this issue: pg 1. 2011 in review pg 2. senior spotlights pg 3. career corner pg 4. philanthropies and service events pg 5. Greeks of the Month
http://www.greeklife.uconn.edu/
pg 6. welcome Delta Epsilon Psi
Happy Holidays and have an Amazing New Year! As 2011 comes to an end, let us take a step back and remember the events that made this year so memorable. Our world population hit 7 billion as of October 31st. Meanwhile, the 2011 Energy Crisis was exacerbated as gas prices rose over 20% in the United States, most stations costing over $4.00 per gallon. Our own Tornado alley was hit hard this year, causing endless destruction and terror for those affected. Tokyo suffered a 9.1 magnitude earthquake, killing over 15,000 and leaving over 3900 missing. In the world of television, the “Oprah Show” said its farewell this year as “The Jersey Shore” ratings continued to grow, embarrassing Italians and New Jersey residents alike. On a much happier note, over 2 billion people tuned in to watch the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in April, and just a few days later news spread that Osama Bin Laden was no longer a world threat, as he had been caught and killed. Sadly, the world of technology lost one of its forerunners, Steve Jobs, to cancer; the good news is that you can all look to Siri for comfort! Let’s hope our OFSL staff will be around at this time next year to report on the happenings of 2012 since the “END OF THE WORLD” is near. If the world does end, at least we won’t have to hear Rebecca Black’s “Friday” ever again! Back in Storrs, it was a year of exciting changes! We welcomed a new university president, Susan Herbst, and watched her “Lamb Shake” at First Night. Our basketball team won the 2011 NCAA Title in April and Gampel nearly exploded with pride and excitement! UConn opened the Classroom Building next to the Student Union this year, providing 2 large lecture halls and numerous classrooms to be utilized by students and faculty. HuskyTHON raised a record $188,588 for the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in an effort to help families offset the cost of medical care. The Greek community welcomed Phi Gamma Delta, Sigma Lambda Upsilon, Delta Epsilon Psi, and Kappa Alpha Psi to campus and their positive impact on our community is already apparent. The Multicultural Greek Council changed its name to the Intercultural Greek Council to better encompass the vision of everyone involved. Panhellenic recruitment hit record numbers this year, prompting the council to increase Chapter Total and open for Extension. Overall, it has been a successful year full of positive change for everyone here at UConn. Here’s to a healthy and happy 2012! -Kaitlin Latham
Dan Wertheim of Kappa Sigma This is what the nominator had to say: “Daniel Wertheim has been an outstanding member of Greek Life! Through his time here at UConn he has continued to be involved throughout various aspects of our Greek community. He has been involved on the Greek Week Management Team as well as the Greek Leadership Team. Not only that, but he also served as President for Kappa Sigma, helping them reach the status as a Gold chapter. Dan has been an invaluable member of the Greek community by serving as a leader in all aspects. His involvement in HuskyTHON as the Director of Corporate Sponsorship and as a dancer for a couple years continues to help HuskyTHON to be the most successful philanthropy at UConn. Dan continues to be a leader in his fraternity and in the Greek community by exemplifying all of the characteristics of a gentleman and a brother.” Neal Stewart of Beta Theta Pi This is what the nominator had to say: “Neal Stewart is an outstanding Greek Senior because he always generously serves not only his chapter, council, but also the community around him. Neal made it a point to educate himself in every Greek Life aspect as possible and make the most out of all situations he encountered. Hi brother elaborates, "Neal has advanced Beta Theta Phi to great heights and as a senior I hope that the incoming president and executive board continue to follow his lead and drive our chapter to success.” Neal has served as Beta Theta Pi President, on IFC executive board, Greek Week Management Team, Undergraduate Student Government, and in so many other capacities both in and out of Greek life. Neal is always there for his brothers and people in general which stands out as one of the reasons he garners so much respect from the Greek community. Overall, Neal has dedicated his undergraduate career to the UConn community and his brotherhood. “ Sean Adkins of Tau Kappa Epsilon This is what the nominator had to say: “Sean Adkins exemplifies the characteristics of an outstanding senior. In his second year at UConn, Sean dedicated himself to his new chapter, Tau Kappa Epsilon and took on the highest leadership roles presented to him. Sean has held multiple positions within Tau Kappa Epsilon as well as the Interfraternity Council and is also an inductee of Order of Omega, the Greek Leadership honor society. Through his involvement, Sean strives to advance his fraternity in all aspects of his life. He has recently taken on the positions of both Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter President and Interfraternity Council Executive Vice President. Despite his significant involvement and commitment to the Greek community, Sean continues to balance his multiple classes, extracurricular activities, and internships. Sean is an inspiring senior to both his chapter and our Greek population. “ Jenny Hurwitz of Kappa Alpha Theta This is what the nominator had to say: “Jenny Hurwitz is truly a phenomenal Greek senior. She is a Communications and Journalism double major, a student tutor, a UConn TV station weather anchor and field reporter, and a Campus Connections volunteer. She also has extensive job experience as she is currently the UConn Victoria’s Secret Public Relations and Campus Representative, an UConn student ambassador/campus tour guide, and a Daily Campus Correspondent. If you ask anyone who knows Jenny, they will tell you that it’s hard not to smile when she’s around. She’s a bubbly, encouraging, and a truly amazing person. She is always there for her sisters and friends who need a wise word or two. As an outstanding Greek senior, Jenny is the definition of inspirational and the community will certainly miss her when she graduates.”
2011-2012 Greek Senior Events Interviewing Workshop: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 7:30pm to 9:00pm, Student Union Ballroom As graduation approaches, many students find themselves receiving interviews for jobs and graduate programs. Come to this extremely useful Interviewing Workshop to learn the basics of excellent interviewing skills so you will be fully prepared and comfortable on interview day! Greek Etiquette Dinner & Networking Reception: Sunday, April 15, 2012 5:00pm to 7:30pm, Alumni Association Building First priority to attend this event goes to Greek seniors. The dinner will be an opportunity to learn common etiquette that will prove helpful through a professional career and the chance to network with fraternity and sorority alumni. Attend these great senior events next semester and receive your FREE official Greek Senior 2012 shirt! Congratulations to December Graduates! The Senior Engagement Committee and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life would like to congratulate all December graduates! We wish you the best of luck in your future and thank you for all you have contributed to our Greek community in your time at the University of Connecticut.
Camp Horizons in Windham, CT is a camp that provides high quality residential, recreational, support and work programs for people who have developmental disabilities or who have other challenging social and emotional needs. They are a non for profit organization that requires help from the community to function effectively. When the Sigma Chi Fraternity here at the University of Connecticut heard that they needed help cleaning up and winterizing their camp, the fraternity as whole spent a day at the camp. Throughout the day brothers split up into groups cleaning out buildings, spreading mulch and raking leaves throughout the camp. Annotator Clarence Cheng said after a day of working that “Camp Horizons is a great organization and we will defiantly be back in the spring to help get the camp up and running for the summer.” The Counseling and Mental Health Services (CMHS) has transitioned to provide different services at the end of the semester as well as during Winter break. For more information and a description of services we will have from now until the beginning of Spring semester please check out the following link: http://www.counseling.uconn.edu/semester_break_services.html
S.O.S or “Save the Other Sex” is a campaign started by the Zeta Theta chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc at the University of Connecticut to promote awareness of both the fight for Breast Cancer and Prostate/Testicular Cancer. Pink bands and Blue bands have been sold to each member of the opposite sex in order to create the sense that this is a fight that both men and women are in together. Whether we have been touched by someone in our lives who has had either disease or any other form of cancer, it is not a fight that we can face alone.
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life would like to congratulate all of the new initiates of Fall 2011!
On November 18, the sisters of the Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority hosted their cultural event “What is Beautiful?” at the Asian American Cultural Center. The event was a discussion headed by Dr. Cathy J. Schlund-Vials, the director of the Asian American Studies Institute, which covered the topic of how we perceive beauty in today’s society. The discussion began with a question on what kind of features we thought were attractive, such as the kind of ideal weight, facial features, hair, and other bodily characteristics. The second part of the discussion covered the topic of beauty issues such as make-up and the use of beauty products, and how it affects our views on beauty and the desire for us to fulfill that view. The last part of the discussion involved a fun interactive activity where all the attendees were spilt into teams of four and given the task of drawing their ideal Miss America. Everyone had a fun time conversing and drawing curvy, tall, and long haired girls. The activity highlighted the last topic in the discussion on pageant selection, and what kinds of girls commonly win the title of Miss America. The sisters of Kappa Phi Lambda want to thank everyone that attended the event, for making it a fun, inspirational night.
Career Services Corner Don’t forget to stop by Career Services in CUE 217 for a résumé critique before the winter vacation! Many internship and job application deadlines are quickly approaching so come in and see us for some advice, suggestions and helpful tips! For more information, please visit www.careers.uconn.edu Also, keep a lookout for the two career fairs happening in February! Greek Senior Website Be sure to visit the Greek senior website, http://www.greeklife.uconn.edu/ seniors.html, for information about upcoming events and many resources for seniors! Senior Spotlight: Nominate someone for next month’s Senior Spotlight to have an outstanding Greek senior featured in the monthly Greek Community Newsletter. Senior Memory: Submit your favorite Senior Memory today in order to share your most memorable time in Greek Life with the rest of the community. Useful Websites Need help with preparing for graduation??? Check out this helpful websites! Career Services: http://www.career.uconn.edu/ Commencement Information: http://www.commencement.uconn.edu/ Senior Class Gift: http://www.foundation.uconn.edu/seniorclassgift/ Tips for Graduation: http://www.registrar.uconn.edu/graduation.htm
UConn Greek Alternative Spring Break March 10-18, 2012 Indianapolis, IN
Would you like to participate in the inaugural UConn Alternative Spring Break specifically for fraternity/sorority members? We will travel to Indianapolis to work with a community service agency and also visit several fraternity/sorority headquarters to explore the intersections of fraternal values and service. View this 5-minute video from Iowa State whose students did a similar trip last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm0z04K6f6A
By Thu. Dec. 15, send a brief email to todd.c.sullivan@uconn.edu expressing your interest in being part of the trip this year. Applications and cost breakdown will be forthcoming.
This past semester the Brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi volunteered with the Habitat for Humanity affiliates of both Hartford and Willimantic. Habitat for Humanity is an international organization that was founded in 1976. The mission of the organization is to make decent, affordable housing available to everyone. The way this mission is accomplished is through charitable donations of time, money and materials. Habitat does not give homes away; rather they make them available and affordable to deserving, hard working families. Over the course of three days 50 brothers from the fraternity volunteered in 8 hour shifts, together contributing 400 hours of labor to the organization. Together we hammered down nails, cut wood, and even raised a few walls. The brotherhood bonded together while working together, all while helping an amazing cause. What started as a day of community service ended up being one of the best brotherhood experiences the fraternity had ever had. In addition to donating our time, Alpha Epsilon Pi has also committed to raising both awareness and money for Habitat. During the builds the brothers heard the stories of the families that we were building the homes for. We then sat down with the volunteer coordinators and learned the ends and outs of the organization. We pledged to use that knowledge to spread awareness to our peers. In addition we hope to make a significant donation to the organization after our annual Chicken Nugget Eating Contest that happens every April in Fairfield Way.
Kappa Kappa Gamma is excited to announce that all of the donations have been collected and added up from the annual Breast Cancer Walk, “Kappa Walks for the Kure” that was held in September. The walk went all around UConn’s campus where it started and ended at Gampel Pavilion. Kappa raised a total of $6, 568.00, reaching an all time high and well above the set goal. All of the proceeds went to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. The sisters of Kappa Kappa Gamma would like to send out a special thanks again to all of those contributed to our walk because it wouldn’t have been possible without all of the participation from our Greek Community.
On October 23rd the Sisters of Kappa Alpha Theta held their annual fall philanthropy event, KATS and BATS. It was a fun filled day with a DJ, lots of food, and some great softball games. Sigma Chi and Alpha Phi took home first place in their brackets and Jovanni Cesare of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was crowned Mr. CASAnova. With the help of the UConn Community we raised over $1,400 for our local CASA chapter, Children In Placement. Thank you to everyone who supported our philanthropy event and we look forward to hosting it again next year!
Happy Founders’ Day to: Lambda Theta Phi—Dec.1,1975 Lambda Theta Alpha—Dec. 1975 Sigma Lambda Upsilon—Dec.1, 1987 Alpha Phi Alpha—Dec. 4,1906 Kappa Sigma—Dec. 10, 1869
Alpha Delta Phi and Community Outreach present Dodging for Dollars The brothers of Alpha Delta Phi teamed up with Community Outreach to hold a dodge ball tournament to raise money for Special Olympics. This is the second year that Alpha Delta Phi has officially held this dodge ball tournament. The dodge ball tournament was held on December 3 rd in the Hawley Armory. Winning teams received a gift card to the Co-op, Wings, or Wally’s! Thank you for everyone who showed support for Special Olympics! Quoting the greatest dodge ball players ever, Patches O’houlihan, “if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!”
Lambda Alpha Upsilon—Dec. 10, 1985 Delta Gamma—Dec. 25, 1873 Zeta Beta Tau—Dec. 29, 1898 Tau Kappa Epsilon—Jan. 10, 1899 Alpha Kappa Alpha—Jan. 15, 1908 Zeta Phi Beta—Jan. 16, 1920 Kappa Alpha Theta—Jan. 27,1870
On December 6th, The Brothers of the Xi Chapter of Lambda Alpha Upsilon Fraternity, Inc. invited the Greek community to participate in "I am NOT Disabled: An American Sign Language Workshop". Those who went learned with their eyes as they explored the world of deaf culture and misconceptions affiliated with it. This workshop will was conducted by UConn's American Sign Language Club and covered the history behind the language. Those who attended said it was a very interactive, educating and entertaining workshop. Thank you to everyone who participated!
December 2011 Lauren Reinmann of Pi Beta Phi Here is what her nominator had to say: “Lauren Reinmann is an outstanding member of our chapter as well as in the Greek community. She upholds each pillar of the Fraternity and Sorority community. She has been an outstanding leader to our chapter over the past year. She brings inspiration and compassion to the leadership role. She always remains positive and her attitude boosts the morale of the entire chapter. Prior to her year as president, Lauren was our Vice President of Philanthropy. She took this position and made it her own, coming up with various creative fundraising ideas for First Book. Even as President, she is still working towards fundraising and helping our literacy cause by working with Coins for a Cause. She has also taken many other leadership roles in the Panhellenic and Greek community, and works as a student intern in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. She has been Director of Finance for Greek Week and used this position to help the Greek community. Now, as Vice President of Finance on the Panhellenic Executive Board, I know she will do great things to help the Panhellenic Community.” Bryant Dominguez of Lambda Alpha Upsilon Here is what his nominator submitted: “Bryant puts in a lot of effort and gives initiatives into everything he does. He is very innovative in figuring out ways to connect to the campus through programming. He has been the head organizer of “Stroll for a Cause” amongst taking care of his mother, doing well in classes, being involved with the Association of Latinos Professional in Finance and Accounting and being a chapter president. Bryant plays a major role in organizing some of the chapter’s biggest events; such as community service events in Hartford, as he looks to leave a positive impact in his community. This semester, Bryant was recently elected as the Inter-Cultural Greek Council’s Vice President of Communication. Mr. Dominguez serves as a mentor not only for his fraternity, but for high school students back in his city. Bryant is a huge support of the Greek community, as he attends events from all members of our four councils. He also takes the time to get involved with the Puerto Rican and Latin American Cultural Center, Rainbow Center and Women’s Center. Overall, Bryant is the type of Brother that preserves and expands our brotherhood.”
January 2012 Allie LaVista of Kappa Alpha Theta Her nominator stated: “Allie LaVista is an outstanding member of Kappa Alpha Theta and the Greek community. As a dual degree in business management with a concentration in international business and psychology, she balances her time extremely well between her involvement in her chapter, her jobs, and her volunteering. She has been a very involved member of her chapter during her years in Theta, holding the position of Music Chair and helping out with various events. Allie devotes her time to more then just her chapter. She has been involved with HuskyTHON for all four years of her college and was even a morale captain. She was also a model for two years for the HuskyTHON Miracle Walk. Allie is part of a few honor societies, the psychology club, and the hospitality management association. She was the co-director and Vice President of the Honors Fraternity Alpha Lambda Delta, an extremely prestigious honor. Allie is a great friend and sister and is an outstanding role model for new members. When she graduates in the spring, Kappa Alpha Theta will definitely miss her.” Phillip Abraham of Alpha Delta Phi His nominator wrote: “Philip Abraham is an excellent member of our UConn Greek Community. He is a resident assistant in Husky Village as well as the Husky Village area council advisor, which reflects on his leadership abilities. Philip is also the incoming Vice President of Risk Management for the Interfraternity Council, further proving how involved he is and how responsible he is as a Greek. Next semester, Philip will be a HuskyTHON morale captain as well, showing his great pride for philanthropy and community service. On top of all Philip's achievements, he is also the outgoing social and Arête chair, and the incoming president for the Connecticut chapter of Alpha Delta Phi for the Spring semester of 2011 and Fall 2012. Philip truly is a great influence to our chapter and the rest of Greek Life.”
Be sure to register your organization on UConntact! UConntact is the best way to find out about the +500 Student Organizations and University Programs on campus! Some of the benefits of utilizing UConntact include: Getting Involved – When you ask a student 10 years from now what they remembered most about their time at UConn, you’ll get a long list for sure, but at the top is always the extracurricular experiences that made their time so special. You can use UConntact to find organizations that you wish to join, and find out how right on the page! Co-Curricular Transcripts – UConntact allows you to track your involvement in various campus activities throughout your time here. This is a great addition to your resume, and a lot of fun to look at when you graduate! Find Events – UConntact is the place where organizations post their upcoming meetings and events across campus. This is a great way to see what is coming up and RSVP so you’ll never miss the next big event! Go to http://uconntact.uconn.edu/ If you have any questions regarding how to use UConntact, please contact us at dsasos@uconn.edu or stop by the Involvement and Leadership office at Student Union 302.
Welcome Delta Epsilon Psi to the Intercultural Greek Council! The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and the UConn Greek Community congratulates and welcomes the Alpha Epsilon Colony of Delta Epsilon Psi. From the Delta Epsilon Psi National Website: “Alpha Epsilon Colony, of Delta Epsilon Psi is the first established South Asian Interest Fraternity in the State of Connecticut, and the first Colony of Delta Epsilon Psi in the New England region. The new leaders of Alpha Epsilon are determined to become a successful colony and become established at the University of Connecticut. They aspire to become role models, successful students, and career oriented professionals through service and self-conduct. As Founders they looked to bring a strong South Asian presence at the University of Connecticut and perpetuate the community outreach of its Greek community. Founding Class member Taofiq Chowdhury says, ‘the founders hope to make a positive difference in the lives of other young men in the future though the expansion of this brotherhood. We are motivated and inspired; it is through our work ethic and organizational involvement that we hope to duplicate and transcend Delta Epsilon Psi’s success at the University of Connecticut. Our new dream is to take this brotherhood to greater heights and to contribute to the passion that makes Delta Epsilon Psi the fraternity it is today.’” #1 Taofiq “Certus” Chowdhury, #2 Jude “Obscurus” Santiago, #3 Jeffin “Lacertus” Cherian, #4 Andre “Magnus” Drummond
Look out for the NPHC Annual Step Show Saturday January 21, 2012 Jorgensen Theatre 7:00 PM
UConn OFSL staff/alumni at the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Annual Meeting in St. Louis, MO. (Left to Right):
Andrew Porter-Price ‘11, Leadership Consultant, Beta Theta Pi Kylie Corcoran ‘13, OFSL Graduate Assistant Laura Osborne ’11, NYU Graduate Assistant Todd C. Sullivan, Director of OFSL Lindsay Sell, Former Assistant Director of OFSL; now at Colorado State Univ. Allison Foster ‘06, Nova Southeastern Univ. Greg Fink ‘11, Former OFSL Graduate Assistant; now at Quinnipiac Univ.