By LYDIA EARHART

Staff Writer

Engineers escaped from their rooms to attend the College of Engineering and Science Spring Release crawfish boil at 4:30 p.m. last Thursday in Joe Aillet Stadium.

"[The crawfish boil] is intended to be a time for students and faculty to have fun," Dr. James Nelson, the associate dean of the COES, said.

Nelson said the students mostly planned the crawfish boil.

"The students pretty much run the show on their own," Nelson said.

Nelson said the COES crawfish boil had a good turn out. To attend the crawfish boil, students bought a $10 T-shirt.

"We ordered 450 T-shirts, but we sold out," Nelson said. "Everyone loves crawfish in Louisiana. The international faculty love eating the crawfish."

Nelson said the awards for outstanding students for the year are also given at this event.

Freshmen, juniors and seniors were chosen fr this award by Tau Beta Pi the honorary engineering society.

The students who received the award were honored with a scholarship ranging from $500-1,000.

"[The crawfish boil] is a great way to relieve stress because it is the end of the school year," Nelson said.

Melodie Benford, the president of the Louisiana Tech Engineers Association and a junior biomedical engineering major, said she enjoyed the crawfish boil.

"Each year LTEA puts on GumboFest since 2000 or 2001," Benford said.

The last dean of COES, Dr. Guice, would cook his special recipe until the event just got too big. Now we cater the gumbo."

Benford said along with crawfish they served jambalaya, corn, potatoes and mushrooms. They also served cake and ice cream.

"It was a good time to hang out with friends in a non-school/homework related setting," Benford said.

"I personally got to know some of my classmates better and it was fun seeing the different ways people eat crawfish!"

Benford said the crawfish boil is a tradition in the COES.

"It's a social event and also end of the quarter celebration for faculty and students," Benford said.

John Elmore, president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the treasurer of Tech Engineers Association and a sophomore engineering major, said the event is annual and sponsored by the LTEA.

"[The crawfish boil] gives the students in the College of Engineering and Science an opportunity to have a fun end of the year social event," Elmore said.Ê

Elmore said the majority of the people who attended were engineering students, faculty and staff.