Ever walk through Red Square or chill on Healy lawn on Fridays and smell the delicious, mouth-watering aroma of juicy hamburgers? Well that wonderful scent floats through the air thanks to GUGS (Georgetown University Grilling Society). Her Campus spoke with Ellen Grein, President of GUGS, to talk burgers and learn more about this awesome club.
What school and year are you?
I am a senior in the MSB majoring in International Business and Marketing.
Where are you from?
I am a proud Hoosier, from Indianapolis, Indiana.
How did you become involved with GUGS, and how exactly does it work?
I became involved with GUGS as a freshman, because my brother was a Grill Sergeant in the organization and encouraged me to join. He was convinced that I wouldn’t last, because after the grills, your clothes smell like charcoal for days and it is very hard work to be a dedicated member. I am extremely happy to say that I proved him wrong!
GUGS started in December of 2002 through a common interest and by students looking for another way to get involved on campus. It is an inclusive organization; if you show up, you are a member! However, if you show up regularly and show dedication, you can become a Grilltender, which means you can start to get on the grill and help with the salting and saucing of the burgers. Once you’ve proved yourself as a Grilltender, you can become a Grillmaster. As a Grillmaster, you can actually serve the burgers. All of our burgers need to be checked by a Grillmaster before they are served to make sure that they are well done. We also have two Grill Sergeants, a Secretary of Salt and Sauce, a Treasurer and a Vice-President to make sure all of our grills run smoothly. We need to deliver the best burgers to our customers.
When do you guys make burgers?
We grill every Friday in Red Square and typically serve 250 to 300 burgers, which is around 150lbs of meat. We set-up at 10:30am and serve burgers between 12pm and 2:30pm. We also have one to two scheduled catering events throughout the weekend. These other events include the Georgetown University Community Service Day, Relay for Life, Run for Rigby, tailgates for sporting events, and other special events on campus.
Has GUGS been a major part of your Georgetown experience?
GUGS has been a major part of my Georgetown experience. I have made many of my friends through GUGS and I have loved spending every Friday in the heart of campus, Red Square. GUGS is a fun group of people who spend their Friday’s in the best way possible, grilling. Whether its getting to know all of the butchers at Costco, rolling hundreds of burgers, or perpetually smelling like charcoal, to me, GUGS is Georgetown.
What else are you involved in on campus?
I am also the co-president of Best Buddies here on campus, and I am a marketing intern for Georgetown Dining.
Lightning Round
Favorite burger place: GUGS, but if I had to go somewhere else I would settle for a Steak Burger from Steak ‘n Shake
Dream concert: Barry White
Favorite movie: Rat Race
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?: Belgrade, Serbia