ZTA Fall Newsletter

F A L L

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September and October With Lambda Theta

In this issue…

Presidential Update Kicking off our second year at NYU, Lambda Theta sisters came back to NYC full of life for Spirit Week. Preparing for our first formal recruitment was a healthy mix of exhaustion and excitement, which ultimately lead ZTA to take 35 New Members during NYU Panhellenic’s Formal Recruitment in early September. With a quickly expansion to our chapter, initiated sisters welcomed the new ladies into our sisterhood with open hearts. ZTA has been extremely involved in the NYU and NYC communities including a philanthropy event at MetLife Stadium, service event at a local soup kitchen, celebrating big/little week, and Think-Pink-A-Palooza (co-hosted by NYU SigEp). With only a few more weeks of my presidency left, I couldn’t be more thankful for all ZTA has done for me. I’ll save the sorrowful goodbye for the final newsletter – but Happy Thanksgiving!

Recruitment Think Pink-a-Palooza Philanthropy Update Chapter Retreat Big/Little Reveal Housing Month Crush Party Chapter Brags

LAMBDA THETA

FALL 2012

Recruitment Our Breakfast at Tiffany’s themed recruitment this semester was filled with blue boxes, cupcakes, and lots of excitement from our sisters and all of the potential new members.

The ZTA sisters worked hard with recruitment chair, Katie Bennett, to plan the week, which went flawlessly. New member Meera Vasishtha summed up her recruitment experience overall: “Recruitment was definitely tough, especially because I felt that every sorority I visited was judging me at a very surface level. The only sorority that didn't give me this feeling was Zeta Tau Alpha. From the moment I walked into ZTA I instantly knew that this group of girls was genuine, and down to earth. ZTA definitely made the recruitment process easier, and if they didn't exist I don't think I would have ended up rushing.” Our new member class of 35 is fabulous, and we couldn’t be happier or more excited to see what the future holds for our ZTA chapter.

- Julie Wichler

In the words of our New Members:

“I honestly loved the Zeta recruitment process. I felt like the girls loved Zeta and that made me love Zeta every single day, and I always felt like I could ask one of the girls a question if I needed to.” – Abby Nathan “Recruitment was probably the most organized out of all the sororities I went through. It gave me one on one time with just enough girls, and to get a good enough feel for what Zeta Tau Alpha was about.” – Gabrielle Orda “Yet, every time I was with the Zeta ladies, I felt immediately at ease and actually enjoyed z my time with them. I think the warmth, genuineness and general sense of fun in which they attended each PNM was the reason I felt at home here and really began to see myself as a part of their sorority.” – Sage Kirwan 2

LAMBDA THETA

FALL 2012

Think Pink-a-Palooza

Lambda Theta chapter honored the fraternity’s Founders’ Day and national philanthropy on Saturday, October 16 at their first annual Think-Pink-a-Palooza event. The evening began with a gripping speech by Dr. Diana E. Lake, a medical oncologist at Memorial-Sloane Kettering Cancer Center who explained how breast cancer affects young women and all women today. After Dr. Lake responded to questions from the audience, the evening continued with a male beauty pageant featuring nine contestants from the NYU Greek and Athletic communities. First, a costume contest let the contestants interpret the word “fighter” through their clothing. Costumes ranged from a firefighter, to a freedom fighter, to “Captain Equality.” Next, a trivia round tested their knowledge of history, NYU facts, and current events in pop culture. Finally, the Q&A portion highlighted the contestants’ individual strengths, with questions such as “What is the most romantic thing you have done for a girl?” and “ If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?” The Big Man on Campus crown was given to sophomore Jamie Perez, who represented Phi Gamma Delta fraternity as well as the NYU swim team. Several honorary prizes were awarded to gentlemen who stole our hearts with their sincerity and creativity. But the biggest achievement of the evening went to Zeta Tau Alpha for raising upwards of $1,500 for Breast Cancer Education and Awareness!

- Janel Abrahami

Philanthropy Update October is not only national breast cancer awareness month but it is also a time of giving for Zetas all over the country. Breast cancer awareness and education is very close to Lambda Theta’s heart and take charge on campus whenever we can.

Creativity was in full force all month long. Sisters decorated shoeboxes to set post in all of NYU's dorms. The boxes were a reminder to eat and collect Yoplait Yogurt lids whose proceeds are donated to breast cancer research. A goal we succeeded by bringing together the college community and collecting hundreds of lids. Our Kiss Away Cancer stand was the talk of the town. Students and faculty made generous donations of their choice in exchange for sweet Hershey's Kisses.

Zetas also participated in philanthropy events on a larger scheme. New York and New Jersey Zetas came together to sell "products" in hopes of raising funds at the Think Pink Giants game.

Even receiving a donation from the generous Cake Boss! Sisters also donned their volunteer shirts and cheered on survivors and participants at the American Cancer Society Walk.

- Olympia Bardis 3

LAMBDA THETA

FALL 2012

Chapter Retreat ZTA heads to Queensboro Farm Museum For sorority girls who spend a lot of time playing in the concrete jungle, what better retreat is there than a chance to escape?

For Lambda Theta’s Fall 2012 retreat, girls loaded onto a bus and headed out to the Queens County Farm Museum.

With flannel in tow, we spent time petting farm animals, taking hayrides, and picking pumpkins. Everyone braved the corn maze together and made it out unscathed.

With our hands full of cider and candied apples, everyone made their way back to New York City after a relaxing yet exciting chapter retreat.

- Nicole Gartside

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LAMBDA THETA

FALL 2012

Big/Little Reveal Hundreds of balloons, yards of streamers, copious amounts of glitter, casual breaking and entering into freshmen dorms, and very little sleep can only mean one thing: Big/Little Week. And it was finally here! After the craziness of recruitment and falling in love with all of the new members, the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha couldn’t contain their excitement the night they got matched up with their littles. The new members were then showered with surprises, decorations and heartfelt gifts the following week. The bigs poured all of their time and energy into making their little feel like the most special person in the world. And if the screams of surprise and hugs that ensued were any indication, everyone could agree that it was all worth it during the Big/Little Reveal, when the littles finally learned who their big was through a candlelit ceremony.

Of course, the relationship between a big and little doesn’t end at the close of Big/Little week. The bond between the two sisters is special and unique, full of guidance, encouragement, and tons of love and laughter. “The big/little process furthered my love for ZTA as it truly showed me that someone truly cares for me,” said new member Meera Vasishtha. “Aside from the amazing gifts and awesome surprises, I truly realized that I have a friend, a sister, and a role model I can look up to and go to at any time.”

- Jamie Cuccinelli

Lafayette Housing with Zeta Tau Alpha’s new house in Lafayette, Month Paired the Fraternity for women has been solidifying an active presence in the NYU dorm. This semester, ZTA has hosted a voting registration table and a cupcakedecorating event. Zetas demonstrated the importance of every person’s voice in elections, working to register members of the NYU community before the 2012 deadline. Zetas then worked to raise money for breast cancer education and awareness-the organization’s philanthropy-by planning a treatdecorating event. Cupcakes and other deserts were sold for $1.00 and could be decorated with everything pink in support of October, breast cancer awareness month. ZTA’s very own, Michelle Dietrich, is head of housing events, and she continues to plan and organize more activities at 80 Lafayette.

– Sabrina Treitz 5

Crush Party

FALL 2012

This October, Zeta's Lambda Theta chapter celebrated our first Crush Party! Before the event, brothers from different fraternities were anonymously invited by our sisters to the party, making for a fun surprise when the night finally came. We wore their names as they entered the stylish downtown lounge and their dates were revealed! It was a festive night of eating, dancing, and getting to know our fellow Greeks at NYU! - Emma Zander

Chapter Brags Our sisters are very involved in the community – both within and outside of Zeta Tau Alpha and New York University.

• Eleni Arvanitis was elected VP of Risk Management for Inter Greek Council, and Dorothy Vickery and Cecilia Gregg were elected as alternates for the IGC Peer Review Board.

• Nina Rusiewski, varsity swimmer, was elected Vice President of the Student Athlete Advisor Committee.

• We have several published journalists in our chapter- Nicole Gartside and Olympia Bardis were published in several online news sources, including huffingtonpost.com and cnn.com.

• Three of our sisters are interning for Hearst Corporation this semester: Michelle Park is internship with Food Network Magazine, Grace Dopico with Harpers Bazaar, and Olivia Segarra with Esquire Magazine.

• Other internships include: Sabrina Treitz with CBS; Nadine Ebo with OMGPOP/Zynga (creators of Draw Something); and Kelsey Sheridan Rent the Runway.

• Mattie Donaldson volunteers at a cat rescue and Arra Malek volunteers in the Department of Cardiology at Beth Israel Hospital • Congratulations to Peggy Flemming for being a recipient of a ZTA scholarship!

• Anna Bryce Flowe, a member of the Debate Team, won best speaker at a tournament.

• Hillary Brown is the editor of Washington Square New’s Fringe Magazine this year • Lucy Ross was asked to co-chair the Sponsorship Committee for the Fusion Film Festival, highlighting women directors, writers, and producers • Just for fun: o Ally Martin and Katie Bennett camped out for SNL tickets and were in the audience for Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Mumford & Sons! o Emma Zander is mastering Brazillian martial arts o Laurena Patarkatsi was on an episode of ABC’s “What Would You DO” that aired this past October Edited by Kelsey Sheridan, Historian Reporter; Copy-Edited by Olympia Bardis