Wichita State students who are looking for a group to relax, smoke hookah and appreciate middle eastern culture now have a home away from home.

Shesha Shox, a group that formed around the notion that students should have an opportunity to learn about middle eastern culture while relaxing away from the stresses of daily life, is open to all students who are looking for a student group.

“We are about providing an opportunity to learn more about muddle-eastern culture in a relaxed atmosphere,” said Joseph Deckard, president of Shesha Shox. “This is also a way to help broaden peoples’ horizons.”

Having first officially met during October as a student group, Shesha Shox recently gained the addition of a faculty adviser, finalizing their steps to become a registered student organization on campus.

At the beginning, though, choosing the location was not an issue, as it was a place close to campus that many of the members were already familiar with.

“A lot of us used to hang out here,” Deckard said.  

“We already kind-of knew each other, both from being around here and being in the community at Wichita State,” said Sarah Tanner, vice president of the organization.

Although Shesha Shox is relatively new, as they are considered a provisional registered student organization, the group is hoping to, eventually, go on a trip to help enable further education of the members.

Shesha Shox also is looking to begin fundraising on campus, once their provisional status is past.

“Everyday that you turn on the news, there is something happening in the middle east,” said Deckard. “I did a little bit of research on the Red Cross, and it turns out they have the Red Crescent.”

One way Shesha Shox hopes to benefit the community by devising methods to raise money for middle eastern Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, a network of public servants that aim to help middle eastern nations with medical, food and humanitarian needs, similar to how the American Red Cross serves the United States.

“We have thought about on-campus fundraisers, such as a hummus feed,” said Chris Scannapieco, Shesha Shox treasurer.

The presence of the student group has not only benefitted students, however. Business at Shesha Hookah Lounge has increased, and the group has provided an avenue for the business to reach the WSU community.

“It is awesome [having the organization] — it is a lot of fun and it allows us to reach a base that we find a lot of our clientele from,” said Christian Ingalls, manager of Shesha Hookah Lounge.

Ingalls said that the group has helped the hookah bar reach college students that are looking for a quiet place to study during the day, as well as the opportunity of networking and relaxation at night.

“Hookah bars are known, originally, as night clubs,” Ingalls said. “Us being so close to WSU helps us have a place for students to come during the day for a quiet place to study.”

Shesha Shox hopes to continue to grow and add students to the group. The group meets twice a month at 10 p.m. For more information, email [email protected].