Oregon State fraternity competes for worst shower

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The finalists for a national competition among college fraternities to see which has the worst shower include the young men of Delta Chi at Oregon State University.

The 30 fraternity members who live in the 1920s house share one communal shower room with five nozzles — and only three actually work.

It's moldy and cramped, with a 7-foot ceiling that makes it tough for the tallest members and uncomfortably close quarters when more than one is showering.

But that could all change with a makeover worth up to $15,000 if Delta Chi is the winner of the AXE Shower Gel "Pimp My Fraternity Shower" competition.

Chuck Aubrey, a designer for MTV's "Real World/Road Challenge," will create a deluxe shower that may include fold-down seats, dual showerheads, mirrors, support handles, waterproof MP3 players and speakers and adhesive grips.

Delta Chi member Andrew Merfeld, a junior business major, heard an ad for the competition on the radio. He submitted photos of his house's shower, along with an essay on why his chapter deserved a shower makeover.

Now Delta Chi is among 10 finalists vying for the prize.

Delta Chi closed in 2000 due to low enrollment numbers and financial problems. It reopened in 2002, and Merfeld believes winning would help increase the chapter's visibility on campus and in the community.

"If we won, it would boost house pride even more," Merfeld said.