April 2011
Volume 6 | Issue 7
this issue GAMMA’s
Greek Week Recap P.1
Tipsy Tricycle Challenge
Greek of the Month P.2
GAMMA will be holding a drunk driving awareness fundraiser called Tipsy Tricycle Challenge on April 14th from 5-8pm in the Husky Village Circle. Participants will be riding tricycles wearing drunk goggles. Rides/Races will be $1. Come out and kick off your spring weekend!
Career Corner Careers for the Common Good Resume Writing Workshop April 4, 2011 12:00-1:00 CUE 134 It’s Not too Late to Find an Internship April 5, 2011 3:30-4:30 Homer Babbidge Library, Class of 1947 Room How to Use www.internships.uconn.edu April 12, 2011 3:30-4:30 Homer Babbidge Library, EC1 Room
Panhellenic Recruitment Roundtable Tuesday, April 05, 2011 9pm - 10pm Student Union, 324 For further information regarding this event, please contact: Bre Gabriel Breanna.gabriel11@gmail.com
www.greeklife.uconn.edu
GAMMA Gossip P.3 Senior Spotlight P.4 Philanthropy P.5
Greek Week Recap! Greek Week 2011 was a great success and the perfect way to celebrate being Greek! The theme was Reality TV and each team truly embraced their show in creative ways throughout the week. The week started off with the Greek Senior Celebration, at which seniors enjoyed food and conversation and received their official Greek Senior t-shirt in the Student Union Ballroom. Opening Ceremonies and Greek Sing were held the first night. Every team stepped up their creativity and dance skills this year and Greek Sing was extremely entertaining. Don't worry if you missed out, many organizations have videos posted of the awesome skits online. Dr. Lori Hart was the keynote speaker of Greek Week this year. She gave an engaging and interesting talk which everyone truly enjoyed and took a lot from. The pageant shifted focus onto the Greek God and Goddesses and we learned a little more about each one through their toga, question and answer, and of course the talent portion. On service day Greeks came together to give back to the community. We donated art supplies and made posters for classes at a local elementary school. Greek Games were a blast as usual and the closing ceremonies wrapped up this fun filled week! Congratulations to the winners: Team 3- Delta Gamma, Zeta Beta Tau, Pi Kappa Alpha and Alpha Phi Alpha! Written by: Victoria Costello
Do you want to work as an OFSL Student Intern? The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life welcomes applicants to be 2011-2012 Student Interns. The program allows leaders in our fraternity and sorority community to be involved with high profile Greekwide projects and initiatives. Projects that past student interns worked on include:
Co-coordinating the Greek Leadership Team
Writing the OFSL Student Intern Blog
Supporting the Greek Senior Engagement Committee
Coordinating the Greek Emerging Leaders Conference
Creating the monthly Greek newsletter
Assisting with the FSL Arête Awards
Managing the online philanthropy registration system
Maintaining OFSL social networking communication
Applications are available on the OFSL home page. http://greeklife.uconn.edu and are due April 15, 2011. Interviews will be held Thursday, April 21 and Friday, April 22. Questions can be directed to Greg Fink at gregory.fink@uconn.edu .
Greek of the Month Third Annual Sister to Sister with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. & Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Wednesday, April 06, 2011 7pm - 9pm Student Union, African American Cultural Center Join the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. as we discuss various topics and everyday circumstances we face in our communities. For further information regarding this event, please contact: Monique Sewell numu1993@yahoo.com
Pi Kappa Alpha’s
Dreamgirl Wednesday, April 06, 2011 7pm - 10pm Student Union, Theatre Sororities participate. Proceeds benefit Soldiers Angels to support troops abroad. More information available at: http://www.soldiersangels.org For further information regarding this event, please contact: Bryan Pandajis bryan.pandajis@uconn.edu
Beta Theta Pi’s Twister Friday, April 08, 2011 2pm - 5pm South Quad (Hawley Armory if rain) Admission Fee:$50/10 people A giant twister board will be used for competition for Greek and non-Greek organizations. Music, food, refreshments, and prizes are available. Deadline to register: 4/5/11 For further information regarding this event, please contact: Ryan Cybart ryan.cybart@gmail.com
Cassie Schmidt—Pi Beta Phi Cassie is an outstanding Sorority member not only because of her dedication to promoting and bettering sisterhood, but also her involvement in a plethora of extracurricular activities. Cassie shows her leadership daily whether it be through her role as president of GAMMA (Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol) or aiding students with their homework. She is an active member of the Connecticut Alpha Chapter of Pi Beta Phi always suggesting ways for personal and chapter improvement and supporting Greek activities and philanthropy events. She recently organized a sisterhood Zumba lesson so our chapter could mingle in a casual environment. Cassie however doesn’t only focus on the social bonds that are created through membership in a sorority; she is avid about aiding the less fortunate and keeping a high grade point average while pursuing philanthropic endeavors. Fall semester Cassie was placed on the Deans list and she continues to thrive in her academic journey. Overall, Cassie Schmidt is committed to the activities in which she joins and is always willing to help others and serve as a mentor, friend, and sister.
Join Student Veterans of America in kicking off their very first state conference in Connecticut! This conference will be exhibiting a number of services and opportunities that have been created solely to aid veterans in job placement, mentoring, receiving optimal benefits from the Veterans Administration, and accessing valuable resources for both education and housing. In addition, we are providing a forum for you to voice your concerns and issues as student veterans of Connecticut. Food and refreshments will be served thanks to a generous donation from American Corporate Partners. An electronic welcome packet will be sent to all attendees prior to the event. In addition, please remember to complete the pre-event survey during your registration as it will directly aid SVA's efforts to target Connecticut veterans' greatest needs. If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact: Lucien Lafreniere Connecticut State Director Student Veterans of America connecticut.director@studentveterans.org (P) 203-808-2973 http://ctstudentveterans.eventbrite.com/
HuskyTHON 2012 has officially begun! Congratulations to Vanessa Ball, Pi Beta Phi, and Megan Gillespie for their recent selection as HuskyTHON 2012 Co-Executive Directors. Last year Vanessa held the position of Fundraising Director, while Megan held the position of Volunteer Director. Our community is proud to welcome them as the new leadership for HuskyTHON 2012. We know they will do a fantastic job continuing to build on the success of HuskyTHON 2011. We cannot wait to see the great things they will contribute to our Greek community. Congratulations Vanessa and Megan!
Check this out: Don McPherson Monday, April 11, 2011. Student Union, Theatre: 7—9:00 PM For more than 20 years, Don McPherson has used the power and appeal of sports to address complex social issues. McPherson has paralleled a highly decorated football career with cutting-edge work on vital and contemporary issues that impact the lives of every American. With testimony before the US Congress, appearances on national news, the Oprah Winfrey show and lectures across North America, McPherson has reached more than 1 million people. His message is Positive, Proactive and Practical. More information available at: http://www.womenscenter.uconn.edu Consider attending this program for Arête credit! For further information regarding this event, please contact: Venida Rodman Jenkins: venida.rodman_jenkins@uconn.edu
G.A.M.M.A Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol
April 2011 Hi Everyone, Hopefully you all had a safe and fun Spring Break and Saint Patrick’s Day! At the past few GAMMA meetings, we have been talking about programming for upcoming events and travel safety tips. We’re hoping to make GAMMA more participantfocused this semester and would love to hear input from our members! As Spring Weekend approaches, we hope you all will all make smart decisions! Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 29th. A speaker from AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs) will be coming to give training to our delegates and members. We will also be having an event in Husky Village on April 14th. The event will include a “drunk go- kart” and beer goggles, in order to demonstrate the dangers of drunk driving. It should be a lot of fun and a great way to start the Spring season! Hope to see you all soon!
Why People Drink to Excess 1. Lack of drinking experience/information about alcohol. 2. Misperception that drinking to excess is normal. 3. Too much alcohol too fast. 4. Playing drinking games. 5. Too many shots. 6. Pre-party or front-loading alcohol before going out. 7. Pressure to drink to excess. http://www.bacchusgamma.org/excess.asp
Follow GAMMA nationally on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bacchusnetwork www.Bacchusnetwork.blogspot.com
University of Connecticut GAMMA Contact Us: UconnGAMMA@gmail.com
SCARY STATISTICS In 2006, there were 17,941 fatalities due to drunk driving. These deaths account for 41% of the total number of fatalities that year (about 43,000). The majority of DUIs are 18-20 year olds. 80% of alcohol-related deaths are due to beer consumption. http://www.calculateme.com/car-insurancearticles/drunk-driving-facts.htm
Alpha Epsilon Phi’s
Kick for Kids Saturday, April 09, 2011 1pm - 4pm North Campus Fields Admission Fee:$50/team Kickball Tournament to support Sharsheret and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. More information available at: http://www.sharsheret.org/; http://pedaids.org/ For further information regarding this event, please contact: Allison Phipps allison.phipps@uconn.edu
Lambda Theta Alpha’s
Greek Showcase Saturday, April 09, 2011 2pm - 5pm Student Union, Theatre This is an event open to the public. Please come to see different organizations perform their steps, strolls, salutes, etc. If your organization is interested in participating, please feel free to contact us. For further information regarding this event, please contact: Melanie Peralta melanie.peralta@uconn.edu
Tau Kappa Epsilon’s
5k for Autism Speaks Sunday, April 10, 2011 10am - 12pm Fairfield Way Tau Kappa Epsilon presents the 7th annual 5k run/walk to benefit Autism Speaks. Registration begins at 10am, and the race begins promptly at 11am. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 male and female finishers. Visit our website for more information or to pre-register and to help fundraise! More information available at: http://www.kintera.org/faf/ home/default.asp? ievent=464966 For further information regarding this event, please contact: Eric Day eric.day@uconn.edu
Senior Spotlight Alex Prager of Alpha Epsilon Pi is a truly outstanding Greek senior. He is the past president of his chapter, Alpha Epsilon Pi, and under his leadership AEPi won the award for Fraternity Chapter of the Year. Alex is hard working and dedicated and puts one hundred percent into every endeavor. He worked extremely hard as the Internal Director for HuskyTHON and contributed to making it the most successful it has ever been. Alex is also a student intern in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. He worked hard to help plan the Arête Awards ceremony and helps everyone out in the office. Alex is a true role model and leader in the Greek community.
Congratulations to ΣΛΥ! Congratulations to the newest members of the Multicultural Greek Council and the UConn Greek Community: the Alpha Omicron Chapter of Sigma Lambda Upsilon/ Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Incorporated. The founding line consists of Lisette Espinal, Alexis Ruiz, Jael Olivares, and Brimar Guerrero. We look forward to seeing all your hard work and dedication within our Greek life community.
Happy Founders’ Day to Pi Beta Phi. Founded on April 28th, 1867 at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. The Chapter at UConn was founded in 1943.
Book Drive for the York Correctional Institute Saturday, April 16, 2011 Student Union, Cultural Centers The ELITE Hermanos of La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. and the LOVELY Ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. are hosting a semester long book drive for the York Correctional Institute for Women's library. Any and all books in fair or better conditions are accepted and drop off locations will be boxes in the Cultural Centers in the Student Union and Beach Hall room 416 (Puerto Rican & Latino Studies Institute). The women at York have expressed their desire to read and educate themselves, please help them by donating books to our cause! "Education is the Key to Success!” More information available at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php? eid=195816253770502 For further information regarding this event, please contact: Kenneth Dortche (860) 634- 0915 K.Dortche@gmail.com
Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute: UIFI UIFI is a five day institute that brings together fraternity men and sorority women from across North America to create opportunities to explore, define, and enhance their leadership skills, personal awareness, commitment to their fraternity or sorority, and grow to expect values based action from themselves and those they lead. At UIFI, you will be given the skills to improve your own leadership abilities and positively affect your chapter, council, and community. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, along with the Panhellenic Council and IFC will be funding students to attend UIFI. Applications can be found on the OFSL website (www.greeklife.uconn.edu) and are due to Crystel Maldonado by April 13th.
The University of Connecticut has recently been deeply saddened by the loss of two members of our community: David N. Plamandon, and Christian Klorczyk, a senior of Zeta Beta Tau. Thank you to all of the members of the Greek community who have shown support to the families and friends of these two individuals. For those of you—or your friends and family— who knew either David and/or Christian personally, we are truly sorry for your loss. Our deepest condolences are with you. May they rest in peace.
Greek of the Month! Nominate someone today! Email information about your Applications can be found at: organization to Jonathan Caez www.greeklife.uconn.edu at student01154@ad.uconn.edu Please email applications to Brittney to be included in the newsletter Yancy at Brittney.yancy@uconn.edu by the 15th of the month! by the 15th of the month for consideration.
Do you want to honor an outstanding Greek senior? Please visit: www.greeklife.uconn.edu/ seniors.html Fill out a “Senior Spotlight” form so that your nominee can be recognized for being an outstanding Greek senior!
Sigma Gamma Rho’s
Poodle Academics: Study Session Sunday, April 10, 2011 7pm - 9pm Student Union, African American Cultural Center It's never too early to begin studying for finals! Come out and join the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. as we study in a quiet, peaceful environment. For further information regarding this event, please contact: Monique Sewell numu1993@yahoo.com
Phi Sigma Rho’s
Clothing Sale Monday, April 11, 2011 8am - 3pm Fairfield Way A discount clothing sale for the entire University community. Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. More information available at: http://www.cancer.org For further information regarding this event, please contact: Joanna Wilford joanna.wilford@uconn.edu
Kappa Sigma’s Backyard
Olympics Sunday, April 17, 2011 1pm - 4pm Agriculture Quad
Even more philanthropy events... Alpha Epsilon Pi’s 5th Annual Chicken
Nugget Eating Contest
Zeta Beta Tau’s Car Smash
Wednesday, April 20, 2011 3:30pm - 5:30pm Fairfield Way
Monday, April 18, 2011 8am - 5pm Fairfield Way
Both men and women's competition. Each team is made up of 5 competitors. Winners of the men's competition will be the first to finish 150 nuggets or the most nuggets consumed in three minutes. For women, the winner will be the first team to finish 120 nuggets or the most nuggets consumed in three minutes. $50/team $75/two teams Can register day of. More information available at: http://www.wish.org For further information regarding this event, please contact: Nathan Schneider nathan.schneider@gmail.com
Participants will smash a car with blunt objects and donate money to the Children's Miracle Network. $1/one hit $2/two hits $5/five minutes of hits More information available at: http://www.childrensmiraclenetwork.org For further information regarding this event, please contact: Isaias Pedraza isaias.pedraza@yahoo.com
Kappa Sigma is hosting Backyard Olympics to raise money for The Military Heroes Foundation. $40/team of 8 More information available at: http://www.kappasigma.org/ content/military-heroes For further information regarding this event, please contact: Alexander Westlund alexander.westlund@uconn.edu