Letters
The Founding Fathers of the Iowa State Chapter of Delta Chi
Volume 4 Issue 4 Iowa State University Greek Community December 2012
CONTENTS Α Meet the Letters Team Β Delta Chi ΓFat Free Talk Week Δ Meet the Greeks Ε Greek Alumni Alliance Car Show
Ζ Senior Spotlight Η Greeks Go Green
Meet the Letters Team The Collegiate Panhellenic Council Vice President of Marketing Megan McDonagh and the Vice President of Communications Sara Schlueter
The Interfraternity Council Vice President of Communications Caleb Evers and the Vice President of Marketing Freddy Fifield
letters.isu@gmail.com
@ISUGreek
Greek Community Iowa State University
Greek Relations Executive Council Ashleigh Belin Pi Beta Phi Mary-Kate Burkert Alpha Delta Pi Alyssa Czapla Pi Beta Phi Abby Ehrler Sigma Kappa Jana Horstman Gamma Phi Beta Melissa Gofforth Delta Delta Delta Jackie Howell Kappa Delta Jamie Lauten Gamma Phi Beta Michael Mulvihill Alpha Tau Omega Chelsey Rouse Gamma Phi Beta Amelia Thorne Kappa Alpha Theta
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Delta Chi Returns to Iowa State By Abby Ehrler
Since their expansion began in September, Delta Chi now has 56 founding fathers who were initiated on December 1. However, the men of Delta Chi have wasted no time in jumping straight into all Greek life has to offer. The men are especially excited to be participating in Greek Week with their pairing of Pi Kappa Phi, Adelante, and Alpha Omicron Pi. The men even have a philanthropy planned for this spring.
Starting a fraternity isn’t something many people can say that they have done, but the founding fathers of Delta Chi at ISU can. While living near the former Triangle fraternity house, Delta Chi President John Lieser and his friends were inspired to start a fraternity on campus. They began contacting alumni of chapters that had previously been at Iowa State to see how to get started.
The Delta Chi men will be hosting what they call “Jimmy V Week,” a week dedicated to raising money for the V Foundation for cancer research, which is their national philanthropy. In the next few years, Lieser hopes that Delta Chi will receive their charter and eventually move into a house in Greekland and start making an impact on campus. As president of a new fraternity, Lieser has seen his fair share of challenges but says that the experience will pay off in the end.
Wayne Christ, Delta Chi and Iowa State alumnus, instructed John to get a group of interested men together. Once they had about 20 men in their interest group, Wayne Christ contacted Delta Chi National Headquarters, three leadership consultants were sent to ISU to offer support and as Lieser said, the rest is history.
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Fat Talk Free Week By Melissa Gofforth The Body Image3D program, recently started by Delta Delta Delta’s national office is spreading nationwide. The mission is to promote a positive body image among women and healthy selfesteem for all. Tri Delta women have chosen to recognize Fat Talk Free week in October in hopes to end the negativity of “fat talk.” During the week, members took the Fat Talk Free campaign to campus. Tri Deltas had poster boards displaying facts about the campaign and some interactive activities for people to get involved with the Body Image3D program.
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This year the Fat Talk Free pledge was written on cards and students were encouraged to read the pledge, sign their name, and be one step closer to having positive self-image that they would hopefully pass on to their friends. The Fat Talk Free program is another way for people to get involved with the cause. The program suggests working in groups and taking time to realize the good qualities about yourself, as well as discussing ways in which we all can spread positivity about our bodies and self-esteem. In today’s society, many women strive for the “perfect ideal,” often shown in the media. Through the Body Image3D program, Tri Delta wants to show Iowa State students that it’s a great feeling to have a positive body image, and hopefully this message can spread across the nation.
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Pi Kappa Alpha And Greek Alumni Alliance Shine and Show By Alyssa Czapla On September 29, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Delta Upsilon fraternities participated in a car show on their front lawns before the Texas Tech football game. “The call went out to alumni across the nation to shine up their ‘cool’ cars and show them off at the second annual PKA Shine & Show,” said Dana Bentzinger, a Pi Kappa Alpha alum. This year, nine vintage cars made up the collection at Pi Kappa Alpha. The cars ranged from a 1939 Chevy all the way to a 2012 Cadillac. Delta Upsilon had four cars in the show while Sigma Phi Epsilon had two.
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Delta Upsilon said it was a worthwhile event for the chapter, even with the few cars they had on display. Jami Larson, Delta Upsilon alum and chapter adviser suggested making the show more specific by inclduing more chapters and having them commit to particpating in advance. Additionally, what cars are at each facility would help alumni navigate the show more smoothly. “All in all, I think it was a good event, we just need to make it bigger and better in the future,” Larson said.
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Greeks Senior Go Green S What are the biggest accomplishments you have had in your four years of college?
The community service I have done within my chapter has been the biggest accomplishment. Being able to jump right in and hold an executive position right away. Getting that position as a sophomore has been really invaluable. I have been Vice President Operations, Vice President Member Development, and President.
What is your favorite memory of Greek Life?
Lindsay Wilson Alpha Gamma Delta
My absolute favorite part is when we all get together for things like Greek Week or Yell Like Hell. Being able to see the sense of community around you is great. Even though you are there to support your own chapter, everybody is still saying hi to each other and giving hugs and high-fives and cheering each other on. We are lucky because our community wants to wear their letters and support each other in the best way possible.
What are words of advice you would like to give to current ISU Greeks?
If you want to do it, go for it. I don’t think you can pass up any opportunity. Don’t let anybody stop you. Don’t let the “I don’t think I can do it”, “I’m not sure I’m qualified enough” stop you. Don’t let that stop you from something you want to do. Chances are you are going to be fueled by the fire and get into a situation and you will succeed exponentially. It’s a good pressure to be put on you – that responsibility, to get you going. Don’t be afraid and let them pass you by!
What are the biggest accomplishments you have had in your four years of college?
Serving as my chapter's president and membership chairman, as well as IFC VP of Recruitment; Order of Omega honor society, Cardinal Key honor society, Dean's List every semester of my collegiate career, and study abroad in Barcelona, Spain. My favorite was being elected as my chapter presient. I was so proud to represent my brothers. It was such an honor.
What is your favorite memory of Greek Life?
My favorite memory of Greek life is my initiation night into Phi Kappa Psi.
Evan Todtz Phi Kappa Psi
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What are words of advice you would like to give to current ISU Greeks?
We are a community defined by our actions. We are the ones in charge of upholding our community's reputation by living out our values.
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Spotlight
What are the biggest accomplishments you have had in your four years of college?
The moment I felt most impacted was at the Dance Marathon reveal. It was an amazing collaboration and great to celebrate with people you’re so close with. Also during the thank you circle and being able to shake the hands of people that have really influenced me.
What is your favorite memory of Greek Life?
Dave Arends Sigma Phi Epsilon
I always wanted a Homecoming or Greek Week win; so I would say the Greek week win with Alpha Delta Pi. We had such an extreme amount of chemistry in our pairing which had a huge effect on our success. Everyone wanted to participate and be apart of the group. It was great to celebrate with friends.
What are words of advice you would like to give to current ISU Greeks?
A big thing I tell to underclassmen is to not have a narrow scope of your own chapter. That is the biggest mistake you can make. I recommend getting out there because you find out people and other chapters are not all that different. You can make just as strong connections with people outside of your own chapter. I still hold onto a lot of friendships I made outside of Sig Ep. You have to get out of the freshman and sophomore year groove and get to know people from other chapters. I have loved being Greek. It pushed me and gave me the confidence to take leadership roles inside and outside of my chapter.
What are the biggest accomplishments you have had in your four years of college?
Last year being the chapter’s president, and winning the President’s Fraternal Award of Excellence was a great feeling.
What is your favorite memory of Greek Life?
It was a lot of fun being apart of Greek Week freshman year with Farmhouse when we won.
What are words of advice you would like to give to current ISU Greeks?
Josie Dyer Alpha Chi Omega
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Greek life is what you make out of it. The more you put in the more you get out, so give it all you got. It is an experience you can’t get anywhere else.
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Greeks Go Green By Kristine Roush As a part of the Iowa State Live Green initiative, the Iowa State Greek Community is on a mission to keep our campus beautiful and promote sustainability through an organization called Greeks Go Green. “It’s about coming to realize how much you use, especially as a Greek Community,” said Taylor Gaffney, a member of Sigma Kappa. “We use so much and we aren’t very sustainable. By doing all the little things it really adds up.” Taylor Gaffney and Brian Skalak, a member of Sigma Pi, decided to start Greeks Go Green last spring, which is a non-exclusive group dedicated to green efforts. “Live Green is a big part of it. Last year, Brian was on the Interfraternity Council, and they had tried to do a little something, and I reached out to him because I was so passionate about it. We are just trying to keep up with the Iowa State Live Green movement,” Gaffney said. The Live Green initiative was declared in 2008 by President Geoffroy, and challenged students, faculty and staff to be a leader among land grant institutions in sustainability, and recognizing that everyone within the institution is critical and capable of achieving this goal.
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“We really try to reach out to all the different sustainable organizations of Iowa State. We try to help promote their events and we have also had several of our own events. We’ve had Lake Laverne clean up and Closets Collide, and then we have America Recycle coming up on November 15,” Gaffney said. Currently there are about 25 members involved with Greeks Go Green, and about a dozen highly involved and active leaders. “I got involved because I’ve always been really passionate about environment sustainability and reusing all of our resources,” said Stephanie Tran a member of Pi Beta Phi. “It’s disheartening that a lot of people don’t have a grip on the reality that we are going to run out of these things a lot sooner than we think.” By promoting sustainability through different events like the Lake Laverne Clean up and Closets Collide, Greeks Go Green hopes to inspire a movement to reduce, reuse, and recycle. “This has been a really good experience for me because I’ve been able to channel out the crazy recycler in me, and I feel like I’ve made a difference,” Tran said. “The Greek Community has a huge opportunity to positively impact our campus, as well as our environment as a whole. “
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