Alpha Phi Omega runs two major charity fundraisers every year, the Ugliest Manisfestation on Campus contest, and the Institute "Big Screw" contest. Both contests are week-long events, during which candidates compete by having monetary donations given on their behalf at a booth in Lobby 10. Each candidate chooses a charity, and the charity of the candidate who raises the most money during the week receives the total amount raised during the week.

The Institute Screw Contest, popularly referred to as "Big Screw," takes place during the spring term. MIT faculty and staff may run in this contest. Unlike UMOC, most Big Screw candidates are suggested by others, usually students. Although the trophy -- a four foot, left-handed aluminum wood screw -- is often awarded to the candidate the students feel have screwed them over the most, some candidates have run (and even won!) because they frequently deal with mechanical screws.

The Institute Screw contest is an event which is unique to MIT. It began as a mirror to UMOC, but quickly evolved into an event even more anticipated than UMOC. Alumni pass down stories of professors campaigning -- one professor tried to win by giving a lecture in French, despite the fact that he was teaching a math class!

The dates for the 2009 Big Screw contest were April 13 to April 17. If you would like more information, please contact big-screw _at_ mit.edu.

The Ugliest Manifestation on Campus contest, more familiarly known as UMOC, takes place during the fall term, usually shortly before Halloween. MIT students may run for this title, although in recent years, many students have opted to run on behalf of particularly ugly manifestations, such as Transparent Horizons (otherwise known as The Big Black Scrap Heap) or the Random Hall Milk (7 years old and aging daily). Students running as themselves often have interesting platforms; the 1999 winner ran on the platform that she was "too cute to live".

UMOC was not originally an MIT contest; the idea came from other APO chapters across the country. However, the MIT chapter is one of the few chapters who still successfully run this contest. UMOC started at MIT as the Ugliest Man on Campus contest, and remained that way for many years. After a rather stunning woman ran one year -- and won! -- on the platform that she made a rather ugly man, the contest's name was changed to its current incarnation.

The dates for the next UMOC contest have not yet been set. If you wish to run for UMOC, or if you just wish more information about it, please contact us.