September 2011 . Issue 06
Cross & Crescent
FROM THE EDITOR
As the fall 2011 semester begins, we have some exciting news to share with our friends and brotherhood regarding new communication tools and resources available to help with chapter operations, leadership, and networking.
New Lambda Chi Website
Tad Lichtenauer Director of Communications/IT (317) 803-7322 tlichtenauer@lambdachi.org
We have integrated the crossandcrescent.com magazine website into the redesigned lambdachi. org website. This was done for a number of benefits, including making lambdachi.org your primary location for accessing anything related to our Fraternity. Whether it’s for recruitment help, chapter operations needs, locating another brother, or watching our latest videos, you can find it through lambdachi.org.
My LCA & Officer Portal
Brothers, you can now find the login for MYLCA and the Officer Portal on lambdachi. org. In addition to giving you access to our strategic plan, MYLCA also has information about your chapter, as well as the ability to update your contact information, search for other brothers, make a donation, participate in the Joseph T. Charles Mentor Leadership program, etc. In addition, the TRUE Brother Inner Circle Journey is now available online for chapters to use to track each undergradaute brother’s progress. The Officer Portal is a resource exclusively for alumni volunteers and chapter officers to use to help them do their jobs. Officer Portal allows chapters to pay their bills, make roster changes, complete event planning forms, submit chapter news, download chapter operations guides, etc.
Strategic Plan
During the April 2011 Grand High Zeta meeting, Board Members unanimously approved a new strategic plan for Lambda Chi Alpha. This plan was created jointly by the Board and the Professional Staff over several months. We encourage you to read the summary of the strategic plan by logging onto MYLCA via lambdachi.org. Once you login, you will find the strategic plan listed on the left side under “My Notifications.” We encourage you to study the strategic plan and determine how your time, talent, and treasure can help ensure the future success of our great Fraternity.
Future Leaders Campaign
As we hope you know, the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation launched its Future Leaders Campaign during the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar. This $20 million campaign will help secure the future of Lambda Chi Alpha and assist chapters and brothers in a number of different ways. With more than $12 million already committed, we encourage you to explore the campaign’s website at lcafutureleaders.org and learn more about this exciting campaign and how you can help.
If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, we encourage you to send an email to editor@lambdachi.org. In ZAX and friendship, Tad Lichtenauer Managing Editor Cross & Crescent Magazine
Cross & Crescent
Header
YOUR ONLINE SOURCE FOR ALL LAMBDA CHI ALPHA NEWS February 2012 ISSUE 01
Features Departments 1
27
30
Chapter News
Chapter and Alumni News
Fraternity News
2011 Stead Leadership Seminar Awards
Fraternity News
Status of Chapters Committee Recap
32
Fraternity News
34
Fraternity News
Alumni Volunteer Initiative
2010-2011 Order of Omega Recipients
36 TRUE Brother Becoming a Registered Organ,
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Eye, and Tissue Donor
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FUTURE LEADERS CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN
Karl Krapek, an alumni brother from Lambda-Epsilon at Kettering University, announced the $20 million campaign launch during the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar at Iowa State University.
By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
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FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN’S CHARGE
Jerre Stead, the CEO of IHS, Inc. and chairman of the Educational Foundation, challenges undergraduate brothers during 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar final banquet.
By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
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2011 DUKE FLAD RECIPIENT
During the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar, Peter Yobo (Southern California 2012) was honored with the Cyril F. “Duke” Flad Outstanding Undergraduate Award, the highest honor bestowed upon an undergraduate.
By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
TRUE Brother The Ramp Built with Brotherly Love CREDITS Publisher: Managing Editor: Layout & Design: Photographer: Research: Editors:
CONTRIBUTIONS Bill Farkas Tad Lichtenauer Thomas Roberts Walt Moser Jon Williamson Jono Hren Bob McLaughlin
Content for consideration should be submitted by the 25th of the month (except Aug/Jan) Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity 8741 Founders Rd Indianapolis, IN 46268-1338 (317) 872-8000 editor@lambdachi.org www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter News Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Akron (Gamma-Alpha)
The chapter won the Chancellor’s Award. Sam Boomer is IFC chairman of philanthropy, Garrett Johannsen is IFC chairman of public relations, and Pug Pate is SGA secretary.
Arkansas State (Iota-Theta) The chapter was named Best Men on Campus for the forth consecutive year. The chapter earned the second highest fraternity GPA on campus for the spring 2011 semester.
Arizona State (Zeta-Psi) Justin Konopaske is IFC vice president and Matt Didominico is IFC vice president.
The chapter earned a 3.01 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, above the all-men’s and all-IFC averages, and the third highest out of 12 fraternities on campus.
Michael Wong is SGA vice president and Ryan Henderson is an SGA senator.
Preston Epling is IFC president.
Jake Irvin is president and founder of SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise).
Christian Jones is a member of the varsity track team. The chapter won the Dean’s Cup during the spring 2011 semester in addition to these other top campus awards; Risk Management Award, Member Development Award, Campus Involvement, and the Edna Gainer Service Commitment Award.
The chapter earned a 3.37 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, first of 24 fraternities on campus. The chapter has a new website.
The chapter added 15 associate members during fall 2011 recruitment.
Auburn-Montgomery (Phi-Kappa)
The chapter is serving as big brother chapter to the colony at John Carroll University.
The chapter finished the spring 2011 semester with the highest fraternity GPA on campus. Brandon Johnson and Grant Kimbrough are IFC board members.
Arkansas (Gamma-Chi)
The chapter won 2011 intramural championships in dodgeball and softball.
The chapter earned 3.229 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, the highest of all 13 fraternities on campus. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Baldwin-Wallace (Kappa-Phi Colony)
Bowling Green State (Phi-Mu)
The chapter earned a 3.371 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, the highest of any male organization on campus.
Kevin Basch, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, served as SGA president, while David Neely and Jacob West are on the SGA City Liaison Committee.
The chapter had 100 percent campus involvement as each of the chapter brothers is active with a second organization, in addition to Lambda Chi Alpha.
The chapter won 2011 football and soccer intramural championships. The chapter earned a 3.0 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, the highest of the 17 fraternities on campus.
Ball State (Iota-Alpha) The chapter added more than 10 new associate members and will conduct an Associate Member Ceremony on October 13, 2011.
Bradley (Kappa-Upsilon)
The chapter will host its fall philanthropy, Pumpkin Smash, in the first week of November.
The winner of the chapter’s Crescent Girl Pageant was Anna Marie Mitchell, a member of Chi Omega sorority.
Ryan O’Shea is the IFC vice president of communication outreach and Chris Buck is SGA vice president. Con Sullivan is SGA secretary of governance
The chapter’s Watermelon Bash included 17 teams and raised nearly $500, the most in the event’s four-year history. Chapter brothers have completed more than 400 hours of community service during the summer and so far this fall. The chapter has raised more than 13,000 pounds of food for a local food bank. Mike Konieczny is SGA vice president of philanthropy, Sammy Naman is SGA chairman of diversity affairs, Ty Alleman is SGA city and local affairs chairman, and Larry Larison is SGA campus affairs chairman.
Butler (Alpha-Alpha)
On September 9, 2011, John Schmitz held his annual golf event, which included both alumni and undergraduate brothers. As a result of the event, several alumni brothers made donations to the chapter.
The chapter’s House Mother, Shiela Patsiner, attended the Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values’ 15th annual House Director Conference on June 23-26, 2001, in Providence, Rhode Island. The conference was attended by 99 house directors representing 27 inter/national organizations. Participants added
Boston (Alpha) Mason Balsamo is the IFC vice president for scholarship and Nick Rango is the IFC vice president for campus affairs.
www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Coe (Zeta-Alpha)
new colleagues and experts to their professional networks while experiencing powerful professional development and returning to their chapters with information and ideas that will make the management of the chapter house more efficient.
Mike Anderson is IFC President. Justin Nylin is SGA President. The chapter earned a 3.0 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, finishing first out of five fraternities on campus.
California-San Diego (Pi-Beta)
Jeromey Johnson and Phillip Hale are members of the football team.
Shawn Xu is the IFC president, Andrew Ang is the IFC vice president of finance, and Brandon Katzer is the IFC vice president of marketing.
Doug Land and Jon Roger are members of the tennis team. Chris Yossi (captain), Mike Inghram, Ben Forman, and Alhazi Sesay are members of the soccer team.
California State-Fresno (Iota-Gamma) Christopher M. Whiteside died September 4, 2011. He had a successful career working for companies including Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. and David & Sons. For the past 10 years, he was part of the leadership team at Ruiz Food Products, Inc. Highlights of his career at Ruiz included a visit by President George W. Bush and working on the El Monterey and Tornados brands. He was instrumental in working with Stewart-Haas Racing for the Ruiz Foods sponsorship of Ryan Newman’s #39 Tornados Chevrolet. As a brother from the Iota-Gamma chapter, he served as ritualist and then ritualist advisor as an alumnus. He also was a member of the House Corporation in the early 1990s. In a celebration of his life and commitment to Fresno State, his memorial service was held at Fresno State’s Beiden Field (baseball stadium).
Cornell (Omicron)
Clemson (Delta-Omicron) The chapter added 17 associate members.
On September 26, 2011, 10 chapter brothers participated in relief efforts to help the struggling citizens of Owego, New York, a town approximately one hour outside of Ithaca. Following the recent heavy rains, nearly all of the houses were severely damaged by flood waters. The chapter brothers and other IFC members assisted Red Cross volunteers by unloading supplies such as food, clothing, and diapers. The brothers also worked to help clean and repair buildings covered by flood waters, including spending several hours knocking out walls and removing water-soaked
Brian Nichols is IFC vice president of risk management. Andrew Gosnell and Joey Maxwell are SGA senators. The chapter won the homecoming float competition. The chapter earned a 3.07 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, fifth best out of 21 chapters.
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Delaware (Lambda-Beta)
insulation and other trash. Dan Freshman is the IFC president, and Alan Workman is the IFC vice president for communications.
The chapter added 21 associate members, the largest group in more than 20 years. The chapter was named Chapter of the Year for the spring 2011 semester.
Culver-Stockton (Kappa-Mu) The chapter won 2011 intramural championships in softball, football, and basketball.
Denison (Gamma-Iota)
Josh Lee is the IFC vice president.
The chapter added eight associate members.
Drew Ayers, Kyle Ellison, Corey Shultz, and Jordan Lasater are members of the college basketball team.
Drexel (Epsilon-Kappa Colony)
Brian Davidson, Garnet Ferron, Matt Havermale, Arturo Hurtado, Zach Pedrotti, and Adam Hartenstein are members of the soccer team.
The chapter house underwent several repairs and upgrades, including installation of new flooring in rooms as well as new coats of paint. Due to a larger than expected freshmen class, the brothers agreed to advertise the House. The House is now at full capacity.
Michael Cagle, Arturo Cordova, and Bobby Lombard are members of the college baseball team.
Denver (Alpha-Pi)
Drury (Theta-Sigma)
Chad Gallion is the IFC President, Brent Hamilton is the IFC Recruitment Chairman, and Sam White is an SGA Senator.
The chapter earned a 3.38 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, highest of all fraternities on campus and above both the Drury all-male average of 3.09 and male Greek average of 3.17. Blake Bodendorfer, Zach Downs, Ray Geosling, and Scott Robinson each earned a 4.0 GPA.
DePauw (Xi) Charles E. Kirsch died September 15, 2011. A U.S. Navy veteran, he served as CEO and president of the Kirsch Co. Over the span of his career he worked his way up through the drapery hardware company ranks from sales trainee to division manager, sales manager, and executive vice president. His philanthropic service extended to numerous organizations, some of which included Jupiter Medical Center Foundation Board, and the Hillsdale College Board of Trustees. He was the 1968 chair of Michigan’s Republican Finance Committee and served as an officer of Loxahatchee Country Club and Klinger Lake Country Club.
www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
The chapter won Greek Week and was named the Standards of Excellence Top Chapter. Lucas Schubert is Drury’s and Missouri’s Student Employee of the Year. Dr. Eltjen Flikkema, a professor of German, retired after teaching 39 years at Drury.
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
East Tennessee State (Iota-Omicron)
championships in basketball, softball, and dodgeball. Aaron Warren is a Bible Study Leader and was named Outstanding New Member. Joe Snyder was voted the 2011 Greek Man of the Year while alumni brother Scott Jackson was named the Advisor of the Year.
Elmhurst (Pi-Zeta) Ryan Lauth is IFC president. Jacob Meding is SGA president while Mark Weeden is SGA vice president and president of Habitat for Humanity. Matt McHugh is president of the Human Resource Association. Romison St. Louis was elected the 2011 Greek Man of the Year.
The chapter has acquired its first official house through East Tennessee State in more than 15 years. The residence has been a fraternity house for more than 50 years and Lambda Chi has now begun renting it from Sigma Nu. It is a 4,500 square-foot, 6 bedroom, 3 bath home that was built in 1920. Seven brothers currently live in the house, which sits one block away from the old house that the chapter had for over 40 years!
Matt Rohde was named the Resident Assistant Rookie of the Year. The chapter earned a 3.1 GPA for the spring 2011 semester.
Eureka (Theta-Chi) Michael McComas and Jon Deedrick are IFC vice presidents. Jon Deedrick, Cody Rice, Geoff Hudson, Jesse Sams, and Ben Mills are members of the football team. Mason Mullins is a member of the soccer team. Nathan Pritzker is captain of the cross country team. Ryan Maclock is a member of the golf team.
Eastern Kentucky (Phi-Beta)
Josh Harkness and Brock Davis are members of the fishing club.
The Phi-Beta brothers at Eastern Kentucky University have the achieved the following;
Bruce Darnall (1966) and Mark Darnall (2009) wrote an article -Juan Pierre, A Great Place in Life -- about Chicago White Sox left fielder Juan Pierre. It is published on-line by Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ.
David Mansfield is a member of the football team. Daniel Boggs is a varsity cheerleader and Dalton Hook is university mascot.
Evansville (Iota-Mu)
Will Sutherland is president of the Paint Ball Club and was named 2011 Mr. Greek Week.
The chapter earned a 3.0 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, earning the award for the most improved GPA on campus.
The chapter finished second in intramurals, winning the
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Florida (Epsilon-Mu)
Dave Goldenberg is the IFC vice president of operations.
The chapter added 25 associate members.
Brock Reneer and Nathan Stamps are student orientation leaders. Colin Gray (academic All-MAC), Jake Harrington, Alex Seward, Kyle Tiemann, Justin Shotwell, Chris Weishist, Carder LaBrake, and Ryan Metzger are members of the swim team.
Florida Gulf Coast (Colony 292) The chapter has established a solid foundation as the newest fraternity at Florida Gulf Coast University with the induction of 14 new associate members, bringing the colony to a total of 41 members. The second Associate Member Ceremony was conducted by the colony’s own officers on Sunday, September 25, 2011, to a crowd of family and friends of the newest members. The colony has also held its first chapter meeting and will be reaching out to alumni brothers in the area by introducing themselves and asking for support and attendance at upcoming events.
Brock Reneer is a varsity cheerleader. William McClure was voted the Best New Fraternity Member of the Year.
Ferris State (Iota-Psi)
Florida International (Pi-Phi) The chapter added 15 associate members.
Florida Southern (Epsilon-Xi) John Theriault is the IFC president, Brian Gukerra is the IFC vice president of recruitment, and Mitch Varnum is the IFC secretary. Alan Silva is SGA secretary, Jared Goodwin is SGA vice president of finance, and Mitch Varnum is the SGA vice president of public relations.
The chapter held a Watermelon Bash for the North American Food Drive, raising $520 as well as 300 cans of food.
The chapter won the intramurals championship, which included earning the softball title.
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Florida State (Zeta-Rho)
Franklin (Kappa-Gamma)
Daniel W. Litwhiler died September 23, 2011. He began his professional career as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1940 and ended it as a member of the Boston Braves in 1951. In between those two stops he played with the Reds and Cardinals, playing as a member of the 1944 World Series Champions for the latter, winning two gold gloves including perfect fielding in 1942 which led to his glove being displayed in the Hall of Fame. Following his professional career he became the coach at Florida State University for nine years, and then the coach at Michigan State University for 19 years, at both of which he enjoyed success. He was an author and contributed approximately 100 inventions related to America’s game including the “radar gun.” He also served as the International President of the United States Baseball Federation. He has been recognized by his peers with induction into the American Association of College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, the Citizen Savings Hall of Fame, the Florida State University Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Michigan State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition, the baseball field at Bloomsburg State College has been named in his honor.
Jacob LaRosa is the IFC communications chairman. Taylor Paden is the SGA senior representative. Wes Kaminski, Logan Worley, Brooks Bemis, Evan Taylor, Tyler Huls, Nick Mongan, LaDarrius Calvin (also on the track team), Kyle Kellar, Jacob Evans, Joshua Bales, Jordan Segner, Dominique Boyd, Patrick Doherty, Drew Koning, Martin Chastain, Kraig Shutters (also on track team), Connor Houston, and Levi Waltz are members of the football team. The chapter won the 2011 Greek Week competition.
Georgetown (Kappa-Omega) Josh Calihan is IFC vice president and Dan Borman is the IFC secretary. The chapter earned a 2.96 GPA for the spring 2011 semester. Chapter brothers won the softball and soccer intramural championships. Clay Brown is captain of the football team.
Ronald B. Gardin (1995) died August 27, 2011. He fought a courageous battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He was employed by DJO, Inc. in Vista, California.
Tanner Alexander and Todd Bixler are members of the crosscountry team. Alec Lewis is a member of the tennis team.
Florida Tech (Beta-Nu)
Jordan Bell, Drew Davenport, and Robert Carter are members of the golf team.
The chapter added 18 associate members.
Justin Davis, Taylor Shaver, Tyler Whitehouse, Matt Hess, Andrew LeMay, Jake Niederhelman, and Brian Swanson are members of the soccer team.
Chapter brothers participated in a meaningful “Beta Retreat,” organized by chapter Vice President William Wing.
George Washington (Delta-Xi)
As part of an adopt-a-road community service project, more than 30 brothers and a few family members participated in picking up trash and cleaning a 1.5 mile stretch of road that borders Florida Tech. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
The chapter added 15 associate members.
Hampden-Sydney (Kappa-Eta) Our brother Scooter Thomas recently finished Marine Corps OCS
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Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
High Point (Iota-Phi)
training and will be the only student at Hampden-Sydney College graduating as a commissioned officer.
The chapter added six associate members.
Hanover (Theta-Zeta)
Illinois (Chi)
Bob Waldren is IFC vice president of public relations, SGA communications chairman, and a memberof the Board of Trustees.
The chapter held a Centennial Celebration banquet on September 17, 2011, in the Illini Student Union. The chapter began as a small local University of Illinois fraternity known as Delta Omega, founded 100 years ago on October 1, 1911. It was later installed as the 19th chapter of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity in 1915, with active recruitment from Lambda Chi founder Warren A. Cole (Boston).
Chris Lewis is IFC vice president of recruitment. Chip Davis is SGA president, president of the senior class, and a member of the Board of Trustees.
Iowa State (Alpha-Tau)
Elliot Ward, Jake Stawick (all HCAC Team), Kyle Bohnert, Corey Jones, Tripp Stephens, Tim Boldt, Bob Waldren, and Matt Murphy are members of the soccer team.
Stanley E. Warren (1960) died September 11, 2011. He was a strong supporter of the chapter and was the largest contributor to the Lambda Chi’s On The Rise capital campaign. Over the years many of the alumni and undergraduate brothers were able to meet him firsthand. Warren and his wife Jean were at the VEISHEA weekend celebration last spring. Warren was presented with an ISU hat in recognition of his lifelong support. He was an honored Vietnam veteran and received a Bronze Star.
Chris Cason and Alex Taylor are members of the football team. Steven Gilliam, Sam Werne, Derek Zimmers, Kyle Bohnert, Matt Strandmark, and Chase Ingle are members of the tennis team. Brock Harkness is a member of the track team. Zach Shultz, Trent McInnich, Matt Erwin, and Dan Quick are members of the baseball team.
Iowa-Weselyan (Theta-Iota)
Tyler Bussburg, Marcus El, Robert Bader, and Jan-Niklas Reisser are members of the golf team.
Maurice “Chip” Weschler Jr. (1963) died August 28, 2011. He was the owner of Weschler Corp. and was passionate about helping others.
Sam Kampert is a member of the lacrosse team. Brock Harkness is a member of the cross-country team. Chase Ingle is president of the Student Activities Center.
Kansas State (Gamma-Xi)
Sam Werne is a member of the board of the center.
The chapter hosted its annual Watermelon Bust philanthropy, which raised more than 450 pounds of food and $4,300 for the Flint Hills Breadbasket.
Levi Hamner is the director of business scholar’s student board. Marcus El and Jerrod Ariss are resident assistants.
The chapter hosted a neighborhood picnic that was attended by 30 neighboring homeowners, thereby helping to strengthen the chapter’s image.
Chris Lewis and Matt Strandmark are peer advisors. The chapter finished first in GPA for the spring 2011 semester and won the C-league basketball and soccer championships.
www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
Alex Stehl is the IFC director of recruitment.
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men on the Dean’s List.
Curtis Bryant, Darren Allison, Jonathan Bahmani, and Evan Wollsencroft are SGA senators.
Harry Caruso is SGA vice president and Joshua Didio is IFC communications chairman.
The chapter was first in intramurals in the fall 2010 and second in the spring 2011.
Doug Marcincin (captain), Sean Keller, Alex DiClemente, and Andrew Arnold are members of the golf team.
The chapter earned a 3.23 GPA for the spring 2011 semester.
The chapter doubled in size last year, adding 17 new brothers.
Brian Clabby, Justin Kauffman, and David Bougard are members of the club baseball team. Robert Waldschmitt, Joshua Didio, Michael Pavio, John Williams Ryan, Justin Kauffman, Joseph Joseph, and Greg Baglione are members of the lacrosse team.
Bryan McKinstry was Emerging Greek Leader of the Year.
The chapter won the intramural basketball championship.
Kutztown (Sigma-Gamma)
Louisiana-Lafayette (Iota-Omega)
The chapter won the intramural basketball championship.
The chapter added 20 associate members.
Lake Forest (Pi-Pi)
Louisiana State (Upsilon)
The chapter earned a 3.0 GPA, highest of all fraternities on campus.
With 116 brothers, the chapter earned a 2.96 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, above the all-men’s and all-IFC averages.
Benjamin Jaehning is IFC treasurer.
Inc. magazine ranked alumni brother Nathan Chapman’s company, The Marketing Center, on its fifth annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The Marketing Center joins Spirit Airlines, television maker Vizio, Honest Tea, Dunkin Donuts and Metrokane, makers of the Rabbit corkscrew, among other prominent brands featured on this year’s list. Founded in 1991, The Marketing Center is a New Orleans-based marketing consulting firm and advertising agency that specializes in helping attorneys build profitable Social Security Disability legal practices. More information can be found at www.inc.com/5000.
Chris Haught-Thompson is captain of the soccer team. Jake Albion, Geuseppe Conoscenti, and Alex Marks are members of the swim team. Kenny Clady-Mason and Osayi Menzies are members of the football team. Syked Masnain, Yushn Kdhara, and Mehmet Ugurbil are members of the rugby team. All six of the chapter’s seniors were elected to the “Senior 25,” which recognizes the top rising seniors on campus who are leaders in multiple campus organizations and help shape the student experience at the college.
Robert W. McKenzie Sr. (1952) died September 14, 2011. After graduating from LSU he attended Officers’ Candidate School, U.S. Navy, Newport, Rhode Island, in 1954 and was commissioned in the Civil Engineering Corps, U.S. Naval Reserve. He served at the U.S. Naval Civil Engineering Research and Evaluation Laboratory (NAVCERELAB) in 1955-56 in Port Hueneme, California, and then was stationed at the U.S. Naval Station, Adak, Alaska, where he worked in the Public Works Department during 1956-1957. In 1958 he returned
Lehigh (Gamma-Psi) The chapter earned a 3.03 GPA for the spring 2011 sememster, placing them in the top 5 for fraternities, and having the most
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to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he worked as a structural engineer for Alfred G. Rayner, Consulting Engineer. He became a partner in the firm which became Rayner & McKenzie, Consulting Engineers, Inc., in 1968. He was a guest lecturer on construction technology at LSU as well as visiting professor in Civil Engineering there in 1976. McKenzie was elected president of the Consulting Engineers Council of Louisiana, Inc. in 1981, and a fellow in both the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Consulting Engineers Council of Louisiana in 1989 and 1991, respectively. In 1989, he was presented with the A.E. Wilder Award for outstanding service to the Consulting Engineers Council of Louisiana, Inc.
Maryland-Baltimore County (Phi-Delta) The chapter added 12 associate members.
Louisville (Zeta-Sigma) The chapter added 35 associate members.
Loyola Marymount (Delta-Psi)
Memphis (Zeta-Theta)
Chapter President Garrett Broom was named 2010-2011 Greek Man of the Year. The chapter also won the Best Chapter Management Award on campus. In addition the chapter won Best Event of the Year Award for its Rodeo Party, a charity event benefiting the Drew Kurtzman Foundation. Kurtzman was an undergraduate brother who died on July 31, 2011, complications related from muscular dystrophy.
Chapter brothers assisted in the cleanup of McKellar Lake where recent flooding washed trash ashore and threatened both wildlife and the water supply itself. The chapter added 24 associate members.
Methodist (Sigma-Theta Colony) The colony added 18 associate members.
Lycoming (Iota-Beta) Iota-Beta recently volunteered to help flood victims in cities neighboring Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Many homes were nearly destroyed by water damage and needed cleaning out so that they could be rebuilt. Chapter brothers helped members of the Red Cross in the relief efforts for these victims. Iota-Beta recently accepted three fall associates and held the Associate Member Ceremony on September 25, 2011.
www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Miami-FL (Epsilon-Omega)
The chapter brothers assisted Alpha Delta Pi’s philanthropy, raising money for the Ronald McDonald Children’s Hospital.
Ford, and Carter to serve on the National Advisory Council for the Education of Disadvantaged Children. Lewis accepted the superintendency in Tucson (Arizona) Unified School District in 1977, but was forced to leave due to life threatening heart problems. After regaining his health he became a small business owner, operating a restaurant in El Con Mall for ten years with his family. Lewis served as consultant to the AZ School Boards Association assisting districts with programs and personnel work, was Superintendent of the AZ School for the Deaf and Blind, and continued consulting work until recently.
Michigan (Sigma) The chapter brothers conducted a successful recruitment event in which they went out into nearby neighborhoods and collected non-perishable food goods to donate to Food Gatherers, a local food bank. The chapter brothers collected several hundred pounds of food in one afternoon, including a donation from the university President Mary Sue Coleman.
The chapter added five associate members. Alumni brother Darren Dupriest’s company, Validity Screening Solutions, has been recognized by the Kansas City Business Journal as a finalist for the 2011 Best Places to Work. Thirty finalists were named in the categories of small, medium, and large companies. Validity is among 10 other companies in the Greater Kansas City area named as a finalist in its category. This is the second consecutive year in which Validity has been recognized.
Miami-OH (Zeta-Upsilon)
Michigan State (Gamma-Omicron) The chapter added 15 associate members.
The chapter added five brothers to its Honor Roll. Brothers are inducted after they have performed multiple years of steadfast service and leadership for either the chapter or for the national fraternity. The newest inductees are William McMillen, George McFerron, Allen E. Segrist, Michael Daughters, and Michael Thomas.
The chapter will host its annual Homecoming event at the chapter house beginning at 3 p.m. on October 22, 2011. The chapter earned a 3.1 GPA for the spring 2011 semester. The chapter was 2011 Greek Week champions.
Dr. Wilbur H. Lewis (1952) died July 17, 2011. An Army veteran, Lewis was a math and science teacher in southeastern Ohio before enrolling at Ohio University for his doctorate in curriculum and instruction. Lewis was a high school principal in both Athens, and Wilmington, Ohio. In 1968 Dr. Lewis was appointed assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in Parma, Ohio, where he developed one of the most comprehensive and successful vocational education programs in the United States. Lewis also became superintendent in Parma during which time he was appointed by Presidents Nixon, www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
Patrick Hunt is IFC vice president of external relations. Aaron Letzeiser is SGA director of government affairs. Jeff Paulson is on the Student Facilities Hearing Board. Matt King is a member of the soccer team. The chapter won the softball championship. William Kiefer died July 31, 2011.
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Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Millsaps (Theta-Eta)
finishing first out of all fraternities on campus. Josh Womack was selected as the Fraternity Man of the Year and the chapter was selected as Best Philanthropy and Most Campus Involvement.
The chapter added 12 associate members. The chapter hosted its annual Watermelon Bust, raising several thousand dollars for Stewpot, a local soup kitchen.
Brad Parsons is IFC president. Sherrod Hall is the SGA president, Jordan Palmer is the SGA treasurer, Zach Gallman is the SGA event coordinator, Quincy Hall is the SGA chaplain, Erik Bederhelm is the SGA director of special events, Dillon Owens is the SGA director of social media, and Mike Nicholson, Will Hassenbein, and Davis Hayden are SGA senators.
Minnesota State (Lambda-Delta) The chapter added nine associate members. Erik Heller, David Rosencrance, Matt Lindquist, David Schieler, and Nick Wilfahrt are SGA academic senators. Chapter Vice President Steven Yetter is the IFC vice president of council management.
Murray State (Lambda-Eta)
Chris Lea started a new campus student organization called Maverick Off-Road.
Patrick Hughes is the IFC assistant recruitment chairman. Ben Honer, Adam Peebles, Bennett Poynter, and Korey Reichardt are SGA senators.
Missouri (Gamma-Kappa)
Alex Green and Craig Nunnelley are on the Campus Activities Board.
The chapter added 32 associate members.
Aaron Turner is on the SGA Judicial Board.
Nick Smith worked for the executive vice president for Bertelsmann AG in Gutersloh, Germany, this summer. Bertelsmann is the 6th largest media company in the world.
The chapter won the intramural championship. The chapter added 16 associate members.
The chapter won 2011 Greek Week. The chapter placed first overall in Greek athletics. The chapter was recognized by the university for academic achievement.
New Hampshire (Alpha-Xi) The chapter finished its semi-annual clothing sale, raising $1,500 for the local food pantry.
Chapter brothers created a Greek-wide, Power-Based, Sexual Violence Prevention program.
The chapter’s annual teeter-totter-a-thon took place on September 30-October 1, 2011, in support of the Jimmy Fund.
Brad Berlin (1989) is the equipment manager of the Washington Redskins.
New Mexico (Zeta-Mu Colony) Montevallo (Sigma-Epsilon)
The colony currently has 19 associate members.
The chapter earned a 3.21 GPA for the spring 2011 semester,
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The colony held its first chapter meeting and Executive
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death Committee meeting.
Sam Nieves and Anthony Pettiforo are members of the crosscountry team. David Heidrich is a member of the swimming team.
New Orleans (Lambda-Alpha)
The chapter won the Outstanding Philanthropy Award, Greek Excellence in New Membership Award, and Greek Excellence in Service Award.
The chapter earned a 3.0 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, finishing first out of the six fraternties on campus. Andrew Brooks is IFC vice president and Chris Musco is IFC recruitment chairman.
North Dakota (Epsilon-Zeta)
Joe Mineo is SGA president and Nick Saybe is SGA treasurer.
Alan Anderson (1982) was appointed commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Commerce by Gov. Jack Dalrymple in May 2011.
The chapter won the intramural football championship.
North Carolina-Greensboro (Phi-Theta) Isaac Miller is SGA president and John Johnston is SGA vice president.
Northeastern State (Delta-Beta) The chapter won the Top Greek Medal. The chapter earned a 3.01 GPA, finishing as the top fraternity on campus.
North Carolina State (Gamma-Upsilon Colony)
The chapter was named Greek Sing Champions.
The colony has 31 associate members.
Bryson Williams is the IFC executive vice president, Tanner Hurt is the IFC vice president of recruitment, Mattew Recktenwald is the IFC vice president of public relations, and Braden Gibbs is the IFC vice president of administrative affairs.
North Carolina-Wilmington (Delta-Sigma)
Wes Horton, Matt Recktenwald, and Daniel Adney are members of the National Activities Board.
The chapter earned a 3.0 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, finishing first out of the seven fraternities on campus. Matt Bates is the SGA treasurer.
Recktenwald was selected as the Outstanding Freshman.
Oklahoma (Gamma-Rho)
Matt Bates, Tj Gruber, Dan Painter, Gideon Nocerno, James Attinger, Jacob Spirk, and Jesse Ingels are members of the soccer team.
The chapter added 67 associate members. On September 1, 2011, the chapter held a Initiation Ritual Exemplification for five associate members who joined last spring.
Jesse Ingels, Josh Kincaid, and Jon Asher are members of the tennis team.
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Oklahoma men’s basketball coach Coach Lon Kruger visited the Lambda Chi house to meet some of the brothers and talk about the upcoming season.
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death The chapter earned a 3.27 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, finishing first out of 18 fraternities on campus. Daniel Jones is IFC president for the second consecutive year.
Fraternal Steward Terry Zinn (1970) wrote an article, Chicago Is Second To None, about his visit to Chicago last spring. The article was published in the September issue of Real Travel Adventures magazine.
The chapter was the intramural champion for the eighth consecutive year and 20 out of the past 27 years.
Lyonel Reneau was recently cast in the national tour of Shrek the Musical.
Michael Nash won the University Gold Medal.
Oregon State (Alpha-Lambda)
Patrick Ryan and Matthew Nash were designated Big Men on Campus.
Timothy Diestelkamp is the IFC vice president of judicial affairs.
Chris Ray was recognized as the outstanding freshman and also outstanding sophomore.
Ben Mariano is the SGA student life chairman. The chapter won the intramural championships in football, basketball, and billiards.
Ohio State (Gamma-Tau)
Sean Bailey is president of the baseball club.
The chapter hosted its spring philanthropy, Watermelon Bust, during which 14 sorority teams helped raise money by participating on the day of the event, as well as in other, smaller events during the prior week. The funds raised will benefit alumni brother Michael Hull’s mother, who is fighting breast cancer.
Carl Pitzer (president), Alex McElfish, Cole D’Ambra, and Gavin Snyder are in the rugby club.
Penn State (Zeta) Oklahoma City (Theta-Delta)
John Hanson is IFC vice president of finance. The chapter finished third in intramurals. The chapter earned a 3.3 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, finishing second of all fraternities on campus. The chapter raised $185,000 in Dance-a-Thon with Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, finishing in third place.
Purdue (Psi) On September 25, 2011, chapter brothers participated in Chi Omega’s Sand Volleyball philanthropy and finished in second place. Proceeds from the event benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The chapter added 28 associate members. Eight chapter brothers were cast in Jesus Christ Superstar, which was performed at Oklahoma City University September 23-25, 2011. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Rensselaer Polytechnic (Epsilon-Eta) John Lomascolo won the Man vs. Food challenge for the Travel Channel.
Mark Teunis is IFC vice president, and Scott Boyd is IFC recruitment chairman, and Stephen Trice is an IFC member-atlarge. Chris Gilkey is a member of the golf team. Jeremiah Johnson, Kyle Shaddix, and Matthew Granado are members of the lacrosse team.
Richmond (Alpha-Chi Colony) The chapter added three associate members.
Josh Castelbaum is president of Student Ambassadors.
Robert Sanna is the IFC vice president of recruitment.
Simpson (Theta-Lambda) Rollins (Theta-Gamma Colony) Garrett Deroerian is the IFC vice chairman of public relations and recruitment. Lito Valdivia is SGA chairman of student life and Ed Leffler is an SGA senator. Ethan White is a member of the rowing crew. Andrew Mulick is a member of the tennis team. Chapter brothers cleaned a 2.5 mile stretch of U.S. Highway 69/65 North just outside of Indianola, Iowa.
Kory Eylmann is president of the Model United Nations.
Samford (Theta-Alpha) Led by efforts from the House Corporation and House Manager, the chapter house has undergone some major renovations that include new flooring and interior painting.
South Dakota (Alpha-Gamma) The chapter added eight associate members.
San Diego (Delta-Kappa) Anthony Pavlovic is SGA president, Jeremy Whelan is SGA vice president, while Jarod Baris and Cody Cross are SGA senators.
During the summer the chapter’s House Corporation raised $41,000 to remodel the chapter house.
The chapter won the intramural basketball championship.
Southeast Missouri (Delta-Phi)
The chapter earned a 3.2 GPA for the spring 2011 semester.
The chapter received the President’s Award for Fraternal Excellence and the Service and Philanthropy Award.
Shepherd (Phi-Iota) www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death Steve Backer is the IFC president.
Alex Martz is IFC president and Nate Shaw is IFC vice president.
Patrick Vining is the SGA president.
The chapter won the softball intramural championship.
The chapter earned a 3.2 GPA, highest of eight fraternities on campus.
Michael Jensen is president of the Greek Council. Luccioni Perotti, James Stec, and Jeffery Sullivan are members of the rugby team.
The chapter added 22 associate members. The chapter hosted its annual Watermelon Bust in support of the North American Food Drive.
Tarleton State (Phi-Rho) The chapter sponsored a Bastrop Relief Effort to collect items for wildfire victims and responders in Bastrop County, Texas. The fire, which began Labor Day weekend, has burned nearly 35,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes and killed two people. For more than a week the chapter collected items such as clothing, bedding, toiletries, water, and food. A drop-off location was set up inside Tarleton’s student center, and the chapter partnered with the university’s athletic department to collect items during a home volleyball game. The chapter delivered hundreds of pounds, several pick-up truck loads, of donated items to the Bastrop County Fire Department on September 17, 2011.
Southern Methodist (Gamma-Sigma) The chapter held an open house during the Parents Weekend. The chapter added four associate members.
St. Louis College of Pharmacy (Pi-Lambda) The chapter added 20 associate members. Chapter brothers participated in the Light the Night Walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Tennessee-Chattanooga (Zeta-Phi)
The chapter earned a 2.98 GPA, highest of all fraternities on campus.
The chapter was named Fraternity of Year.
Zac Walter is SGA president.
The chapter earned a 3.0 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, the highest of the six fraternities on campus.
Evan Schnur is class president.
The chapter won the intramural championship with individual victories in softball, football, and basketball.
The chapter won intramural championships in soccer and volleyball.
Brett Young is IFC president, James Dunivan is IFC Vice President, and Colt Clark is IFC chairman of philanthropy.
Jordan Murdoch is a member of the basketball team.
Gordon Ruddell is a member of the tennis team.
John Love, Brian Ogweno, Tyler Edwards, and Zac Walter are members of the cross-country team.
Brandon Wright is a member of the wrestling team. Matt Triest has served in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army.
St. Joseph’s (Phi-Lambda) The chapter earned a 3.24 GPA, the highest of all fraternities on campus.
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Texas-Austin (Alpha-Mu) 16
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death The chapter added 17 associate members this fall, the largest class since the 1980s. On October 14, 2011, the chapter will host an Alumni Reunion in the north end zone of DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium prior to the football game between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma State Cowboys.
On bid day, the chapter celebrated Tim Tucker’s 25th year as chapter advisor.
Villanova (Beta-Iota) The chapter earned a 3.12 GPA for the spring 2011 semester. Mike Schuler is the IFC recruitment chairman.
Toronto (Epsilon-Epsilon) Inner Circle Chairmen Nick Carravetta has guided 15 brothers through their first evolution.
Vanderbilt (Gamma-Delta) The chapter hosted its Watermelon Bust event during the week of September 25, 2011.
Scholarship Chairman Thomas Hubocan received $4,500 from the Ontario Government for his outstanding scholastic performance for the last academic year, finishing with a 4.0 GPA. He is ranked No. 1 in his class of 150 second-year chemical engineering students.
Towson (Phi-Omega)
Chapter brothers participated in 9/11 Weekend of Service by serving at Feed the Children, a warehouse of goods for those in need.
Wabash (Alpha-Kappa) Sam Starbuck is president of Wabash Acts Responsibly, known familiarly as the W. A. R. Council. Its mission is to create a safe and healthy environment by encouraging legal and responsible behavior regarding drinking and other drug use.
The chapter is in the process of starting rush week. The chapter is also ready to present its annual Watermelon Bust on October 15th, and is preparing for a canned food drive with the women of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority.
The chapter added 19 associate members.
Union University (Lambda-Zeta)
Sam Glowinski is IFC president and captain of the track & field team.
Buckley Parker is IFC vice president.
Isaac Homburg is president of College Mentors for Kids.
Lucas Littleton is SGA vice president and Luke Trammell is SGA vice president of the sophomore class.
Zach Hampton is president of the Bio Society.
Luke Foshee is a member of the soccer team.
Dan Allen is president of the Pre-Med Society.
The chapter won the intramural football championship.
Grant McCloskey is rugby captain and vice president.
The chapter earned a 3.06 GPA for the spring 2011 semester.
John Decker is captain of the lacrosse team.
The chapter was awarded the 2011 Presidential Homecoming Cup.
The chapter won the 2011 intramural championship.
The chapter added 22 associate members.
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Wake Forest (Theta-Tau) 17
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death The chapter earned a 3.2 GPA for the spring 2011 semester.
Bryan Thomas and Jake Szybowicz are members of the tennis team. Victor Pizzato is a member of the football team.
Washington & Lee (Gamma-Phi) The chapter earned a 3.3 GPA for the spring 2011 semester. Tyler Grant (captain) and Parker Howard are members of the track team.
Wisconsin-Whitewater (Lambda-Iota Colony) The chapter finished with a 3.15 GPA for the spring 2011 semester, the highest of the 13 fraternities on campus.
Taylor Gilfillan is a member of the basketball team.
Jeff Martin is IFC communication services chairman.
Washington State (Tau) The chapter added 26 associate members.
Wittenberg (Nu-Zeta)
As part of their community service work chapter brothers helped make mountain bike trails on Mt. Moscow. They also assisted the work of the Whitman County Humane Society, including help with the annual Mutt Strutt to raise funds to build a new dog park.
The chapter added nine associate members. Justen Cox is IFC president and a member of the track team. Patrick McGurgan is IFC vice president of judicial affairs. Adam Paine is IFC public relations chairman. Albert Lee is a member of the cross-country team.
Western Ontario (Delta-Eta) Alex Karapancey is the IFC vice president and William Komer is IFC vice president.
Worcester (Pi) Wilfredo Ramos is the IFC public relations chairman and Michael Boucher is the IFC vice president of communications.
William Komer is a member of the cross-country team.
Andrew Beliveau is the SGA parliamentarian, Mackenzie Massey is the SGA chairman of policies, and Zachary Loach is an SGA senator.
William Jewell (Epsilon-Nu) Justin Bulver is IFC recruitment chairman. Chris Stathopoulos is SGA vice president.
Justin Hess is the president of the sophomore class.
The chapter earned a 3.29 GPA for the spring 2011 semester.
Nicholas Faft is the president of Men Against Violence and Rape.
Matt Drabenstott is co-director of the Student Activities Union.
Landon Airey, Burak Birand, Daniel Pierson (captain), Wilfredo Ramos, and Zachary Theohardis (captain) are members of the men’s crew team.
David Dingess, Kyle Mellon (captain), Andrew Potter, Matt Reisener, and David Sanchez are members of the the Debate Team.
Michael Andres, Ross Lagoy, Jefferson Lee, and Victor Puksta are members of the lacrosse team.
Kyle Sebring is a member of the track team.
www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
FEATURE
Header Future Leaders Campaign Chairman Karl Krapek, an alumni brother from Lambda-Epsilon at Kettering University, announced the $20 million campaign launch during the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar at Iowa State University. By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
O
n July 29, 2011, Lambda Chi Alpha’s
Educational Foundation announced the launch of the public phase of a new $20 million capital campaign –Investing in Future Leaders -– aimed at expanding and endowing the fraternity’s educational programming to help systematically develop young men by shaping who they are, what they know, and what they can do.
The announcement was made by Campaign Chairman Karl Krapek (Kettering 1972) during the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar on the campus of Iowa State University. Krapek, a member of the Educational Foundation Board and Executive Committee, has served for 20 years in various senior executive positions before retiring recently as the president and chief operating officer of United Technologies Corp., an international corporation that did $54 billion worth of business last year.
Capital Campaign Cabinet
•
Karl J. Krapek – Chairman (Kettering)
•
Lynn Chipperfield (Drury)
•
John E. Durham (Georgetown)
•
Charles W. Jones, III (Sam Houston State)
•
Maurice H. Hall (Millsaps)
•
Mark A. Hoag (Michigan State)
•
H. Dean Sellers (Florida State)
•
Jerre Stead (Iowa)
•
Kevin R. Vasquez (Western Carolina)
Krapek is an alumni brother from Lambda-Epsilon at Kettering University and a recipient of Lambda Chi Alpha’s Order of Achievement. At the campaign announcement event Krapak stated: “I’m here today to share with you some very exciting news about our Fraternity. As you may recall, in 2007 the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation concluded the Call to Lead campaign which raised $6.7 million for our Fraternity, exceeding its goal. Following the successful Call to Lead campaign, a new cabinet was formed in 2008. This group of brothers decided to dream on a very big scale and concluded that now is the time for Lambda Chi to undertake a much larger fundraising campaign that will secure the future of our great Fraternity.”
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
FEATURE
Donor Stories
Educational Foundation in his estate plan.
Vaughan W. McRae (Southern Methodist)
“Joining Lambda Chi Alpha was one of the most important events in my life. The fraternity helped me grow as a person and helped me develop skills that I have used throughout my life. Skills that have helped me become successful in my career. As an associate member, I became a member of a close knit group that worked together as a team for common goals. We helped each other, cared for each other and learned to respect others with differing views. As a brother and holding the office of High Kappa, I was involved in organizing, planning, and managing the associate member education program and helping them with their events. All of these skills that I learned and developed, organization, planning, managing, teamwork, have been instrumental in my success as a project manager and later as an IT application development manager. The fraternity life is one of the few areas in college where you can gain real world experiences. You can’t get this from text books. Because of what the fraternity has meant to me and what it has done for me, I wanted to give back, or I should say “give forward” and help future brothers. Help give them the opportunities to experience what I did and grow as I have. Helping others always makes me feel good. And helping the fraternity to continue and grow is a wonderful way to help others. Why now? Why did I set up my estate to help the fraternity now? In this very unpredictable world, you never know what the next day may bring or if there will be that next day. I wanted to make sure that I would help Lambda Chi Alpha after I’m gone. So I went ahead now and set up my estate to do that. I now have the peace of mind knowing that what I want to happen will happen. And that our great fraternity will be helping brothers for many, many years to come.”
Vaughn McRae is a 1978 graduate of Southern Methodist University. He is a private investor residing in Jackson Mississippi. Vaughn has served on the Board of Directors of the Educational Foundation and has been a member on various committees on the Board. He has been a leader in the “Call to Lead Campaign” and the “Investing in Future Leaders Campaign”. His son Alexander is currently an undergraduate at Southern Methodist and serves the GammaSigma chapter as High Beta. “Lambda Chi Alpha was one of the greatest gifts I ever received. Lambda Chi gave me a network of close college friends and lifelong brothers. It afforded me the opportunity to develop leadership skills I still use today – over thirty years later. When we receive a gift the proper response is to reciprocate in kind, and we are all beneficiaries of the foundations laid by brothers whose names are long forgotten. Young men going to college today are desperately in need of the values-based leadership training that our gifts to the “Investing in Future Leaders” campaign directly support. It is now our turn – our responsibility - to build for the future of Lambda Chi Alpha and help develop the leaders our world needs for tomorrow.”
David A. Grahl (Missouri Western State) David Grahl is a 1974 graduate of Missouri Western State University. He is a career IT professional residing in Columbus, Ohio. He serves on the Planned Giving Council of the Educational Foundation, which is the advisory council to the Society of Living Legacies. Grahl has included the Lambda Chi Alpha
The goal of the Future Leaders Campaign is to raise $20 million, which is divided into four priority areas: $5.3 million to permanently endow values-based leadership development programs and brotherhood $5 million to assist chapters with costs related to educational conferences through long-term endowment $4 million for membership growth; quality and access to educational programming
During the campaign’s planning phase, which began about two years ago, 22 gift commitments of at least $100,000 have been made. The total committed to date is more than $12 million. “Brothers, our work on the campaign is far from done,” Krapek told the 500 plus undergraduates and alumni brothers gathered at Iowa State. “This is a good start. We can’t stop until we have exceeded $20 million. Now is the time for all of us to step up and invest in Lambda Chi Alpha. I know you will join us in this great journey.”
$5.7 million for immediate acosts
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
FEATURE Top Future Leader Donors Thank you to all of our generous donors to the campaign!
$100,000+
Leaving a Legacy As he emphasizes how critically important Lambda Chi Alpha can be to young men, Krapek thinks back to the impact his being a chapter president had on him in developing his leadership skills. “It teaches you citizenship skills and discipline,” he says. “I was the president of my local chapter and it did a lot for my confidence, my thinking, and my leadership skills when I became CEO of a business,” Krapek says.
is so far ahead in doing the right things, to teach leadership, and values, and to have a safety net that I think, once it becomes well known, people are going to gravitate to our fraternity because we offer more than just girls and parties....I think kids today are yearning for more.” In the end, the TRUE Brother Initiative is like having good parents around you when they aren’t there. “It’s easy to get passionate about Lambda Chi,” Krapek says.
The young men who don’t join a fraternity can really miss out on a developmental opportunity. “I see a lot of people who didn’t have the fraternity experience and they aren’t as capable as leaders,” he says. “I see it all the time. When I see a really good leader it always turns out he had a fraternity experience.” The TRUE Brother Initiative is just the right program at the right time.
$10,000–$99,000 Mark A. Bauer (California St. – Fullerton) Gregory A. Castanias (Wabash) Charles E. Chambers, Jr. (Texas A&M) Chad E. Cline, (Texas Christian) Malcolm R. Chandler (Wisconsin) Charles W. Cole, Jr. (Michigan) Charles P. DeMaio (Indiana State) Rev. S. George Dirghalli (Florida) William T. Farkas (Butler) James D. Givens, Jr. (Texas – El Paso) Ted R. Grossnickle (Wabash) Johnson, Grossnickle, & Assoc. John R. Hauser (Thiel) Brian L. Heckler (Shippensburg) Mark G. Hulit (Richmond) James A. “Drew” Hunter (Denver) John W. Marren (California – Santa Barbara) George W. McDaniel (Iowa) M. Fletcher McElreath (Mercer) Vaughan W. McRae (Southern Methodist) Christopher M. Meyer (Akron) Dr. Murphy M. Osborne, Jr. (High Point) James C. Parry (Lehigh) Martin L. Smith (Valparaiso) William Starrett (UNC-Chapel Hill) Jeffrey A. Stuerman (Culver-Stockton) Thomas O. Wall (Rensselaer) Gifts below $10,000 include those thousands of alumni who graciously donated through annual gifts.
“Lambda Chi now with the TRUE Brother Initiative
www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
Gregg D. Behrens (Iowa State) Jack O. Bovender, Jr. (Duke) Lynn Chipperfield (Drury) Johnny W. Douglas (Western Kentucky) T. Joseph Durham (Stetson) John E. Durham (Georgetown) John Gezelius (California) David A. Grahl (Missouri Western State) Kenneth L. Greenman, Jr. (Southern California) Maurice H. Hall (Millsaps) Mark A. Hoag & Robin Kren (Michigan State) Jene & Mildred Jacoby (Southern California) Charles W. Jones, III (Sam Houston State) Greg H. Jones (Alabama) Wayne G. Klasing (Bradley) Karl J. Krapek (Kettering) Ronald A. Neville (Drury) H. Dean Sellers (Florida State) Don & Mary Sherman (Oklahoma) Jerre & Mary Joy Stead (Iowa) Mark B. Templeton (North Carolina State) Kevin R. Vasquez (Western Carolina)
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FEATURE
Header Foundation Chairman’s Charge Event sponsor Jerre Stead, the CEO of IHS, Inc. and chairman of the Educational Foundation, challenges undergraduate brothers during 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar final banquet. To be a great leader, Stead stresses the importance of setting a purpose and remembering five key words.
A
t the Purple, Green & Gold Banquet on Saturday, July
30, 2011, and the conclusion of the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar, Educational Foundation Board Chairman Jerre Stead (Iowa 1965) delivered a motivating and inspiring address. Stead was initiated as a brother of Lambda Chi Alpha at Coe College in January 1962. He transferred to the University of Iowa and graduated in 1965. Stead began serving on the Board of Directors of the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation in 1988 and is currently the Chairman of the Board. His career success in leading business enterprises has earned him membership in Lambda Chi Alpha’s Order of Achievement, which he received in 1998. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
He has an amazing, lifelong partner in his wife, Mary Joy. Lambda Chi Alpha recognizes Jerre and Mary Joy Stead every summer when we gather for our annual Stead Leadership Seminar, and honors the Stead’s for their extraordinary financial support that began during our “Call to Lead’ fundraising campaign in 2007. Stead began his remarks to the nearly 650 alumni and undergraduate brothers in attendance by saying, “We’ve given a lot of gifts. We think of (gifts) as an investment. We’ve invested in every one of you here tonight, and we will continue to do so because we want to create great leaders.” As a result of his successful career, Stead said, their whole goal has been to take the values he learned from Lambda Chi, and the values his wife learned from Delta Zeta Sorority, to live
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FEATURE
Jerre Stead (Iowa 1965)
• • • • • • • •
Chairman, Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation Chairman and CEO, IHS Inc., Denver, Colorado Retired Chairman and CEO of Ingram Micro. Previously CEO of five publicly traded companies Considered by Forbes Magazine to be one of “Corporate America’s Most Powerful People” Chairman of the Board for the Stead Center for Ethics and Values at Garrett Seminary on the University of Northwestern campus. Also served as chairman of the Foundation Board from 2002-2006 Received the Order of Achievement in 1998 Serves on the Investing in Future Leaders campaign cabinet
those, and to do their very best to be role models each and every day. Over the last 32 years, the Steads have made 21 career moves in the course of his running five public companies and leading more than 300,000 employees, around the world. “With each one of those people I thought of as critical to our future success,” Stead said. “For each one of those people I considered how to help them be great. The first thing I think about every morning when I get up is how to help great people do great things. If you remember that, as a goal each morning, you’re going to make a huge difference.”
The following are Stead’s five key words, and the explanations he gave for each one of them, as well as why he believes they are so important to successful leadership. Following his enumeration, Stead read a description he wrote some time ago that states why setting a purpose is another critical ingredient for great leadership.
Word No. 1: Dignity “Treat every person with equal dignity and respect. In every organization I’ve led, I do my very best to create a culture that says, only through every person being treated with equal dignity and respect, can we be successful; and we work at that very, very hard. We also work as we go through with equal dignity and respect in a very collaborative management style.... That means a very diverse background, from people all over the world and it means listening to them and making a decision. And then we have a couple of rules...one is, once we’ve made the decision we don’t leave the room until we agree and/or understand why that decision has been made. I do not believe in consensus. In today’s world if you take time to get to consensus by the time you make the decision it’s not going to matter. I believe in collaborative management, collaborate leadership of organization. When we leave the room, rule No. 1 is we agree
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23
and/or understand. Rule No. 2 is we will 100 percent support the decision. The amount of wasted energy is incredible, unbelievable. So when you leave after you have made the decision in the room -- treat everyone with equal dignity and respect -- but 100 percent support the decision.”
Word No. 2: Curiosity “I think that in today’s world an intense, external, intellectual curiosity will carry you to many, many, great successes. Our world’s changing fast. It will continue to need to change faster as we move forward. And if we always stay focused -- thinking what can I do better, how can I learn, what can I do differently.”
Word No. 3: Trust “One hundred percent trust of every person I’ve ever worked with. I have never met a person who’s not trying to do their best. I’ve never met a person, man or woman, who doesn’t care about being successful, so we do everything we can to create an environment that operates with 100 percent trust of every person. When you operate with trust you take the handcuffs off of people.”
Cross & Crescent September 2011
FEATURE
Word No. 4: Facts “In the world we live today we get touched every minute with opportunities to be confused. Consequently we work hard at this in the organizations I lead. We have to move quickly in today’s world. What we do today is a one-pager. We call it a fact page. We say here are the actions, here are what we need. Behind it are the facts. Finally, what is the action you want from me? If I need to know more I can ask.”
Word No. 5: Give-Back “It was pretty exciting to announce the $20 million capital drive. It was exciting to hear the $12 million plus that’s already in place. It will be more exciting when we increase that capital drive number, and we’ll do that with
your help. That money, a very large part of it, is to continue to provide a leadership program for every one of our brothers to come in the future and to continue to change the world, to continue to create the best fraternity that has ever existed. The only way you can do that is by giving back and giving forward. We think of three things; time, talent, and treasure. We try to make sure that we do our best with each of those and I’ve never asked anybody to do anything that I won’t do myself.” “When you get up in the morning, think about how to help great people do great things. How do I do something better today than I’ve ever done before? How do I make a difference?”
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Setting a Purpose “What am I all about? Am I a great leader? Will I become a better leader. Somewhere inside, somehow you know that there’s a purpose for you on this day. Let that purpose come to the surface and bring it full to life. Purpose is not so much a matter of what you do. Purpose is more about the way you feel while doing whatever it is that you are doing. With a purpose, you’ll feel great with your progress. Those things that you know, without having to learn them, connect you to your purpose. Purpose is not what you think you might believe, alone, but what you are certain that you can be. Purpose is the unconditional, limitless realm in your life that cannot be diminished by anything that happened. You have always known there is a purpose within you, a purpose essential to who you are. Give it to life, again and again, for you’ll never tire of seeing it shine.”
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FEATURE
2011 Duke Flad Recipient During the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar, Peter Yobo (Southern California 2011) was honored with the Cyril F. “Duke” Flad Outstanding Undergraduate Award, the highest honor bestowed upon an undergraduate. By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
I
n Lambda Chi Alpha there is no higher honor bestowed
upon an undergraduate than the Cyril F. “Duke” Flad Outstanding Undergraduate Award. The award is named in memory of Lambda Chi Alpha’s second executive director who led the fraternity from 1942 until his death in November of 1968.
When Yobo arrived at the USC campus, he made sure Farsai was one of the first people he contacted. A two-sport varsity athlete in track and football, Yobo went through formal recruitment, but the Zeta-Delta chapter’s long history of student athletes made the decision an easy one. Obviously Yobo didn’t know about Lambda Chi Alpha’s Seven Core Values before he joined, but he quickly became an advocate as these match his own values. Even with the demands of being a student athlete, and having a job, Yobo made time for Lambda Chi, serving on the Executive Committee and conducting motivational talks with the new associate members. In 2007 Yobo and his friend, Pichon Duplan, started iStandAbove with the purpose of finding ways to propel underprivileged young individuals, worldwide, toward their short- and long-term goals by providing them with the resources necessary to ensure their continued upward movement on the ladder of success. The creation of iStandAbove is the result of the experiences Yobo and Duplan had while growing up in Ghana. They firmly believed that one’s determination and ability to convert what may seem to be an insurmountable obstacle into a stepping stone are the first steps to
The Duke Flad Award was created by the Grand High Zeta in 1970. Forty-one brothers now share this most distinguished honor. This year the Duke Flad Award Committee has selected brother Peter Yobo from Zeta-Delta at the University of Southern California as the 2011 award winner. Yobo was born in New Jersey, grew up in Ghana, and, after high school, moved to California to attend college. He initially enrolled at San Jose State University before transferring to the University of Southern California. Before he transferred, and during a summer internship at Pricewaterhousecoopers, he met Zeta-Delta chapter brother Dave Farsai.
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standing above. A senior economics major with a 3.23 GPA, Yobo throws the discus and javelin for the USC track team and plays offensive tackle and on special teams for the football team. Even though most of his family lives in Ghana, Yobo says he now has two homes; with the brothers of Zeta-Delta and with his aunt and uncle who live in California.
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FEATURE
Previous Duke Flad Award Recipients
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Fred W. Suggs, Jr., Kansas State; 1970 Dr. Gil R. Mosard, Southern Methodist; 1971 John R. Holzman, Georgetown; 1972 Michael Wilson O’Neil, Auburn; 1973 William D. Thrasher, Auburn; 1974 Tim W. Miller, Akron; 1975 R. Mansell McCord, Jr., Mississippi State; 1976 James N. Bond, Central Missouri State; 1977 John P. Bond, Central Missouri State; 1978 Alan L. McLaughlin, Wabash; 1979 Robert K. Kirkland, William Jewell; 1980 Charles E. Dressler, Akron; 1981 Charles J. Tomeny, New Orleans; 1982 Michael J. Bartz, Memphis; 1983 J. Andrew Bowman, Denver; 1984 Thomas E. Baumgarten, Murray State; 1985 Matthew W. Hamilton, Oklahoma; 1986 Carroll A. Reddic IV, Georgia Tech; 1987 Steven D. Blair, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo; 1988 Michael J. Thomas, Miami (OH); 1989 Patrick H. Van Wert, Iowa State; 1990 Michael J. Moberg, Denver; 1991 David C. Kapic, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo; 1992 Scott D. Schumacher, Simpson; 1993 Kyle R. Menke, Iowa State; 1994 Jeffery F. Gay, Southern Methodist; 1995 Clark B. Davis, Texas Christian; 1996 David J. Magstadt, Oklahoma; 1997 Charles G. Wood, Louisiana State; 1998 Daniel H. Leung, Oklahoma; 1999 John A. Sage, Louisiana State; 2000 Graham Heaton, Western Ontario; 2001 Brian Wagers, Hanover; 2002 Stephen Horvath, Simpson; 2003 Trevor J. Tullius, Oklahoma; 2004 Brian Kelley, Denver; 2005 Forrest L. Bailey, Alabama 2006 Joseph D. Frasca, Butler; 2007 Joseph R. Hamm, Denver; 2008 Joseph Gholson, Southeast Missouri; 2009 T. Sean Dunn, Tennessee-Chattanooga; 2010
Highlights from his Acceptance Speech Fellow Zeta-Delta chapter brother and Board Member Ken Greenman (Southern California) presented the award to Yobo during the Lifetime Brotherhood Banquet at the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar. After thanking Greenman, his Zeta-Delta brothers, and the brothers in attendance, Yobo made the following remarks: “Given that I’m the first African-American to receive this award it clearly shows have far Lambda Chi has come in diversity within the brotherhood and it’s evolution. Every semester, before we introduce a new associate class into our Zeta-Delta class at USC, I make sure to sit down with all the new associates and stress upon them the values they need to have as men. What I choose to believe in is that we are all different and it’s because of our different and unique experiences that we create a bigger and better brotherhood and a bigger bond. The second thing that I really believe in is respect. A true man does not venture into the world seeking respect from others. He draws people towards him just by the way he gives out respect. You cannot be a TRUE brother and demand respect from everyone else around you unless you give respect first. I made a commitment to stay loyal and assist in the positive growth of this brotherhood the day I joined Lambda Chi Alpha but, since that day, it’s been the other way around. You guys have stayed loyal to me. You have assisted in my positive growth. I can assure you that regardless of it being football, or consulting, or wherever I go I will make sure I embody what it means to be a true Lambda Chi Alpha man.”
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
FRATERNITY NEWS
2011 Stead Leadership Seminar Nearly 100 chapters receive awards.
By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
At the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar held July 28-31, 2011, on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, nearly 100 chapters were recognized for their accomplishments.
• • •
Chapter Awards Academic Achievement Awarded to chapters with a grade point average that was first on a campus, or second or third on larger campuses with a greater number of fraternities. 1. Bowling Green State (Phi-Mu) 2. Oklahoma (Gamma-Rho) 3. Arizona State (Zeta-Psi) • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Alabama-Birmingham (Sigma-Chi) Angelo-State (Beta-Alpha) Auburn-Montgomery (Phi-Kappa) Baldwin-Wallace (Kappa-Phi Colony) Bradley (Kappa-Upsilon) Boston (Alpha) Coe (Zeta-Alpha)
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Colorado State-Pueblo (Delta-Omega) Drury (Theta-Sigma) Edinboro (Beta-Delta) Elmhurst (Pi-Zeta) Gettysburg (Theta-Pi) Hanover (Theta-Zeta) High Point (Iota-Phi) Incarnate Word (Pi-Epsilon) Memphis (Zeta-Theta) Methodist (Sigma-Theta Colony) Millersville (Delta-Tau) New Mexico State (Zeta-Gamma) North Carolina – Greensboro (PhiTheta) Northeastern State (Delta-Beta) New Orleans (Lambda-Alpha) North Carolina–Wilmington (DeltaSigma Colony) Southern Methodist (Gamma-Sigma) Southern Indiana (Phi-Xi) Spring Hill (Delta-Delta) St. Louis College of Pharmacy (PiLambda) St. Mary’s (Sigma-Beta) Tennessee-Chattanooga (Zeta-Phi) Towson (Phi-Omega) Union (Lambda-Zeta) Wake Forest (Theta-Tau) Washington State (Tau) Wilmington (Pi-Delta) Wisconsin-Whitewater (Lambda-Iota Colony) Wittenberg (Nu-Zeta)
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Alumni Affairs Recognizes outstanding alumni programming within the chapter, including alumni organization, events and activities, mentoring, and fundraising efforts. • Butler (Alpha-Alpha) • Rensselaer (Epsilon-Eta) • Rose-Hulman (Theta-Kappa)
Alumni Publications Awarded to chapters with outstanding alumni newsletters. At least two must be published and submitted to the International Headquarters during the academic year. • Culver-Stockton (Kappa-Mu) • Wake Forest (Theta-Tau)
Bruce McIntosh Standards for Chapter Excellence Recognizes chapters for their significant achievements in the noble pursuit of excellence, particularly via use of the Standards for Chapter Excellence Program. • Butler (Alpha-Alpha) • Kansas State (Gamma-Xi) • Simpson (Theta-Lambda)
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FRATERNITY NEWS
Campus Involvement
dramatically improving their Initiation ratio of associate members.
• Butler (Alpha-Alpha)
Awarded to chapters with extensive involvement in extracurricular activities. • • • • • • • • •
Bradley (Kappa-Upsilon) Cornell (Omicron) Denison (Gamma-Iota) Edinboro (Beta-Delta) Elmhurst (Pi-Zeta) Florida Southern (Epsilon-Xi) Franklin (Kappa-Gamma) Hanover (Theta-Zeta) Idaho (Epsilon-Gamma)
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Kansas State (Gamma-Xi) Lycoming (Iota-Beta) Miami-OH (Zeta-Upsilon) New Mexico State (Zeta-Gamma) Oklahoma (Gamma-Rho) Oregon State (Alpha-Lambda) Polytechnic (Theta-Upsilon) Rensselaer (Epsilon-Eta) South Carolina-Aiken (Pi-Alpha) Southeastern Missouri State (Delta-Phi) Southern Methodist (Gamma-Sigma) Southeast Oklahoma (Pi-Sigma) Spring Hill (Delta-Delta) St. Louis College of Pharmacy (PiLambda) St. Mary’s (Sigma-Beta) Wake Forest (Theta-Tau) Wilmington (Pi-Delta) Wittenberg (Nu-Zeta) Worcester (Pi)
• • • • •
• • • • • • • •
• Denison (Gamma-Iota)
Baldwin-Wallace (Kappa-Phi Colony) Bowling Green State (Phi-Mu) Denison (Gamma-Iota) Indiana (Alpha-Omicron) Iowa (Iota-Chi) Northwestern (Alpha-Iota) Vanderbilt (Gamma-Delta) Wilmington (Pi-Delta)
North American Food Drive
Grand High Alpha Recognizes chapters that have maintained a superior level of operations for at least three consecutive years. A chapter may earn the award only once every three years.
Awarded to chapters that collect and verify more than 8,500 pounds of food. The top chapters received special recognition. • Kansas State (Gamma-Xi)
1. Florida Southern (Epsilon-Xi) -- Collected 430,120 pounds of food 2. Miami-OH (Zeta-Upsilon) -- Collected 54,650 pounds of food 3. Nebraska-Omaha (Iota-Delta) -- Collected 48,933 pounds of food
Lewis A. Plourd Fraternity Education Presented to chapters whose outstanding Fraternity Education Program includes the entire membership, involves alumni, and incorporates a highly effective Big Brother program. • Akron (Gamma-Alpha) • Oregon State (Alpha-Lambda) • Pittsburg State (Lambda-Chi)
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Arkansas State (Iota-Theta) Bradley (Kappa-Upsilon) Butler (Alpha-Alpha) Coe (Zeta-Alpha) Denison (Gamma-Iota) Drury (Theta-Sigma) Elon (Delta-Pi) Incarnate Word (Pi-Epsilon) Murray State (Lambda-Eta) Montevallo (Sigma-Epsilon) Oklahoma State (Alpha-Eta) Rensselaer (Epsilon-Eta) Tennessee-Chattanooga (Zeta-Phi) Union (Lambda-Zeta)
•
Membership Recruitment Awarded to chapters with outstanding success in recruitment, by substantially increasing their numbers, and/or
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
FRATERNITY NEWS
Phoenix
Conclave Award
• Washington State (Tau)
Presented to a chapter that has made unusually positive strides in overall chapter operations for at least three consecutive years, taking into consideration improved membership size, depth of programming, and riskfree operations. • Louisiana-Lafayette (Iota-Omega)
Chase for the Cup
Tozier Brown Public Affairs Recognizes chapters with the most outstanding programs of community service and philanthropic activities. The award is divided into two categories: Public Affairs Programs and Most Outstanding Public Affairs Project.
Public Affairs Program • Butler (Alpha-Alpha) • Rensselaer (Epsilon-Eta) • St. Louis College of Pharmacy (PiLambda) • Pittsburg State (Lambda-Chi)
Public Affairs Project • Butler (Alpha-Alpha) • Oregon State (Alpha-Lambda) • Rose-Hulman (Theta-Kappa)
Warren A. Cole Recruitment Program Recognizes chapters that have developed and implemented wellorganized and effective recruitment programs.
• Washington State (Tau)
• Rensselaer (Epsilon-Eta) • St. Louis College of Pharmacy (PiLambda) • St. Mary’s (Sigma-Beta)
Rev. S. George “Doc” Dirghalli Scholastic Programming Recognizes chapters that have developed an outstanding program resulting in superior academic achievement of its members. • Kansas State (Gamma-Xi) • Rensselaer (Epsilon-Eta)
Website
Representing each of the 14 regional conclaves, brothers participated in a series of competitive events to earn points and determine the 2011 Chase for the Cup champion. 1. Atlantic Conclave -- 61,070 points 2. Ozark Conclave -- 51,550 3. Bluegrass Conclave -- 45,320
Individual Awards Cyril F. “Duke” Flad Outstanding Undergraduate Created in 1970, this award honors Cyril F. “Duke” Flad, who served as the Fraternity’s second chief executive from 1942 to 1968. One outstanding undergraduate brother is selected annually to receive this award. • Peter Yobo (Southern California 2012)
Fraternity Advisor of the Year May be awarded annually to a fraternity or Greek adviser who has rendered exemplary service to the Greek system on a particular campus or on a number of campuses. • Katie Peoples -- Director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Drexel University
Recognizes chapters with outstanding advances in the use of computer technology, layout, content management, computer graphics, and website design. • Rensselaer (Epsilon-Eta)
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
FRATERNITY NEWS
Status of Chapters Recap
Fourteen chapters were notified to attend a status meeting at the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar.
By Chris Cole (Gettysburg)
At the 2011 Stead Leadership Seminar at Iowa State University, 14 chapters appeared before a Status of Chapters Committee. Each committee, made up of 15 brothers, discussed with chapters the part year of operations and worked on a plan for success moving forward into the 2011-2012 academic year. Below are the outcomes of those meetings with those 14 chapters.
California-Berkeley (Mu Colony) – Starting their 5th semester as a colony, the brothers of Mu Colony were given the task of meeting all of their chartering requirements during the fall 2011 semester. Their progress will be reviewed by the Grand High Zeta during the Winter Board meeting.
Clemson (Delta-Omicron) – Since recently
Auburn (Omega) – After struggling with some harm reduction practices the men of Omega Zeta will be working this semester to improve their current practices. The committee decided that the chapter, while on Stage 2 probation, would work with members of the General Fraternity staff during a weekend retreat and additionally be assigned a Grand High Zeta member to provide additional support. The chapter is also expected to send five members to the 54th General Assembly in Phoenix.
going through a membership review, the chapter at Clemson University is looking to bounce back and plan for success during a re-commitment retreat in the Fall 2011 semester. The chapter was also asked to increase their communication with the Greek Life staff on campus and prepare to send 20 percent of their chapter to the upcoming Colonial Conclave.
Embry-Riddle (Sigma-Phi) – The men of Sigma-Phi have some changes occurring with their chapter in the upcoming academic year. The chapter will hold a commitment retreat this fall as well as the added support of an Alumni Control Board to give added guidance and help these men achieve success. In addition they will operate on Stage 3
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probation continuing their probation terms from the previous semester.
High Point (Iota-Phi) – This chapter is struggling slightly after winning the Grand High Alpha award at the 53rd General Assembly in Phoenix in 2010. With the assistance of a newly-formed Alumni Control Board the chapter will look to make some positive progress. In addition the chapter will host the Director of Chapter Services or his designee for a commitment retreat early this fall to establish a plan for success for the upcoming two years. The chapter will operate under a Stage 2 probation during their rebuilding efforts.
Kent State (Pi-Gamma) – The chapter has been having some financial challenges this past year and is looking to get back in the black. Working with Business Affairs Department, the chapter will put together a payment plan to help pay off their remaining balance. Until the balance is paid, the chapter will remain on financial suspension. In addition, the chapter will receive some assistance from a neighboring chapter
Cross & Crescent September 2011
FRATERNITY NEWS with regard to conducting their Initiation Ritual this upcoming year.
Marietta (Kappa-Alpha) – The chapter will start off this semester by having a retreat with the Director of Chapter Services or his designee to help formulate a plan for the upcoming year. In addition the chapter has been challenged to reach at the least the average chapter size for the campus and stay current with their financials for the duration of the academic year. The chapter’s progress will be reviewed by the Grand High Zeta during the Winter Board meeting.
North Carolina-Greensboro (Phi-Theta) – The chapter has been recently struggling after winning the Grand High Alpha award at the 53rd General Assembly in 2010. This semester they will host the Director of Education for a commitment retreat to set up a plan for the next two years. They also will receive additional support from a newly-formed Alumni Advisory Board that will be trained at the Neville Advisor’s College in January. The chapter also will be placed on probation during the rebuilding process.
Texas State (Lambda-Phi) – The chapter
After making some positive progress this past year, the chapter’s probation status has been reduced and their terms lowered. Additionally, the chapter will host a meaning making retreat with the Director of Education and Master Steward Jon Williamson in the fall 2011 semester. Working in tandem with their Alumni Control Board and the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, the chapter will look to continue their improvement following their membership review in 2010.
has had some difficult challenges to overcome this past academic year with both a membership review and Alumni Control Board. The chapter enters this semester with a few additional tools to help them achieve success. The chapter will have a re-commitment retreat with the Director of Chapter Services or his designee to help the chapter plan the upcoming year and look for the opportunities of the future. In addition to creating a plan, the chapter will bring in some more alumni brothers to assist with their Control Board and will remain on Stage 3 probation.
Mississippi State (Epsilon-Chi) – This
Texas Christian University (Iota-Pi) – After
Maryland – College Park (Epsilon-Pi)
semester the chapter will work together with the General Fraternity to host a retreat for the chapter during the fall 2011 semester. The retreat will focus on developing a two-year action plan that outlines guidelines and goals for the chapter during the upcoming year. Additionally the chapter will be assisted by a new Alumni Advisory Board made up of at least six alumni brothers to help them achieve their desired goals.
having some struggles this past year, the chapter is entering this semester with a newly found energy. The chapter will be assisted by an Alumni Control Board who will be conducting a membership review early in the semester to help set up the chapter for success. In addition, the chapter will also be working with the Director of Chapter Services or his designee to create a two (2) year plan for the chapter in their effort to return to a dominant chapter on campus. The
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chapter will be on Stage 3 probation during their rebuilding process.
Texas San Antonio (Phi-Upsilon) – The chapter will be rebuilding this semester after a difficult year. Working with the Director of Chapter Services or his designee the chapter will be having a recommitment retreat to establish the next steps for the chapter moving forward. In addition the chapter will also be working with Business Affairs to establish a payment plan for the upcoming year to get them back into good financial standing with the General Fraternity. While working on some of the goals of the chapter, they will be assisted by a neighboring zeta with initiation and operating under a Stage 2 probation.
Western Kentucky (Lambda-Lambda) – Since being placed on probation, the chapter has made positive progress going forward. In working to further increase their success the chapter will be working with the Office of Business Affairs to establish a payment plan and continue to pay off the remaining debt with the General Fraternity. In addition, the chapter will be working with Associate Director of Business Affairs, Alex Werger to help set up a budget to help stay current this academic year. These chapter will have some challenges ahead and the General Fraternity’s Professional Staff and Master Stewards stand willing and able to assist them needs or concerns. Let’s continue to give our brothers and new associate members the support that they need as they go forward this year and help them to achieve success.
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FRATERNITY NEWS
Alumni Volunteer Initiative
The Fraternity’s goal is to have more than 1,000 trained and certified chapter advisors over next five years.
By Jordy Miller (Miami-FL)
Advisor Demand As we all know and remember, the High Pi has been the epitome of volunteerism for alumni in Lambda Chi Alpha. Although that is still the case, in recent years it has been acknowledged that the “lone wolf ” model of advising has all but become extinct. Over the last several years, Lambda Chi Alpha has worked diligently to support our undergraduate brothers with their values-based approach to brotherhood. While using the Lambda Chi Alpha Experiential Learning Model the undergraduates have been steadily adopting and implementing valuesbased operations. While the undergraduate brothers have been working to use the Seven Core Values and the Experiential Learning Model, Lambda Chi Alpha alumni volunteers have been serving as Faithful Stewards of the TRUE Brother Initiative, including: • Working to spread awareness of the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Programming • Developing a curriculum that meets the needs of the undergraduate brothers • Facilitating workshops and education sessions at both the local level and international conferences.
With the distractions of social media, classes that start before 7:00 a.m. and often end after 11:00 p.m., mandatory commitments to extracurricular activities to develop leadership skills, and the desire for the young men to participate in community service, it is clear that the undergraduate brothers have much on their minds and also need much more advice and mentorship from alumni volunteers. In light of this evolution of the role of the alumni volunteers from that of an authoritarian to that of an older brother, the General Fraternity has created educational components to specifically train alumni volunteers to become better High Pis and Chapter Advisers. The Neville Advisers College is the backbone of all of the alumni volunteer educational programming and is subsidized in part by generous
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contributions from Ronald A. Neville, an alumni brother and High Pi of Theta-Sigma Zeta at Drury University.
Master Stewards The first additional role created for alumni volunteers was that of the Master Steward which was introduced in June 2007. Master Stewards were trained on the educational curriculum that was going to be facilitated and implemented during the Stead Leadership Seminar. The role was initially intended to be one where the Master Stewards would be helping with the conference facilitation and planning. Coming out of this Leadership Seminar, the role of the Master Steward quickly evolved into that of a regional volunteer within Lambda Chi Alpha. Over the last four years the Master Stewards have accomplished much more than just conference facilitation and planning; they have helped in crisis management situations, helped facilitate workshops, retreats, and meetings, with chapters that are local to them and also throughout North America. As the Master Steward program has grown, so has the need for more alumni volunteers in the capacity
Cross & Crescent September 2011
FRATERNITY NEWS of High Pis and Chapter Advisers. With the re-creation of an associate director position within the Chapter Services Department of the General Fraternity, geared specifically to working with the alumni volunteers, the General Fraternity now has the ability to more effectively communicate with alumni volunteers, and alumni brothers in general, about what is happening at individual zetas and within our great brotherhood.
Fraternal Stewards As part of the continued outreach and “touches� to our alumni brothers and alumni volunteers, it has been noticed that more alumni want to volunteer. This has caused the General Fraternity to expand the number and types of volunteer roles that are available to our alumni brothers. The most recent role that has been developed is that of the Fraternal Steward. The role of the Fraternal Steward is to help with the implementation and utilization of the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Programming at the chapter level. Similar to the Master Stewards, the Fraternal Stewards will be trained at the annual Steward Summit
in June, and there will also be training for Fraternal Stewards that will take place during the Mastery Circle Summit in January. During these training sessions, the Fraternal Stewards are educated in how to implement specific educational components of the TRUE Brother Initiative. The major difference between the Fraternal Stewards and Master Stewards is that the Fraternal Stewards are specifically assigned to the program implementation and utilization at one zeta. The idea behind this is to increase the number of trained alumni volunteers who are working with each specific zeta.
Alumni Certification While looking to increase the numbers of alumni who are communicated with and alumni volunteers working with the undergraduate brothers, the General Fraternity is striving to ensure that they are of a caliber suitable to be working with our undergraduate brothers in advisory roles. The Alumni Volunteer Certification Process is a three-step process that each alumni volunteer must complete if he wishes to volunteer with his local
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chapter. The first step in the process is to complete the Alumni Volunteer Affirmation, which is a web-based tutorial designed to ensure that the alumni volunteer is current with what Lambda Chi Alpha is doing today, and is also aware of the policies, Mandatory Resolutions in the Constitution and Statutory Code, harm reduction processes, and the educational curriculum components that are available to the chapter. The second step is a Self Disclosure form; this form is an opportunity for all alumni volunteers to share any indiscretions that they may have had or any civil issues that may have arisen. The purpose of Self Disclosure is to allow our alumni brothers the opportunity to share these incidents with the Director of Chapter Services and describe how the lesson was learned from the experience. The third and final step is a Background Check. The Background Check is conducted to see if the proposed volunteer has received criminal charges in the past. The Self Disclosure serves as a good faith effort to identify and acknowledge anything that will be found during the Background Check.
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Gold Standard Although Lambda Chi Alpha is the only fraternity using a background check to certify its volunteers, our alumni volunteers have embraced the process, including more than half who have at least started the process. With all of the roles that are available for alumni volunteers and the amount of training that is being conducted to educate alumni volunteers about how to advise, implement programming, and appropriately engage the undergraduate brothers, the General Fraternity is moving in the right direction to continue to recruit and train quality alumni volunteers. Outlined in the General Fraternity’s Strategic Plan, Alumni Identification and Training is one of the major foci, and steps are currently being made to meet, and exceed, the goals that are outlined for the plan. If you are interested in learning more or becoming a certified volunteer, please send an email to Senior Associate Director of Chapter Services Jordy Miller at jmiller@lambdachi.org.
FRATERNITY NEWS
‘10 -’11 Order of Omega Recipients More than 125 brothers from over 100 different chapters honored for leadership, community service
By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
For 2010-2011, more than 125 brothers from over 100 chapters of Lambda Chi Alpha were initiated into Order of Omega, an honor society recognizing exemplary men and women in the undergraduate Greek system. Established at the University of Miami in 1959, Order of Omega differentiates itself from other honor societies by emphasizing community service and inter-Greek communication over academic and nominal honors. Today, there are more than 300 chapters in the United States. Members are selected from the top 3 percent of Greeks at each institution. Order of Omega now has more than 500 chapters in the United States and Canada, and over 200,000 members. The following brothers have been inducted into this prestigious society: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Alvarado, Patrick (Sam Houston State) Anderson, John (Vanderbilt) Backer, Steve (Southeast Missouri State) Ball, Chad (Western Kentucky) Barnes, David (Sam Houston State) Bates, Matthew (Wilmington College) Bellitti, Vincent (Maryland) Bentley, David (Florida Southern) Bird, John (Michigan State) Black, Austin (San Diego) Bland, Brett (Akron) Bomser, Brian (Florida Tech) Bonilla, Jonathan (California State-Northridge) Bonner, Robert (Clemson) Boucher, Michael (Worcester Polytechnic) Broom, Garrett (Loyola Marymount) Bruns, Michael (Tulsa) Buchler Jr., Conrad (Louisiana-Lafayette) Buesser, Ryan (Denison) Butch, David (Eastern Kentucky) Cady, Patrick (Alabama) Cagle, Michael (Culver-Stockton)
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Cain, Vince (Louisville) Campolo, John (Elmhurst) Carner, Bradley (Old Dominion) Carpenter, Jamison (North Carolina-Chapel Hill) Chamberlin, Andrew (Michigan State) Chapman, Nicholas (Millersville) Clamp Corey (South Carolina-Aiken) Cordova, Wesley (Colorado State-Pueblo) Curenton, David Alexander (Alabama) Decato, Kallen (Gettysburg) DeCourcy, Michael (Wittenberg) Delaney, Robert (Texas-San Antonio) Dennison, Barrett (Western Kentucky) Dong, Aaron (California-San Diego) Doyle, Zachary (Northern Colorado) Dugan, Shane (Rhode Island) Ellington, Joshua (North Carolina-Charlotte) Ellis, John (South Carolina-Aiken) Ference, Edward (Alabama, Birmingham) Forehand, Jacob (Alabama) Fout, Steve (Wilmington) Freshman, Daniel (Cornell)
Cross & Crescent September 2011
FRATERNITY NEWS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Frost, Kent (Alabama) Furman, Mark (Southern Indiana) Gallman, Zachary (Montevallo) Gehle, Alex (Ball State) Gorman, Greg (Wake Forest) Gruber, T.J. (Wilmington) Guy, Steven (Alabama) Haboush, Ryan (Ball State) Hahe, Patrick D. (Marietta College) Hall, Andrew (Millersville) Hamilton-Smith. Karsten (Butler) Hanson, John (Pennsylvania State) Heller, Erik (Minnesota State-Mankato) Helms, Mathew (Alabama-Birmingham Hernandez, Michael (Butler) Hernandez, Samuel (Millersville) Holland, Tom (Rensselaer Polytechnic) Hounchell, Eric (North Carolina-Greensboro) Hoyt, Jacob (Sam Houston State Huber, Ryan (Ball State) Hunt, Patrick (Michigan State) Iglesias, Andrew (Loyola Marymount) Jacques, Nicholas (Michigan Tech) Johnson, Joseph (William Jewell) Justus, Nicholas (North Carolina-Greensboro) Kichka, Chris (Elmhurst) King, Christopher (Michigan State) Kiselev, Boris (William and Mary) Koehler, David (Arkansas) Kowalchyk, Michael (North Carolina-Charlotte) LaMunyan, Matthew A. (Colorado State0Pueblo) Lavelle, Thomas (Nevada-Reno) Lee, Keaton (Wake Forest) Letzeiser, Aaron (Michigan State) Lorko, Justin (Wittenberg) Lynch, Kevin (Denison) Marchant, Justin (Colorado State-Pueblo) Massey, Mackenzie (Worcester Polytechnic) Massey, Benjamin (Troy) Mathna, Timothy (Millersville) Meyer, Adam (Vanderbilt) Morrison, Jesse (Alabama) Murphy, Derek (Rhode Island) Musser, Joel (Gettysburg) www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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Orecchio, Brian (Rensselaer Polytechnic) Palmer, Jordan (Montevallo Palmer, Anthony (Gettysburg College Pappe, Nick (Louisville) Parsons, Brad (Montevallo) Paulsen, Andrew (Michigan State) Pee, Damon R. (Akron) Perbeck, Michael (Kansas State) Pierce, Wade (Western Kentucky) Ramirez, Jason (Pittsburg State) Randall, Ian (North Texas) Rector, Collin (Eastern Kentucky) Redman, Nicholas (Gettysburg) Robertson, Steven (Cornell) Rogers, Thomas (Ball State) Russell, Andrew (Georgetown) Sanchez, Neil (California State-Northridge) Sargent, T.J. (Eastern Illinois) Schlott, Zachary (Eastern Kentucky) Schneider, Douglas (Texas State-San Marcos) Schultz, Thomas (Denison) Shellenberger, Joe (Edinboro) Smith, Josh (Angelo State) Smith, Curtis (North Carolina) Starkel, David (North Carolina) Stewart, Josh (Oklahoma City) Sumerix, Cody (Florida) Swink, Shane (Gettysburg) Talevich, Andrew (Washington State) Tate, Hunter J. (Alabama) Tindell, Neil A. (Alabama) Tingqueist, Nick (Arkansas) Torres, Adrian (Florida International) Trehan, Cory B. (Akron) Trotter, Shane (Texas Christian) Turner, Jake (Tulsa) Vicencio, Kenneth (Lycoming College) Wade, Joseph (Loyola Marymount Wehr, Nathan (Southern Indiana) Whitam, Josh (Millsaps) Wians, Robert (Alabama-Birmingham) Womack, Josh (Montevallo) Xu, Shawn (California-San Diego)
Cross & Crescent September 2011
TRUE BROTHER
Request from Lifebanc CEO Iota-Phi alumni brother from High Point stresses importance of brothers becoming registered organ, eye, and tissue donors. By Gordon R. Bowen (High Point)
Life is incredibly precious. Daily, I see lives forever changed in an instant. I am part of both the most tragic time in one person’s life and the most joyous time in another family’s life. Throughout my professional and personal time, I have used the four principles of the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Model: Experience, Reflect, Make Meaning, and Sharing. For the past 25 years in a field devoted to saving and healing lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation for transplantation, I have often reflected upon the insights gained as a brother of Lambda Chi Alpha.
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
TRUE BROTHER
LOYALTY | DUTY | RESPECT | SERVICE & STEWARDSHIP | HONOR | INTEGRITY | PERSONAL COURAGE One of my responsibilities at my first job was to ask for consent for organ donation from a total stranger whose loved one had just tragically died. I knew that in order for one person’s life to be saved, another person and in many cases a complete stranger would need to give the gift of life. For those family members who just lost a loved one, they need someone to listen and make meaning of the tragic circumstances that just occurred. They need time, comfort, and care.
and Lambda Chi Alpha and it is my favorite value of all. In a field where more than 110,000 men, women, and children are waiting desperately for organ transplants, integrity is paramount. In 2009 our Board of Directors decided to move our
The experience gained from that connection along with many others allowed me to share compassion and humility as a supervisor, manager, director, and now CEO. It also paved the way for future staff to follow in my footsteps. During the past six years that I have been leading Lifebanc, the non-profit organ, eye, and tissue recovery organization based in Cleveland, Ohio, it has become a national leader in saving lives. During this time, I often reflected on my years as a brother and then chapter president (High Alpha) of Lambda Chi Alpha at High Point University in the early 1980s. Lambda Chi Alpha provided me the opportunity to meet new people, experience new cultures, and make new friends, some that I still have to this day. Also, it provided me with the opportunity to develop strong leadership skills and a bond of trust in the brotherhood, which I have always considered my extended family.
Shared Values Recently I led a group of staff and volunteers through a campaign to create values for my organization. We surveyed our key audiences, reviewed other organizations’ values, and reflected upon those values we encountered in the past. Immediately the Seven Core Values of Lambda Chi Alpha came to mind. Integrity is a value used by both Lifebanc
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organization’s location. I was charged with the responsibility of working with key staff, consultants, builders, and interior and landscape designers. Again, I drew from my many experiences including those of Lambda Chi to build the 25,000 square foot building ahead of schedule and under budget. My professional accomplishments are a direct result of leading a great staff and working with a dedicated Board of Directors. I have been blessed to surround myself with people who are well educated and experienced. For the past six consecutive years, Lifebanc has experienced records in saving and healing lives. Though I am ultimately responsible for our organization, it was our dedicated staff and volunteers that directly achieved the results. Hard work, dedication to our mission, goals, accountability and a strong bond of trust among our leaders has enabled our organization to be successful. These same commitments coincide with lessons learned as a Lambda Chi Alpha brother at High Point University, especially the strong bond and trust among my brothers.
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
TRUE BROTHER
LOYALTY | DUTY | RESPECT | SERVICE & STEWARDSHIP | HONOR | INTEGRITY | PERSONAL COURAGE Anyone can tell you that success doesn’t happen overnight. You must be able to take reasonable risks. Additionally, I continually push myself and those around me to work outside our comfort zones. I believe each of us has a responsibility to be a leader whether in our professional or personal lives.
Leading by Example I try hard to lead by example. Mentoring, motivating, and teaching others are very important to me. We recently began developing succession plans for each member of my leadership team. In today’s economy, we all must be prepared for the unexpected. Creating my succession plan was not easy. Initially, I was uncomfortable with the thought but realized through the people we interact with daily that life can change in an instant and we must be prepared.
The core values I have are a direct reflection of the Brotherhood. As a husband, to my wife Lisa, and father of three children, Kayla, Drew, and Madeline, I often reflect and make decisions based on my faith and values. My wife and I met while I was on a vacation cruise with two other fraternity brothers. I was married one year later with three Lambda Chi Alpha brothers in the wedding party. In 2010, I’m proud to say that we celebrated our 25th anniversary. We are both active with our children and in our community and church.
Donor Registration The only request that I have of my fellow Lambda Chi Alpha brothers is that you become registered organ, eye, and tissue donors. This can easily be done at www.DonateLife.net. I have often told others that there is no better way for your legacy to live on.
In comparison to my years at High Point University, the welfare and reputation for the success of Lambda Chi Alpha outweighed my personal interests. The same must be said about my years in the field of organ, eye, and tissue donation. It is not about me but the group of champions whose focus is on saving the lives of those waiting for transplantation from unknown heroes who thought of others as their last wish on earth. My professional life has been blessed. I worked to involve Lifebanc in both the nation’s first near-total face transplant and breaking the world-record in lungs transplanted at the Cleveland Clinic. But it is the aspects of life that many of us take for granted, such as seeing our children graduate, get married, and have grandchildren that I see daily in the lives that we heal and save through donation.
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
TRUE BROTHER
The Ramp on the Firm Foundation Phi-Theta alumni brothers at North Carolina-Greensboro demonstrate act of pure brotherly love. By Rick McKeel (North Carolina-Greensboro)
The most basic definition of the word foundation is “the basis or groundwork of anything.� It is difficult to comprehend the notion that the fraternity chapter you helped start has turned 25 years old. Even stranger is the notion that when you live briefly in the past, you feel 19 again, even if for a few moments, only to be jolted back into reality by a weak left knee or the recognition of more gray than brown in your hair. So, as when a 100 or more brothers and their wives or dates congregated to celebrate the founding of the Phi-Theta chapter at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, you may live in the past mentally without escaping the obvious changes that people have gone through physically, emotionally, and in other ways. The joy of a reunion and celebration experience is being able to pick up where you left off with many brothers, as well as meeting new friends that you knew about but never got to know. Of course the passing of time also forces you to deal with the reality that several brothers have departed this life too early. It was my privilege at the 25th anniversary celebration to remember those who had passed. During my remarks I told the story of a close friend, Holly, who passed away a few days before our celebration, after an 18-year ordeal with multiple sclerosis. I used that story to encourage those in attendance to
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Cross & Crescent September 2011
TRUE BROTHER
LOYALTY | DUTY | RESPECT | SERVICE & STEWARDSHIP | HONOR | INTEGRITY | PERSONAL COURAGE take every opportunity to “max out” their time here and now with those whose lives they need to be a part of. I had no idea how that story would become a blessing to me because of the hearts and actions of chapter brothers over the next seven months.
Digger, Karen, & MS Following the evening’s formal banquet, I heard my name called and went over to greet a brother I knew but had not seen in nearly 20 years. He was Chris Nelson, whom everyone knows as “Digger.” From his wheelchair he told me, among other things, that he, too, had multiple sclerosis. He then introduced me to his bride, Karen, who by a twist of fate also has MS. While Karen maintains a very active lifestyle, including taking care of Digger, she is faced with the daunting reality that the fuller impact of the disease possibly awaits her. We talked for quite a while, and I was amazed at their circumstances, especially at Karen’s commitment to work, care for her
family, and address her own personal health challenge. The nature of their family’s challenge did not escape many brothers over the course of the weekend. At the same time, as I was following up with Karen and Digger after the anniversary weekend, several other brothers from Digger’s era were talking and asking an important question about the meaning of brotherhood. What an incredible blessing to find myself on a conference call with 10 to 15 other brothers talking about how we would work to address the Nelsons’ needs as best we could. Fast forward through many conference calls and a thousand emails. One weekend a team made up of Paul Schwartz, Andy Ross, Rod Uribe, Mike Karras, Alan Huskins, Guy Sirois, and Grant Duffield traveled to Georgia at their own expense to build a wheelchair ramp for the Nelsons’ home that would make it much easier for them to do simple chores, not to mention give them easier access to their car.
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The story behind the story is the planning process that involved coordinating an in-home assessment of needs and prioritizing tasks that would make the most sense regarding Digger and Karen’s most pressing needs and available resources. Schwartz’s sister, a professional who works with similar situations, helped clarify the process by offering several suggestions to insure a meaningful solution.
Love and Generosity What is love and what is generosity? Generosity would have been that each of a number of brothers had donated money to the cause and hired a local professional to do the work. Brotherly love is that many brothers chipped in to cover the cost of supplies and then traveled at their own expense to Tennessee to build the ramp themselves. There is the kind of pride that goes before a fall, and then there is the pride that comes through an association with those who sacrifice for one of their own. I am filled with the latter.
Cross & Crescent September 2011
TRUE BROTHER
LOYALTY | DUTY | RESPECT | SERVICE & STEWARDSHIP | HONOR | INTEGRITY | PERSONAL COURAGE For those of us who could not make the construction trip to Georgia, there is a sense of regret that we missed the anticipation, the work, and the sense of completion; the opportunity to reconnect with the element of our brotherhood that attracted us to it in the first place -- our foundation. Lambda Chi Alpha, from its beginning, patterned itself upon teachings from the Christian faith. The Apostle Peter talked vividly about the relationship of brotherly kindness and love while Christ himself perfectly modeled the concept of love and sacrifice. On the foundation of brotherly kindness and love, several men sacrificed a weekend to make a meaningful difference in the lives of a family and a fellow brother. In the process, our foundation was strengthened.
Just prior to the pictures being snapped, Digger, Karen, and their son Brad pulled up in a rented conversion van. We gladly waited for Digger to make his way to the steps. Brad watched as his dad took his place among the old-timers and newcomers –- all representing the 25-year history of something that we all have cherished in our own way. In a recent conversation with Digger and Karen, they noted that Brad asked about going to UNC Greensboro and being a brother in the Lambda Chi chapter. The experience of brotherly love manifested in a celebration and meeting a brother’s needs not only had the impact of strengthening the foundation that we have rested on, but also served as an example to a young man of what fraternity really should be -- and he was moved by it.
Modeling the Way During the celebration weekend in March, all brothers and alumni from the chapter gathered on the steps of the UNC Greensboro alumni house for a group picture.
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Cross & Crescent September 2011