Three University of Arkansas at Little Rock employees from the George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Technology graciously took pies in the face to raise money for the university’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers.

Three eager students got to shove a pie in the faces of Dean Lawrence Whitman, Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science, and Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, during Pi Day activities.

Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant pi, which is celebrated on March 14 (3/14).

The UA Little Rock Society of Women Engineers raised money by holding a bake sale, selling T-shirts, and holding an online auction of 20 pies donated by students and faculty.

For every $1 spent, a person was able to cast a vote for one of seven EIT employees who volunteered to get a pie in the face. The other volunteers included Assistant Dean Vernard Henley; Ashley Henry-Saorrono, EIT senior recruitment and outreach coordinator; Dr. Mike Tramel, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering; and Treasure Williamson, EIT recruitment and outreach coordinator.

Some volunteers worked hard to keep themselves from getting chosen. Tramel bought $50 worth of T-shirts and promptly placed his 50 votes for Dean Whitman.

In the end, fundraiser organizers decided to use the top three people who received the most votes, leaving Whitman, Minsker, and Frets as the lucky winners.

Olivia Pate, a sophomore majoring in geology and mathematics, said it was “very satisfying” to hit Minsker in the face with a pie, while Minsker said he would be happy to take a pie in the face every day for a good cause.

“Who wouldn’t want to help out our future engineers?” Minsker said. “My only objection is that I am so good looking, and the crème covers up my good looks.”

For more information about the Society of Women Engineers, contact Frets at amfrets@ualr.edu or Henry-Saorrono at alhenry@ualr.edu.

In the upper right photo, Amy Frets, EIT director of student services and retention, and Dr. Steven Minsker, professor of computer science, stand next to the students who shoved pies in their faces to raise money for the Society of Women Engineers on Pi Day.