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OFFICER INTRODUCTIONS PAGE 4
APHA ANNUAL PAGE 16
SCUG CHARTERING PAGE 18
57TH GCC PAGE 20
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Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity Inc. Southeast Province Triannual Newsletter THE INSERT
PHILANTHROPY SPOTLIGHT PAGE 9
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Satrap’s Corner …………………………………… 3 Introduction of 2015 Executive Board……. 4 Chapter Philanthropy Spotlights…………… 9 SEP at APhA Annual…………………………….. 16 South Carolina Upstate Graduate Chapter Chartering …………………………………………. 18 The Last Pledgemaster………………………… 18 57th GCC Word Search………………………… 21
SPRING ASSEMBLY PHOTOS COURTESY OF EPSILON MU AND ZETA GAMMA HISTORIANS
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SATRAP’S CORNER BY: DR. SAMANTHA SCHMIDT
Current Chapter: Savannah Grad, Charleston Grad, South Florida/Bahamas Grad Collegiate Chapter: Delta Upsilon Initiation: January 2011
Brothers, I am honored to serve as your newly elected Satrap. There are many goals I aim to accomplish over the next year. As the number of chapters within our province continue to grow, my main goal is to ensure ALL chapters have an equal and active voice continuously throughout the year within the Executive Committee. I believe that having an executive board that is present and accessible to the chapters is the key to success and I promise to you, I will uphold this. Please feel free to contact any officer on the Executive Committee, especially myself, with any ideas, questions, or concerns you may have. I look forward to seeing many of you soon in Denver, Colorado at the 57th Grand Council Convention. For those of you who have never attended one, I highly encourage you make every effort to be there. You will not have many chances to attend as a Collegiate Brother and trust me; it is an experience you will never forget. You will be able to take part in a week full of networking, learning, fellowship, and of course sobriety. I implore you to review the process of national elections and legislation with your chapters and delegates before attending GCC. The Southeast Province Parliamentarian will be available to answer any questions. Be on the lookout for more information about GCC from our GCC delegates. For those of you unable to attend GCC, I hope to see you at the upcoming Southeast Province Fall Assembly that will be held in one of my favorite cities in the Southeast, Savannah, Georgia. It will be held September 11-13, 2015 and is sure to be a great time. In addition to the wonderful location, this assembly will be filled with chapter reports and awards, workshops in leadership, brotherhood, and professional development as well as continuing education sessions for Graduate Brothers. I look forward to continuing the excellence the Southeast Province is known for and I know that together we will continue to build our legacy in this magnificent fraternity.
Fraternally, Samantha Schmidt
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2015 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Vice Satrap: Dr. Timmy Do Current Chapter: Orlando Grad Collegiate Chapter: Epsilon Mu Initiation: Fall 2011 Hello Brothers, It is a pleasure to be able to serve the Province for another term! I am very grateful for this opportunity and I hope to serve you to the best of my abilities. I am currently a fourth year student at the University of Florida Orlando Campus. I have held a number of Province positions such as Newsletter Editor and Historian. I also served as Historian and Regent for my home Chapter of Epsilon Mu. My goal for the position of Vice-Satrap is to provide as much support as possible to our Satrap by ensuring that all 17 of our committees fulfill their charges! In addition, work to develop an Assembly sponsorship program for new Brothers. The purpose of this is to show that the Province invests in their new Brothers and of course, encourages attendance/participation. These are just a few of my goals and I hope to create new one as the year continues! Looking forward to meeting you at our Fall Assembly in Savannah, Georgia!
Secretary: Dr. Amanda Brown Current Chapter: Savannah Grad Collegiate Chapter: Delta Omega Initiation: Fall 2011 For those of you that don’t know me, I was initiated into the Theta class of Delta Omega. I am now a PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Resident at St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital in Savannah, GA and am a current Brother of Savannah Grad. I served as Delta Omega’s secretary, philanthropy chair and scholarship chair, as well as the interim Chaplain for a few months. Over the last year I have had the privilege of serving as the Southeast Province Chaplain, and have really enjoyed the opportunity. I look forward to this upcoming year and am very honored to be serving as the Southeast Province Secretary! PTBYB! THE INSERT
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Treasurer: Caleb English Current Chapter: Delta Omega Initiation: Spring 2014 Brothers of the Southeast Province, I would like to begin by thanking each and every one of you for your votes and confidence in electing me to be Province Treasurer. For those of you that I have not had the pleasure to meet yet, my name is Caleb English. I am currently in my third year of pharmacy school at South University in Savannah, GA. Since becoming a Brother in Kappa Psi I have served as Vice Regent of Delta Omega and created relationships with some amazing people that will last a lifetime. As your Province Treasurer, I promise to put in full effort to help this province continue to be the best that it can be. Additionally, I would like to get better acquainted and work with each Chapter to assist with anything that I possibly can. Please know that I am always here for all of you and do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you again for your support and it is an honor to serve as your Province Treasurer.
Historian: Daniel Morley Current Chapter: Epsilon Mu Initiation: Fall 2013 Greetings brothers, I would like to formally introduce myself as your province Historian. While many of you may know me as the previous SEP Assistant Webmaster, I thought I would shed a little light on my past. I was born in England, raised in America and lived in New Zealand. Since I’ve crossed over, I’ve helped start a new organization called the Inter-Professional Healthcare Coalition which involves medical, nursing and pharmacy professionals and students with plans to spread across the state of Florida within the next 12 months. In my first year as a Brother I was an officer of seven different organizations, and now am Class of 2017 Historian for my campus, Historian of Epsilon Mu, and the Financial Advisor for the Inter-Professional Healthcare Coalition. I would like to thank my family, my Brothers and my friends for their support and guidance; without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Fraternally, Daniel “Autobahn” Morley
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Chaplain: Todd Larson Current Chapter: Iota Initiation: Spring 2014 Greetings brothers, My name is Todd Larson and I am about to start my 4th year rotations here in Charleston South Carolina starting in May. A little background on myself, I was born and raised in Los Angeles, went to Northern Michigan University for undergrad and graduated with a BS in Biochemistry. I am excited about this upcoming year for as your SEP chaplain. I have several plans for this upcoming year including updating individual Chapter regalia, promoting the graduation ritual, and promoting the ritual of the Grand Agora. I will to be available to the Province if anyone has any questions regarding any ritual so please feel free to contact me if you have any concerns or questions.
Parliamentarian: Zach Usztok Current Chapter: Zeta Gamma Initiation: Spring 2014 Greetings to all my people of the Southeast Province! My name is Zach Usztok (pronounced “Use-tock”) and I will be your parliamentarian for the next year. I am a 3rd year student at the UF campus in Jacksonville, Florida. My goal as parliamentarian is to make the legislative process flow as well as possible. Specifically, I want our legislation to be clear and concise, as well as in your hands with enough time before assembly that you can polish your opinions well ahead of time. I am looking forward to working with you all in the future.
Webmaster: Kurt Pessa Current Chapter: Delta Upsilon Initiation: Spring 2014 Hi, my name is Kurt Pessa, and it’s my pleasure to be serving the Province as the SEP Webmaster. I helped maintain our high school’s website back several years ago, and I recently served this past year as Delta Upsilon’s Webmaster. I’m looking forward now to serving on the province level as the SEP Webmaster. My goals for while I’m in the position is to to complete all the officer charges put forth by the Province, which includes assisting Chapters in posting any material to the website and maintaining the website, trying to make sure the most-up-to- date information is provided to the province. So, if you see anything that’s not up-todate, let me know! PTBYB, Kurt THE INSERT
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Assistant Webmaster: Monica Tadros Current Chapter: Delta Rho Initiation: Spring 2015 My name is Monica Tadros and I am a student at Nova Southeastern University. I am truly honored to be able to serve as the SEP Assistant Webmaster. As a new Brother, this is my first position within our beloved Fraternity and I do not intend on wasting the opportunity to serve you all. My goals as Assistant Webmaster extend far past making myself available to assist the Webmaster in projects. I plan to work closely with him to help make announcements and operations of the Southeast Province easily accessible to all Brothers through various avenues.
Newsletter Editor: Erin Davidson Current Chapter: Zeta Gamma Initiation: Spring 2014 Greetings Brothers of the Southeast Province, For those of you I have not had the chance to meet yet, my name is Erin Davidson and I am a 4th year at the University of Florida, Jacksonville Campus. As an Alpha Brother of the Zeta Gamma chapter, I served as Pledgemaster and sat on multiple committees. I am honored to serve the province as your Newsletter Editor. My goal is to make The Insert the best reflection of the work our chapters are doing year around. I am always open to contribution and ideas from my Brothers so feel free to contact me any time. See you at GCC!
Assistant Newsletter Editor: Cesar Redaja Jr. Current Chapter: Zeta Delta Initiation: Spring 2014 Brothers, I am excited for this opportunity to serve as your Assistant Newsletter Editor! For those who have not yet met me, my name is Cesar Redaja Jr. and I am a 4th year student at the USF College of Pharmacy. I have previously served as the Regent and Vice-Regent of Zeta Delta I am thrilled to now serve the Province. The goal I have in this position is simple: to highlight the achievements of the Southeast Province, our Chapters, and our Brothers by working closely with the Newsletter Editor to provide seasonal newsletters. My duty to our Fraternity is not limited by my role, so please reach out to me if you ever need anything!
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GCC Delegate: Dr. Jenny Carrillo Current Chapter: Orlando Grad Collegiate Chapter: Delta Upsilon Initiation: Fall 2006 Hello my Brothers! I have been the SEP GCC Delegate since 2014 and I am very excited the 57th GCC in Denver, Colorado is quickly approaching! I was initiated in Fall 2006 from Delta Upsilon, currently I am a member of Orlando Grad (OGSwag) and once chartered will be the Vice Regent of Jacksonville Grad. I serve as one of the GCDs for Zeta Gamma and Assistant Supervisor of the Northern Plains Province. My goals as the province delegate is to facilitate any matters concerning GCC in addition to representing the province on a national level. I plan to send out reminders when deadlines are approaching, link brothers with each other to share hotel rooms or shuttles, and coordinate our province caucus in Denver. If you have any further request or recommendations, feel free to send them my way. See you at GCC!
Alternate GCC Delegate: Dr. Ashton Cobb Collegiate Chapter: Delta Iota Initiation: Fall 2011 Yo!!! Wassup to the Brothers of the Southeast Province, I am Dr. Ashton T. Cobb, a 2015 graduate of Florida A&M University. For those who do and do not know me I joined the bond in the fall of 2011 at the DYNAMIC Delta Iota Chapter with my class, the Smooth Krimminals. Since being in this Fraternity I have made life-long friendships, been mentored by amazing brothers, and explored a plethora of pharmacy career opportunities. At my home chapter I have served in both the Vice-Regent and Regent roles upholding the cornerstones of our great Fraternity. Not only have I provided leadership to my Chapter, but to the profession of pharmacy within other organization involvement affiliated with Florida A&M. I am humbly honored to serve the Province as the Alternative GCC Delegate and make sure that that we have a smooth transition to Denver as well as represent the Southeast. I look forward to working with the new Southeast E-board and meeting new Brothers. With that being said, don’t be a stranger if you ever see me! Peace & Love Brother Ashton T. Cobb
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CHAPTER REPORTS: PHILANTHROPY SPOTLIGHT GAMMA SIGMA UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GAINESVILLE What a day! On April 12, 2015 our Chapter held our 18th Annual Kappa Psi Golf Tournament benefitting the Children’s Miracle Network at the University of Florida Mark Bostick Golf Course. We had every kind of player, from first timers to semi-pros. We had students, doctors, alumni, and friends all come out for a beautiful day on the green. Registration began at 7:00 AM where we sold mulligans in case you spliced your ball into the trees and handed out our annual custom made t-shirts for the players. The weather was supposed to be 70% chance of rain, and yet the clouds seemed to open for a perfect 8:00am tee time and 18 holes. The honey suckles were in full bloom and it felt great to get some fresh air after studying for a hard spring semester. As the players worked their way around the golf course, our personal cart girls delivered ice-cold soda to all the players enhancing everyone’s spirit keeping them lively during the game. You could hear the laughter of the players teasing one another on their skills from hole to hole through the wind and the sound of golf balls splashing the lakes. As the journey from the first hole to the last came to an end, the players were then treated to a delicious meal of chicken, ribs, bread, rice and beans sponsored by Adams Ribs Co. restaurant. A variety of drinks were offered to cater to the crowd while the teams mingled and shared stories about their day. Old friends were reunited and new friends were made. The tournament soon came to a close with prizes that consisted of pro golf bags to the longest drive and closest to the hole, raffles for sunglasses and a delicious coffee gift cards. Speeches of gratitude thanking the players and brothers for yet another successful year by our Regent and Vice-Regent were made. Soon the players said their farewells and anticipated the coming of next year’s tournament to have another beautiful day on the green. In addition to this awesome fun-filled day, we raised $500 for the Children’s Miracle network, which they will use to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. That being said, we would like to thank all the brothers for their support in this event and hope in the coming years we see more faces either enjoying a day of brotherly bonding or competing in the tournament.
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DELTA IOTA FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY Greetings Brothers, As the new Historian for the Delta Iota Chapter of Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Incorporated; I would say that for the spring semester of 2015, my favorite service activity was volunteering at Elder Day Stay. I had never volunteered at a center for seniors before, so I jumped at the opportunity to see what it was like. The organization met with the elders for three consecutive Fridays, helping them with arts-and-crafts activities. In addition, we conversed with many of the elders about their lives, present and past. Some of the Brothers even participated in a song that one of the elders was singing. Overall, it was a wonderful experience that I would do again. Another honorable mention was the Diabetes Walk that we participated in. We served as guides to those who walked, and informed them that after walking they could receive glucose, cholesterol, and blood screenings (from P4 students). It was great to see a good number of people participating, as it showed a self-awareness of health. Kind Regards, Hermán Powery II – Historian
ZETA GAMMA UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, JACKSONVILLE Since 1962, the President of the United States has proclaimed the third week of March as National Poison Prevention Week to help raise awareness about the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them. According to the CDC, poisoning is the No. 1 cause of injury death in the U.S., with most of these deaths due to drug and medicine misuse and abuse. Our brothers teamed up with the Florida Society of Health-System Pharmacists (FSHP) to visit a local senior center to educate and raise awareness about poisoning, how to prevent it, and the availability of a national hotline should concerns come up. April ended with excitement with a visit to a nearby elementary school. Adopt-a-Classroom is program for young students to develop a connection with an older positive role model to improve their reading and writing skills. By placing the youth into a collegiate atmosphere that emphasizes education and community service, it helps to motivate them to continue to reach for their goals in both school and life. All the best to our Brothers on their rotations. We are excited with what our Chapter has in store for the fall so stay-tooned! THE INSERT
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DELTA UPSILON PALM BEACH ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY This semester, we volunteered at Walk to Defeat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This walk was an amazing opportunity to support a fellow Brother who had a family member pass away from this disease. As a Delta Upsilon tradition, we consistently choose to support organizations that are important to our Brother’s hearts. As usual, we also volunteered with Special Olympics in their annual Track & Field event! Volunteers helped coach the athletes in their various sports, providing encouragement and tips throughout the meet. Belle Glade is a severely underserved area found right in the backyard of Palm Beach. We have had quite a few Brothers continue to visit Belle Glade every month as an outreach to underprivileged children. While in Belle Glade, Brothers bless the lives of these children by playing games, spending time together, and sharing the word of God. We are very excited to announce our newest volunteer program through Peggy Adams Animal Shelter, where we will be playing with animals, helping with food drives, and whatever else it may require. Delta Upsilon strives to continue to shine in community service.
ZETA DELTA UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA Takomah Trail Park The Zeta Delta Chapter adopted a park located in the Tampa Community. In our first clean up, we picked up over 11 bags of trash including a lawn mower. It was nice to get out in the community and make it more beautiful. Hope Lodge Valentine’s Day Party The Hope Lodge is a center located at USF that houses cancer patients and their families. In February, we provided food for the patients, decorated cookies, and played bingo with them. Relay for Life The Zeta Delta Chapter of Kappa Psi and Delta Mu Chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma at USF are partnering again for Penny Wars to raise money for Relay for Life 2015. Our theme for this year is based off the Disney's Muppet series. Brothers participated in games and activities while accepting donations and of course walking laps around the USF track with various student organizations focused on raising funds to fight cancer.
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DELTA OMEGA SOUTH UNIVERSITY One philanthropy that is very close to Delta Omega’s heart is the T.E.A.L. Walk in support of Ovarian Cancer. ®Tell Every Amazing Lady About Ovarian Cancer, Louisa M. McGregor Ovarian Cancer Foundation's mission is to promote public awareness and education of the signs, symptoms and risk factors of ovarian cancer, while providing support to survivors and raising funds for research in order to find the cure for ovarian cancer. Delta Omega Brother Mandy Irvin’s aunt was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. Brother Irvin wanted to do something to fight back against the disease, which strikes 22,000 women in the U.S. each year. Brother Irvin looked online for ways to organize her own local fundraising event and found T.E.A.L. She immediately liked how easy it was to create her own T.E.A.L. Walk. Her experience with T.E.A.L. enabled her to become involved in fundraising for ovarian cancer in a way that felt right for her and her community. Delta Omega announced the First Annual T.E.A.L. Walk in Savannah, GA, which was held on November 8, 2014 at Lake Mayer Track. Brother Irvin’s “Aunt Stacey” traveled to Savannah for the event and was able to show what a survivor she is. At the event, free health screening services were offered to participants, including tests to measure blood pressure and blood sugar, as well as calculations for body mass index. Through the event, Brother Irvin along with the rest of the Delta Omega Brothers, were able to raise more than $1,800 for ovarian cancer research and awareness, well over the $1,000 goal that was set for the event. Most of the money came from selling ovarian cancer merchandise, including T-shirts, teal ribbons, car magnets, and stickers. Also on offer were ovarian cancer wristbands bearing the words “Hope,” “Survivor,” “Faith,” and “Strength.” In addition, local business donated items that were sold to participants in a silent auction. By all measures, the event was a success. “Aunt Stacey” is doing well, with scans every six months to confirm that her cancer is in remission. Delta Omega will be holding the Second Annual T.E.A.L. Walk in Savannah on September 19, 2015. Since the success of the First annual T.E.A.L. Walk, Delta Omega has been diligently fundraising to reach our new goal of $2500. Delta Omega is already more than halfway to reaching our goal this year. Recently, Delta Omega paired with the Sand Gnats, a local minor league baseball team, to raise money and awareness for the cause. On April 14, 2015, Delta Omega Brothers and supporters attended the Sand Gnats game, with proceeds from tickets sold donated towards our goal. Throughout the game, the T.E.A.L. Walk supported by Delta Omega was announced to bring more support and awareness to the community. Again, Aunt Stacey was present for the game, even throwing out the first pitch of the game! Brothers from the chapter have learned a lot from the T.E.A.L. Walk and also from Brother Irvin. We learned that if you put your mind to something, you could make it happen with the love and support from your Brothers. We learned that the ideas of one person can make a change, and that change can be great. Through these experiences, we have grown into a stronger group, which has many ideas to reaching new boundaries that have never been reached before. THE INSERT
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EPSILON MU UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, ORLANDO April is Autism Awareness month, and at Epsilon Mu, we like to play a little game to benefit a local autism charity… KICKBALL!!! On April 10th, a group of us got together with our fellow fraternity, Kappa Epsilon, to have a picnic followed by a series of serious kickball games to raise money for Threshold Center for Autism, a Central Florida organization that has been assisting the autistic community for over 40 years. We were mighty in number and in spirit as we played in a 3-team competition. It was The Ballers vs. The Ball Busters for the first match. Seeing as The Ball Busters had a certain Brother, Jay Hazelcorn, kickball extraordinaire and member of a nationally ranked kickball team, they had no trouble kicking the competition to the curb. His teammates weren’t too shabby, either, and Brother Michael Walsh easily lived up to the team’s name when he deflated 2 balls at his turn at the plate. The Ballers gave a valiant effort, though, and they had a fun spirit with their matching, hand-decorated shirts made by Brother Jennifer Perez. Brother Carlos Walker kept track of the action on his megaphone with his funny quips and musical selections. He was also a stellar member of his team, who matched up against The Ball Busters. Unfortunately, the team with no name was unremarkable in their match, and The Ball Busters took the win all around. The real winner, however, was the Threshold Center! Brother Trang Conn, Epsilon Mu’s Treasurer opted to collect the donations instead of playing in the game, and the funds came pouring in. While we were playing games and having fun, we raised $430 for this fantastic organization. This is the second year that we have supported this charity, and hopefully the money we raise will grow with each consecutive year.
EPSILON ETA LECOM Epsilon Eta is proud to mention our involvement in the “Keeping the Manatee Shore Beautiful Program”. We gladly participate by cleaning the “Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity Inc., EH” beach clean for a minimum of three times per year. We incorporate the event to our Rush process as a method of not only giving back to the area but also to better know our applicants. THE INSERT
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EPSILON SIGMA UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, ST. PETERSBURG “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. The Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Kappa Psi partook in our annual philanthropy event known as the Great Strides Cystic Fibrosis Walk held at Boyd Hill Nature Reserve. This event was a great opportunity for the community to raise awareness and funds for the cystic Iibrosis research and drug development. As previously mentioned in the last article, this year we set an ambitious goal to raise $2000. We are proud to say that we’ve met our goal with the generosity of the friends, family, and Brothers bringing our overall total to more than $5000 within the past few years. It’s extremely fulIilling to uphold our pillar of high ideals and to give back to such a wonderful cause. We whole-‐ heartedly thank everyone who helped achieve this goal! Not only were we able to raise money for the cause, several of our Brother’s came out to support the cause by walking in the 5K. It’s a wonderfully humbling experience to actively participate in something that means so much to so many people. It’s estimated that over 30,000 children and adults in the US alone are faced with this life-‐threatening disease. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world’s leader in the search for a cure of CF, helping fund research with the support of events such as this walk. We look forward to future participation in this event and continuing to make a difference in our community.
DELTA RHO NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY With the school year coming to an end, the Brothers of Delta Rho have been uniting together and creating more memories. Recently, we participated in Nova Southeastern University’s Relay For Life, a community event that celebrates the lives of people who have battled cancer with the purpose raising money for The American Cancer Society. Delta Rho hosted a Wizard of Oz Photo Booth, allowing people to dress up in silly props and take pictures. Many brothers, family members, and friends came out to enjoy a night filled with food, music, lights, and emotions. Delta Rho recently had their annual Kappa Psi Banquet, with this year’s theme as The Oscars. The ladies wore beautiful gowns and the men looked handsome in their suits. Another event we attended was the annual Greek War, an event that unites the Pharmaceutical Fraternities at Nova Southeastern University together. Brothers enjoyed games such as a flag football, volleyball, eating contests, and kickball with friends in the other fraternities. THE INSERT
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ORLANDO GRAD Like every year, the spring brings a special time for our fourth year collegiate Brothers; as they finish up rotations and classes, a new chapter of their lives will begin --graduating and finally earning the Pharm.D! As a Graduate Chapter, we feel that it is our obligated duty to provide our collegiates with the tools and experience to aid and help them through the next phase of their lives. In late April, Orlando Grad hosted a "Introduction to Grad Life" presentation for the fourth year Brothers of Epsilon Mu at the UF Orlando campus. We spent time with the Brothers going over hot topics such as studying and preparing for your NAPLEX and MPJE exams, tips on financials/loans, advice on how to manage a team both in retail and hospital settings and last, but not least, how to remain an active Brother of Kappa Psi. It was a very engaging discussion and many of the fourth years enjoyed it. This is a presentation we hope to continue to give year after year to help bridge the gap between transitioning from the academic life of a student to the professional life of a pharmacist. Also, in the same month, we joined the graduates for a night out full of fellowship and fun, celebrating their accomplishments at Epsilon Mu's annual graduation dinner. Congratulations Brothers and welcome to the Grad Life! Through the summer we hope to continue to work closely with Epsilon Mu and our new grads. We look forward to the next reunion of Brothers of the SE Province at GCC, see you guys in Denver!
SAVANNAH GRAD The Brothers of Savannah Grad are pleased to announce that our first charity golf tournament was quite a success! It turned out to be a beautiful day on the course and everyone involved truly had a great time. With the help of our sponsors and the seven teams that competed we were able to donate $1,000 to the Matthew Reardon Center for Autism in Savannah! Recently, with the help of some Brothers from Delta Omega we worked to clean up the street that we adopted. We would like to thank all of them for their help!
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THE SOUTHEAST IN SAN DIEGO BY: DR. SASWAT KABISATPATHY
If you have never been to an American Pharmacist Association (APhA) annual meeting, then quite frankly, you’re missing out on a world of opportunity and experience. For those Brothers that are “newer” to the world of pharmacy, APhA rotates this meeting amongst three geographic locations across the US each year, where thousands of pharmacists and pharmacy students from a variety of backgrounds and practices descend to develop and further the profession. This year, we had the pleasure of traveling to sunny San Diego, CA near the end of March and creating a lifetime of memories. As a Brother in Kappa Psi, by now it has been ingrained in us that our reach is far and our network is vast. The exhibition of our extensive relationships has no better public display than what is experienced at an APhA meeting. Many of us in the fraternity wear many hats in the pharmacy profession. At one point we may be serving as officers in Kappa Psi, and as professors at a major pharmacy program, additionally serving as a committee member in a high ranking pharmacy organization. This seems to be highlighted by the countless drive and effort of Brothers in the fraternity that continue to help make the profession we serve better than before. Kappa Psi was well represented throughout the conference as APhA President-Elect Lawrence “LB” Brown was honored at the Kappa Psi reception and was a keynote speaker of the fraternity. Two Kappa Psi Brothers were elected to APhA-ASP national positions as well. From the Southeast Province, Brother Satrap Dr. Samantha Schmidt presented on the Mentor Match program during the poster session and Brother Jennifer Caldwell was representing her program at the patient counseling competition as a 1st year participant! During the PLS House of Delegates, past national officers were honored and at the PLS 50th Anniversary Awards Banquet, Brothers Tosin David and Shawna Cargill represented Palm Beach Atlantic University who received the award for the PLS Leadership Challenge. Additionally, many Kappa Psi Brothers were representing ASP chapters as delegates, Presidents, etc. A handful of Brothers like myself had the joy of working the Expo as we represented a variety of organizations and institutions. Brotherhood and fellowship was had by many that attended as well. There were numerous impromptu social events at local establishments along with plenty of opportunities to crash a reception with fellow SEP THE INSERT
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Brothers. The Expo was also a big hit as Brothers acquired more pharmacy swag than they knew what to do with and business cards were being exchanged at a swift pace (nothing like Mid-Year, but that’s another article). For first and second year pharmacy students attending APhA, the experience can potentially provide you with a sense of chaos. Most pharmacy students at this point in their pharmacy careers that attend an APhA meeting have not been afforded the opportunity to represent their organizations as officers and such. Below are a few suggestions for conference attendance: ● Mind Your P’s & Q’s - At many national meetings, there are Brothers everywhere and many of these Brothers serve in prominent positions at hospitals and pharmacies everywhere. The last thing you want to do meet a potential employer three sheets to the wind. ● Have business cards ready - Some folks have personalized business cards that allow them to stand out from the crowd, but check with your school before investing any money into this. Learn business card etiquette. Simple interactions can potentially lead to or lose opportunities unforseen. ● Dress to impress – You’re at a conference representing yourself, your institution and even the fraternity. Know when a schmedium polo may be considered acceptable. ● Work hard, play hard - If you’re at a conference, take advantage of the programming opportunities that have been developed. It is amazing what you can learn from some great speakers that have been brought into these events. You’re paying to be there anyway. Plan out your days accordingly. If all you have on the schedule is work, these conferences can burn you out rather quickly. ● Network, network, network (with a friend if necessary) - You can never underestimate the value of networking. It’s how we develop our professional opportunities. However, talking to a complete stranger can be difficult. So travel to these conferences with a friend or upperclassmate if possible. It allows for a more enjoyable experience all around and affords you the opportunity to introduce one another at various events if you happen to know different groups of people. APhA 2015 was an absolutely amazing experience. This was my first year attending as a practitioner and I found myself seeing many of the same faces I knew as a student, which is great as I strive to surround myself with successful peers in the pharmacy profession. I implore that each Brother take advantage of these rare opportunities to see our fraternity in a grander stage and to develop one's professional network. Perspective is relative and we broaden ours with these experiences we share with one another both within and outside of the fraternity. I hope to see many of SEP brethren at APhA Annual in Baltimore next year. *Dr. Saswat Kabisatpathy is a Staff Pharmacist at Wal-Mart Pharmacy in SC. He has attended the past 3 APhA Annual Meetings and is a self-proclaimed “Conference Junkie” THE INSERT
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OUR BROTHERS TO THE NORTH On behalf of the Southeast Province, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Brothers of South Carolina Upstate Graduate Chapter. Especially SEP Brothers Trey Reeves, Melissa Buchanan, Robert DeClue, Andy Curtis, Charlie Crickman, Drew Finley, and Saswat Kabisatpathy who led this effort and worked diligently to create this new chapter in the Atlantic Province. The chartering of a Graduate Chapter reafIirms that Kappa Psi is something we can carry with us many years beyond pharmacy school. Kappa Psi is for LIFE. As you move towards graduation, please be sure to reach out to your local Graduate Chapter. -‐ Brother Samantha Schmidt
THE LAST PLEDGEMASTER BY: DR. MARVIN R. SMITH
The instinct to survive, to procreate, to keep the species going on is ingrained into the DNA of every species. Life is if nothing else an intrinsic command to keep living, if only through the continuation of the species through new offspring. So while we have so many expressions and words that describe “life” and even more euphemisms to describe “death” it should be of little surprise that there are really no substitutions for the word “extinction”. It stands singularly alone as a cruel description of finality, more than of death. It is the abyss, from which there is no return, no triumphant resurrection, of sequel to look forward to. Now that I’ve impressed my English-teacher mother with a somewhat eloquent description of this concept, I can say it much more succinctly… extinction sucks! When I got the news that Epsilon Sigma was to be collateral damage resulting from the University of Florida’s decision to eliminate the St. Petersburg’s pharmacy campus, that’s all I could think…” this really sucks!” Epsilon Sigma is one of “my babies” having been a chapter which I served as their Founding Pledgemaster. For twenty-two weeks I put those pledges through the gauntlet and they came through with flying colors. For the past three years I had visited, counseled, yelled, and even fought with and for them. They are not just my Brothers, but in many ways, like my kids, and now they were being told that this year would be the last that they would be able to pledge new Brothers… just when they were hitting their stride as a great chapter. After absorbing the news, I spoke with one of the Brothers and asked him, “So who’s the Pledgemaster for this last class going to be?” He answered, “Skye” and my spirits were lifted a little bit. Brother Skye Walker is about as intense a pledge as I have ever had the honor of working with. And as a Brother, she’s ten times as intense. I knew that this pledge class would not be cheated of the THE INSERT
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experience of true Kappa Psi pledging. If there was ever a Brother born to be the “Last Pledgemaster” it was Brother Skye. As the process began, I got the usual emails and calls from various pledges and the entire class on a Skype call, so my interaction with them gave me an opportunity to see Skye in action. What impressed me was that these pledges were still being prepared just as their preceding Brothers. The focus was never on the fact that they would be the last pledge class, rather it was squarely focused on how they were to be fit and proper Brothers for life. Skye and the Chapter kept them working to show that they could be authentic fruits of the Kappa Psi experience, which is to be active and supportive Graduate Brothers. It was a theme that each of them expressed to me in our conversations, and all I could do is beam with pride because it was something I had drilled into the Alpha Class, and it had not fallen on deaf ears. What does it take to be the “Last Pledgemaster”? It takes organization and dedication, combined with a sense of urgency, knowing that you have a central role in establishing the final pages of the story that your collegiate chapter will write. It is a pressure-filled position, and one that requires the patience to teach, while ensuring that one’s passion drives home the many lessons that are essential to a solid Fraternity foundation. It is just as much a mix of personality and knowledge as it is of experience and a never-ending drive to push pledges to perform beyond even what they believe is possible. In short, it takes a Brother like Skye, from a Chapter such as Epsilon Sigma. In the end, I was not surprised that on the night of Initiation when I politely quizzed each of the pledges for a short time, they all knew their information and performed well up to the standard I’ve come to expect from my Epsilon Sigma Brothers. Ok, who am I kidding, I grilled them very aggressively for some time (I always take my time), and they still impressed me. But then again, they were not just Epsilon Sigma pledges… they were Skye’s pledges. And they did her proud. So it was no shock to anyone that at their banquet, their biggest, nicest, most sincere tribute was reserved for their Pledgemaster, and their sentiment was loudly and proudly echoed by the Brothers present. Extinction… it’s such an ugly word, soaking with a finality that usually brings nothing but sentiments of regret and unfinished business. And in truth, I was not looking forward to that night because even my nineteen years of Brotherhood had not taught me how to cope with the reality of this finality. But by the end of the night I realized that this Chapter had picked up on something that maybe I knew, but had forgotten along the way… we all die, things always begin and end, and the Grand Regent of the Universe has only given us limited time to do the work assigned to us. It’s never how long we have that most important; it is what we do in the time we have been given. This Chapter made up its mind that they would not spend their last years moping, complaining and being resigned to extinction. Rather, they have resolved to squeeze the joy and Brotherhood out of every single second that has been afforded to them. Nobody embodies this better than their Pledgemaster, and we are a better Fraternity because of it, and because of her. What’s it like to be the “Last Pledgemaster”? I wouldn’t waste the time asking Brother Skye. She spent her time living in the present, and preparing for the future. Like her name intimates, she was always looking ahead, upward to the horizon beyond, and never at the past behind her. If only we could have every single Pledgemaster in the Fraternity treat their job like they would be the “Last Pledgemaster” that their chapter would ever have. Wouldn’t that be something to see?!
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“REACHING NEW HEIGHTS” 57TH GRAND COUNCIL CONVENTION
DON’T FORGET TO COMPLETE AND MAIL YOUR CHAPTER PROXY FORMS TO CENTRAL OFFICE BY FRIDAY JUNE 5TH! CONTACT BROTHER JENNY CARRILLO OR ASHTON COBB, YOUR GCC DELEGATES IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
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GCC WORD SEARCH
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