Many early-bird Convention registrations have been recieved!
Have you registered yet?
We're less than a month away! Early-bird registration is still available, but only thru July 23rd. It's a value at $295/315 CDN. The higher quality Embassy Suites hotel is affordable at $114 per night, but time is running out!! Suites can hold four and includes breakfast and a manager's reception each evening! This great rate is only available thought July 23rd! Book your room at www.embassysuiteslincoln.com. Use our Convention Code "ZET" to get our pricing. (After mid-night July 23rd, the hotel room rate, if space is available, will be $149 -$159/night.)
Wednesday, enjoy a night at the baseball park, Haymarket Square. Enjoy a BBQ and the Lincoln Saltdogs baseball game in our own private area.
Thursday, join in the fun at the Champions Club, University of Nebraska's newest alumni center for (almost) all you can eat buffet featuring Chances "R" pan fried chicken and carved roast beef, together with all the fixin's! And, dinner-time entertainment, a participative "who done it" murder mystery: "Lights, Camera, Murder!"
Friday, we'll meet at the Omicron Chapter house at the Nebraska Wesleyan campus for a Pig Roast and Casino night under the "big top." Lots of prizes to be won! Then, optional "O" Street night life.
Saturday is the formal Grand Chapter Banquet and awards dinner. The local chapter members and alumni are planning a big turn out, especially for Friday and Saturday!
The Lincoln Convention - Fraternity, Friends, FUN! What events are planned and included in the fee?? In addition to the LTI sessions, Grand Chapter forum and meetings, LTI and Phi Alpha Luncheons, and the Grand Chapter Banquet, your local host committee has fun times in store for the evening events!
Feel free to contact the Headquarters should you have any questions. We all hope to see you and your family there!
For the Omicron 2007 Convention Committee,
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Phi Alpha's Message
 So, how are you spending your "dog days of summer"? Despite school being out, I seem as busy as any month of the year! A lot has to do with the fact that Zeta Psi - unlike many other fraternities with conventions held every two years-runs our convention annually. As I said last month, I have attended every convention since 1971; a chain I hope will never be broken as long as I live. It focuses me on what happens every late summer since my early 20s: a week or so reuniting with many of the closest friends I've ever had in my life, as well as helping to lead our Zeta Psi.
Last week I attended another annual convention that occurs each summer in early July: the annual meeting of the Fraternity Executives Association (FEA). This meeting brings together the chief Executives of most of the nearly 100 men's and women's national and international fraternities, their senior staff, past executives, many family members, and hundreds of corporate sponsors who do business with collegiate Greek organizations like Zeta Psi. While Dave Hunter is now Zeta Psi's FEA member, I have enjoyed attending almost as many FEA meetings as those of Zeta Psi: 36 in all since I joined the Zeta Psi staff in 1971. In fact, I was FEA President 21 years ago, and like Zeta Psi, some of my closest friends are those I have made in this premier interfaternal organization.
Many Zetes may feel that we are conspiring with the enemy by interacting with the leadership of other fraternities, which is perhaps understandable at the undergraduate level, but makes no sense at the senior administrative levels. All those who work for the North American Greek system come together to promote the benefits of fraternity and sorority membership, so this annual meeting to advance these principals is a periodic renewal for those who live every day with the pluses and minuses of this great experiment in human development and interaction. Because this is also an annual renewal of long term friendships each year, I have benefited from some of the best relationships I have ever had in my life with men and women whom I have known and "vacationed' with for, in some cases, three or more decades.
We rarely resolve many or most of the cyclical issues at FEA meetings that impact the health or hardships that affect us from year to year or generation to generation. But it does help to recharge one's batteries each year to interact professionally with colleagues who work in the trenches of the business affairs of what most of us reading the UpZete each month and the Circle each year know: when the fraternity experience is "done right", it remains one of the most rewarding developmental and non-classroom educational experiences one will ever have in his/her life. When it's conducted errantly, it can be one of the worst.
As these dog days of summer linger on (this year's FEA meeting was in Orlando, so let's talk "hot and humid" shall we?), know that your Zeta Psi leadership is hard at work ensuring we not only keep on keepin' on, but our staff and volunteer leadership works ever harder to make this-the first International Fraternity-as great as it can be and has been for its first 160th years.
Until my Convention message next month, keep cool and enjoy the dog days of summer wherever you are!
Always in Tau Kappa Phi,
Greg McElroy, Phi Alpha CXXXI |
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Make New Friends, Renew Old Friendships
 The annual convention is a time for Zetes to get together and form new friendships with other Zetes from across North America. We veterans of many conventions come back time and again to renew the friendships we've made over the years while attending conventions. In many cases this is the only time of the year we see many of those friends.
This year the Grand Chapter will once again meet as a body, this time in Lincoln, Nebraska. I attended our last convention in Lincoln in 1996. I had never been to the State of Nebraska before that convention so I had no real idea what to expect. I had images of a small, rural town when compared to New Orleans the year before or New York the year after. I knew we wouldn't be going to Disneyland or seeing the Statue of Liberty. What I found was something old and something new. The old is the real reason most of us continue to attend conventions year after year - the Zetes we get to see each year and pick-up where we left off. The new was the City of Lincoln - a city that has the perfect ingredients for a fun convention; an entertaining variety of nightlife and easy access to same. Lincoln is a place where you'll have fun with other Zetes!
I look forward to seeing many of you next month in Lincoln to celebrate Zeta Psi's 160th anniversary. I hope you can come!
In Tau Kappa Phi, Dave Hunter, IA '80 (email me) |
Anthony Shibata
Director of Chapter Operations
 Convention is only a month away, and this year we're lucky enough to have it in my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. Having been at the last four conventions, my personal expectations are high for this year, but I know many reasons why Lincoln will not disappoint. Unfortunately, most of you reading this are not aware of what Lincoln has to offer. So below you'll find my top ten reasons why you should come to convention this year.
10. It's named after a President, take that Canada.
9. Why else would you go to Nebraska?
8. Because the Omicrons get lonely all by themselves
7. LTIs make learning fun!
6. Cornfields can be fun too.
5. 60 bars, 1 square mile, our hotel right in the middle. Coincidence?
4. No Duckboats
3. Have you heard about the pig roast? Yes, there's a pig roast.
2. Cause you've never seen anything quite this flat
1. Good company, good friends, and lifelong brotherhood
While this list isn't completely comprehensive, the most important thing you need to know is that there will be a brotherhood of Zetes waiting to greet you when you arrive. And for that reason alone, Lincoln will be the greatest city in the world the week of August 12th, 2007. I hope to see you there.
In Tau Kappa Phi, Anthony Shibata (email me) |
Anthony Abbate
Zete's new Chapter Consultant
 Convention is one of the best times of the year. Why you ask? Well, here at IHQ it's actually one of the most hectic, but that makes it all the better when it's done. But for any other brother, it's an opportunity to road-trip around North America, hang out with brothers from their own chapter, and meet and party with a great group of Zetes from around the continent.
Personally, I've attended the last two conventions, wish I had made the one before, and plan on going to as many as humanly possible through the years. Summer is a busy time for us all, but I found that hopping in a car with several brothers provided both a refreshing vacation full of hilarity, while at the same time being very productive. I spent an entire drive to Boston doing nothing but talking about how to make the fraternity better. I drove to Philadelphia screaming songs at the top of my lungs crammed into the back of a small sedan. And I can only imagine what kind of adventures I'll find during the long haul out to Lincoln this summer.
Then you get to the convention and have the opportunity to get to know guys from all over, hang out, swap stories and methods, and just learn a lot about a range of other brothers. I've stayed up all night with the most diverse group imaginable, just sharing experiences and how we all do things, and every year we all come back to convention looking for each other. And even beyond the connections you make with undergraduates, you're able to meet some very respected and dedicated elders from years past, some even from your own chapters that people haven't seen or heard from outside of convention.
Convention is a great event, but what really makes it is you, so make sure to get registered now, and I look forward to creating and sharing more stories again this year too.
In Tau Kappa Phi, Anthony Abbate (email me) |
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Let your everyday online shopping support Zeta Psi - use our e-Mall!
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 CLICK HERE to update your information TODAY with ZeteBook. Join the 1750+ Zete's already on ZeteBook! AND COMING SOON - a whole new ZeteBook launches at Convention! |
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REGISTER ONLINE FOR CONVENTION! Early Bird rate ends July 23rd
Early bird registration is extended for the full Convention at $295 through July 23rd. After that, the cost goes up, so please book soon!
Weekend Special Registration (for Friday night and Saturday only) is $125 - a great value for those who can only attend Friday's Pig Roast and Casino Night at the Omicron Chapter house and the Saturday Grand Chapter Banquet!
For those flying in, BOOK SOON - airline prices will be much higher as of August 1. Consider Omaha as it is generally MUCH cheaper.
SHUTTLE INFO: for those flying into Omaha, we are providing periodic shuttles from Omaha to Lincoln on Wednesday, and may do 1-2 trips on Tuesday & Thursday, as well as back to Omaha on Sunday. NO SHUTTLE FRIDAY or SATURDAY. Once you know your travel plans, LET US KNOW ( click here to email Pat Martin) and we will reserve your shuttle seat. SPACE IS LIMITED SO LET US KNOW SOON. ALTERNATIVELY, Omalink runs a shuttle every two hours on the odd hour, at $39.95 RT, click here for details.
Need help with travel planning? Contact Pat Martin at IHQ by EMAIL or call 845-735-1847.
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The Dr. Louis J Capozzoli LTI
Our Premiere Undergraduate Leadership and Education Program
Alan Rice & Dr. Louis Capozzoli
Convention offers our Brothers the knowledge, skills, and resources to be better leaders, more successful men, and to take that back to their Chapters and in their everyday lives.
Wednesday, 2:00 - 5:30 PM, we begin with a discussion of our Values as a Fraternity, and explore that through Basic Ritual and Advanced Ritual sessions, followed by the (optional) Gold Escutcheon Exam.
Thursday, 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM, we divide into three tracks. Our Upperclassman Track focuses on the personal and professional life skills rising Seniors and Grads need to succeed in 'the Real World'. Our Leadership Track focuses on the executive skills chapter leaders need to improve their organizations and themselves. Our Core Track focuses on the background skills that EVERY Zete needs to succeed in college and life that is rarely taught in a classroom.
Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM, we start with Effective Interviewing and one-on-one mock interviews (BRING A RESUME), with presentations on our best programs - the Washington & Wall Street Scholars; ZeteKidz & ZeteScouts, StarPoints, and more.
IMPORTANT LTI INFO: Dress code for LTI is shirt and tie Wed. & Thurs, coat and tie Friday. No sneakers, sandals, shorts, or hats allowed. Delegates MUST attend all LTI sessions for reimbursements unless a travel conflict is approved in advance.
The Alan Rice Alumni AcademyShaping the future of our Alumni and Brotherhood
This year we've taken the Alan Rice Alumni Academy in a new direction - directly engaging our elders in shaping the future of our fraternity! In a series of round-table discussions on Thursday, we answer a series of critical questions: What do we as Alumni expect from our Active Chapters? What do we expect from our Elder Associations? What do we want from our Grand Chapter and IHQ? What was the best Alumni event we ever had? How do we get more guys involved - especially recent grads? Help shape the face and future of Zeta Psi by participating in these sessions and letting us know what YOU think. |
| Convention Philanthropy
Blood Drive for the Red Cross!
 In keeping with our tradition of service as part of each Convention, this year we have teamed up with the American Red Cross for a blood drive!
The drive will be held at our host hotel, the Embassy Suites, on Saturday afternoon, August 18th, from 1 PM - 5 PM. For your convenience, you can schedule your individual appointment by clicking here.
Less than five percent of Americans donate blood, yet 95% of all Americans will need blood at least once in their lifetime. Please show your support and schedule your donation today, or plan to give blood in Lincoln! |
I invite you to attend the annual meeting of ZeteKidz USA, to be held on Thursday, August 16 at 4:30 in the hotel. You will find the room assignment in your Convention Schedule. It is a great opportunity to learn more about how ZeteKidz can help you and your chapter brothers, both active and elder, have fun becoming more involved in your community.
We have reinstituted a ZeteKidz service project at this convention, and we ask Zetes of all ages to participate. A Red Cross bloodmobile will be at the hotel on Saturday afternoon from one to five o'clock in the afternoon. We all know the good work that the Red Cross does in America and abroad, and how desperately they need our help to continue it.
Please join your brothers in taking a moment to schedule a donation appointment to help our dedicated Red Cross volunteers move things along smoothly. Click here to schedule.
The Grand Chapter banquet follows the blood drive. The banquet can be a long affair; please replenish your fluids in a healthy way.
In Tau Kappa Phi, Tim Kennedy, H & AB '81
President, ZeteKidz USA |
The Jon & Pat show!
meet IHQ's summer interns
Behind the scenes at IHQ, two hard working undergrad Zetes have interned this summer and done amazing work on our Convention, website, and programs for the Fall. We decided to unshackle them from their desks so they could say hi.
From Jon Clark, Theta Phi '08:
 I had the privilege of going to my first convention last year in Philadelphia, and it turned out to be one of my favorite experiences since becoming a Zete. Most of a brother's time is dedicated to a certain area of the fraternity, whether it is their active chapter, their alumni association, or serving on the board of directors, among others. Convention is unique in that it takes all these small parts of Zeta Psi and makes them one. The small worlds of each of these small parts open up to the bigger world of Zeta Psi, the one that is touted as the greatest things about fraternity in general, and that is the brotherhood felt with people you have never met, despite any differences. Convention is the place where this is most apparent, and was the place where I felt most proud to be a Zete.
Interning at IHQ makes me appreciate the amount of work that goes into planning this great event, and it makes me thankful to those who show up each year to make the work worthwhile. So far the experience here in Pearl River has been great-the responsibility that comes along with the opportunity is easy to handle when it concerns the operations of the fraternity. Unlike other jobs, my bosses and coworkers are my best friends, I'm able to be creative with my work, and I don't have to commute. I dove into the internship without really knowing what would be expected of me, but the experience has been refreshing and I've learned a lot about the fraternity, business, office life, and have developed valuable skills instead of doing busy work.
To those who were at convention last year, I hope to see you all again. If you've never been, now is a good a time as ever to go to your first-you won't feel like the same Zete again.
From Pat Martin, Lambda Psi '09:
 "Hey, Pat, what's it like to be a summer intern at Zeta Psi IHQ?" That's the question I get asked hundreds of times a day. Literally, hundreds. As I walk the streets of Pearl River, NY, home of our world famous headquarters, a shroud of mystery and intrigue is cast over the town. Everywhere I go I catch sideways glances and stares from small children. It could be my lack of appropriate clothing, but more likely it is the aura that surrounds me long after I leave 15 South Henry St. To the unenlightened, the happenings at IHQ appear from a distance to be the massing of an army of goblins one million strong, their evil fires burning night and day. That would be one way to say that we're working twenty four hours a day if you were really into fantasy novels, like one of my co-workers here at IHQ. In fact, we've been working so hard on convention lately, I've been sweating in the office constantly for the last month. It could be because it's summer and we don't have air conditioning and it has been over ninety degrees for the last four weeks, but I still think it's been because of the hard work. Anyways, I hope it all pays off, because I want to see as many Zetes as I can in Lincoln. We look forward to a great convention, and hope you all enjoy the rest of your summers.
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Zete Accident Protection program
Undergrad insurance benefit
 One of the lesser known benefits of membership in Zeta Psi. More details are online HERE, and we want all undergrads to be aware of this - Just in case. |
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 Zete Ties - Only RED and GOLD left!
CLICK HERE to buy your very own Zeta Psi neck tie - a snazzy addition to any wardrobe!
Available in Red and Gold (We sold out of Navy Blue!), these limited edition, classic Vineyard Vines Ties are still avaliable through IHQ. BUY YOURS TODAY | |
