staff Association to connect with the Black students at SMU,” she explains. “In 1996, I decided it would be great to do a fish fry, and I volunteered to fry the fish.” As attendance grew, she helped to connect the event to Family Weekend, helping it become the popular event it is today.
The fish fry has been hosted in a number of different locations from the Intercultural Center to the Alpha Kappa Alpha House before coming to Hughes-Trigg 20 years ago.
There’s no specific dress code for the event, says ABS Vice President Kennedy Phillips. “The only rule is that you come out and enjoy the fish, friends, and fun that will be taking place.”
