UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
UConn Greek Community Newsletter Volume 4, Issue 8
May 2009
Greek of the Month Ryan Tabtabai — Tau Kappa Epsilon Inside this issue:
New Organizations
2
MGC Debates
2
AEPhi & AEPi Events
3
Announcements
3
Ryan Tabtabai is a new member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He has already taken up many responsibilities within his chapter by stepping up to take over the duties of the Public Relations Chair this spring semester. Since then, Ryan made goals of improving the fraternity’s public image. He has organized and successfully coordinated a community service project at Camp Horizons this past March, where brothers volunteered to renovate an old tennis court. The renovation was Tau Kappa Epsilon’s largest community service project in recent years. Ryan has recently been elected as Executive Vice President of the fraternity due to his outstanding service, especially given his freshman status. Outside of the fraternity, he has volunteered for the Windham Hospital. Also an honors student, Ryan maintained a 4.0 GPA last semester, with future goals of double majoring in Biological Sciences and Psychology. At such a young age and having already demonstrated his leadership, service, and scholarship capabilities, Ryan truly stands out in TKE and in the fraternity and sorority community.
Erica Distefano — Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni Spotlight
4
Erica is a very active member in Kappa Alpha Theta as well as on campus. She is the current social chair and brought Theta and Kappa Kappa Gamma together for the first Kite and Key event, which is a nationally known social event and is now part of the tradition here at UConn She also planned Theta’s formal this semester which requires a lot of hard work and planning. Outside of Theta, Erica has also been involved with Homework Club, which is a club that goes to Coventry to tutor middle school-aged kids after school. She was also a group leader for Campus Connections, which is a group that puts on arts and crafts and other activities for elderly citizens with mental and physical disabilities. Besides the large amount of community service in which Erica is involved, she is also a committed student of the School of Business. This summer Erica plans to study abroad in Florence as a Real Estate major and an international studies minor. Her other activities and achievements include: UConn volunteer of the month last semester, Relay for Life, HuskyTHON volunteer, and FYE mentor. Erica is a great representation of Kappa Alpha Theta as she is driven and ambitious in whatever she chooses to do. Always one to go above and beyond, Erica is truly a wonderful leader, friend, sister, and mentor.
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UConn Greek Community Newsletter
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life would like to welcome the following organizations to the UConn Greek Community:
Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Incorporated, Lambda Chapter, is a very special chapter in the fraternity’s history. The founding of Lambda Chapter made the fraternity a national fraternity as it was the first chapter to be founded outside of New Jersey. Founded on February 24, 1999, seven outstanding Latino individuals were determined to let their voices be heard and make a difference on their campus and in their communities. Lambda Theta Phi has been a strong voice for the Latin community at UConn since its inception and they stand by the mission to cultivate a spirit of brotherhood, to value an education, to promote unity among all Latinos, to be proud of and cherish heritage, to assert roles of leadership, to develop character, to practice chivalry, and to serve mankind. In short, to raise the social and cultural conscience of the Latin male college student. Lambda Theta Phi was reestablished at UConn in Spring 2009.
La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Incorporated primarily seeks to take a leadership role in meeting the needs of the Latino community through academic achievement, cultural awareness, community service and promotion of the Latino culture and people. Since its inception in 1982, La Unidad Latina has remained on the vanguard of political and community empowerment by developing influential leaders that strive to exert knowledge and power into its peers in order to attain mutual success. LUL is committed to academic excellence, leadership development and cultural enlightenment, enhanced by a diverse, cognizant membership. LUL strives to preserve and promote an inclusive intellectual environment for its members, in addition to the general community. Lambda Upsilon Lambda was established at UConn in Spring 2009.
MGC Hosts Debate between Republicans and Democrats On Wednesday April 15th, students filled the Program Room in the Puerto Rican/ Latin American Cultural Center to listen to two of the political student organizations on campus, the College Democrats and the College Republicans, debate controversial issues that affect college students and
the nation at large. This debate, annually hosted in the spring by the Multicultural Greek Council, was the third time the event was held. Some of the topics debated brought to center stage minority issues such as immigrant rights and the use of affirmative action in university admission processes.
The event became especially heated as the floor was opened up to the audience to ask questions to the debaters. Overall, the event was a huge success and MGC plans on making it even bigger and better next year.
Volunteer for Mansfield’s Festival on the Green: Sept. 13, 2009 Fulfill community service hours and have fun! If you would like to volunteer at the Festival on the Green or if you would like additional information, please contact Kathleen Paterson at the Mansfield Downtown Partnership at 860-429-2740 or patersonkm@mansfieldct.org.
Volume 4, Issue 8
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Helpful Study Tips for Finals: The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life would like to wish everyone the best of luck on finals and a great summer!
1. Create a study environment free of distractions 2. Procrastinate at your own risk. 3. Know your learning style and utilize it. 4. Match studying strategies to the type of test. If it’s a multiple choice test prepare similar questions. 5. Form a study group of people who regularly go to class. 6. Freshen up your notes. Make an outline for each day’s notes. http://www.ehow.com/how_2074565_study-finals.html
Pie-an-AEPhi AEPi’s Walk to Remember Alpha Epsilon Pi’s Walk to Remember took place on Monday April 20th, 2009, a day before Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). Over sixty members of the UConn community, Greek and Non-Greek, participated in a silent walk around campus to honor those who perished in the Holocaust. After the walk, Myron Cohen, a holocaust liberator, spoke of his experiences during World War II and his liberation of the camp Dachau. Mr. Cohen’s story touched all those in attendance, and AEPi was happy to have him help immortalize the innocent people who died. Alpha Epsilon Pi would like to thank Myron Cohen, the Bnai Brith organization, and all those who participated for showing their support on this day of remembrance. “We walk to remember so we NEVER FORGET.” The fraternity looks forward to hosting the event again next year.
On April 14th, Alpha Epsilon Phi held their first annual Pie-an-AEPhi fundraising event. The event took place on Fairfield Way, and attracted members of the UConn Greek Community, as well as many other students. Pie-an-AEPhi was held to benefit Relay for Life, in honor of a sister of Alpha Epsilon Phi who was recently diagnosed with cancer.
UCONN CLUB SPORTS FUN RUN SUNDAY, MAY 3rd, 2009 Presented by the Club Sports Council All proceeds will be donated to Gaylord Rehabilitation Center & Connecticut Sports Foundation.. Register online today, or download an entry form! http://www.clubsports.uconn.edu/fun_run.html
First 100 participants receive a FREE t-shirt! Schedule: 9:00am – Check in & registration open 10:00am – Fun Run 5K start time 11:00am – Awards Pre-Registration: Students $10, Non-Students $12 Race Day Registration: $15
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
Alumni Spotlights
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life 860-486-4710 Student Union 315 Storrs, CT
www.greeklife.uconn.edu
Alumni Brother Patrick William Boss, Kappa Sigma, has had some major transitions in his life. He is currently serving our country as a fireman in the Peace Corps at Camp Liberty military base in Iraq. He constantly sends updates about his days and keeps a "journal" that he shares with the chapter often. The thing he says he enjoys most about working and living in the base is that the Military and the civilians continue to thank him every day. He says it is very humbling. Patrick is a model Kappa Sigma Brother who has accomplished things many others only dream of. He always puts others first. The chapter misses him, and wishes him well.
Congratulations to our Greek Seniors!
We hope that you stay involved in the Greek community as alumni. Best of luck in the future!
Jess Leone, a Kappa Kappa Gamma and UConn 2008 alumna, is now working as the public events manager at Riverfront Recapture in Hartford. At Riverfront Recapture, a non-profit organization that manages four parks on the Connecticut River, Leone is applying her communications degree daily. "My job is to plan, coordinate and manage huge festivals, concerts, performances and charity walks," said Leone. The main season for this is from May to October; In the off-season numerous hours of planning is necessary. "I gained wonderful experience that prepared me for this position by being the assistant philanthropy chair in 2007 and the event chair in 2008 for Kappa."
Thanks to all who participated in the OFSL Career Programming Survey! The following randomly selected winners won a $25 gift card to the UConn Co-op: Desiree Leal Eric Phillips Gabriel Botero Lauren Samaha