Serving the Southern Illinois University community since 1916.

The Daily Egyptian

Serving the Southern Illinois University community since 1916.

The Daily Egyptian

Serving the Southern Illinois University community since 1916.

The Daily Egyptian

Mansor Sufran, captain of SIU’s Steel Bridge Team, fans the cooking area while roasting a lamb Sunday outside the Engineering Building in Carbondale. Sufran, a senior from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia studying civil engineering, promised his team if they qualified for nationals he would spit roast a lamb for them, a common practice in Saudi Arabia. After the Steel Bridge Team captured first place in an American Society of Civil Engineers/American International Society of Engineers regional competition, Sufran said he drove to St. Louis to buy the lamb and uphold his promise. “They looked at the pictures and videos I’ve made before roasting lamb with my friends,” he said. “And they said we’d like to try that, so I made the promise to them. … I was taught how to cook, skin and prepare sheep when I was 10 or 12 years old at home. It’s just a fun way to celebrate the team’s success and how much hard work they’ve put in.” Jonathan Stitgen, a senior team member from Bensenville studying civil engineering, said he had never eaten lamb roasted on a spit before. “I might try the brains if there is any left over, because how often do you get to do that?” Stitgen said. If the team places top three at nationals, Sufran said he will cook a camel for the team if he can find one. — May 1, 2016, Carbondale, Ill.

Comments (0)

All The Daily Egyptian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *