NewsGreek Vol. 2
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March 2009
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Greetings!
We hope you enjoy this month's edition of NewsGreek. We are always looking for up and coming news in our Greek Community, so please feel free to let us know what is happening with your chapter in the next few months. Also, if you have any questions about this month's articles, don't hesitate to contact us. Remember: be you. be greek!
Sincerely,
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Upcoming Dates
May 11 - May 15
Finals
August 16 - August 21
Sorority Recruitment
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 Zeta Tau Alpha's National President, Laura Mauro, gives a presentation in hopes that Zeta is selected during the Panhellenic Extension process. |
| Zeta Tau Alpha Returns to Campus |
"Everyone looks good in purple," Deb Ensor, Executive Director of Zeta Tau Alpha said opening a presentation before K-Staters interested in learning more about the international sorority. "We want to share with you why Zeta Tau Alpha is the most relevant choice K-State can make for a new group on campus."
After a lengthy Extension process, the process in which the Panhellenic sororities decide which new sorority would be the best fit for the current community, Meghan Butler, K-State Panhellenic Council president, was able to call for a special meeting of the Panhellenic Council to make official the recommendation of the Extension Committee.
"I was certain going into the Panhellenic Council meeting those voting would support the recommendation to ask Zeta Tau Alpha to return to our campus," Butler said. "Not surprising, the vote was unanimous. All 11 National Panhellenic Conference sororities currently on campus knew Zeta Tau Alpha had what it took to be successful at K-State. As Ms. Ensor said, Zeta Tau Alpha was the most relevant."
A resolution drafted by the Panhellenic Extension committee shares how Zeta Tau Alpha met the desired qualifications of a new sorority. This resolution, two pages in length, highlighted the commitments and programs of the international sorority.
"I believe several aspects of Zeta Tau Alpha caught the ears of those on the Extension committee," said Shawn Eagleburger, assistant director of Greek affairs at K-State. "Most notably, the Extension Committee was impressed with the international sorority's ability to provide housing in an expedited manner, illustrate a commitment of many local alumnae, the sorority's award-winning and nationally recognized educational programs, the sorority's commitment to many philanthropic efforts, as well as the opportunity presented by Zeta Tau Alpha to reestablish a lost K-State sorority chapter."
Zeta Tau Alpha was present on the K-State campus from 1931 to 1941. Reopening the chapter has many excited, including Muriel Fulton Alexander, a 96 year old initiate of the K-State Zeta Tau Alpha chapter and K-State alumna, who shared the reopening of the Zeta Tau Alpha chapter at K-State "just gave her goose bumps."
"Zeta Tau Alpha [at K-State] has offered me more than I would have believed. [Zeta Tau Alpha] gave me sisters I have never had," Alexander said.
The K-State Panhellenic sorority community is happy Alexander and her Zeta Tau Alpha sisters will once again be able to wear purple. Representatives of Zeta Tau Alpha will begin their work on the campus in the coming fall semester, and plan to offer their first membership invitations to K-State students in the fall of 2010.
Learn about Zeta Tau Alpha. |
Delta Tau Delta Returns to Campus
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Members
of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity staff are scheduled to arrive on campus in
late August to begin a month long process to recruit founding members of Kansas
State's newest fraternity chapter.
The
Gamma Chi Chapter of Delta Tau Delta closed in December 2007 for deviation from
the mission of the Fraternity and low membership size.
The
Fraternity will be working with entities at Kansas State who work with men
committed to excellence, as well as men involved with student organizations,
athletics and academics. Students have already shown interest and the
Fraternity looks forward to speaking to many men during the months of August
and September. Through an interview process, Delta Tau Delta is looking
for "Complete Delts" - men with intellectual strength, superior morals and
inherent abilities.
"Delta
Tau Delta's return to Kansas State is a great opportunity for men not attracted
to the existing fraternities to help develop an organization around both the
ideals of the Fraternity and their own," Director of Growth Nick Goldsberry
said. "Furthermore, outside of recent history, Delta Tau Delta has a
great history at Kansas State. Over 1600 Kansas State alumni are proud of
their Delt experience and how it has served them. Along with their help,
the Fraternity is excited to restore the Delt tradition to Manhattan."
Following
the Mission, "Committed to Lives of Excellence", Delta Tau Delta has a number
of unique programs and opportunities available to its members promoting
excellence in their daily lives. These programs include the Leadership
Academy, President's Leadership Retreat, Regional Leadership Conferences,
Adopt-A-School and the Delts Talking About Alcohol program. In addition,
the Fraternity will be entering its second year with The Road, a comprehensive
member education program featuring career development, health and wellness,
personal finance and leadership development. Delta Tau Delta is an
academic leader in the fraternity world; it consistently tops the academic
charts with an overall GPA of 2.96 and a recent colonization GPA above a 3.2.
For
more information about Delta Tau Delta and the expansion process for Kansas
State, please contact Nick Goldsberry, Director of Growth, at 317-284-0203 or
via email at nick.goldsberry@delts.net. Additional
information on the Hillsdale project can be found at www.delts.org
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Kappa Delta's National Headquarters Visit
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From April 15th through 17th, the Sigma Gamma Chapter of Kappa Delta had a lovely visit from their National Headquarters. This Official Visit is scheduled to happen regularly, usually every two years.
The national officer, Leslie, tested the chapter on Kappa Delta ritual and history, on which they received a perfect score. This great achievement for the house and allows them to be ranked with the top Kappa Delta chapters across the country. The National Advisor also met with all of the house's council, along with the Academic, Shamrock philanthropy, and Girl Scout chairs to go over the accomplishments of the past year.
Leslie also helped provide information on activities and events that other Kappa Delta chapters have already put into place. She conducted a workshop with the entire chapter about being a good sister and why a woman should be proud to be Greek. She offered some different and great ideas about how the chapter can improve even more! Overall, the official visit went smoothly. The K-State Kappa Deltas are honored to be ranked with some of the best and brightest Kappa Delta women across the nation!
"It's a great feeling to know that we rocked our National Visit and exemplified exactly what it means to be a "Kay-dee lady!" added Kristen Payne, VP of Public Relations |
Phi Kappa Theta 50th Anniversary
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Phi Kappa Theta celebrated their 50th anniversary on 29th of April. Just to give a little background on it, Phi Kappa Theta was founded by a merger between two fraternities: Phi Kappa and Theta Kappa Phi on April 29th, 1959 which was the first of its kind in the American fraternal system. Phi Kappa was founded at Brown University because they were refused entrance into other fraternities because of their faith. Theta Kappa Phi or "The Catholic Fraternity" was founded on similar grounds at Lehigh University. Although Phi Kappa Theta has a rich Catholic history, we are open to membership from members of all faiths.
Congratulations to Phi Kappa Theta! |
Greek Week
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April 14th kicked off one of the greatest weeks for Greeks at K-State, Greek Week! Complete with Greek Olympics, Greek Idol, lunch in The Quad, a blood drive, and an awards ceremony, fraternity and sorority members took the opportunity to show their Greek pride on campus. Over 850 be you. be greek. rubber bracelets were sold .Students used the bracelets to showcase their support, but also as admittance into the events during the week.
The Greek Olympics kicked off the week just right. With tug-of-war, chariot races, shot put, javelin throw, jello eating, water balloon toss, and an obstacle course, our very own Greek Olympians showcased their skills on the field of Old Stadium. Under the watchful eye of one the largest Greek Olympics crowds, Delta Delta Delta took home the gold for sororities and Beta Sigma Psi and Sigma Pi teamed up to take home the gold in the fraternity division.
The fun kept rolling on April 15th with one of the most exciting event, Greek Idol. Before the event, auditions took place and judges had to narrow down the outstanding performances to just fifteen. Those fifteen displayed their skills on a stage in Bosco Plaza in front of over 1,000 members of the Greek Community. Robby Haynes from Acacia put on the performance that earned him first place. Congratulations to all members who participated.
The all university blood drive with the American Red Cross was another shining moment for the Greek Community. This year 38% of total donors in the blood drive were Greek. Kappa Delta had the highest percentage of members participate for sororities with 24% and Phi Gamma Delta set the mark high with an outstanding 73% for fraternities.
At the Greek Awards banquet the Greek Community showed their true colors. Dozens of awards were presented to the fraternities and sororities on campus. Congratulations to the following individuals and chapters that received some outstanding awards:
Sorority Woman of the Year - Katie Niederee, Pi Beta Phi and Betsy Erickson, Sigma Kappa
Fraternity Man of the Year - Andy Gigstad, Farmhouse and Andrew Maness, Kappa Sigma
Sorority Chapter of the Year - Gamma Phi Beta and Pi Beta Phi
Fraternity Chapter of the Year - FarmHouse
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Updates and Changes for Panhellenic Formal Membership Recruitment
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Fall Panhellenic recruitment will be here before you know it! As many of you are aware there going to be some exciting changes this year. Some of these include:
· Reducing the cost to $65 per PNM (down from over $225 last year)
· Recruitment dates from Sunday, August 16th (PNM move in Day) to Friday, August 21st
· First time PNMs will be allowed to move into their permanent housing for recruitment week
· The Panhellenic Council and Recruitment Guides will be staying in off campus housing during the week
· Recruitment Guides have been attending training sessions this semester (including personality testing to pair Recruitment Guides who are compatible) so they will be fully prepared for their positions in August
· Expect to see a well organized communal bid day, Bid Day will be Friday evening at 8 p.m. to Saturday afternoon
If there are any questions or concerns, please address them to Katie McKenzie or Ellen Burke, PHC Directors of Recruitment. |
Brotherhood Exchange Takes Place
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Earlier this semester Lee Van Loenen
of Beta Theta Pi and Travis Stuewe of Delta Sigma Phi (both members of IFC),
took the opportunity to participate in a unique experience through the
Brotherhood Exchange Program.
Van Loenen spent the second week
in March at the Delta Sigma Phi house. Throughout the week Van Loenen
experienced what it was like to live life in a different fraternity. He said
that most of the differences he experienced where actually fairly
insignificant. Some of the slighter differences he noticed were that chapter
was held on a different day and that some of the rooms were a little smaller.
But when you break it down, it was "a house of people who are really
close and are part of a brotherhood. That's the foundation of every fraternity
on this campus and across the nation."
When asked what the most enjoyable part of the experience
was, Van Loenen said, "Getting to experience a whole new perspective on
fraternities. Realizing that there are very few differences (other than ritual)
between the houses. But most of all, I made at least ten new friends, which was
pretty cool."
Stuewe spent the last part of
March and the first part of April living in Beta Theta Pi. Just like Van Loenen
said, Stuewe also felt like most of the differences between the houses were
fairly insignificant, but he said that the biggest difference for him was
living in a house that had a house mother.
The best thing that Stuewe took
from the experience was "just having the opportunity to hang out with
new people in a different environment. It's almost sort of mini vacation."
Both Stuewe and Van Loenen would recommend this experience
for any fraternity man that is interested in doing the Brotherhood Exchange. They
thought it was a fun and easy way to meet new people and see another side of
what really makes the Greek Community, a community. As soon as the "new guy"
feeling is gone, it is great way to make new friends that you see on campus to
talk to. Additionally, it was refreshing to see another perspective of the
community.
If you are interested in learning more about the Brotherhood
Exchange you can contact Jimmy Kelley a jkelley@ksu.edu
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Quote of the Month
What lies behind us and what lies before us are
small matters compared to what lies within us.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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