Dean of Students Allen Groves gathered on the Lawn Wednesday evening along with almost 3,000 students to break the world record for most high-fives in an hour. By 8 p.m., he had notched about 2,470 high fives.
The event, organized by Student Council, was first considered in May.
“The first thought was just that it would be very cool to break a world record in general, and very shortly the idea of high-fives came up,” said fourth-year College student Michael Promisel, chair of the representative body. “It was something inclusive that all students could participate in, and Dean Groves has been such a willing participant in students activities.”
The previous record for high fives was 1,739, set last year by a high-school student in New Jersey at a pep rally.
“Dean Groves brought up the [concern for pain] when we told him he could only use one hand,” Promisel said. “During the [event] he did say his hand felt clammy and his shoulder was sore, so it was no easy feat. We had hand sanitizer there ready for him and the students.”
Second year student Kristi Vandygriff participated in the high-five event. “It was great to be part of such a unique experience,” she said. “Dean Groves made it special because he personally thanked each person as he walked by.”