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10 Media’s 14 Changing Role National 20 Day of Service An Insect’s View
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The Circle • Fall Annual Report 2016 | 19
inside
National Day of Service Projects
Contents Departments 06
Q and A Meet O∆K member Natasha Hongsermeier
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National News Save the Date for the 50th Biennial National Convention and Leadership Conference
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Campus News National Day of Service Circle Installations
University of Kentucky Circle members making sandwiches for families at The Ronald McDonald House.
Features
O∆K member Melissa Cancio led Florida International University’s Roarthon, a 17-hour dance marathon. The event raised $96,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
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An Insect’s View Matt Cicanese matched his love for the outdoors with a passion for art.
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In Your Words We asked, you answered. Is the role of the media changing?
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Changing Oceans Jodie Rummer leads the study on fish physiology in changing oceans.
In Every Issue
Wagner College Circle members collecting cans for donation to local hunger relief efforts.
SAVE THE DATE!
Biennial National Convention and Leadership Conference May 31 - June 3, 2018 Nashville, Tenn.
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Member News Making a Difference The View from HQ
On the Cover
Juvenile jumping spider photographed by O∆K member and National Geographic Young Explorer Matthew Cicanese The Circle Spring 2017 | 3
Connect with us!
TrendingNow The Circle® is a publication of Omicron Delta Kappa Society, Inc., and it has been published since 1923.
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Editor Lindsey Cline Sweet Briar College
Creative Director Amy A. Newman, PUSH design LLC University of Louisville
Contributors Tara S. Singer, Katy Datz, Timothy Reed Matthew Clifford, Ed.D., National President Davidson College Tara S. Singer, Ed.D., O∆K Executive Director University of Louisville
The Omicron Delta Kappa Society, Inc., the National Leadership Honor Society for college students, recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership, and exemplary character. O∆K® was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va. by 15 student and faculty leaders. Omicron Delta Kappa was the first college honor society of a national scope to give recognition for meritorious leadership and service in extracurricular activities; membership in Omicron Delta Kappa continues to be a mark of highest distinction and honor. The Society is now present on the campuses of more than 300 colleges and universities around the country.
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Annual National Day of Giving and Day of Service
On April 13, 2017, the Omicron Delta Kappa community gave their talents, time, and treasure. The smashing success of the annual Day of Giving and National Day of Service is a testament to Omicron Delta Kappa’s long tradition of servant leadership. Circles across the country participated in service projects on their campuses and in their communities—from picking up trash, to landscaping community gardens, to fundraisers for community organizations, student leaders organized their peers to make a difference. Read more about these projects on pages 20 - 21. While students participated in service projects, members financially supported the O∆K Foundation. The Foundation supports the scholarship program, benefits circle programs, and assists student member travel to the 2018 Biennial National Convention and Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tenn. We hoped to raise $5,000 during the Day of Giving. Thanks to generous member support, we reached the goal by the afternoon and decided, with the help of a challenge grant from Betsy and Bill Johnston, to double the goal. Again, O∆K leaders—students, advisors, and members—stepped up to support O∆K in its second century. At the end of the Day of Giving, members raised $12,471 from 100 donors. Each of us at headquarters send a warm thank you to all of you who participated in this special day.
Drive In Workshops To honor the resolution passed by the Society Board of Directors in June 2016, the theme of the Drive-In Workshops was Leadership: Mind & Body. The keynote speaker and leadership development program for all Drive-In Workshops included some aspect of leader “health from a holistic perspective (including physical, mental, and emotional health).” O∆K, with the help of partner circles and volunteers from national committees and the Board of Directors, hosted 11 workshops and welcomed 332 members from 51 circles. Each workshop hosted a speaker, including renowned civil rights attorney Evett Simmons, Elmhurst University Board of Trustee Dr. Wes Becton, Dr. Chris Riena, and Dr. Bobbi Patterson. Students also completed the Student Leadership Competencies Inventory (SLCI) developed by Dr. Corey Seemiller, a recent inductee of the Wright State University Circle. In the afternoon, students and advisors shared advice and ideas fr circle operations—everything from membership recruitment and ceremonies to community service and event programming.
president’s letter
Join Us in Nashville!
A message from the Society Board of Directors President Dear fellow members, Omicron Delta Kappa held its first national convention in 1920 in Baltimore. By 1920, O∆K had four circles at Washington and Lee, Johns Hopkins, Pittsburgh, and Davidson. While our modern conventions cover three days, the first only lasted one. As is still our practice, the first convention included the election of the National President and other officers.
Through the years, in addition to elections, conventions have also included votes on constitutional and bylaws amendments, conversations on the structure of our organization, and discussions on matters of circle administration. Also, our conventions have always included opportunities for fellowship, friendship, and collaboration between our members.
From 1920 to 1925, O∆K held conventions annually. However, cost and coordination made hosting an annual convention challenging and our leadership made the decision to hold conventions on a biennial basis at the 1925 convention.
Today, conventions are held during the summer months to help contain costs by having the delegates stay on campus. Regardless of the timing of our national gatherings, these meetings always reflect the concerns of the times and planning for the future of O∆K. I am looking forward to presiding over our 50th Biennial Convention and Leadership Conference next summer. Please consider joining us in Nashville, May 31 – June 3, in 2018!
For many decades, conventions were held during the academic year. The 1968 Atlanta convention was held in the days immediately after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The delegates passed a resolution, which recognized, in part, Dr. King’s “unparalleled contribution to the peace and freedom of his people, his country, and of his world.” The resolution also acknowledged Dr. King’s “outstanding and ceaseless efforts on behalf of human dignity and justice are representative of the devotion to high ideals that are basic to the Omicron Delta Kappa tradition.” The first formal discussions about potentially initiating women into O∆K were also held at the 1968 convention. In 1970, the University of Alabama Circle proposed an amendment to the constitution to include women in our organization. The “Alabama Amendment” was defeated at the 1972 convention, but it was ultimately approved at the 1974 meeting. In 2018, we have the special occasion to celebrate the 50th biennial convention in O∆K’s history in Nashville. We already have several confirmed speakers to announce soon. Our host institution, Belmont University, and the circles at Austin Peay, Middle Tennessee, and Vanderbilt are already making plans to host a high-quality experience for our students, faculty, and volunteers.
Yours in O∆K,
Matthew W. Clifford, Ed.D. O∆K National President
member news
O∆K Member News
Rod Essig leads CAA in Nashville
Albrecht conducts choir at Carnegie Hall Sally K. Albrecht, an initiate of the Rollins College Circle and vice president of the O∆K Foundation, recently conducted the WorldStrides OnStage Honors Junior Choir in a performance at New York City’s Carnegie Hall. The choir was made up of 203 talented students from 45 states who auditioned to be part of the elite group to perform in one of the world’s top venues. The choir performed six pieces, four of which were composed and arranged by Albrecht, and two were composed and arranged by Jay Althouse, Albrecht’s husband. Albrecht added choral movement on three of the selections, and she was especially thrilled to conduct the premiere performance of “Ain’t-a That Good, Good News!” as the finale. Sally, the former director of school choral and classroom publications for Alfred Music, has more than 600 choral and classroom publications in print. Last summer, she introduced a new theme song “Proud to Be O∆K” (co-written with Carl Bolte) during the O∆K national convention in Grand Rapids and had the group singing along. The song is available for initiation and other O∆K ceremonies.
O∆K Members in Higher Education Linda Livingstone, a 1980 initiate of Oklahoma State University Circle and former dean and professor of management at The George Washington University School of Business, was recently named incoming president of Baylor University. Ronald D. Murff, chair of the Baylor Board of Regents, said “Dr. Livingstone brings an accomplished academic career to Baylor, combined with a strong appreciation and support of Baylor’s mission.” The Wesleyan College board of trustees named Vivia Lawton Fowler the college’s new president. Fowler, a 1995 initiate of the Columbia College Circle, has served as dean, vice president of academic affairs, and then provost of Wesleyan. She played an instrumental part in starting several new initiatives at Wesleyan like the school’s international program in China. 6 | odk.org
Rod Essig, University of Kentucky Circle initiate, music agent, and codirector of the Creative Artists Agency’s music department in Nashville, Tenn., represents some of the world’s top musicians, including Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Martina McBride, REO Speedwagon, Styx, and Tim McGraw. Essig believes in ‘open door’ leadership. “Anyone can walk in without knocking and ask questions. I believe in empowering your team and helping people grow their careers. We are proud of the fact that many of our agents and executives started as assistants. I also believe that if I ask someone to do something, I should be willing do it myself,” he said. When asked how he stays in touch with an ever-changing industry, he relies on people who are involved in what’s happening on the ground and in the street. In addition to industry magazines, he says, “I look at what is streaming and on YouTube, plus I pay attention to blogs and social media. I often get a gut feeling about what the next big thing will be.” Essig is a leader in the Nashville community. Join him and leaders from across the country at the 2018 Biennial National Convention and Leadership Conference from May 31 - June 3, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn!
. . . n i s u Join
MUSIC CITY
2018 National Convention and Leadership Conference May 31 - June 3, 2018
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Speakers
6
Workshops
10+
Activities
Join us in Nashville to celebrate leadership, share your ideas, and propel your journey as a leader forward. Convention offers the chance to hear from nationally recognized leaders; discuss circle programming and leadership; and celebrate accomplishments at our Awards Dinner.
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things to do in
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Recreation night ● Circle Showcase ● Service Projects Networking Discussions ● Plenary Sessions
NASHVILLE, TENN. Visit odk2018.org on July 1 for more details!
Hosts include Belmont University (pictured), Middle Tennessee State University, Austin Peay State University, and Vanderbilt University
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Nashville
Visit the Grand Ole Opry, the South’s original live music venue. Celebrate music history at The Country Music Hall of Fame. Visit the Parthenon, a replica of the ancient Greek temple. See live music at the legendary Ryman Auditorium. Enjoy fried chicken at Prince’s. Eat ice cream at the famous Elliston Place Soda Shop. Uncover the “Man in Black” at the Johnny Cash Museum. See the sites at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens & Museum of Art. Discover up and coming acts at The Station Inn. Visit a honky tonk at Robert’s Western World. The Circle • Spring 2017 | 7
Q& A 10 questions with...
Natasha Hongsermeier
Natasha’s leadership titles include O∆K vice president, Tri-Beta honor society president, Spanish club vice president, team organizer of Morningside College’s community service day, mentor to Honors Seminar students, and co-captain of the tennis team. She was named all-conference athlete and helped the team win their conference championship. She worked during her entire four years at Morningide, eventually as apartment manager managing five buildings. Natasha has a passion for both health and music, and founded a nonprofit Musicians for Healing in 2015. This year, the organization partnered with Iowa College AmeriCorps to serve 300 service hours. She holds a principal flutist seat in the college’s orchestra. Natasha conducted independent research on Alzheimer’s disease and co-authored an article in the peer- reviewed journal Sociology Compass. She interned at a general hospital in Merida, Mexico and studied heart regeneration with funding from the National Science Foundation.
1. Why choose to attend medical school? Learning is one of the most exciting life experiences; the more you learn, the more you realize is left to know. Knowledge paired with teamwork leads to solutions to world problems. Although neither of my parents had the opportunity to finish college, they are both incredibly intelligent, and always stressed the importance of education. I realized that living a meaningful life meant using my abilities to enhance the lives of others, and the most direct way to do that was improving human health. 8 | odk.org
2. How has athletics influenced your leadership and vice versa? The most important things I have learned from athletics are how to have your teammates’ backs, how to fight when you’re in pain or tired or feel like giving up, and how to treat your opponent with sportsmanship. This mental toughness I learned from playing sports has been key in the leadership roles I held. 3. If you could solve one problem with biomedical or neurology research in your career, what would it be?
Q&A
I would love to figure out the cellular pathway for how Alzheimer’s disease progresses and how it can be prevented and cured. It is a devastating disease that will only grow in prevalence with increasing lifespan. 4. Why did you want to help organize Morningside’s city-wide service day? Into the Streets is a golden opportunity for students to make a difference and build connections within the community. The event is an important legacy of Morningside College and tradition of O∆K. 5. Why is it important to you to become bilingual as you practice medicine? Physicians are called to heal all the humans that they can possibly reach. According to the Pew Research Center, our population is projected to be approximately 30% Hispanic by 2050. I want to be ready to serve those patients by minimizing lingual and cultural barriers in the best interest of their health. 6. What is one thing patients can do better to advocate for themselves? What can doctors do to better advocate for them? Patients can advocate for themselves by being willing to trade in unhealthy lifestyle habits for healthy ones. I believe the best advocacy from doctors is to contribute constructive input to the healthcare reform conversation in Washington. I think it is important to utilize doctors’ expertise for constructive purposes now, rather than waiting until even more insurance barriers exist later. 7. What inspired you to found Musicans for Healing and how does music help patients heal? Just a few of the published physiological benefits of music therapy include reduced cortisol and stress levels, increased immunity, greater speech fluency and decreased aggression for patients with dementia, and improved vital signs, feeding, and sleep in premature infants. Aside from this scientific evidence, we sometimes take for granted the impact the
mind can have on the body. Music can provide unique comfort, encouragement, distraction, and enjoyment that words alone cannot, especially in times when we need it most. Musicians for Healing was inspired by my cancerbattling flute teacher, Diane Gross. I believe music has played a significant role in sustaining her life. After the removal of a lung, an integral part of Diane’s recovery was when she put down her spirometer and picked up her flute. It gave her a goal to live for: to try each day to play her best and to help her music students do the same. 8. Who is a leader you admire? Dr. Marty Knepper, retiring professor of English, has been an incredibly strong female role model; she is Superwoman to me. She cares about each student, is impressively organized, and accomplishes more in one day than most people can hope to in one week. 9. What is your personal philosophy on leadership? I learned much of my leadership from Marty, and like her, I believe the best philosophy includes multiple styles as leadership is contextual. In any situation, it is key to build a climate of respect, participation, and collaboration. I seek to make every team member realize his or her importance and value to the group as a whole. 10. What are the most important interpersonal skills for successful leadership? A positive mindset and the ability to see opportunity in every situation. The most successful and happy people I know experience the same types of challenges as everyone else. What makes them unique is how they get up after failure, find the silver lining in every cloud, and reflect on each situation to glean the positivity that can be derived from it. Focusing on the positives makes it easier to be enthusiastic, and that energy brings about success and happiness not only for the individual, but for those surrounding that person’s contagious joie de vivre. The Circle • Spring 2017 | 9
An Insect’s
VIEW
Fueled by a sense of adventure, Matthew Cicanese partnered his love for the outdoors and environmental studies degree with a passion for art.
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ou might find Matthew Cicanese laying on his back, in the woods, inspecting a decomposing log covered with moss and lichen. His subject clearly laid out before him, he gets to work documenting the intricate filaments of the fungi with his camera. He might also find an ant feasting on a fly, a beetle perusing the wood, or a spider ready to pounce on prey. Matthew, a 2011 initiate of the Florida Southern Circle, photographer, artist, and former National Geographic Young Explorer approaches the entire forest, but especially these small organisms, with a mix of curiosity, excitement, and awe. “Sometimes hikers will see me there, on the ground, and wonder what I’m doing,” he said with a laugh. “But, I love the sense of discovery when you flip over a rock.”
With millions of species to elect as ones’ focus—the majestic species of the African plains, the cute and the cuddly category of panda bears and seals, the downright bizarre creatures found on social media like the star-nose mole—his concentration on insects and primarily lichen, a mere fungus, begs the obvious question, why lichen? As with most of our career choices, the answer involves a few windy paths that stem from something close to our hearts. One is that Cicanese thinks of lichen as the forest’s underdog, a position he found himself in early in life. He contracted penicillin-resistant meningitis 10 | odk.org
as a baby and nearly died before he reached his first birthday. He lost all of the motor skills he had learned up to that point, and his doctors expected that if he survived, he would live with severe disabilities for the rest of his life. Luckily Cicanese surpassed all expectations and survived his illness with limited damage. His recovery and therapy required large hearing aids, bi-focal glasses, and an eye patch to strengthen his weak eye throughout childhood. He also received a cochlear implant, an electronic device that acts as an inner ear. He said he was determined “to do everything the other kids did,” so he played soccer, learned karate, and was a Boy Scout.
arts
But what captured his focus was his Florida backyard and a two-megapixel point and shoot camera that his uncle gave him when he turned 14. He spent most of his childhood playing outside, climbing trees, and catching bugs and snakes with his siblings. The slight deprivation in sight and hearing actually made his senses sharper. With the camera he could begin to capture his life—his unique way of experiencing the world. He says, “the camera was my missing link. It allowed me to connect with the world in new ways.” That connection to the world centered around nature. There, he discovered species large and small, but what he came to love most are the surprises—the often overlooked plants and tiny creatures—that Cicanese believes “are as interesting as pictures of open fields that everyone loves.” Though Cicanese will invoke the magic of these small plants, he’s also inspired by their real and true purpose. While plants are often overlooked, they are also the building blocks of the entire ecosystem. Cryptograms, the category of seedless vascular plants including moss and lichen, consume dead matter and absorb heavy metals to create rich soil, which creates the vast plant life that supports the entire ecosystem.
“My curiosity about nature as a kid drove me to learn about what I was experience and seeing,” he said. Cicanese majored in environmental studies at Florida Southern College. There, his photography took a backseat to more traditional media studies and an environmental education, followed by field internships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, and then with Duke University’s Lichen Laboratory. It was during this project documenting lichen that connected Cicanese back with his photography and to the idea of using his camera as an instrument to give people access to another world—one that is quite literally right under their feet. The Circle • Spring 2017 | 11
His “photographic obsession” as he calls it and his unique perspective landed him a spot in Duke University’s MFA program in experimental and documentary arts. The program gave him technical instruction but also gave him the freedom to make whichever type of art he wanted.
This summer, he travels to British Colombia to help document three species of moss. His bryologist colleagues consider these species at risk, though they are not officially listed as threatened or endangered species—a fact they hope to change.
While his peers were focused on art careers, Cicanese set his sights on National Geographic. “My friends told me to quit dreaming of Nat Geo and worry about getting on the walls of the gallery. But that wasn’t my goal.”
Cicanese gets back to cryptograms with two additional trips—a visual photographic survey of the species in the Choco Rainforest in Ecuador and in the Cocobolo Nature Reserve in Panama.
While studying for his master's, he became an intern for National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative – and his foot was officially in the door. In 2015, National Geographic awarded him a grant to document the biodiversity of lichen species and culture surrounding lichen in Iceland. Their Young Explorer program provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for people under 25 leading the intersection of conservation and media. Last summer, as part of that program, he partnered with the camera company Cannon and took off for Iceland.
In his spare time, Cicanese continues to spearhead the idea of “mapping the microcosm” as he calls it. He seeks to capture small ecological microbiomes (like a log) using gigapixel imagery. He takes a series of high resolution images in a grid pattern, stiches them together, and presents an interactive image of a small area. For example, a recent macro image of a log appears to simply be a log covered with lichen. Yet, with this transformative photography, the viewer is able to zoom in to inspect a pair of beetles, an earth worm burrowing into the log, an inchworm curled into moss, and a handful of other insects. You can explore these interactive images on his website, matthewcicanese.com.
Cicanese spent three weeks traveling 1,500 miles around the country documenting lichen and the sites. “When most people think of Iceland, they think of sweeping landscapes, dazzling waterfalls, and cultures with history as old as the Vikings. When I think of Iceland, I think of those things too; what excites me more are the hundreds of species that are always in sight just not in focus.” This year, Cicanese is gearing up for more international travel. He spent the month of May in Sri Lanka volunteering on a lichenologist’s National Geographic Grant project documenting lichens across Sri Lanka’s ecosystems.
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Cicanese continues to follow his sense of discovery and brings us along with him to the forest floors across the world. Describing his experience in Iceland gives us a sense of why we too begin to care about lichen. He writes, “Each photograph I take has a different journey as its backstory and all are rich with sensory experiences that lead up to the singular moment of the photograph.” ●
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The Circle • Spring 2017 | 13
In Your Words We asked...
You answered
Is the role of the media in society changing and if so, what are the consequences? Jacquline Risalvato - DVM and Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. candidate, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine
“Fake news” has been on the rise for decades, but with biased news sources now popping up faster than weeds in a field, it can be difficult for anyone to make an informed decision on which outlets and even articles to trust. Fake news does not just plague the political sphere, but the world of science.
momentum. Unfortunately, Wakefield has been implicated in the current measles epidemic sweeping across Somalirefugee communities in Minnesota. Wakefield warned the refugees about dangers, which have been repeatedly denounced with scientific evidence, associated with vaccinations.
The science community and the media have persistently locked horns in the past, but with the increase of on-demand news and social media, the thirst for exciting and “sexy” scientific articles has grown to the extent that blatant phony science have become a reality.
In 2012, a scientific article linked genetically modified corn consumption and Roundup to cancer. Media outlets publicizing the dangers of genetic modification and “Frankenfoods” consumed the public. It did not matter that the journal soon retracted the paper as they discovered fabrication; the public had already spoken out against geneticially modified food (GMOs). Major corporations, along with the U.S. government, invested in a variety of genetic modifying techniques to develop foods with increased nutritional value (i.e. yellow rice to eliminate vitamin A deficiency in east Asia) and other benefits. Unfortunately, these foods are now blacklisted from production.
In 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield published an article in an esteemed journal proclaiming the dangers of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine and autism in young adolescents. Before the scientific community took issue with the small sample size, anecdotal data, and participants from Wakefield’s family, the media fire storm was already burning too much to be controlled. Even after Wakefield was found guilty of scientific fraud, the “anti-vaccination” movement had gained unprecedented
Fake news has led to a mistrust of science in the public realm. However,
some blame must fall to scientists for the lack of communication and collaboration with media outlets, and in ensuring that fake data does not get published. The media works to appease the public, and the faster the media can inform people, the better. This need for speed, though, has led to a misunderstanding of presented research and publication, and thus they too share the blame. Lack of communication between these two entities has severe consequences for communities and even nations around the globe.
Jennifer Cox - Assistant Professor, Communication Arts, Salisbury University Concern about “fake news” reached its zenith in the wake of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, prompting analysts, politicians, and average citizens to question the credibility of today’s media. Fake news materialized in several forms – from special interest organizations and 14 | odk.org
foreign nations planting false stories to candidates’ allegations of mainstream media publishing fake news. Fake news is nothing new. History, as they say, is written by the “winners,” and false information has permeated American society since its creation. One
needs simply to ask almost any American about the relationship between Native American Pocahontas and Englishman John Smith (it is unclear whether they actually ever met, and they certainly were not romantically involved) to understand the potential reach of fake news.
entertain, while advocacy sites are biased in favor of an issue or party. Audiences are meant to understand the difference between these and “real news” outlets, but this isn’t always the case.
“Fake news” primarily manifests in one of four ways. Fake news sites are created to be intentionally misleading to promote a particular cause or political candidate. Advocacy and satire websites may also be sources of “fake news,” though their intentions are usually clearer than hoax sites. Satirical publications are meant to
Finally, unintentional errors committed by mainstream news organizations may be guilty of falsehoods for several reasons, but most involve the unfortunate nature of the industry today. Shrinking newsrooms– the result of advertising losses spurred by a lack of support for paid news—results in fewer reporters and fewer fact checkers. Additionally, the speed with which information must be shared in order to be competitive – not just with other media outlets but also with private citizens– is dizzying. This hypercompetitive environment pitting untrained citizens and resource-stretched reporters against one another is not conducive to responsible fact-checking. In these instances, it may be easy to blame the media for the fake news phenomenon. But just as fake news
has, and always will, exist, so too will a responsibility for consumers to be educated and aware. To be “media literate” is to have the ability to analyze and evaluate information; verification is often just a few keystrokes away. Recognizing false information is the first step toward combatting fake news. If information seems shocking or too good to be true, it is best to verify that news on other reputable platforms. Look for transparency; if you don’t know which person or organization provided information, it’s best not to trust it. Approach every story with some degree of skepticism. It is our obligation as citizens not to cherry pick news simply because it supports our own beliefs but rather to challenge our convictions with real information that can help us make informed decisions and justify resulting actions. Fake news is not a media problem; it’s our problem, and we are the solution.
Paul Brockwell Jr. - Digital Content Specialist, University of Richmond Last December, hundreds of people threatened a restaurant after a conspiracy theory circulated online. Although mainstream media investigated and debunked the story, one man fired an assault rifle into the eatery. While no one was injured, Pizzagate is a terrifying look at the potentially deadly consequences of intentional misinformation. According to the Pew Research Center, 64 percent of Americans surveyed believe fake news causes confusion on the basic facts of current events. Ironically, 84 percent of people feel confident in their ability to detect fake news. Public trust in the media has eroded as media sources become more fragmented. But we can’t simply blame the digital age for bringing fake news to our Facebook and Twitter feeds; fake news is older than most realize. In the early days of our country, the press was far from the follow-the-money, just-the-facts perception that Watergate helped forge. Early press, often politically
motivated, sought to influence debates and elections. Thomas Jefferson hired a hatchet man named James Callender in his feuds with Federalists. Alexander Hamilton wrote essays against Jefferson under a pseudonym during his campaign for president. Jefferson and Hamilton counted on news to travel slow. Today, the internet makes every misstep a wildfire in high winds. Fake news poses one of the greatest threats to our democratic society: we expect elected representatives to make decisions based on the best possible information and we rely on our government for public information. Elected officials, therefore, have an ethical imperative to trade in facts alone and to understand the consequences of misinformation. One shimmer of hope comes from the media literacy movement, which seeks to build critical analysis skills, an understanding of the media sources and bias, and to be aware of our own bias
when creating or sharing media. Citizens cannot afford to merely consume media — we now have an obligation to analyze and evaluate the source and intent of every story we read. Imagine how much civil discourse could benefit from this change in how we approach staying informed and entertained by media. The Circle Spring 2017 | 15
Changing Oceans How Jodie Rummer is leading the research on how fish react to changing oceans
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hen we think of stress, we think of longer and longer to-do lists, traffic when we have an important morning meeting, or perhaps hosting gatherings for our extended families.
For Jodie Rummer, stress is trying to determine what the oceans will look like in the next 100 years. The pH levels are declining as oceans absorb one-third of the carbon dioxide in the environment. Water pollution from development and agriculture is increasing water turbidity, and climate change is increasing water temperatures. Rummer, senior research fellow and discovery fellow at the Australian Research Council’s Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University in Australia, is studying the effects of these changes on fish in the tropics. She researches how fish change their behaviors in relation to changing water conditions.
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Though Rummer grew up in land-locked Illinois surrounded by cornfields, she was always obsessed with the water. “I grew up with a mask and a snorkel as a kid, watching National Geographic and the BBC Underwater Life. I was good at math in school. I loved picking apart problems and seeing how things worked,” she said. Rummer, a 2001 initiate of the University of West Florida Circle, earned a bachelor’s degree in marine biology and a master’s of science in biology from the same university. The experience that solidified her goal of a career in marine life was a field course in Jamaica studying damaged reefs and sea urchins. She was fascinated by the world of fish—this group constitutes 28,000 species found on all seven continents. Fish are one of the most evolved and oldest types of animals, having lived on this planet for the past 400 million years. When you compare this to humans—
one species, roughly 200,000 years of evolution, you can see how Rummer became captivated by these creatures. Many fish have adapted to very specific niches in their environments; however, they are naturally highly adaptable, which makes them an important group to study. “The diversity of fish is astounding to me,” Rummer explains. She tells stories of how if the bluefin tuna were to enter the 100-meter race, it could beat Usain Bolts’s 9.58 second world record by six full seconds. Pacific salmon travel 1,000 kilometers to their spawning grounds to reproduce, and clownfish are sequential hermaphrodites, which means all young are born male, and immature males can transform into a female if the dominant female of the school dies or becomes injured. While conducting research projects to determine just how fish are using their athleticism to adapt to changing ocean conditions, Rummer found her career path. “I realized research is what made me happy; it’s what makes my brain click,” she said. Rummer choose to pursue her doctorate at the University of British Columbia where she began to study how fish’s biological processes change as their environments change. Although fish have adapted to nearly every environment on the planet—will they be able to adapt to one changed by humans? Rummer attempts to answer this question every day. She oversees a lab of ten doctoral students, five master's
students, and another handful of undergraduates and staff members, and a list of research projects that is daunting to keep track of. At the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Rummer and her team can increase water temperature, decrease oxygen, or change a number of water quality controls on small tanks, and observe fish for changes in their physiology. She explains, “We can measure how much oxygen fish use at rest, and require for growth, digestion, and reproduction. We are monitoring cellular responses like pH, oxygen transport, ion-regulation and water balance under environmental stresses.” Rummer and her team then measure how these functions are affected by warmer temperatures and ocean acidification. One of the most important measurements Rummer employs to track fish success is how fish transport oxygen in their bodies. Oxygen is much less readily available in water than in the air, so you might think fish expend more energy just to breathe. However, due to the way fish use hemoglobin, they’re able to deliver oxygen to tissues 50 times more efficiently than air breathers such as humans. It could be this ability that determines how fish adapt to oceans with less available oxygen. Rummer’s research studies on the Great Barrier Reef, the largest reef in the world, discovered that just a two- or threedegree water temperature increase adds to fishes’ basic maintenance cost to survive. As temperatures increase, gill
The Circle • Spring 2017 | 17
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I have the freedom to pursue my dreams. I’m very lucky. I go by that saying that ‘luck is preparation meeting opportunity.’ I work really hard and then look for opportunities.
filaments become covered in mucous and protective cells which reduces their efficiency and capacity for swimming. Warmer temperatures also decrease vegetation, which means fish spend more time looking for their next meal and have less energy for growth and development. This change has implications on the next generation of the species and also effects the entire ecosystem. As oceans continue to change, Rummer and other scientists expect a mass redistribution of species towards higher latitudes seeking refuge from warmer temperatures. Rummer also studies how fish react to the combination of increased carbon dioxide with ocean acidification—the decrease in pH levels of the water due to this uptake of CO2. As pH levels climb, fish are using more energy to balance pH in their gills. Some fish are less able to smell predators and appear disoriented, which increases their likelihood of being eaten. With funding from the National Geographic Society, Rummer collaborated with a team of ecologists, biologists, and fish experts to investigate the effects of long-term exposure to elevated carbon dioxide in fishes living in natural carbon dioxide seeps in Papua New Guinea. They found that the fish living in reefs near volcanic seeps exhibited some behavioral impairments, but were seemingly resilient to these conditions. They showed no major 18 | odk.org
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difference in numbers, diversity, or physiology than populations on nearby reefs unaffected by the CO2 seeps.
However, overall results from Rummer’s findings are troublesome. Scientists estimate that one-third of coral reefs have already been lost; ocean acidification and carbon levels could eliminate drastic numbers of species. How does Rummer process these often dire predictions? While she admits that it is sometimes difficult, she is grateful for her career to help make a difference. “I have the freedom to pursue my dreams. I’m very lucky. I go by that saying that ‘luck is preparation meeting opportunity.’ I work really hard and then look for opportunities,” she says. With a prestigious post at a major university, field projects around the globe, and multiple publications to her name, Rummer isn’t holding back on her dreams or her goal to make a difference. In 2014, Rummer spoke at TEDx in Queensland at the Cairns Institute and urged us all, “Can we devote the time, passion, energy and excitement that we have for human athletes to the rest of the world and the rest of the planet? Can we create and maintain these biological facilities where species are participating in the race for survival? No matter how athletic the athlete, they deserve the very best.” ●
campus news
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Bismarck, N.D. November 17, 2016 Installing Officer: Bruce Forbes, National Vice President
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Greensboro, N.C. February 24, 2017 Installing Officer: Matthew Clifford, National President
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The Circle Spring 2017 | 19
DAY OF
Service
On April 13, 2017, circles across the country participated in service projects on their campus and in their communities in honor of our National Day of Service.
Fontbonne University circle members
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Leaders of Tomorrow
Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University Circle members worked with 8th graders in a group called Leaders of Tomorrow. As part of the largest day of service in Nacogdoches, Texas, they helped a historic village spruce up their grounds and prepare for their annual community Easter egg hunt.
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O∆K Circles in service Across the Country
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Garden Cleanup
Fontbonne University
Fontbonne University Circle members, along with faculty, staff, and alumni, added new garden beds and helped refurbish a community garden. Gateway Greening, a local nonprofit, built the garden in partnership with a local church to supply fresh vegetables and strengthen the community.
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Juniata College
Juniata College students partnered with their local community to help plant 250 trees in honor of town’s anniversary.
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Tree Planting
True Blue Leadership Day
Middle Tennessee State University
The Middle Tennessee State University Circle hosted True Blue Leadership Day. Students heard from Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Jeff Bivins, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director Mark Gwyn and other leaders about careers, job interview tips, writing a professional resume, and how to leverage a competitive advantage in a job hunt.
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Dance Marathon Fundraiser
Florida International University
O∆K member Melissa Cancio led Florida International University’s Roarthon, a 17-hour student-run dance marathon. The event raised $96,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals program, an organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals throughout North America. Melissa said, “To be a leader, we need to show the reason behind what we do and share with those around us so they are aware and desire to do the same. A leader is well rounded, takes initiative but also allows for individuals in their team to develop and share their thoughts, and is always willing to give their time and efforts to service.” The Circle • Spring 2017 | 21
making a difference
Opportunities for Emerging Community Leaders A message from the Foundation President Dear member, Each year, a number of students decline invitations to join Omicron Delta Kappa because of their inability to pay the initiation fee. With the cost of higher education being what it is, this is understandable but unfortunate. This year, the O∆K Foundation has been able to assist several deserving students in becoming members of O∆K through the gift-of-membership. One institution requested an initiation fee-waiver for a prospective member who is Pell-eligible. The young woman comes from a single parent home, and she works two jobs to afford her education and household items. In addition to her maintaining her stellar academic record, her work responsibilities, and being a student leader on campus, she also serves as a caretaker to her grandmother. Another institution invited a young man to join its circle. Circle officers selected this individual for membership based on his 3.8 GPA, leadership on campus with the speech and debate team, and his focus on service. A tornado exacerbated this young man’s financial constraints, and he was not able to afford the lifetime initiation fee on his own. The O∆K Foundation provided him with the gift-of-membership. In the interest of never having a deserving college student turn down their invitation of membership in Omicron Delta Kappa because of cost, the O∆K Opportunity Fund is needed to support the underwriting of a portion of the national initiation fee for collegiate members who are Pell-eligible or who have other significant financial constraints.
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Through the provision of membership in O∆K, these collegiate members will have access to other opportunities including scholarships, leadership development programs, and career resources. A gift of $88 will cover the initiation fee for one outstanding collegiate leader who has financial need. In my role as O∆K Foundation President, I have the joyous experience of meeting numerous collegiate members. These outstanding student leaders inspire me and others on the campuses where they serve. We take great pride in their accomplishments to date; but we have greater hope for where their futures will lead as community leaders in education, government, business, medicine, and non-profit administration. I hope you will join me in investing in their promise and make a contribution to the Opportunity Fund online at supportodk.org.
Yours in O∆K,
Russell W. Chambliss, President Omicron Delta Kappa Foundation
the view from HQ
Collaboration on My Mind A message from the Executive Director Dear Member, Since the November elections, it has been difficult not to think about some of the challenges facing our country. One that particularly concerns me is the seeming loss of individuals from differing perspectives and backgrounds being able to collaborate on matters of mutual interest. Facilitating the collaborative efforts of leaders from different aspects of the collegiate experience is the hallmark of Omicron Delta Kappa. The motives that guided our founders sprang from the desire to bring together one body for the general good of the institution and its community, leaders from all parts of the college or university to cooperate in worthwhile endeavors. By encouraging collegiate leaders to work together on matters of shared interest, O∆K supports our members in developing an appreciation for civility, varying perspectives, contrasting strategies for problem-solving, and conflict resolution. In this contentious period of American history, now – more than ever – there is a significant need to bring together leaders with differing viewpoints, skills and talents, and resources to address campus, community, national, and global concerns. I often like telling the story of how the members of the circles at Georgia Tech and the University of Kentucky championed the building of the student centers on both campuses. While the Fred B. Wenn Building at Tech opened in the early 1970’s, the Student Union Building at Kentucky opened in the 1930’s. The O∆K circle had an important role at each school in championing the construction of both facilities.
A mural shows how the O∆K members at UK – athletes, writers, artists, researchers, performers, and other volunteers – worked to raise money to provide seed funding for the development of the union. Each group of involved students utilized their skills and talents to garner resources in support of a shared passion. Circles across the country still bring together leaders from all aspects of collegiate leadership to complete service projects, support one another, and improve their campuses and communities. At Omicron Delta Kappa, we will continue our work to facilitate the development of collaborative collegiate leaders so that they will have the skills to be effective collaborative community leaders in the future. Our country will need their passion as well as their willingness to work with individuals of different perspectives and points of view in making a better world.
Yours in O∆K,
Tara S. Singer, Ed.D. Executive Director
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Freeport, Ohio Permit No. 21 Omicron Delta Kappa National Headquarters 224 McLaughlin Street Lexington, VA 24450-2002
Make Twice the Impact withMatching Gifts Tom Hiebert
I have always been passionate about leadership and was privileged to lead great men and women throughout my 28 years of active duty service as an infantry officer in the United States Army. To me, leadership is and has always been about trust. People will do anything in support of the mission when they trust you and truly believe that you care about them and have their best interests and those of the organization at heart. Trust goes both ways; however, organizations that internalize trust in both directions are truly unstoppable. I was honored to be initiated into O∆K at West Point, the United States Military Academy. I take great pride in being a member of O∆K, and as a result, I make a monthly gift to O∆K. Fortunately, my employer is a matching gift company, and my monthly gift to O∆K is matched. I strongly encourage you to explore matching gift opportunities with your employer to see if you might be eligible to make twice the impact on supporting the development of leaders by making a gift to the O∆K Foundation.
Make a gift to support the mission of O∆K Gifts to the Omicron Delta Kappa Annual Fund may be used to support the future of O∆K through a variety of initiatives: • Scholarships • Convention support • Leadership development programs To make a gift, contact Katy Datz, associate executive director of external relations, at katy@odk.org or (540) 458-5344.