The Black Student Alliance at WKU is hosting penny wars in Downing Student Union every Tuesday and Thursday from 12-2 p.m. until the end of November.  

15% of the proceeds will go to the Jonesville Academy in Bowling Green and the rest will go to fundraise for the BSA. The prize for the winner of the penny wars is a trophy. 

Each organization gets their own jar for donations. Pennies and dollar bills add points to the organization’s jar, while dimes, nickels and quarters subtract points. 

There are currently seven organizations competing: the Intercultural Student Engagement Center, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., Omega Phi Alpha Sorority, MajorRedz Dance Team, Kaois Dance Team and the WKU Panhellenic Council. ISEC is currently in the lead. 

“We are allowing other organizations to sign up in the meantime until the 30th of November,” Courtney Turney, BSA Public Relations Director said. “It will just lessen their chances of winning the prize.”

Organizations can sign up for the penny wars via instagram @bsa_wku or emailing Turney directly at [email protected]. 

“I am a sophomore on the hill,” Turney said. “For BSA, I am the Public Relations Director, which basically means that I am over all the social media, creating flyers, sending out emails, and communicating with different organizations on campus.”

The penny wars fundraiser is a new event for the BSA, Turney said. Turney brought the idea of the penny wars to the BSA to create more involvement and partnership with other organizations on campus. 

Turney said she started going to the BSA her freshman year since it was a safe place for students of color to express themselves and share their experiences.  

Turney said getting to know Lamario Moore, the BSA representative, and other students attending the BSA meetings allowed her to find similar people who have the same vision and dreams as her. 

BSA allows people of color to “express how they are feeling and engage in conversations about things going around Western,” Turney said.  

Turney said the BSA promotes education and is a community that holds each other accountable. 

“It’s very much a family-oriented thing,” Turney said. “Not every family is perfect, but we try to make the best out of it that we can. It has just impacted me in a very positive way.” 

News reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@ topper.wku.edu.