Caduceus Fall 2000 - Kappa Sigma Fraternity
Transcription
Caduceus Fall 2000 - Kappa Sigma Fraternity
21 FALL 2000 C O V E R WORTHY GRAND SCRIBE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dr. Andrew B.Turner Mitchell B.Wilson EDITOR /DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Jason E. See S T O R Y REMEMBERING NICK ARTWORK/DESIGN AHNA L. SEE Send all submissions and address changes to: THE CADUCEUS OF KAPPA SIGMA P.O. Box 5066 Charlottesville,Virginia 22905 45 K A P P A S I G M A H I S T O R Y DEPARTMENTS 100 YEARS AGO 4 LETTERS PHILADELPHIA CONCLAVE 6 NOTABLE NEWS AND EVENTS THE MILLIKIN FIRE Fax Number: (804) 296-9557 Telephone Number: (804) 295-3193 E-Mail: [email protected] 26 http://www.kappasigma.org SUBMISSION DEADLINES: Summer Issue, May 1 Fall Issue, August 1 Winter Issue, November 1 Spring Issue, February 1 REMARKABLE BROTHER KAPPA SIGMA FRATERNITY Founded at the University of Virginia December 10, 1869. 206 Chapters and 2 Colonies. United States and Canada. The Caduceus of Kappa Sigma has been published continuously since 1885. Published quarterly. Periodicals postage paid at Charlottesville,VA and at additional mailing office. 6 Volume 105 Number 12 Fall 2000 USPS 107-164-91 Printed in the USA. NOTABLE NEWS POSTMASTER Please send notice of undeliverable copies on Form 3579 to Kappa Sigma, P.O. Box 5066, Charlottesville,VA 22905 WGM’S LETTER: 2 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus 24 BETA CHAPTER RECHARTERED BROTHERS HONORED IN SOCIETIES EPSILON-PI CELEBRATES 50 YEARS MEMBER College Fraternity Editors Association Worthy Grand Master David W. Persky NO MORE WORTHY A MAN THAN HE THE STORY OF BROTHER TODD MARTZ Dear Brothers: A new school year is upon us and enthusiasm is running high in Kappa Sigma as we embark upon another year of excellence and tremendous achievements among the diverse chapters of our Order. As I write this letter, most of our chapters are in the middle of rush or are getting ready to start rush at their respective campuses. A few chapters such as BetaLambda at Georgia, Delta-Chi at Mississippi State and Alpha-Pi at Wabash have completed formal rush and have had very good results with quality men accepting the offer to pledge. My wish for Fa l l 2 0 0 0 every undergraduate chapter is that they enjoy the same level of success in their rush efforts this fall. Kappa Sigma completed the first year of the biennium with five excellent leadership conferences - Area I at the University of Delaware, Area 2 at the University of Georgia; Area 3 at the University of Illinois; Area 4 at Southern Methodist University; and Area 5 at the University of Nevada–Reno. The undergraduates and alumni in attendance enjoyed a weekend of brotherhood and meaningful dialogue to provide our chapters and alumni volunteers with additional tools and new ideas to improve chapter operations. The highlight of each leadership conference was the presentation of awards honoring the many outstanding achievements of our undergraduates. It also marked the passing of the "Area" format that we have known for so long. In the next biennium the Fraternity will go to a "Regional" format with 10 leadership conferences held earlier in the school year to allow more participation by ourundergraduates. Greater detail about the leadership conferences will appear soon in The Caduceus. The momentum of last year has spilled over into the new-year. I am pleased that we started the year off on a very positive note with the re-chartering of the Kappa Sigma chapter at the University of Alabama on August 19. We have an outstanding group of young men in Kappa Sigma on the Tuscaloosa campus of the University of Alabama and they represent Kappa Sigma very well at 'Bama. We look forward to hearing about the achievements of the new Beta Chapter in the future. The SEC at its recent meeting in Portland, Oregon also approved the re-colonization of GammaMu at Washington State University. This group of young men have hit the ground running and have already pledged 12 men into the colony. We wish them continued success and hope to see Gamma-Mu re-chartered in the not too distant future. Success in Kappa Sigma is measured in many ways. In this issue of The Caduceus you will learn about a wonder- ful success story in our Order at the Beta-Omega Chapter. Our brothers at Beta-Omega, Colorado College have done what no other chapter (or Fraternity) has done with the initiation of Brother Todd Martz into Kappa Sigma. Brother Martz did not allow the fact that he has a developmental disability keep him from achieving his goal of becoming an initiate of Kappa Sigma. The courage of Brother Martz and his tremendous efforts in attaining his goal are an inspiration to all of us in Kappa Sigma. Kappa Sigma's also learn from adversity and that was shown to us in June of this year. In early June, the Gamma-Beta Prime Chapter at Millikin University suffered a chapter house fire. The fire destroyed the chapter house and took one of our young brothers, Nick Schwalbach, to the Chapter Celestial. The members of the chapter have pulled together well through this ordeal and are a stronger brotherhood as a result. All of us in Kappa Sigma must learn from this terrible tragedy that we must ensure the safety of our chapter houses, lodges, apartments or other residential property so that we do not experience such a loss again. The senseless death of any undergraduate is one death too many. This issue of The Caduceus presents vital information about fire safety that all chapters must include in their chapter operations. The past academic year saw Kappa Sigma make great strides in all areas of 7 LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON 14 ALUMNI UPDATES 32 CHAPTER NEWS AND EVENTS chapter and fraternal operations. On behalf of the Supreme Executive Committee, I extend to all of you our sincere good wishes for another outstanding year as the leading fraternity of all collegiate fraternities in North America. May success attend all your efforts! Be well, keep up the good work on behalf of Kappa Sigma and keep in touch. SEMPER, David W. Persky Worthy Grand Master KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 3 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR BUFFETT RESPONSES Editor’s Note Months of hard work go into each issue of The Caduceus.We try to keep the magazine not only informative, but also a pleasure to read. If you are a journalism, graphic design or photography major and need some professional work for your portfolio or resume', here is your chance to be a part of the production process for The Caduceus. If you know of an interesting topic, special Kappa Sigma member or story that involves the fraternity, please get in touch with me at the address provided below. Assignments for the Winter and Spring 2001 issues are now being handed out. Thanks to all the letters, e-mails and faxes in the past few months on your experiences while enjoying The Caduceus.While I cannot publish all the letters, I do try to respond to those that take the time to communicate with me. Without your comments and encouragement, this publication would not be as successful as it has become. AEK∆B, Jason E. See Director of Communications/Editor Send your letters and submissions to: Caduceus of Kappa Sigma PO Box 5066 Charlottesville,VA 22905 804.295.3193 FAX 804.296.9557 Email: [email protected] 4 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus To the Editor: I just received my Summer 2000 Issue and saw one of my favorite people on the front cover, Jimmy Buffett. Very good reading and enjoyed the article. However, there is one mistake with regard to his days at Auburn. Mr. Buffett pledged the Alpha Delta chapter of Sigma Pi, not Sigma Nu. In fact he is still on one of the composites at the chapter house. Yep, he's one that got away from us. Great to see him continue his quest to be Greek and happy for him and Kappa Sigma on having such a distinguished alumni. Interfraternally, — Mark S. Briscoe Executive Director Sigma Pi Fraternity, International Dear Editor, I truly enjoyed your article in the Summer 2000 issue of The Caduceus of Kappa Sigma on Brother Jimmy Buffett. It brought back some great memories. I worked for his tour for one night when he came to Lander College (Lambda-Omega) and played the Greenwood Civic Center. He hired students from the college to set up his equipment and I was picked as one of the lucky ones. I taped his guitar picks to the mike stand as well as assisted in working the soundboard during the concert. I got to meet him briefly and he was very nice to all of us who helped set up his equipment. He even posed for some pictures. During the concert a student threw a Kappa Sig shirt on the stage. Buffett held the shirt in the air and it brought a large cheer from the crowd. After the concert I found the shirt behind some speakers on the side of the stage and kept it until I lost my mind and gave it to my girlfriend, at the time, to wear. You can guess the ending to this story…she broke my QUESTION TO THE FRATERNITY Dear Editor, As our Fraternity has entered into the new millennium I feel we need to ask ourselves a question. How do we fair on moving with the times and in educating our undergraduates and alumni on issues our chapters are facing? Being a recent graduate of my chapter and in reading The Caduceus for all my years as a brother I have realized that one issue, that nearly divided our chapter, has never been addressed by our Fraternity as a whole. Being a Fraternity, we are naturally rooted heavily in a hetero-sexist culture but all of our brothers are not heterosexual. In an age with growing acceptance of diversity, problems arise when dealing with these differences. This brings me to my point, I think it is important to see either this publication or our national Fraternity tackle this issue, thereby possibly building awareness of the many differences that exist amongst our thousands of members. Moreover, this would re-inforce the respect we have towards our brothers and their differences, assuming that this is in fact the position our national fraternity takes on this subject. I would appreciate a response to this email letting me know that my voice is heard and informing me of what, if anything, will be done about this issue. Thank you for giving me a portion of your time. [email protected] FRATERNITIES & FIRES Dear Editor, As a survivor of a Kappa Sigma house fire (1978, Beta-Chi), I am deeply saddened to hear of the fire and loss of life at the Kappa Sigma house in Decatur, Illinois. I hope that the national organization is helping them in their hour of need. I have volunteered to give them some cash (not enough to build a building, just a small donation). My concern is that fires in fraternities and dormitories seem to be an ongoing problem. My Alma Mater, the University of Missouri-Rolla, recently had a fraternity house burn to the ground with loss of life (Pi Kappa Alpha, I think). I was in a house fire myself in 1978, when a courageous fireman donned an oxygen mask and dragged out a burning mattress before the building itself could catch fire. We were lucky; there was no one seriously injured or even significant structural damage. But I still remember the fear and confusion as our halls filled with black smoke, as we ran for our lives. Now is the time to get a plan in place for the fall semester. Each house needs to be checked for unsafe wiring and heating unit problems. Many home fires are found to have been preventable had fire safety been considered beforehand. Every undergraduate needs to be informed about fire safety. Each house needs working smoke detectors and fire alarms. Perhaps Kappa Sigma can take a position of leadership on this issue along with the other national fraternities. The time has come to stop these preventable tragedies. — Jim Howe [email protected] Dear Editor, The Gamma-Beta Prime Chapter's house at Millikin University was severely 1999-2001 SUPREME EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Worthy Grand Master David W. Persky 9631 Norchester Circle Tampa, FL 33647-1849 813/973-3252 [email protected] Fa l l 2 0 0 0 heart and kept the shirt. I called her a couple of years later but she didn't know what she did with the shirt. I sure miss that shirt. AEK∆B — Tim J. Copeland Lambda Omega (Lander College) Worthy Grand Procurator Thomas P. Bishop 1400 Peachtree St., Mail Bin 918 Atlanta, GA 30303 770/382-6637 [email protected] Worthy Grand Master of Ceremonies Kevin S. Kaplan Promotion Dynamics Intl. 6565 Americas Pkwy NE Ste 930 Albuquerque, NM 87110 505/858-1990 [email protected] Worthy Grand Scribe Andrew B.Turner 214 Alpen Strasse Latrobe, PA 15650 724/539-7860 [email protected] Worthy Grand Treasurer E.L.“Bill” Betz Jr. 7007 Ford’s Station Rd Germantown,TN 38138 901/754-9364 [email protected] damaged by a fire that took the life of our brother Grand Scribe, Nicholas E. Schwalbach, of Glen Carbon. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nick, and his family and brothers at Millikin, and we ask that you keep him in yours. Nick was a respected leader and his spirit is irreplaceable. He will always be, above all else, one who walks in the light of God. The fire has left GammaBeta Prime in a desperate financial situation. The chapter house is not habitable. The third floor and roof are destroyed, and the second floor is severely damaged. The first floor and basement also suffered water damage. The Chapter's troubles have worsened with the Chapter's insurer refusing to cover the loss. In addition, the Chapter must continue to service its existing mortgage even though the brothers will be unable to pay rent, as they must live somewhere else while repairs take place. The Chapter's alumni recently formed a housing corporation, which is undertaking an extensive alumni fundraising drive to help the Chapter overcome this tragedy. I hope that all our brothers and friends reading this may find some way of assisting the Chapter at Millikin in its fight for survival. Feel free to visit the housing corporation's website, http://www.mkscorp.org, for additional information. AEK∆B — Ron Artman '81 President, Millikin Kappa Sigma House Corp. TODD MARTZ Dear Editor, I just finished reading the letter that Wes Mooney sent regarding Todd Martz, and I wholeheartedly agree that an article in the Caduceus would enrich the lives of all who read it. I am also a Beta-Omega and had the opportunity of living with Todd for a year. Todd was a part of my pledge class my freshman year, and I had a high level of involvement with him throughout my four years at Colorado College. I believe that a full article on Todd in the Caduceus would be a great way to share his wonderful spirit and what he has given to Beta-Omega with brothers everywhere. Todd is a wonderful gentleman and I feel very blessed to have a brother like him as a part of my life. If I can be of any assistance to you or Wes Mooney in putting together an article, please let me know. AEK∆B, — Dustin L. Silvester Beta-Omega '97 Ed. Note – I am pleased to include in this issue, “No More Worthy a Man Than He- Story of Brother Todd Martz” written by Wes Mooney on page 26. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I do. THANKS… Dear Editor, Please communicate my sincere pleasure to the Supreme Executive Committee for voting me their Distinguished Service Commendation. I was surprised, flattered and humbled. I have been fortunate in my thirty years of service to MTSU and the Kappalota Chapter to see many fine men pass though the hallowed halls of our Fraternity. I have played a part in the lives of some, and am proud to call each my brother. Your recognition of my service is certainly a high point of my professional and fraternal life. — Cliff Gillespie Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, Middle Tennessee State University FRIENDSHIPS FOR LIFE Dear Editor, This is just a letter to describe the friendships and brotherhood that come from a fraternity. I moved to Wichita from a small town to attend Wichita State. When I arrived I knew no one and had little to do. One afternoon I received a call from Brother Alex Webb who invited me to lunch and to talk about fraternities. I listened closely and asked many questions and it was tuff to decide on who to join. I had many options, my father was a Sig Ep and my grandfather a Sigma Nu, but I chose Kappa Sigma because of the friendship and brotherhood the members shared. These guys would put it all on the line for each other. I have been involved in the Fraternity for two years now and the friendships I have gained will surely last a lifetime. To me the best college decision I have ever made was to join Kappa Sigma. AEK∆B Jason J. Kosty III Theta Phi '99 CORRECTION I would like to make a correction to the Chapter Celestial for the Summer 2000 issue. Adam Goodman of the Delta-Delta Chapter '93 has not passed away. He is currently alive and just recently got married. Dear Friends, For the last 7 months I have been battling cancer. I am a high school football coach in Georgia.With the help of family ,friends and my Kappa Sigma Brothers, the fight will be successful. Along with being named National High School Coach of the Year,the highlight of my year was a reunion last month in Greenville, SC for Lamba-Omega’s 20 years of celebration. I am sure that other brothers have battled cancer. There is no greater love and support group than the Kappa Sigma family. My experiences and battles are open to share for others who need me. Cancer cannot beat us together.Thanks Kappa Sigma for giving me the stentgh and courage to stand tall. AEK∆B, Bill Bonds Lander University (1981) Thank you, — Roland Martino Delta-Delta '93 Ed. Note – Be sure to read more about Dr. Cliff Gillespie in the Notable News on page 7. KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 5 NOTABLE NEWS A N D EVENTS BETA CHAPTER RECHARTERED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA HOUSE NAMED IN DR. CLIFF GILLESPIE'S HONOR NOTABLE NEWS A N D EVENTS Like Father, Like Son Stephen Clarke Van Sickle II (2000) son of Stephen Clarke Van Sickle (1967) both initiated at Theta-Mu Chapter, Northwestern State University of Louisiana. John B. Hampton (2000) was initiated at the Epsilon-Phi Chapter (Texas Tech) and is the son of Robert W. Hampton (1970) of Penn State's Alpha-Delta Chapter. The new Kappa-Iota Chapter House above. Right, Dr. Cliff Gillespie as an undergraduate and above right Dr. Gillespie recently. Worthy Grand Procurator,Thomas P.Bishop,presents the new members of Beta Chapter with their charter on August 19,2000. Kappa Sigma is proud to announce that the Beta Chapter of Kappa Sigma, at the University of Alabama was rechartered on August 19, 2000. The Beta Colony started last August when Chapter Consultants EJ Roach, Jeff Cellio and Andy Cantrell arrived on campus to begin fall recruitment. With assistance from local alumni, members of the Recruitment and Expansion Commission and the Membership Development Commission the colony flourished and has become a leading fraternity on the University of Alabama campus. This special installation weekend saw 23 new initiates become the Founding Fathers of the rechartered Beta Chapter. Overseeing the initiations was Ritualist Mike Langley. Along with initiation teams from Lambda-Epsilon (Central Florida), Nu-Omega (Tampa), Epsilon-Nu (Southern Mississippi), and LambdaOmicron (North Alabama), the new Beta brothers were shown the Initiatory in an excellent manner. We were very privileged to welcome two Supreme Executive Committee Members to the Installation. Worthy Grand Procurator Thomas P. Bishop and 6 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 Worthy Grand Treasurer Bill Betz presented the keynote address and the charter to the new brothers. Several special guests were in attendance including Brother Jim Loftin (Beta, ’55), Trustee Emeritus of the University of Alabama Board of Trustees; Dr. Tom Strong, Dean of Students; Rick Funk, Associate Dean of Students; Todd Borst, Assistant Director for Student Development, and IFC President Mark Naggar. Other guests included: Brother Bill Waters, Jackson’s Scribe; Brother David A. Johnson, Recruitment and Expansion Commissioner; Brother Richard DeBerry, ADGM 28; Brother Stephen Coxen, ADGM 15; Brother Harry I. Brown, Alumnus Advisor; Brother Thomas P. Davis, Faculty Advisor; Brother EJ Roach, Director of Recruitment and Expanion and Brother Andy Cantrell, Director of Chapter Services. The Beta Chapter has definitely gotten off to a fast start as a Chapter of Kappa Sigma and we wish them much luck in the future! On April 15, 2000, at a heartwarming ceremony attended by many, the new Kappa-Iota Chapter House at Middle Tennessee State University was officially named for Dr. Cliff Gillespie, MTSU's Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management. A brotherhood of alumni that stretched over thirty years, along with currently active undergraduates, overwhelmingly agreed to bestow this honor on Brother Gillespie for his unwavering involvement and dedication to the Chapter. In the 1960's when Cliff first came to MTSU as a student, he was not only a founding member of the Kappa-Iota Chapter, but served as a Grand Master of Ceremonies. As an undergraduate, Cliff was involved in many campus activities -- from student government to our notorious Saturday night Kappa Sigma parties. Cliff was a regular guy who, along with his steady girlfriend Gayle, was known and liked by everyone on campus -- even the KA's. Cliff stayed on at MTSU, got his Masters degree and began working in the University's Administration. He and Gayle married and started their family, but Cliff stayed involved in Kappa Sigma as an Alumnus Advisor. Cliff's career moved him on to get his Doctorate degree from Peabody College, now a part of Vanderbilt University. Now, Brother Gillespie is not just Dean Gillespie, but Dr. Gillespie -- and he is still actively involved with Kappa Sigma. Cliff served as Kappa Sigma District Grand Master for western Kentucky and Tennessee. Cliff helps undergraduate brothers stay in school -something we all remember Cliff had firsthand experience with as an undergraduate himself. He has also helped the children of many of his peers get in school and stay in school - and has even bailed a few out of jail when the partying got to be too much fun. Cliff Gillespie is what Kappa Sigma is all about - a friend and brother who modestly says he really didn't do so much for his Kappa Sigma Chapter, he just happened to be the one who stayed around campus. We heartily disagree. The brothers of the Kappa-Iota Chapter of Kappa Sigma think Cliff Gillespie was the one among us who was truly a brother in heart for life, and we are proud to have named our new chapter house for him. Trey Millwood, Alpha-Beta (Mercer) poses at the entrance of the Saragozza Gate, Bologna’s largest, best preserved, and most significant gate, on a recent three day visit. He climbed the tower, visited San Petronio and other sights, and visited Cossa’s tomb in Florence.He also successfully tested for GMC proficiency while in Bologna. KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 7 NOTABLE NEWS NOTABLE EVENTS A N D NEWS EPSILON-PI CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY A N D EVENTS A GIFT FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ORDER This summer, Worthy Grand Master of Ceremonies Kevin S. Kaplan (1982, Theta-Zeta, Eastern New Mexico) finalized an extraordinary planned gift to the Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund. Brother Kaplan is funding a $500,000 life insurance policy which names the Endowment Fund as beneficiary. He becomes the newest member of the Kappa Sigma Heritage Society, which honors brothers who have provided for Kappa Sigma through their estate. Epsilon-Pi house picture from 1962 on left. Above, alumni and guests celebrate 50 years at the University of Memphis. Epsilon-Pi (Memphis) celebrated its Semi-Centennial Week with a reunion weekend which drew over 180 brothers and guests to Memphis, June 8 - 10. Founded in June 1950, the Chapter was installed with help from brothers from Lambda (Tennessee) and Phi (Rhodes). Its founders included many veterans of World War II who were attending college under the GI Bill. Its roots were formed in the Star & Crescent Club and conducted its first meetings in a room underneath the steps of the Administration Building of Memphis State College. The chapter room/house and college have seen many transformations since those first meetings. Brothers from as far away as Washington, Wisconsin & Florida attended 3 days of fun, food & fellowship in and around Memphis for the Reunion. Events included a night at the Memphis Redbirds AAA baseball game, a trip to the Tunica casinos, and a golf tournament, and 8 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 was capped off with a barbecue social at the chapter house. Special guests included DGM 26 Richard Buck, PDGM Hansel McCadams, and about a dozen Founders. Many brothers were misty-eyed as they shared moments with others that had not been seen in many years, reflecting on old times and catching up on each other's lives. The undergraduates served as grand hosts for the barbecue and conducted an open house for alumni brothers to reacquaint themselves with photo albums and composites of earlier days. Many had not previously visited the house, relocated in 1990, at its current site but shared memories of some of the other sites as they walked through the halls. Both alumni and undergraduates alike felt a renewed sense of commitment to the Fraternity at the conclusion of the celebration and eagerly await the next Reunion. "I believe that as Kappa Sigma brothers, we should do all we can to perpetuate the outstanding experience we enjoyed as undergraduates. My hope is that other alumni will take stock of what Kappa Sigma has meant to them in their personal and professional lives and support the Endowment Fund as generously as they can," said Kaplan. From 1984-1985, Kaplan was elected to represent thousands of undergraduates as a member of the Undergraduate Advisory Committee. Since his graduation, Brother Kaplan has served the Order as Alumnus Advisor of the Theta-Zeta and Delta-Zeta (New Mexico) chapters. During his term as chairman of the Alumni Development Committee in the mid-1990s, the Supreme Executive Committee created the John G. Tower Awards Program, which recognizes outstanding alumni in each district of Kappa Sigma. In addition, his committee launched the Parent’s Circle giving program. As Recruitment and Expansion Commissioner from 1997-1999, Brother Kaplan developed the very successful "Five More Pledges" Campaign. He was elected as Worthy Grand Master of Ceremonies at the 62nd Grand Conclave in Phoenix, Arizona. He is One of Jackson’s Men, Pin #13. Professionally, Brother Kaplan is President and CEO of Promotion Dynamics International, a corporate promotion and marketing firm specializing in sports and event marketing, with offices in Albuquerque, Dallas and Atlanta. WGP Tom Bishop, Ritualist Mike Langley, and Ritual Commission member Bill Waters pose with 6 undergraduate brothers who became Masters of the Ritual at the Area V Leadership Conference this past summer. KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 9 NOTABLE NEWS A N D EVENTS KAUFFMAN RECEIVES FELLOWSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND NEWS At their June 10 meeting, the Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund Trustees voted to allocated a $250,000 budget for the 2000 Scholarship-Leadership Awards Program. By Founder’s Day, 2000, the Endowment Fund will have awarded more than $3 million to thousands of deserving undergraduate brothers since 1948. The Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund is preeminent among college fraternity foundations in its financial support to undergraduate members. Awards to undergraduate brothers this year will be made at the $2,500, $1,000 and $500 levels. This record-setting grant comes on the heels of two other grants made earlier in the spring. The Endowment Fund will be underwriting the work of the Kappa Sigma Alcohol and Drug Education Commission for the 2000-2001 fiscal year. All eleven commission members will receive TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) Training at a fall retreat in Dallas. Each will then serve as a regional resource to chapters throughout North America. In addition, the Endowment Fund has allocated $10,000 for the new Collegiate Scholarship Program, designed to reinforce Kappa Sigma’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence. Ten pilot chapters will be responsible for raising $1,000, which will be matched by the Endowment Fund. The chapter will make these funds available as scholarships for incoming students. The Trustees voted in June to pursue several strategies which will involve more alumni brothers in the Endowment Fund’s development program. In July, undergraduate and volunteer alumni brothers attending the five Leadership Conference Programs took part in a comprehensive needs assessment. The survey was coordinated with the Supreme Executive Committee and will help identify those programs and services which will help each of our chapters remain successful on campus. The program areas in the survey included Personal Development, Scholarship, the Chapter Consultant Program, the Leadership Conference Program, Chapter Housing and Volunteer Training. The Trustees and SEC will share these results with members of the Fraternity’s volunteer commissions, to help them focus their programming efforts. The Endowment Fund is currently producing a case statement which will outline these program areas and the role they play in maintaining high standards in each Kappa Sigma Chapter. The Trustees are also planning to launch a formal annual giving campaign, which will be coordinated with the Fraternity’s voluntary Alumni Dues Program. This Annual Fund will incorporate the successful Jackson’s Men Program, through which more than 1,400 brothers have provided significant support to the Endowment Fund. State University of West Georgia biology student Ryan Kauffman was awarded a $7,000 graduate fellowship from the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. The criteria which Kauffman met to win the award included an outstanding undergraduate academic performance; leadership and service on the campus and in the community; evidence of graduate potential; an effective personal statement of educational perspective, purpose and objectives; and three letters of recommendation. According to Dr. John Clower, director of residence life and president of the UWG chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, this is the first time the West Georgia chapter has had a national winner for the graduate fellowship. Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi is the oldest and largest national honor society dedicated to the recognition and promotion of academic exellence in all fields of higher education. The Society has more than 1,000,000 members with more than 280 chapters located on college and university campuses across the United States, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The Trustees have voted to create a separate board of directors and a supporting committee system for the Endowment Fund. These structures will provide greater opportunities for alumni involvement. Finally, the Trustees established annual personal fund-raising expectations for themselves. Recently, Kauffman was named the Bruce Lyon Distinguished Student Leader, the Academic Recognition Day Scholar and the Biology Faculty Outstanding Senior. He received the Thomas Hart Award and the West Georgia Ambulance-AMR Award. Kauffman is a Presidential Scholar, a member of the Honors College, Student Government Association and Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Kauffman has conducted research for four years, and has presented his research findings to two international conferences. In addition, he worked as a student assistant in the Department of Chemistry and as a resident assistant for Residence Life. The Kauffman family established the Ryan Kauffman Biology Scholarship to be awarded to students from Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Paulding Counties intending to pursue a degree in biology at UWG. Kauffman will attend medical school at Vanderbilt University. NOTABLE NEWS A N D EVENTS Great Chrysoloras History Bowl At the 2000 Area Leadership Conferences, the Historian and the Assistant Historians offered competition among Kappa Sigma's to determine the Fraternity's "Top Scholars" in the arena of knowledge of our History. At Grand Conclaves, they offer individual undergraduate and alumnus competition, but chapter team effort is the style at each of the five Area Leadership Conferences. Each chapter and colony may select up to three of its members —undergraduate initiates and/or pledges—as its "team." The members of each team will work together to answer the questions. Questions came from Bononia Docet, the two published histories—Farr's and the Centennial, The Caduceus, and a general knowledge of the Fraternity, its famous members,its leaders and its operations. Below are the winners of this year's Great Chrysoloras History Bowl. TOP SCHOLAR: Lambda-Xi (Georgia College) Bill McGovirk, GMC Stephen Coxen AREA I SCHOLAR: Alpha-Phi (Bucknell) Tony Lanza Evan Pfleger Kevin Lawlor AREA III SCHOLAR: Kappa-Iota (Middle Tennessee State) Joshua Dailey, GM Mike DeFere, GP Jake Hubbell, GT (Left) Kappa Sigma’s from around the country gather to surprise WGP Tom Bishop on his 40th birthday. AREA IV SCHOLAR: Mu-Gamma (Texas A & M) Gary Livingston, GMC Marcos Martinez Jason Hawkins AREA V SCHOLAR: Theta-Zeta (Eastern New Mexico) Eric Garcia Justin Ward Eric Mattern 10 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 11 NOTABLE NEWS A N D EVENTS BROTHERS HONORED IN SOCIETIES Gamma Sigma Alpha Gamma Sigma Alpha is a National Greek Academic Honor Society, which recognizes Greek scholars who excel in academics. The Society strives to uphold the high ideals of scholastic achievement, and therefore only students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above at the start of their junior year or a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in any semester during their junior or senior year are eligible. NAME John David Apodaca Ben Bundy Brandon Fulgham Scott Horton Brendan R. King Robert Lyle Patrick McGlinchey Jeff Oitker Benjamin Shargel Aaron Soltz Samuel Sullivan William E. Vasquez, III Tanner Watkins Felipe Duran James H. Fremder Hubert Seth Hall 12 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus SCHOOL New Mexico State Texas Christian University Texas Christian University Texas Christian University New Mexico State University of S. California Texas Christian University University of Kansas Northwestern University University of Kansas Texas Christian University New Mexico State Texas Christian University University of Miami University of Miami Morehead State University Fa l l 2 0 0 0 National Interfraternity Conference The following list of brothers participated in this year's Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI) in cooperation with the NIC. The UIFI 2000 graduates left their sessions ready to change the Greek communities in which they live. NAME Frank Bartlett Patrick Brown Ted Cunneen Brad Deas Felipe Duran Jason Farmer Douglas W. Gillio Benjamin Nickell Michael Phillips Chris Smith SCHOOL University of Connecticut Tennessee Tech University Denison University Middle Tennessee State University of Miami Bowling Green State Southeastern Louisiana State Midwestern State University University of Delaware University of Central OK Order of Omega These brothers were inducted into The National Order of Omega during the 1999-2000 academic year. University of Alberta Dr. Robert Steadward Arizona State University Michael Cole Ashland University Kyle D. Krumiouf Bowling Green State University Clint Gault Clemson University David D. Eskew Colorado School of Mines Rob Aikman Steve Passmore Denison University Christopher G. Dean Nicholas Gesue Georgia Institute of Technology Peter John Gulbranson Hofstra University Jeremy Duder lowa State University Shawn Spooner Jacksonville State University Justin Vice Kansas State University Theodore Drescher Judd Herbster Miami University Cole Condon Kelly Custer Nick Egli Midwestern State University Jeremy Fickle Dominic T. Vu Millsaps College Jeff Mitchell Mississippi State University John Cross Kirk Eddleman Ed Everitt Morehead State University TJ Emmons Shannon Harr North Carolina State University Andrew Blair Alan Finley Northwest Missouri State University Todd Kenney Northwestern University Taylor Janis Brian Wahigren Northwestern University Mark Waterston Oregon State University Adam McKenzie Brandon Wentworth Jonathan Worsley Pennsylvania State University Jeff Coffey Rhodes College Patrick E. Betar Robert Campbell John Goss Matt Helland Vinay Madan San Diego State University Dillon Gibbons Michael King Greg Walker St. Mary's University James Gonzales David Mannan Tennessee Technological University Chad Oldham University of Arizona Chad Foust Chris Gladney University of Arkansas Ben Kroeter Lloyd Meeks Jay Snider University of California, Irvine Matthew Hawk Jeff Meinhardt University of Central Florida Bradley A. Plank Ian J. Rayder University of Denver Brian Cerkvenik Eric McFarland University of Georgia Ricky Harris Buckley Levins Michael Lonergan Jeremy Pope University of lowa Andrew Porter University of Kansas Jason Howard University of Louisville Stephen A. Gallahue University of Miami Felipe Duran Greg Lockhart Andrew Nelson University of Mississippi John William Beck III Jeffrey Kenneth Boyd Byron Norman Brown IV Jason Allan Leach John Franklin Miller Andrew Philip Rice Lance Michael Sannino John Robert Underwood III Scott Jared Walker Michael Neal Williamson University of Missouri/Columbia Drew LeFors University of New Mexico Raymond Rivera Richard Sheriden University of North Alabama Jim Page University of Oregon Thomas L. Wiper Jr. University of South Alabama Robert H. Sassaman III University of South Carolina Heyward Cathcart University of South Florida Thomas Lee Barron University of Southern California Robert Solomon University of Southern Mississippi Richard Soldinie University of Tampa Jordan Bazner Vincent Leto Valdosta State University Tyler Turner Willamette University Greg Jones Winthrop University Richard Alan Eppes John Rouda University of Texas/Dallas Sean Carver Aaron Cooper Kenneth Utley Randolph-Macon College James R. Wasilewski University of Texas/San Antonio John Gonzales Jason Honeycutt University of Wisconsin/Oshkosh Dean Perlberg Scott J. Thomsen State University of West Georgia Michael Bell Georgia College & State University Chris Gibson Stephen Griffin NOTABLE NEWS A N D EVENTS University of Louisiana at Lafayette Jason Breaux Kelly Cahill Scott Macicek Rowan University Troy Mainerick Brian McMorrow Washington University, St. Louis Ralph Baker Matt Greives Brad Konstandt Omicron Delta Kappa Society Omicron Delta Kappa recognizes and encourages superior scholarship leadership and exemplary character for faculty and students on 269 campuses across the nation. Membership honors graduate and undergraduate women and men who are in the top 35% of their class academically and who show leadership in one or more of five phases of college life: scholarship; athletics; campus or community service, social religious activities, and campus government; journalism, speech, and the mass media; and creative and performing arts. Unlike an "honorary," a membership into the honor society demands further leadership on the part of its members whether they be initiated as undergraduates, graduate students, faculty/administration, alumni, or "honoris causa." Each category recognizes those men and women who have achieved at a high level within their community or nationally. Bowling Green State University Nicholas John Gemmel College of Charleston Ryan Ellis Beasley Davidson College Chad W. Phillips George Washington University Anjan Choudhury Seth H. Greenberg University of Georgia John Wesley Howard University of Kentucky Brian Paterson Roth University of Florida/Miami Felipe Duran Millsaps College Jeffrey Rhea Mitchell University of Mississippi Lance Michael Sannino Michael N. Williamson Mississippi State University James Curtis Ball, III William Brent Bowling Edward Jerome Everitt Zeb King Henson Matthew Owen Humphreys Spencer Haynes Manning Michael Clark Mccabe Thomas Andrew Seago David Wayne Zimmerman Randolph-Macon College James Robert Wasilewski Rhodes College Amit Mirchandani Washington and Lee University Daniel Noffelt Birdwhistell Washington University Eric Henry Schultz State University of West Georgia Byron Michael Bell Wichita State University Matthew Jason Combs Winthrop University John David Rounda Huntingdon College Rian Morgan Turner Cumberland University Justin Wayne McKinney Bradley Houston Spear Mercer University Michael Lewis Van Cise University of Texas/San Antonio Thomas E. Cisneros KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 13 ALUMNI ALUMNI U P D A T E S U P D A T E S Alpha-Iota (Tennessee/Chattanooga) A one-man play Bill Landry (1969) wrote about Albert Einstein in 1977, has found new life as a short book that will be distributed to every middle and high school in Tennessee. Landry, best known for his four-time Emmy Award-winning "The Heartland Series" on WBIR-TV, Channel 10, wrote the play "Einstein the Man" and preformed it for 650 audiences in 38 states and two Canadian provinces. The play was also adapted for public radio and television. Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, which operates the Department of Energy's Y-12 Plant, and UTBattelle, which operates the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, each funded the printing of 10,000 copies of the book. Each middle and high school will get 10 copies. when they inhabited the area. Combining words from each of their languages they derived the name "Ptocowa," meaning "healing waters," because of the medicinal qualities they attributed to the waters of the spring. Ben was inspired by these stories to depict the healing water by sculpting a Native American maiden tending to the wounds of a fallen warrior. Governor Musgrove was emotional in his response to the presentation as he thanked the community and praised the artist for his beautiful rendition of Tocowa's healing waters. Alpha-Zeta (University of Michigan) Ralph Kleinedler (1959) was elected President of the University of Michigan Club of Greater Flint for the 2000-2001 year. Alpha-Upsilon (Millsaps) Beta (Alabama) Joel Gill (1970) was recently elected President of the Mississippi Livestock Marketing Assn. Ben Watts, (1978), of Columbia, MS, was recently honored to have a bronze sculpture he created presented to Mississippi's Governor Ronnie Musgrove by the Pope Woman's Club as part of a homecoming celebration in the town of Pope, MS, home to the school attended by the governor from first through eighth grade. Ben's artistic talent is well-known among his AlphaUpsilon brothers for work he did while at Millsaps. After graduation in 1980 he returned home to Columbia to enter his family's retail clothing business. In 1997 he made the decision to leave that business in order to devote himself to a full-time career as a sculptor. He has studied at the Scottsdale Artists School, Scottsdale, AZ, Fechin Art School, Taos, NM, and the Cowboy Artist of America Museum, Kerrville, TX. The bronze sculpture given to Governor Musgrove is entitled "Ptocowa," the original spelling of the name Tocowa, the community nearby Pope in which the governor was reared. The name comes from a spring which is situated on the ancient territorial dividing line of the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indian tribes in Northern Mississippi at which these tribes held their councils of war H. Dean McClure (1981) has been named president for TTL, Inc. TTL, Inc., is a Tuscaloosa, AL based-firm with offices in Montgomery and Florence, Alabama. 14 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 Beta-Delta (Washington & Jefferson) Temple Kol Emeth of Marietta, Georgia, announces the election of Bob Ganz (1972), as President of the Board of Directors for the term July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2002. Temple Kol Emeth, with almost 900 families, is currently the third largest Jewish congregation in greater Atlanta. Its preschool is the fastest growing Jewish preschool in Atlanta, and, its religious school, with 700 students, is the largest in the southeastern United States. Bob has previously served as Financial Trustee, Financial Secretary, Treasurer and Executive Vice President. Bob is an accountant and financial planner with offices in Smyrna, Georgia. Bob, and his wife, Benita live in Marietta, GA, and have two sons, Jason, and Josh, both students at the University of Georgia. Beta-Eta (Auburn) The Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund is proud to recognize the newest member of the Heritage Society, T.O. Collier, Jr. (1958). "I have so many wonderful memories of Kappa Collier Sigma, especially the friendships which have truly lasted a lifetime. To be a Kappa Sigma while at Auburn was not only fun, it was meaningful," he said recently. Brother Collier has used a common planned giving vehicle, a charitable remainder trust, to establish a sizable fund within the Endowment Fund. His generous gift will establish the T.O. Collier Scholarship-Leadership Award and fund other Endowment Fund-supported educational programs of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Brother Collier credits his undergraduate experience helping him throughout his thirty-year career in human resources at Amoco and, more recently, as president of his own firm, Nimblewill Creek Consulting, Inc., based in Atlanta. "I was fortunate to serve as Grand Treasurer of our chapter. That experience and the constant opportunities to learn how to deal with people have certainly helped me achieve success in the human resources field." Brother Collier's big brother at Beta-Eta was long-time southern Georgia District Grand Master A. Ferd Cohen (1955, Beta-Eta), "Terry was always sincere and very faithful to Kappa Sigma. He was liked by and looked up to by all of us, and he still is." The Cohen - Collier connection was duplicated 30 years later, when Ferd's son David Cohen (1987) became the big brother of T.O. Collier, III (1988) in the Beta-Eta Chapter. Outside of his professional accomplishments, Brother Collier has served the Boy Scouts of America many years with distinction, on the local, regional and national levels. "This gift is made in gratitude for the meaningful experience I've had in Kappa Sigma and for the impact it's had on my social and personal development. I hope all brothers who feel the way I do will take the simple steps necessary to help Kappa Sigma secure its future." For more information on the Kappa Sigma Heritage Society and how you might provide for Kappa Sigma through your estate plan, or how you can support the Endowment Fund today, please contact David M. Coyne, CFRE, Chief Development Officer, Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund, at 804/295-3193 or [email protected]. Beta-Gamma (Missouri/Columbia) Elmer D. Richars (1958), Vice President, Corporate Communications for Ralston Purina Company announced he plans to end his 32-year career with the Company on November 17, 2000. Richars joined Ralston in 1968 as Manager, Corporate and Consumer Communications. He subsequently was promoted to Director of Corporate Communications and in 1983 became Director of Public Relations. He was named Vice President and Director of Public Relations in 1985. In 1999, he also assumed management responsibility for the Company's Community Affairs Department, which was made a part of the Public Relations Department. Elmer is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America. He is a former president of the St. Louis Chapter of PRSA and served for a number of years as a Director of the St. Louis Chapter. He served as Chairman, Workplace Communications Committee for the United Way Campaign and as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Better Business Bureau. He currently is a member of the Public Relations Council of Washington University in St. Louis, and the Communications Committee of the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Pet Food Institute. He is a member of the St. Louis Press Club and two executive public relations organizations, the Public Relations Seminar and the Arthur Page Society. He currently serves as Chair of the Public Affairs Committee of the Pet Food Institute. Beta-Lambda (Georgia) Dr. William T. McCown, III (1981) has been appointed Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources of the Paulding County School System in Dallas, Georgia. Bill and his wife, Christy, make their home in Marietta, Georgia, with their three children, Molly Anne, Katie, and Philip. Beta-Psi (University of Washington) Evan Roberts (1974) and Tonjua McCullough were married on July 15, 2000 by Judge O. Michael Carter at their Chattanooga home. Evan's three sons Joseph (19), Tom (17) and John (15) were Best Men/Ring Bearers. Family and friends had a great time at the closeknit family dinner party following the ceremony. Evan and Tonjua, Tom and John will continue to reside in Chattanooga. Joe continues to pursue his interest in restaurant management and attending Chattanooga State. Tom has applied to numerous Universities and the Army and Naval Academies. John, a sophomore at Notre Dame High, continues to focus on surviving high school. Robert W. Finke (1985) and his wife Jennifer are proud to announce the birth of their son Patrick William on May 20, 2000. Delta-Eta (University Southern California) Denny Freidenrich (1970) currently writes opinion articles and last year had nine pieces published in various newspapers and magazines. The papers include the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Business Journal of Silicon Valley, San Jose Mercury News, Orange County Register and others. Magazines include US News & World Report, Newsweek and Foundation News & Commentary. His topics have ranged from politics to being an older dad, and from the Internet to the root causes of teen violence. Creative Works, an integrated communications firm offering strategic and tactical advertising, public relations, marketing, graphic design, direct response and eBusiness development services, has acquired Cooley & Company and appointed Todd Cooley (1978) managing director of its Irvine office and head of its public relations practice. Cooley is a member of the International Association of Chi (Purdue) Cory Henry (1993) was married to Jenine Kosak on July 8th, 2000 in La Jolla, CA. Cory was also promoted to Captain in the ARMY Chemical Corps on September 30th, 2000. Delta-Alpha (Carnegie-Mellon) Jason Smith (1988) has joined The Associated Press in Washington as Training Coordinator in its Broadcast Technology group. He had been Executive Producer of San Francisco-based Zatso, responsible for running its 30-person Internet newsroom. Earlier, he was a news writer and producer at ZDTV there. He had also been Supervising Producer at KSNWTV, Wichita. Doug Coffman (Gamma-Chi, Kansas State, 1995) with his Kappa Sigma Grooms cake on his April 15th, 2000 wedding in Overland Park, KS. KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 15 ALUMNI ALUMNI U P D A T E S Business Communicators (IABC) and an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the PRSA Counselor’s Academy. He currently is president of the American Cancer Society’s Newport-Mesa unit and is a marketing consultant for the Pacific Symphony Orchestra. Cooley is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he received a bachelor’s degree from the School of Journalism. Delta-Gamma (Wyoming) Don Shearn (1984) celebrates the birth of his new son, Donald Francis Shearn III born on October 28th, 1999, weighing in at 6.6 lbs. Delta-Lambda (Montana State) Trevor Scott (1990) was married on July 14, 2000 in Minneapolis, MN. He and his bride, Catherine, plan to continue living in the Minneapolis area where Brother Scott is the Sous Chef of Ciao Bella restaurant and she is the alto singer with Five By Design, an international vocal jazz quintet. They were joined at their wedding by Brothers Casey Carlson (1988), Corey Carlson (1989), and Troy Mengel (1990). U P D A T E S Department Head of the Paulding County High School Freshmen Academy. Brother Kaiser has been teaching at the school outside of Atlanta for three years. In his new position, he will be supervising a faculty of 14 teachers and 385 ninthgrade students. Epsilon-Pi (Memphis) Delta-Eta Alumni gathered for their 25th annual skiing getaway in February at June Lake, CA. Started as an initiation celebration by the Fall 1974 Pledge Class, some events have been attended by as many as 25 brothers and friends. For information about the 2001 weekend, contact Rick Lissler at [email protected]. Emergency Medical Tech and member of the DMAT team (Disaster Medical Assistant Team). Brian was called upon by the state of New Mexico to staff the Los Aamos Medical Center Emergency Room as an Emergency Room Tech. Brother Hernandez will perform life saving techniques if an emergency would arise from the Cerri Grande fire that was taking place about a mile and a half from the LAMC where Brian was staying. Brian spent a total of five days in Los Alamos, but had to leave to attend his full time job as a legal assistant. Epsilon-Chi (Louisiana/Lafayette) Delta-Phi (Hobart College) Hart Seely (1971) has released a book he co-authored with Frank Cammuso entitled 2007 Eleven and Other American Comedies. For more info, check www.cammuso.com. Delta-Zeta (University of New Mexico) Brian Hernandez (1999) is an Jim (Sparky) LeMaire, (1984) graduated from A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University with a Masters in Business Administration in May. He and his wife Nicole celebrated the birth of their first daughter in March. Corinne's siblings are Chandler, age 5, and Mills, age 3. In August, he will be transferring to Houston, TX, to work for Shell Services Epsilon (Centenary) Alumni reunion. Right, grouped together are the Pledge Trainers from Epsilon Chapter, (L-R) John Meldrum, Buddy Pledger, RJ Fertitta and Steve Heard. 16 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 International as a UNIX Consultant - Hewlett Packard Focal Point. He can be reached at [email protected]. Kevin M. Powers (1994) will be enrolled in a joint degree program in Law and Government (J.D./M.A.) school in Norfolk, Virginia beginning August 2000. Krissy and Kevin just celebrated their 4th anniversary in May and are happy to report that they have no children. PWGM and Endowment Fund Vice Chairman Luke J. Schissel (1962) is currently serving the Greenwood, Mississippi 80-year old Rotary Club as President. Schissel has also been elected as President of the Cottonlandia Educational Foundation Board of Directors. Cottonlandia is a museum serving the Mississippi Delta. Epsilon-Omega (Georgia State) Epsilon-Xi (UT/El Paso) Brian Davis (1974) has spent 23 years as a radio and television broadcaster in Chicago, and was recently hired as the play-by-play announcer for the Seattle Seahawks. Epsilon-Nu (Southern Mississippi) Greg Kaiser (1989) has been named Bill Wheatly (1999) graduated from William & Mary in May with a Master's in Accounting. He now lives in Richmond. Ryan K. Mottley (1995) received his Juris Doctor degree from Regent University Law School. He is now studying for the July Bar Exam in Virginia an preparing for his wedding in November. Epsilon-Upsilon (North Texas) Richard Wells (1963) has been appointed as superintendent of the Naval Postgraduate School. Brother Wells received his undergraduate and masters degrees from North Texas, and his doctorate degree from Texas A&M University, before taking his current position as chairman and professor of the North Texas Journalism Department. He is also a rear admiral in the Naval Reserve. Wells broke new ground this summer by becoming the first Naval reservist public affairs officer to fill the school's top role of superintendent. The Texas native is also the first reservist flag officer, and the first Navy diver, to take on the job. All are landmark moves and further evidence that Aggies have become vital in the Navy's day-to-day operations. Epsilon-Delta (Northwestern) Eta (Randolph-Macon) Army 2nd Lt. Alexis Perez-Cruz (1997) class of 2000 at Stephen F. Austin State University was given his oath of office by Army Lt. Col (retired) Richard Joslyn (1965), Delta-Gamma (University of Wyoming) on August 11, 2000. 2nd LT Alexis Perez-Cruz will be serving at the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY as an Armor officer. 2nd LT Alexis Perez- Cruz aspires to be as good a soldier and a Kappa Sigma Brother as Lt. Col. Richard Joslyn. Lt. Col Joslyn is a Jackson's Man (Pin # 1025) and a Vietnam veteran with a long distinguished carreer as an Infantry officer. Chase headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, with eight regional offices maintained in New York, Philadelphia, Newark, Washington D.C., Dallas, Kansas City, Scranton, and London. A multi-disciplinary organization, Hillier has grown from its nationwide reputation as a premier designer of major corporate campuses and educational facilities to an international firm with capabilities in the fields of Interior Design, Historic Preservation, Health Care, Science and Technology, Hospitality, Land Planning and Graphic Design. The firm has 470 employees and has received over 250 architectural design awards in its 33-year history. Oldies WOMC-FM host Dick Purtan (1955) and crew have been chosen as best morning show by readers of HOUR Detroit magazine. Purtan has also been nominated by magazine Radio & Records for its Achievement Award and was chosen to emcee the National Association of Broadcaster's convention in San Francisco this past September. Gamma-Pi (MIT) Gamma-Iota (Syracuse) J. Robert Hillier Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hillier International, Inc. and the Hillier Group, Inc., the nation's third largest architectural firm, announced the appointment of David Erik Chase (1959), as its new Chief Executive Officer. David Erik Chase's career in the architectural profession spans over 30 years with studies at Syracuse University, Ecoles des Beaux-Arts, Fountainbleu, France, and a Masters in Architecture degree from Columbia University. With 20 years of experience as founder and owner of his own architectural and engineering firm, Mr. Chase began his tenure with Hillier in 1996 as President of The Hillier Group, Pennsylvania. A noted lecturer and published author, Chase's expert management and marketing skills, demand for design innovation and excellence, coupled with relentless energy, will serve Hillier in achieving the firm's strategic global objectives in the next century. The Hillier Group is Edmund Pease, aka artist Lancelott, (1956) "The City of Angels Suite," a series of photo collage and acrylic compositions by Montclair artist Lancelon, has been accepted by the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Art in Amman, Jordan, for its permanent collection. Lancelott was recently awarded a fellowship to the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) in Sweet Briar, VA. The fellowship is funded in part by the Geraldine Dodge Foundation. The VCCA, one of the nation's largest year-round artists' communities, is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in rural Virginia. Lancelott will be in residence in July and August with approximately 20 other artists, focusing on their own creative projects at this working retreat for visual artists, writers and composers. Gamma-Psi (Oklahoma State) Michael Mayden (1990) was married to Kimberly Walton on March 11, 2000 in Plano, Texas. They were introduced to each other by Michael's pledge brother, Mike Brown. Several KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 17 ALUMNI ALUMNI U P D A T E S Gamma-Zeta (New York University) Alumni reunion July 22, 2000 chapter brothers were attendants and ushers at the ceremony. Jason Mayden was the best man, Mike Brown and Tim Denker were groomsmen, and Scott Miner was an usher. The surprise proposal was given on bended knee in front of Kimberly's 4th grade classroom. Mike went on to receive his MBA at Tulsa University and is now the Assistant Vice-President of Finance for Countrywide Home Loans. Gamma-Zeta (New York University) When New York University sold and closed its University Heights Campus in the Bronx in June 1973, the Gamma-Zeta Chapter reluctantly closed its house and surrendered a charter which had proudly been active since 1905. Without an undergraduate chapter to arrange reunions, alumni gradually drifted apart. After finally locating the three brothers in his bridal party (Frank DeRisi, Tony Chabarek and Pete Garruba) on the anniversary of his 25th year of marriage in April, Brother Frank Piraneo (1972) decided that a fullblown reunion was long overdue. Using Internet search engines, personal networking and phone directories, he managed to track down over 40 of his Gamma-Zeta brothers in seven states. Calling the endeavor "one of the most gratifying things I have ever done", Brother Piraneo hosted a buffet luncheon on July 22nd at Vazzy's Restaurant in Bridgeport, CT for 30 of his long lost brothers and their spouses. Brothers Mike Lugo (1974), Frank DeRisi (1970) and Steve Gill (1971) won the awards for 'longest road traveled' coming from Nevada, Florida and Maryland respectively. Brother Les Skoski (1965) led the contingent in historical anecdotes as the venerable senior mem- 18 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 U P D A T E S ber of the group. Although most brothers had lost virtually all contact with their classmates after nearly three decades, all were shocked but pleased to learn that many of their classmates continue to work and reside in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Vows were made to expand the invitation list in the future as well as to begin a tradition of regularly scheduled reunions. Brother Piraneo is encouraging any NYU brother around the country to contact him at (203) 268-9285 or [email protected] to insure that they are on his list for the next Gamma-Zeta reunion. Kappa-Alpha (UNLV) Mike Chesley (1984) has lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico for eight years. He is the General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel at the Albuquerque Airport. He and his wife, Ramona, just celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary and are expecting a baby in March. Mike is planning a Kappa Sigma Alumni Tailgate party at the UNLV vs. New Mexico Football game on November 11, 2000. All brothers are invited. Kappa-Chi (College of Charleston) Mark Lisella (1991) recently earned a master's degree in government from Johns Hopkins University. He is a senior account executive for Persuasion Inc., a Republican political consulting company based in Fredericksburg, VA. Mark is in the process of opening a branch of the firm in Charleston, SC. In 1994, Mark completed a BA in political science from the College of Charleston. Kappa-Phi (George Mason) Steven Spitz (1995) and his wife Maria just celebrated the birth of their first child. Joseph Patrick Spitz was born on July 22, 2000. He weighed 8 pounds 13 ounces. Doug Metzler (1994) and his girlfriend Kjersten Gingerich recently announced that they are engaged to be married. An August 2001 wedding is being planned. Lambda (Tennessee) Andrew F. "Tripp" Crane, III (1989) recently joined SEI Investments in Oaks, Pennsylvania as an Investment Analyst in the Global Fixed Income division. He will be responsible for analysis and recommendations of emerging market and international debt instruments for SEI's Mutual Fund and Asset Management Areas. Tripp received the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation from the Association for Investment Management and Research last fall and was recently employed as Fixed Income Strategist at NBC Capital Markets Group in Kappa-Kappa (Georgia Southwestern) John V. Harper (1977) was recently elected to the position of Superior Court Judge for the Southwestern Judicial District, which is composed of five counties in southwest Georgia. Kappa-Omicron (LaGrange) John D. Rasnick (1986) just adopted two Mayan Indians from Guatemala. His new activities in each area. Gary Thrower will serve as Treasurer. Please contact Scott Stefano (912453-1221, [email protected]), Gary Thrower (912-4521012, [email protected]), Terry Barrett (912-471-8555, [email protected]), Danny Smith (912452-6939, [email protected]), Milo Smith (912-274-1817) or Craig Henry (706342-3274, [email protected]) for additional information. son, Dominic, is 18 months old and new daughter, Emma, is 8 months old. Brother Rasnick also just completed two years of service as the chairman of the board of directors for the Meriwether County Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, he has completed his term as president of the Bar Association for the Coweta Judicial Circuit. He welcomes calls from other fraternity members and they can contact him at (800) 570-9327. Gamma-Xi (Denison) Class of 1960 reunion Gamma (LSU) Alumni Duck Hunt Mu-Iota (Gallaudet) Memphis. He and wife Mandy also became the parents of their first child, Rachel Anne, on July 11. Lambda-Delta (West Georgia) Over the spring and summer several alumni have tied the knot to their sweethearts. Jay Worley (1993) was married to Amy Wofford, Jay Sneddon (1994) was married to Amy Hanagan, Mark Moon (1996) was married to Cassy Thompson, and Ray Rehal (1996) is getting married to Loveleen Bedi in September. Brother Tony Plott (1992) and his wife Robin are expecting their first baby in the spring. The local alumni donated over $600 for intramural uniforms to be used for the upcoming school year that will be commemorate their 30th anniversary in the spring. Jon Mitchiner (1994) is a computer entrepreneur that doesn't carry a cell phone, but he is rarely far away from his e-mail. Minotaur employees have no need for cell phones because they are all deaf. But ubiquitous e-mail use for customer service is one of the key reasons the four-year-old computer retailer has become a nearly $3 million-a-year business, Mitchiner said. The company sells custom-designed PCs that range from $700 to $2,500. The inability to hear has helped the employees understand the premium placed on communication. And by cultivating a customer base of intense hobbyists and companies not intent on waiting for customized computers, they have created a virtual company in which customers never need to talk to a human being, yet contact can be instant. Such a setup would have been impossible in the bricks-and-mortar retail world where hearing employees would have been needed to work with customers. Mitchiner said the company took in $700,000 in its first full year and revenue has roughly doubled in each of the last two years. That came without a marketing campaign, but largely from the high marks from customers who discuss the products at such places as www.resellerratings.com. Spencer Thomason (1991) and his wife, Jennifer are proud parents of Matthew James Thomason. Born on April 20 at 10:45pm weighing 8lbs., 2oz. Mu-Xi (California State/Fullerton) Anil Menon (1994) has recently accepted a promotion to the position of Customer Service Manager with Wells Fargo Bank in Anaheim, CA. Celebrating 5 years with Wells Fargo, this new position puts Anil in charge of all branch operations. Anil recently received his B.A. degree from California State University, Fullerton in Communications and Advertising. Anil has also moved to Anaheim and can be reached at [email protected]. Mu-Zeta (UNC/Wilmington) Jason Adams (1997) graduated the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and moved to Atlanta. There he is a sales representative Lambda-Xi (Georgia College) The Middle Georgia Alumni Association of Kappa Sigma is active again and would like to encourage Lambda-Xi (Georgia College & State University) alumni to join them as they restructure their alumni programs and activities. They have 30 alumni that have joined and have a goal for 50 alumni this year. The purpose of this group is to offer more support to the undergrads in scholarship money and to provide alumni gettogethers & activities. Next year a 5/10/15/20/25 year reunions for initiation classes is planned. Scott Stefano was elected President for this year. Terry Barrett(Macon), Danny Smith (Milledgeville), and Milo Smith(Dublin) will serve as vice presidents and coordinate social (L to R) Brother Andrew Cutinella (Beta-Mu), Austin Backman and Brian Backman (Delta-Mu) KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 19 ALUMNI U P D A T E S for H. Muehlstein, one of the world's largest brokers in sythetic rubber and plastic polymers. After a brief training, Jason will be responsible for the territory of North Texas, including the Dallas/Fort Worth area and the entire state of Oklahoma. Tau (UT/Austin) R. D. "Dan" Burck (1955) has been appointed as Interim Chancellor of The University of Texas System, effective June 1, 2000. His current title at The University of Texas System is Executive Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs. Nu Prime (Virginia Tech) Willie Jester (1988) & Bryan Canary (1990), both of Virginia Tech's Nu Prime Chapter have started BuyCollegeStuff.com. Jester originally started Hokie.com in 1995 to sell Licensed Virginia Tech Merchandise. Over the past 5 years it has evolved into BuyCollegeStuff.com. BCS uses a unique business model that is just being introduced to the online retail industry allowing BCS to offer more Licensed College Merchandise than any other website today. They developed a Nationally recognized coaches advisory board including Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech, Murray State), George O'Leary (Georgia Tech), LaVell Edwards (BYU), Spike Dykes (Texas Tech), Bill Foster (Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech), Ricky Stokes (Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Texas), Bonnie Henrickson(Virginia Tech) Theta-Delta (Willamette) Lieutenant Colonel Michael Carlson (1974) and Captain Joe Gardenhour (1993 Kappa-Iota, Middle Tennessee) have been working for Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Operating Location Riyadh, Saudi Arabia since June 1999. Brothers Carlson and Gardenhour are directly responsible for the beddown and sustainment of 72 Royal Saudi Air Force F-15S model aircraft positioned at three separate locations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The F- 15S aircraft were purchased by the Royal Saudi Air Force through the largest foreign military sales program in U.S. Government history, nine billion dollars. For the past year, they have been the direct link between the U.S. Government and the Royal Saudi Air Force on all matters concerning the F-15C, F-15D and F-15S model aircraft. Both brothers have follow-on assignments (Carlson) to Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio and (Gardenhour) to Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. Theta-Pi (East Carolina) Clint Williams (1988) had a baby girl in November, Bailey Grace. Brother Williams received an award for highest promotional sales in the Southeast from American City Business Journals and sold largest contract in history for continued on page 43 Remembering Nick (As told to the Editor by Patrick Rykhus, Gamma-Beta Prime, Millikin University) At 4:20am on Thursday, June 8, 2000, the lives of the men of Gamma-Beta Prime at Millikin University would forever change. Our brother, former Grand Master of Ceremonies and current Grand Scribe, Nicholas Edward Schwalbach of Glen Carbon, Illinois, passed away in a fire that destroyed the chapter’s third floor and severely damaged the rest of the house. Twenty-one people were in the house during those early morning hours. Nu-Psi (Cincinnati) Christopher Walters (1994) was married May 13th in Cincinnati, Ohio. Chris Hubner from Nu-Omega at Tampa was one of the attendants. Their honeymoon included a week in Paris and a week in London. His wife Lori Marie Walters (Leduc) is originally from Woonsocket, RI and got a bachelors in Industrial Engineering from Univ. of Cincinnati. Rho (Arizona State University) A gentleman, who had been working the late shift at a local business, was on his way home when he drove past the chapter. He saw smoke bellowing out of the door leading to our third-floor deck. By the time he had circled back around, the smoke had turned into fire. He then came to the chapter house front door and began frantically beating on it and yelling. I, along with our current GMC and another brother, were in a basement bedroom getting the most out of a rented video game when we heard the commotion. We came out of the room, went upstairs, and saw the man pounding on the door. Michael Boyle (1995) has accepted a full financial scholarship from Temple University School of Medicine to begin his doctoral candidacy in the Fall of 2000. He will earn a PhD in molecular-biology and immunology upon successful completion of the program. He is currently employed as a staff scientist in the Research and Development Department of STC Technologies, a biotechnology company in Bethlehem, Pennsylania. I ran toward the third floor to put out what I thought would be a small trashcan fire. Another brother had joined me and by the time we had gotten to the stairway to the third floor, we knew that something was terribly wrong; fire was everywhere and we knew that two brothers were still up there. With fire extinguishers in hand, we tried to get to Nick’s room. It was impossible. After much trying and screaming, we evacuated the house. I knew then that I would never get to see Nick again. My efforts then focused on the other brother who was trapped. Several brothers ran underneath Mike Hagers’ window. He was already hanging out of the window gasping for air. We could hardly see him because of the thick smoke pouring out. Hager was already on the cell phone talking to the 911 operator when we heard the sirens of the fire engines. Backing off of the scene as much as we could, we let the firemen do their job. They quickly rescued him. 20 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 Theron Montgomery, Alpha-Nu (Wofford, 1946) was recently honored by having a new building at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL named for his contributions to the university. Brother Montgomery was the past President of Jacksonville State University and currently serves on the Kappa Sigma President’s Commission. KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 21 We were all gathered out the back of the house. A couple of us had known that Nick was not coming out of the house. We decided that it would be best to move all of the guys away from the house. Rick Bibb, a marketing professor at Millikin and a friend to many brothers, lives a couple houses down from the chapter house. After convincing everyone to leave the chapter (which was very difficult to do), we all walked down to his house. A slow, solemn processional indicative of the tragedy that we had observed took place. Everyone was still in their pajamas or boxers. Finally, we got to the house. We settled onto Bibb’s porch barely speaking a word. Several minutes later our GM, Mike Reinemann, gathered us and officially told us that Nick had died. To see the weeping, the sobbing, the sadness emanating from all of these young men would have broken down even the most callous of individuals. We were all told that we had to wait and talk to the fire investigators. While waiting the six or more hours, we observed two things. First, we experienced first-hand how well a small private school takes care of its students. Everything that we needed was absolutely taken care of by the office of student life at Millikin. Clothing, food, transportation, counselors, priests, friends, and much more were brought to us without us even asking. Over the next few days, weeks, and months, Millikin has continued its unwavering commitment to ensure that this tragedy was without necessities. Officials at Millikin, as well as the Brass Horn and First-Site, were responsible for supplying brothers with suits for the services and also apartments for the summer. We will forever be grateful for the compassion shown by these organizations, along with countless other donors. The next thing that we observed during this traumatic time was the bond that truly does unite us as a brotherhood. Within only a short time after the fire, brothers (alumni and active) started to arrive at Professor Bibb’s house. Some found out about the fire by being woken up by a phone call at 4:45am and immediately jumped out of bed, got in a car, and drove many miles to be together and to offer themselves in any way possible. Hugs and tears were shared with brothers who were over ten years apart and had never met. I swear that on that day, you could tell if someone was a Kappa Sigma by merely looking in their eyes. Our alumni were especially helpful during this time. Of course they were mourning the loss of a brother and the chapter house, but they realized that they had not necessarily lost one of their friends. They offered to take care of anything that we needed, but the only thing we needed from them was for them to be there. that were there was a moving sight. Quickly jolting us back to reality while we were waiting outside of the church was a slow, loud tolling of the church bell. Hearing the bell every few seconds reminded us on that beautifully nice day that we were mourning the loss of our friend and brother. The days that followed can only be described as surreal. Days were spent either being re-interviewed by investigators, meeting with Nick’s family, or just sitting staring into space. Millikin arranged for a bus to take us to the visitation and funeral in Glen Carbon, Illinois. We arrived at the funeral home for the visitation, and were escorted to the front of the very long line. The place was filled with flowers. The flowers were packed into the visitation room, down the hallway, and throughout the lobby. There were more standing people out the door. It was evident that Nick was a wonderful young man. We all spent the night at an alumni brother’s (Brian Raish) home. Most of the night was spent visiting and remembering Nick. The brotherhood that our chapter maintains provided us with an instant support network. Being together was the only thing that kept many brothers sane. Shaky relationships solidified. We became one. The funeral was a beautiful Catholic ceremony. Nick’s stepmother and stepfather, his high school football coach, his college professor and Millikin's president each spoke at the service. Father Steve at Nick’s church read the Star and Crescent when describing Nick. He knew Nick before Nick came to school. He explained how Nick epitomized everything that the Star and Crescent sets forth. I could not agree more. I gave the final eulogy. To this day, I don’t know what I said. It is something no 21-year-old should ever have to do. The next day was the day of the funeral. We boarded the bus to go back to the funeral home for the processional to the church. The hearse, our bus, and countless cars were given a police escort during the processional. When we arrived at the church, their very large parking lot was already filled. To see the number of people “ We have all been trying to cope since that day. Some days are harder that others. Many of us have still to come to grips with what happened. The place that we felt the safest is now uninhabitable the brother that we loved the most is gone. Because of the size of our pledge class, this was supposed to be the summer to remember. Now we wish that it would be the summer that we wish never happened. As the new school year approaches, we still have many obstacles to overcome. On September 13, Millikin had a memorial service for the entire campus community because this tragedy happened in the summer and we could not all gather. We are also looking forward to rush. This year is going to be a challenge for us because we do not have a house this year, but the chapter’s motivation is higher than ever. After attending this year’s Leadership Conference at the University of Illinois, we were happy to hear the support that the different chapters were offering. The guys from Osh Kosh, Wisconsin were especially good to us, and our chapter is planning a retreat to visit them. The chapter is still struggling to pay bills and to be able to organize this year's rush because of this tragedy. If you or your chapter are interested in helping or would like more information, contact the chapter's GM, Michael Reinemann at (217) 464-8787 or [email protected] I swear that on that day, you could tell if someone was a Kappa Sigma by merely looking in their eyes. ” O n Sunday, May 12, 1996, shortly after 6:00 am on graduation day, a University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill student woke to the sound of screams coming from the Phi Gamma Delta house next door. When he looked out his window, he saw fire coming out of every one of the fraternity’s firstfloor windows at 108 Cameron Avenue, and he called the fire department at 6:07 am. Firefighters responded within three minutes, only to find that the first floor of the building was already fully engulfed with flames. A Chapel Hill police officer on the scene informed firefighters right away that there were people trapped inside the house. Bystanders were taking care of people who had managed to escape by jumping from the fire escape and third-floor windows when the first engine arrived. An hour later the main body of the fire was extinguished, and fire crews began looking for the five missing victims. The Phi Gamma Delta House was a four-story building built in 1927 and housed 20 brothers. It was equipped with fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, at least one of which operated and woke one of the survivors. The night before the fire, according to reports, a large graduation party was held in the Phi Gamma Delta’s backyard. The party moved to the basement when it began to rain. The disc jockey played until 5:00 am when the crowd began to dissipate. It took him 45 minutes to break down his equipment and load it into his van. He left between 5:45 and 6:00 am, somewhere between six and twenty minutes before the Chapel Hill Fire Department was dispatched. Investigators determined that smoldering smoking materials or a carelessly discarded match probably started the blaze amid kitchen goods, clutter, and trash stacked under the bar. Pine paneling covering the bar and basement walls in the TOP 4 WORST GREEK FIRES • August 8, 1976, Kappa Sigma Fraternity in Baldwin City, KS, 5 deaths • October 21, 1994, Beta Sigma Delta Fraternity in Bloomsburg, PA, 5 deaths • May 12, 1996, Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity in Chapel Hill, NC, 5 deaths • September 8, 1990, Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity in Berkeley, CA, 3 deaths improvements to your house with your House Corporation or landlord. Check out the Internet Resources at the end of this article for assistance in finding contractors in your area that install fire protection equipment. Many of the organizations will also help the housing corporation getting the installation done at cost, saving the corporation thousands of dollars. room of origin contributed significantly to fueling the fire, and alcohol left on the bar might have acted as an accelerant. Each year, sororities and fraternities see over 180 fires causing more than $2.2 million in property damages. Why are fires among Greek Row increasing with today’s latest technology? Some factors cited by The National Fire Protection Association include the lack of automatic sprinkler protection, the presence of combustible materials and the lack of automatic fire detection and fire alarm systems throughout buildings. Second, is to make all your members aware of potential fire hazards. Don’t block exits during social functions. This is especially true for guests visiting your house for the first time and may not know where exits are. Do not allow candles or incense to burn unattended. The house manager should check periodically for overabundant outlets in member’s rooms. Double-check all trashcans and couches to make sure all cigarettes and cigars have been extinguished after social events. Replace batteries in all smoke detectors every year and replace smoke detectors every ten years. Equip the residents with a fire escape plan. Have all fire extinguishers serviced by a professional once a year. “The first step for improving fire protection inside chapter houses is to ensure that all current code requirements for existing dormitories are met,” says Michael Isner, senior fire investigator for NFPA. He adds that in light of ongoing fire problems in fraternity houses, the installation of automatic sprinklers systems should be considered, since these systems can effectively protect both life and property. Make sure the local fire inspector or fire chief fills out the Fire Report in IMH’s Fall Report Book. Working first hand with your fire department will help you prevent future violations and potential disasters. Most fire departments also have a free smoke detector program available to some organizations. Would sprinklers have made a difference on the morning of the tragic fire at Chapel Hill? “There’s no question in my mind that sprinklers would have made a difference between life and death,” says Chapel Hill Fire Chief, Dan Jones. “Alarm systems aren’t enough, multiple exits aren’t enough, fire training isn’t enough. You have to protect them [the students] where they are and the only way to do that is with a sprinkler system.” There are many steps that your Chapter can do to help prevent tragic situations like Millikin and Chapel Hill. The first and most important step is to discuss Internet Resources The Fire Sprinkler Network www.firesprinkler.com National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) www.nfpa.org Campus Firewatch www.campus-firewatch.com Residential Fire Safety Institute www.firesafehome.org National Fire Sprinkler Association www.nfsa.org The safety of Greek Row is dependent upon the collective effort of its members, volunteer officers and the assistance of the colleges and universities in North America. It is time to unite and protect each other from loss of life and cut the rising statistics. KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 25 No More Worthy a man than He By:Wesley Mooney (Beta-Omega, Colorado College) Moving slowly closer toward the glimmering lane, Todd Martz pauses at the line, and using both hands he lowers the ball to knee-height, swings it back between his legs, and with the might of a lumberjack, grunts and thrusts the twelve pound bowling ball towards the cowering pins. The ball moves slowly, and unlike the powerful hurls of a professional, the holes in the ball are not blurred by the speed. Like the second hand on a clock, the holes rotate around the circumference of the sphere methodically, and though the lanes on either side are full, nobody is bowling. We are awaiting the result of Todd’s final roll. The ball taps the pins politely, and one by one, they graciously fall until no more are standing. With his back turned to his audience, Todd raises both hands in victory. I know what’s coming. Todd turns, faces his friends, and it begins. First, his eyes squint, as if they were in the sunlight, then his mouth stretches laterally across his cheeks, and beneath his goatee, there it is, the only smile I’ve ever known that can brighten a dimly lit room. Even when lights are low those squinted eyes shine behind the glare of his reflective glasses. His stretched out goatee and broad grin always brings a smile to those in Todd’s presence. Todd’s gallery of friends and brothers erupts with thunderous, encouraging cheers of support. Todd relishes his success by whooping and throwing his hands towards the sky. Possessing innocence, quick-witted humor, and a nonjudgmental nature, Todd has the unique ability to entertain and interact while bringing an uncorrupted outlook to every situation. He’s a welcome and gracious guest at any table, and his charisma is so electric he makes friends in line at McDonald’s. Todd Martz is my fraternity brother. For the past two school years he has been my best friend and roommate. Living with the big man on campus has perks. We check out girls together, we sit at the bar and sip beers on the weekend, and we play side by side in intramural sports. I know Todd so well that sometimes I answer his question before he asks, and one time he ordered my food for me at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro because he knew what KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 27 I would ask for. When we watch “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” we quiz each other during commercials just to keep ourselves sharp in case Regis calls. He’s been like my brother these past two years. Not just like any of my other Kappa Sigma brothers, no, Todd and I are closer. Todd’s the only brother who I’ll wake up in the morning, or help shave, or pick out his clothes. My other fraternity brothers can do those things by themselves, and for the most part Todd can too. But most days Todd needs a little help with the finer domestic arts, like shoe tying, that most folks take for granted. You see Todd has Down syndrome. This makes him unique in my chapter as the only one of our brothers with a disability. He’s also unique among the many thousands of Kappa Sigs in this country, because he’s the only Kappa Sigma to have Down syndrome. Todd is unique among anyone who’s even been stereotyped with paddle wielding, beer guzzling meatheads whose lives supposedly revolve around bikinis and brew, because he is the only person with Down syndrome to ever be initiated into a national fraternity. Furthermore, he’s disproved the “frat boy” stereotype and established that a fraternity member can be anything but an oversexed, ego-driven kegmeister. His walk is unhurried and is characterized by “the waddle”, the way in which Todd swings his hip from side to side in order to manage his belly within his 4’8” frame. His facial features are small, yet distinct, and he almost always sports facial hair in some form, whether it is a goatee, mustache, or beard. His speech is quick, and somewhat slurred. We’re patient to understand him, and after one gets used to hearing Todd, he seems to speak more clearly every day. Todd was 24 years old and had been a member of the Beta-Omega Chapter of Kappa Sigma at The Colorado College for three years, when I became a pledge in 1996. I had never known anyone with a severe disability, but I’ve always believed that people with disabilities were very special. I remember when I was younger someone told me something that I never forgot. I don’t remember whether it was in Sunday school, or preschool, or maybe it was when they integrated my elementary school with a special education program, and they brought the special-ed students around to the classrooms to meet the other kids, but nevertheless, I was young. And despite how long ago I heard this, it always stuck with me. I was told that when people with disabilities passed on and went to heaven they became angels. When I die and go to heaven I won’t be an angel; I will still be myself. But according to my teaching, someone with mental and physical disabilities 28 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 such as Todd will be rewarded in Heaven. He is favored in God’s eyes and therefore will be healthy and strong, and sit closer to God someday as an angel. Now I don’t know if that’s true, having not been to Heaven, and I can’t remember who told me that, but I like it. I think Todd deserves that. As a freshman I’d seen Todd around campus and at the Chapter House, and when I inquired about Todd’s story, the brothers were always anxious to share. On June 16, 1972 Todd was born to Harvey and Judy Martz of Colorado Springs. Harvey, a Methodist minister, and Judy, who at that time was a high school English teacher (and later founded Peak Parent Center, a non-profit organization for parents of children with developmental disabilities), knew that their first child would bring about some change in their life. Long nights, financial crunches, and hectic schedules would soon affect the new family. However, they never anticipated the way in which their newborn son would impact their lives, and the lives of nearly everyone who comes in contact with him. Todd’s childhood was similar to most young boys. He was a Cub Scout, played with neighborhood kids, and with his younger sister, Meredith. “We wanted Todd to live a normal life.” Judy said. The Martz’s believed in inclusion rather than segregation and pushed for Todd to be mainstreamed with others who were without disabilities. As a child, Todd attended mainstream swimming classes, even though there may have been classes available for the disabled. He still swims and his stroke is somewhat unconventional. He pushes himself and can complete ten laps in the swimming pool. In 1991, Todd graduated from high school. His class gave him a standing ovation at the ceremony. I saw a photo of this. It hangs on a wall in the front entryway of the Martz’s Highlands Ranch, Colorado home. Along that wall are pictures of Todd in various stages of life. One is with his family, and several are of Todd in class at his high school, already sporting a Colorado College shirt. The graduation photo is proudly displayed next to Todd’s high school diploma and the diploma of his younger sister. In the photo Todd is grinning electrically and lunging forward to shake a hand and receive his diploma. In the background a few students are beginning to rise and applaud. “Todd was the only member of his class to receive a standing ovation,” Judy told me. “That was special,” recalled Harvey. “We were very proud of Todd, and it was obvious how many close friends Todd had made.” After graduation most of Todd’s friends were heading to college. College, however was not a possibility for Todd, at least as a student. After public school, most children with developmental disabilities either live at home, or in group-homes. The Martz’s and officials from Colorado College found that Todd could work on campus and interact with people his own age. Todd soon became a part of the Colorado College community. Friendly and talkative, Todd would hang out with students, and they were always genuinely interested in Todd. He washed dishes in the cafeteria, so he often became a guest at random lunch tables. Kappa Sigmas began hanging out with Todd as a philanthropy project on weekdays after Todd got off work. Two years later, Todd was a full member of Kappa Sigma. The Kappa Sigs enjoyed Todd’s company around campus, so they decided to pledge and initiate Todd into the fraternity. When Todd attended the preferential banquet during Rush period for those men who had received bids, he whispered into the ear of one of the brothers, “I’m going to be a Kappa Sig!” Todd knew that these men were an elite group and he understood that they were including him because they recognized that he was a special young man who had something to contribute to the chapter. During the drive home that night, Todd, who at that time was sometimes reserved with his emotions, unexpectedly exclaimed to his mother, “I’m so happy!” Todd understands what it means to be in a fraternity. He understands that not everyone is a Kappa Sig. Showing a great appreciation for our ritual, he knows that there is an appropriate time and place for fraternal business. “We were skeptical when the Kappa Sigs asked us if Todd could be a pledge,” Judy tells. “I thought ‘yeah right’. When I see Todd’s picture in these composites on the wall with all of the other members, I’ll be convinced.” Six composite photos on the walls of the Kappa Sigma house now include Todd’s picture. When Harvey took a job as Senior Minister at St. Andrew’s church in Highlands Ranch, the family moved to Denver. Todd however, stayed in Colorado Springs. He had become close with his fraternity brothers, so Todd’s parents decided that Todd could live with his fraternity brothers near the CC campus and continue to work at Wooglin’s Deli and Colorado College’s Tutt Library. “The Kappa Sigmas are fine men, and we really trust them,” said Judy. “It takes a lot of trust on our part to let Todd live away from us where he might be vulnerable to a lot of things. We’ve taken a great risk to trust people we don’t know, but he has great friends, and we know he’s safe here.” The Beta-Omega Chapter has a long history of acceptance. In the late 1960’s our Chapter initiated the first African-American brother into Kappa Sigma. At that time one of the other fraternities on campus began to derogatorily call our members “Negroids.” As opposed to reacting adversely, the Beta-Omega’s embraced this label and adopted the nickname “Groids,” a label that still survives thirty years later. Todd’s presence in our chapter reminds us that we are unique, we are Groids. Todd has lived with various fraternity brothers since 1995. I began to hang out with Todd on Monday afternoons during my sophomore year. He lived off-campus with brothers and I would pick him up after work and we’d plan an afternoon activity. We had great times playing roller hockey in the basement. Todd can’t really rollerblade, but he’s a tough competitor. He always let me win, and that made me feel good. After we had become close, Todd and I decided that we would live together beginning my junior year. Todd was 26 that first year, I was 20. We lived with four other Kappa Sigmas, which made it nice because we both had plenty of friends around. If I was out of town, I could always count on my other roommates to help Todd get to work in the morning or make dinner if I had a meeting to go to. Todd is extremely loyal and appreciative of his friends and brothers. Cognizant that his abilities are limited, he knows he can’t reach the top shelf, and he’s not afraid to ask for help. He also knows what he can do by KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 29 himself, when he doesn’t need assistance. Otherwise, Todd doesn’t think he is different from anybody else. He’s a charmer to the ladies, and he can sweet-talk a kiss out of even the most standoffish female. I often employ Todd’s “macking” skills on women, but to no avail because I don’t posses that winning smile that makes Todd Martz irresistible to the opposite sex. Todd’s also an excellent dancer. In the words of a Kappa Sigma brother, “Todd’s got more rhythm than my whole family.” If I let him, Todd will sit for hours in his room listening to CDs and air-drumming to the music, his arms outstretched, and his hands grasping drumsticks, which pound imaginary drums, perfectly in sync with the music. In late December of that first year living together, Todd and I drove to Denver to celebrate the twenty-first birthday of my high school buddy who had specified that he wanted Todd to celebrate with us. Todd suggested we head to the bars. Todd loves going out. He has a two-drink limit, and in the fraternity it is understood that only I am to give Todd drinks so that we can closely monitor how much he has. Todd thrives on the social scene at the clubs. He talks with the bartender, waitresses, and anyone else he happens upon, usually women. When we leave, often everyone knows his name, and says goodbye to Todd. On this particular night, we left one bar, where the bartender gave Todd a free T-shirt, and headed down the street for a blues club called Brendan’s. We began to walk the two or three blocks, but it was cold, so we quickly sped up our pace to a jog that frigid night. Todd was excited and bumped into me, wrapping his arms around me and telling me I was “tackled.” So we had our imaginary football game on the sidewalk that evening. Running and bumping into each other, and letting out “arghhs!” and “umphs!” and “bams.” Todd’s favorite sound effect is “Konk!” By the time we arrived at Brendan’s we were pretty fired up. Laughing and shouting, I followed Todd down the steps into the loud blues club. Todd stopped at the door and showed his ID to the bouncer. The man looked at the ID, then down at Todd. Todd let out a powerful yet playful “Arghh!” at the bouncer who, startled, looked at me inquisitively. This was probably the first time a bar patron had greeted him in this fashion. I flashed the bouncer an “ok” sign with my fingers and after my ID was checked, we continued on our path through the crowded club. Todd couldn’t have taken ten steps past the door before he tapped a man sitting at the bar. He waited for the man to acknowledge him before he shouted “Arghh!” The man looked puzzled then retorted, “Arghh!” Todd smiled, clapped, and patted his new friend on the back, before moving to his next target, a young lady chatting at a table with her friends. “Arghh!” Todd shouted at the woman. “Arghh!” she answered before embracing Todd in a bear hug. Todd left the young lady’s table and found a new friend. A black man who played in a blues band that was up next after the current group finished playing. The tall man looked puzzled when he glanced down to find this peculiar fellow tapping on his shoulder. “Arghh!” Todd delivered again. The man laughed, reached behind him, and pulled two drumsticks from the back pocket of his jeans. He placed the drumsticks in Todd’s hand, and Todd began drumming the air methodically. When the drummer saw that Todd was in sync, he smiled, leaned over and said, “Hey man, those are yours.” Todd replied with a loud “THANK YOU!” Unbelievable! This man didn’t know that Todd loved drumsticks, but he was moved for some reason to give them to him. I told him thank you and explained that he had no idea how much that gesture meant to Todd, and to myself. I’ve often wondered if others see the magic in Todd that I see, or if I spend so much time with him that I see things others don’t. But I think that there is a magic about Todd, and others recognize it immediately. I feel privileged to interact with Todd on a daily basis because I see that magic all the time. When I wake Todd in the morning and he says, “Hey Wes, I feel great,” it makes me feel great! When Todd wears my Colorado College football jersey with 43 on the front and back, and “MOONEY” sewn across the shoulders it makes me proud. If you ask him who he is, he says, “I’m Wes Mooney, number forty three!” I love that! As I neared the end of my senior year and our second year as roommates last spring, it became my duty to help Todd prepare for his transition into a new home, with new roommates. One particular afternoon we talked about the next year and Todd went to sign his new lease with the brother who is his new roommate. Todd was sad when he returned, and we talked for a long time. Todd asked me, “Are you gonna live with me next year?” I told him I wasn’t and I could see tears well up in his eyes. I explained that I’d be back to visit, and that we would see each other over the summer. I fought back the cracking of my voice and I held the tears tight in my eyes so they wouldn’t fall. We agreed that we wouldn’t be sad and for the time being, we’d make the most of our time together and do something fun every day, a promise we kept. The laughs I’ve shared with Todd, the Karaoke parties on Wednesdays at a local Tavern, and Todd’s slurred and mumbled renditions of “I’ve Got You Babe” which always draw the loudest applause are images ingrained in my memory forever. Todd is an unforgettable individual and I’m thankful that our paths crossed. Todd Martz is my fraternity brother and my closest friend. From Todd I’ve learned how to treat people, like they’re special. Todd is special because he makes others feel honored. He tells me I’m his best friend. Todd’s influence has not only been felt by myself, but by every brother who’s lived with Todd and helped him make dinner, or any member of the Colorado College women’s soccer team who have taken him to a movie. His friendships extend well beyond the walls of the Kappa Sigma House and his involvement on campus has made an impact on hundreds of young men and women. I believe my girlfriend misses Todd more than she does myself since we have left campus. My parents have enjoyed Todd’s company at dinner, as have the parents of many of Todd’s brothers. Each and every one of us has a special place in our heart reserved for Todd. Living with Todd has changed my life, and I’ve learned things from him that no professor at Colorado College can teach. I hope one day that my children will know Todd as well. Todd Martz is a Groid. He represents why I’m proud of my Fraternity, and why my brothers are proud to call themselves Groids. He’s an individual, and despite his limitations he’s a loyal friend, and an honorable man. Designed to be worn by men who exemplify the ideals of our Order, the Star and Crescent is a symbol of pride in Kappa Sigma. I know no man more worthy to wear the badge, than Brother Todd G. Martz. If there were a gift suitable To repay him for his gift to me, It would be a gift of glory, and of achievements He is incapable of on earth. Musical achievements, And athletic accomplishments. Those that are practiced in his dreams, And not yet perfected in our world. His enlightened soul is hidden Far below his misunderstood exterior, And someday in God’s kingdom His wisdom will shine through the façade. His smile uplifts the deepest despair, His love prevails in all his deeds, His innocence is childlike in nature. Angelic in heaven. For he is a chosen one, Sent to brighten this world And one day, in another realm he’ll sit Next to his Father, my Father. Though he is my closest friend on earth, I will not recognize him in heaven. Free from his bonds, which confine Healthy and happy he will be. The Star and Crescent shall not be worn by every man, And no man’s more worthy than he. My peculiar, extraordinary brother One day an angel will be. AEK∆B,Toddo KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 31 CHAPTER CHAPTER NEWS AND EVENTS NEWS AND EVENTS Delta-Xi (Mississippi) Alpha Beta (Mercer) EC members are joined by DGM Phillip Bell, ADGM Steve Coxen, and AA Corey Fountain at an EC retreat at Indian Springs State Park Alpha-Beta (Mercer) The Chapter has yet another successful semester in the spring of 2000. The Chapter finished the year with a 3.09 GPA and was awarded the Scholarship Bowl for having the highest fraternity GPA, and the silver bowl at the Area II Leadership Conference. Brother's Barrett Hayes, Bryan Lankford, Mike Miller, and John Wright were elected to the student government association. Brother's Hayes and Wright also serve as IFC Vice President of Scholarship and President, respectively. Six brothers attended the Area II Leadership Conference where Trey M. Millwood was elected Undergraduate Advisory Committee delegate for Area II. In addition to the many accomplishments in scholarship and leadership, the Chapter joined with Chi Omega to build a float for the Make-A-Wish Foundation which ran in the annual Cherry Blossom Parade. The brothers are excited about their new house and would like to thank all alumni who have contributed thus far. A Founders' Day Celebration and house dedication is planned for December 9, 2000. A great fall rush is planned and the Chapter has set a goal to pledge 26 men. Chapter also had 100% Campus Involvement, (the percentage of men in the Chapter that are involved in organizations other than the fraternity.) munity events. The brothers of Beta-Theta would especially like to congratulate their District Grand Master Mike Griffin for the recent addition to his family. Beta-Theta (Indiana) Chi Colony (Purdue) The Brothers of the Beta-Theta Chapter have enjoyed a great deal of success thus far this summer. In addition to working very hard instituting a summer rush program, and making a large number of house improvements, they have also been active within their respective communities. They have brothers working in all aspects of life; ranging from prestigious consultants in Washington D.C. to brothers working for the Summer Orientation Program at Indiana University. They also recently made a very strong showing at the summer Leadership Conference at the University of Illinois, sending ten undergraduates along with the Alumnus Advisor. The brothers are once again preparing for Formal Rush in addition to a number of philanthropic and com- On August 19th, the Chi Colony moved into the newly remodeled west wing of the chapter house. On September 23rd, Homecoming guests will be welcomed to the chapter house for the first time since 1996. The nearly complete first of two construction phases is the result of 280 alumni contributing $1.7 million. The pursuit of the $3.5 million campaign goal continues. More than 20 alumni of all generations are directly engaged with the Colony in recreating Chi's tradition of excellence. The forty-five members are recruiting vigorously and expect to pledge 30 new members this semester. The members are engaged in philanthropic activities and service projects, while concentrating on studies as they complete re-colonization requirements. The cur- Alpha-Upsilon (Millsaps) Average of 2.90 and the All Men's Average of 2.83. The Chapter was 3rd in Community Service with a total of 1,231 hours. The 32 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 Pictured left to right: Robert Solomon ('98), District Grand Master Bart Kogan (1966), Grand Master Doug Grimshaw (1997), Scholarship Chairman Rick Kissler (1975), and Edward Smith (1999) Beta-Omega (Colorado College) crowned as intramural hockey champs for 1999–2000. The Chapter was also champions in intramural football for 1999–2000. rent goal for installation is November 11th. Good news is on the horizon for the DeltaDelta Chapter. The last few years Delta-Delta Chi-Omega (South Carolina) has been a dormant chapter but that is soon For the second year in a row, the Chi-Omega to change. The University of Florida has given Chapter has won the University of South the Fraternity permission to re-colonize the Carolina's Fraternity of the Year Award. In chapter in the Spring of 2001. The alumni are competition with over 20 other fraternities, very excited and are looking forward to the the Chapter was chosen primarily for its out- challenge. It is especially good news during standing academic accomplishments, the middle of a fund raising campaign to improved alumni relations, dedicated commu- rebuild the fraternity house. The alumni hope nity service, and overall chapter excellence. to raise close to $1 million. If anyone would like to help please contact Marshall Stevens at Delta-Chi (Mississippi State) (727) 573-3900 or email at The brothers of Delta-Chi have been very busy [email protected]. this summer preparing for rush. Head rush chairman, Joe Dixon, and his assistant chairDelta-Eta (University of Southern California) men, Gray Williams, Nathan Moore and David Two outstanding Delta-Eta undergraduates Jones, along with the rest of the Chapter, have received the Ken Kalmbach Scholarship Awards been working hard this year to insure yet anoth- at a ceremony during a Spring Rush dinner er outstanding rush class. Congratulations to attended by over 40 alumni in January. Robert Nathan Moore, Patrick Dornan, Wilson Shirley, Solomon ('98) received $2,500 and Edward Adam Smitherman and Matthew Sumrall for Smith ('99) received $1,500. The Scholarship their acceptance into the prestigious Alumni Fund was created in 1980 by Jim Moise ('72) Delegates. Congratulations are also in order for in remembrance of pledge Brother Ken Craig Curtis for making Mississippi State's stu- Kalmbach who had passed away that year. For dent recruiting order, Roadrunners. Finally, fifteen years, alumni and brothers participated congratulations to the new EC: GM Matthew in the Kalmbach Kup volleyball tournament to Sumrall, GP Michael Parker, GMC Lee Hill, raise money for the scholarship fund. The tourGS Nathan Moore and GT Drew McNeil. nament proceeds, individual donations and interest now amount to nearly $100,000. Delta-Delta (University of Florida) The Chapter recently had seven members inducted into the Order of Omega. Order of Omega is an honor society for members of Greek organizations who not only excel in their own organizations but also in all other aspects of university life. The Dean of Students' office and Order of Omega members based upon an application process choose the Members. Kappa Sigma had more inductees than any other fraternity on campus. Inductees include Brothers Lance Sannino, Byron Brown, Michael Williamson, Andy Rice, Jeff Boyd, John Beck and Scott Walker. Brother Walker was also elected President for 2000. Epsilon-Delta (Northwestern University) While the Epsilon-Delta chapter house was relatively quiet this summer compared to the rest of the year, Northwestern’s Kappa Sigs were as busy as ever with summer jobs at such places as: NASA, 3Com, General Motors, Hearst Magazines, Proctor & Gamble, MSNBC, Burson-Marsteller, The [Chicago Suburban] Daily Herald and the offices of U.S. Rep. Joe Knollberg (R-Mich.). Brother James Rauh (AGT), meanwhile, continued his studies during the summer at the prestigious London School of Economics. Brothers involved with the NROTC program served tours of duty around the globe in such places as San Diego and Hong Kong while those still in the states celebrated the marriage of Brother Patrick Webb (’00) who tied the knot in late June. In late July, Brothers Ed Fanselow (GS) and William Lloyd (GM) represented the chapter at the 2000 regional Kappa Sigma Leadership Conference hosted by Worthy Grand Treasurer E.L. "Bill" Betz. The Chapter brought home seven awards during the weekend for scholarship (GPA over all-men’s and all-fraternity average) membership, campus involvement and community service. As the school year began in September, Brothers Lloyd and Holt Lackey KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 33 CHAPTER CHAPTER NEWS AND EVENTS NEWS AND EVENTS continued on with their summer positions as campaign coordinators for Mark Kirk, a Republican running for congress in Illinois’ 10th Congressional District while Brothers Nick Tilley and Bob Dess studies abroad in Australia and London respectively. Plans for fall quarter include a focus on rush with a rush road trip planned for the Northwestern-Iowa football game in Iowa City as well as a continued commitment to the refurbishment and upkeep of the historic Epsilon-Delta chapter house. The improvement of alumni relations, namely upgrading the quality of the alumni newsletter "The Spiel," is another focal point while plans for the chapter’s 60th anniversary are also in the works. Epsilon-Epsilon (British Columbia) The brothers of the Epsilon-Epsilon Chapter have been very busy this summer improving the Chapter and helping the community. One of the highlights includes a road trip, consisting of a dozen members, down to Reno for the Leadership Conference. At the conference the Epsilon-Epsilon Chapter received multiple awards for scholarship standings and was recognized for their successful brotherhood development program. In June, the Chapter contributed hundreds of man-hours to help setup a charity function for the Variety Club/Children’s Hospital. On the side, several brothers are involved in volunteering time for the community bike patrol, guarding the streets of Vancouver! All summer the Chapter worked countless hours on the house, from repainting the interior and exterior, to maintaining a high speed internet connection and house computer network, to trimming 8 enormous trees covering the front entrance. Epsilon-Omega (Georgia State) The brothers of the Epsilon-Omega Chapter celebrated a year of success and prosperity by going to Panama City Beach, Florida on the weekend of May 19th-21st for the annual 34 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 "Star and Crescent Ball". The festivities provided the opportunity to recognize several brothers for their outstanding efforts during the 1999-2000 academic year. Awards were presented to the following Brothers: James Manganelli (GT)-"Brother of the Year", Eric Mosley-"Athlete of the Year", Brian Walters"Pledge of the Year", Roger Truba-"Alumni of the Year". The brothers of the Epsilon-Omega Chapter gathered once again on June 10th, this time to celebrate the marriage of Brother Travis Pearre (1997) to Nicole Fanguy Pearre. Travis is the son of Brother Greg Pearre (1965) who is also an initiate of the EpsilonOmega. Initiates attended the occasion from all four decades of our Chapter's history. On the weekend of July 28-30th, several Brothers from the Epsilon Omega Chapter attended the Area II Leadership Conference for the Year 2000 at the University of Georgia. The Chapter was recognized, during the Conference, for surpassing the recruitment goals set forth by the Supreme Executive Committee. The weekend provided an opportunity for the Brothers to develop their leadership skills while enjoying the fellowship of Brothers from other Kappa Sigma Chapters. The beginning of the 2000-2001 academic year offers the Epsilon-Omega Chapter yet another opportunity to exemplify how the Star and Crescent is the pride of Georgia State University. The brothers cannot contain their excitement as they anxiously await their opportunity to recruit the future leaders of the Chapter and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Fall recruitment began with "Fraternity Open House" on August 24th and it concluded with "Fraternity Bid Night" on September 16th. The Executive Committee wishes to announce that the annual "Black and White Formal" will be held on the weekend of December 15th-17th. They would also like to extend an open invitation to all Kappa Sigma Brothers, both alumni and undergraduate, in the Atlanta area who wish to visit the Chapter. Meetings are on Tuesday nights. Please con- tact Grand Master Joseph Nordmark ([email protected]) if you have any questions. Epsilon-Phi (Texas Tech) For Epsilon-Phi, the summer of 2000 was an eventful one. In June, five brothers visited the city of Bologna. For three days, Brothers Blake Smith (GM), Brandon Hall (GT), Gray Williams, Josh Irwin, and Jack Lewis toured the birthplace of Kappa Sigma. In addition, new member recruiting began in late July with a summer rush party in Dallas, Texas. Dozens of brothers met for a bar-b-que to give rush guests a glimpse at what Kappa Sigma has to offer. Finally, Epsilon-Phi would like to give special thanks to Brothers Brandon Hall (GT), Blake Smith (GM), and Nick Jennings for working especially diligently in preparing the FACE Awards applications! The brothers are looking forward to a successful fall semester. The brothers would like to thank former Alumnus Advisor Brother Bob "Heavycat" Thompson for his many years of hard work for the Chapter. The brothers would also like to welcome Robert Causer as their new Alumnus Advisor. The brothers continued their commitment to campus involvement with Scott Hooper elected as IFC J-Board V. President, Chris Merchant elected as IFC Treasurer, and Josh Allen as a Student Senator. Epsilon-Phi also initiated 9 new members in August. Epsilon-Psi (Lambuth University) The Epsilon-Psi Chapter had a very busy spring semester. Overall, they have participated in five community service projects and have helped raise over $6,000 for local charities. In February, they participated in the annual Lambuth Phon-a-thon to raise funds for scholarships and financial aid. Kappa Sigma led all Greek organizations in participation, number of donations, and amount of money raised and also helped set a record for the most amount of money raised in one year. The Fraternity raised over $4,800 for the University. Epsilon-Psi also held a band benefit for the Humane Society. The benefit was a great success and raised $1000 for the Humane Society. Due to the success of this function, it is the Chapter's hope that this will be an annual occurrence. With house and chapter renovations along with newfound involvement and excitement, the brothers at Epsilon-Psi are very excited about the upcoming year. Epsilon-Upsilon (North Texas) Epsilon-Phi After school this year, five Friends and Brothers from the Epsilon-Phi Chapter traveled to Bologna, Italy this summer. Here brothers stand on the San Donato (from L to R) Gray Williams, Blake Smith, Brandon Hall, Jack Lewis and Josh Irwin. This has been a relaxing and enjoyable summer for the Chapter. They are anxiously awaiting the start of the new twelve bedroom, $650,000 chapter house at the beginning of January 2001. The brothers attended the Leadership Conference held at SMU this past July, walking away with the Intramural, Chapter Involvement, Membership and Community Service awards. The Chapter Eta (From Top L-R) Eta Brothers Jamie Sharp, Rick Craver, Alumnus Advisor Shawn Lassiter, Scott Hardee, Alumni Donal "Pops" McClamroch, (Bottom L-R) J.R. Haddway, and Keith Weber showcase the chapter's awards at the Area I Leadership Conference in Newark, DE. looks forward to a great rush. Eta (Randolph-Macon) Recently five brothers of the Eta Chapter attended the Area I Leadership Conference at the University of Delaware and were recognized both individually and as a group with awards for their achievements over the past school year. The awards included Scholarship Certificates for the following: Above All Men's Average Fall 1999, Above All Men's Average Spring 1999, Above All Fraternity Average Spring 1999, and #1 on Campus Spring 1999. Eta Chapter also received the Community Service Award for its work throughout the Ashland and greater Richmond area over the last year. Brother James Sharp also received the Outstanding Grand Scribe Award. Alumni Brothers Donal (Pops) L. McClamroch Jr. and Raymond K. Tuttle were also recognized for their contributions to the Fraternity by joiningMcCormick's Circle. Joining Brother McClamroch in attendance at the Leadership Conference was District Grand Master and Eta alumnus Kenton Dunn and Alumnus Advisor and Eta alumnus Shawn Lassiter. Eta would also like to congratulate Brother Joseph T. Rezabek for his tremendous academic accomplishments over his collegiate career as he received the distinction of Summa Cum Laude and earned the college's highest academic award, the H.W. Murray Medal for Scholarship. His achievements are truly admirable and the Chapter wishes him future success. The Chapter is looking forward to the fall in anticipation for events such as Home-coming on October 7 and November's Hampden Sydney football game, which is at HSC this year. The Chapter is also planning its yearly paintball excursion with freshmen sometime before Thanksgiving as well as several community service and fund raising projects. Gamma-Chi (Kansas State) After having a great spring semester, the brothers of Gamma-Chi are excited about the new school year. The Chapter will have a total K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 35 CHAPTER CHAPTER NEWS AND EVENTS NEWS AND EVENTS membership of ninety, including a twentytwo men fall pledge class. Recently, eleven brothers attended the Area IV Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas and brought home nine awards, including the Chapter's first ever Founders Award of Chapter Excellence. The Chapter is excited to be paired with Chi Omega and Sigma Chi for Homecoming Week this fall. The Chapter held many alumni events, including an Alumni Tailgate, Homecoming Open House, and Pig Dinner in early April. Alumni are encouraged to visit the chapter's web site at www.ksu.edu/kappasigma. Gamma-Gamma (Colorado School of Mines) Gamma-Gamma is trying to renew ties with alumni who may have lost contact with the Chapter over the years. Please send information to: [email protected]. This fall, the Chapter is having the annual alumni golf tournament at the Thorn Creek Golf Course, followed by a Bar-B-Que at the house. Other alumni events are in the works and will be posted on the website and the new alumni newsletter. This past summer continued what the past semester brought about, renewed enthusiasm and an excitement for the future. Sixteen brothers and one pledge just attended Area V Leadership Conference in Reno, where a great time was had by all, and are proud to report that Gamma-Gamma received several awards for academics, athletics, leadership, and service for the past year. Aside from Leadership Conference, the brothers have been busy making both structural and aesthetic improvements on the Chapter, including a refurbished patio and remodeled rooms. They are looking forward to what promises to be an outstanding fall rush. The Chapter would like to welcome any brothers and alumni in the area to stop by for a good time! extremely prosperous summer and formal recruitment. Hard work and dedication has allowed the Chapter to successfully obtain an excellent group of young men for the fall pledge class. Although achieving such prosperity with rush and having great success at rush events, the Chapter has also found time during the summer months and early fall to make several improvements to their house. One such improvement involves installing a high-speed Dedicated Subscriber Line (DSL) Internet connection throughout the Chapter house. By installing the DSL line, the Gamma-Lambda Chapter gained a significant edge over other Greek houses and was able to use this advantage as an excellent rush tool. The brothers of Gamma-Lambda would like to extend a deep appreciation and thank you to AAA Matt Emerson, Brother Jason Mead, and Alumnus Whitey Stang for their generous contributions that made the DSL line installation possible. The Chapter had a successful Homecoming 2000, paired with Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. The Men of Gamma-Lambda recently hosted an Alumni Reunion weekend. The brothers would like to send their thanks out to all that attended! It was great to see everyone in the true Kappa Sigma Spirit! Gamma-Pi (MIT) The brothers of Gamma-Pi have had quite a productive end of term and summer. They had a great spring retreat whitewater rafting on the raging Deerfield River, and returned to volunteer for the Boston Marathon. GammaPi also received several awards at the Area I Leadership Conference (including an outstanding GM award to Christopher Peikert), and would like to extend a special congratulation to fellow chapters of District 1 who won the Most Improved District and to Don Jones for his Distinguished Service award. Gamma-Lambda (Iowa State University) Kappa-Iota (Middle Tennessee State) The Gamma-Lambda Chapter starts the new school year off on a high note by having an Kappa-Iota Chapter held its annual golf tournament on July 29, 2000. Fifty-two brothers 36 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 spanning the 31-year history of the Chapter participated in the tournament at the Indian Hills Golf Club in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, raising $1,750 to benefit the Kappa-Iota Chapter Housing Corporation. The team draft, auction and card games at Kappa-Iota's beautiful new Cliff Gillespie Chapter House on MTSU's Greek Row kicked off the event on the evening of July 28. Following play on July 29, the golfers retired to the alumni house (the old chapter house) for presentation of prizes, refreshments and more fellowship. The annual summer party was held later that evening at the alumni house. The Chapter is excited about the upcoming year and is geared up for another successful fall rush. Several returning alumni got their first look at the new house and were suitably impressed by it as well as the many new buildings on the growing Middle Tennessee State University campus. Alumni also enjoyed visiting the alumni house and reminiscing about their college days. Kappa-Kappa (Georgia Southwestern State University) On Saturday March 25, the brothers of the Kappa-Kappa Chapter put on a concert featuring David Allan Coe with Tobacco Trailor Blues as his opening band. There were 1000 pre-sold tickets with 700 sold at the door for a total attendance of 1700. The concert went smoothly and a great time was had by all. The Chapter received much publicity and radio time during the weeks leading up to the concert. The brothers of Kappa-Kappa are now currently working on a 1969 Pontiac GTO giveaway. The car was willed to the present GM's father by his best friend who died of a brain tumor in 1993. The Chapter then received the car in order that they could raise money for the prevention and cure of brain tumors. The tickets are available now and are only $30 each with a limited number of 7500 being offered. These tickets may be purchased by mailing your $30 to Kappa Sigma, 800 Wheatley Street, GSW Box 1192, Americus, GA 31709. You may also call (912) 924-9928, (912) 924-6402, or (912) 854-0109 for additional information. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at [email protected]. Please help the Chapter support the prevention and cure of brain cancer while at the same time helping us pay off our house! Kappa-Omicron (LaGrange) The Kappa-Omicron Chapter would like to welcome back Austin Tidwell from his semester abroad in England. This past fall quarter Kappa-Omicron was glad to help out in many service projects. The brothers stayed up all night and acted as security for Kaleidoscope in downtown LaGrange. They participated in service day on campus as well as in King of the Hill to raise money for arthritis research through the sorority of Alpha Omicron Pi, and a Dorm Storm, which raised $180 for the Good Shepherd Riding Academy. They are also glad to announce and congratulate the election of Brother Will Coil, Nicholas Bellayuto, Matt Aiken and Rob Pennybaker to the Student Government Senate and the appointment of Nicholas Bellayuto as next year's editor of the school yearbook. Also, congratulations to those brothers who graduated this year: Travis Walker, Todd Llevans, John Seymour, and Brad Craven. Kappa-Pi (Central Oklahoma) Kappa-Pi recently initiated 3 new undergraduate brothers and Special Initiate Charles Alan Anderson. Anderson, the father of Kappa-Pi alumnus Chase Anderson, carries on a family tradition of Kappa Sigma brotherhood spanning nearly 80 years. Anderson joins his father, brother, cousins and son to become the 5th Kappa Sigma initiated from the Anderson family. Kappa-Rho (Boise State) The Kappa-Rho Chapter at Boise State University has had a prosperous summer. At the end of the spring term, they initiated six magnificent young men who are full of passion for the Fraternity. The Chapter was proud to boast a large showing at Leadership Conference in Reno - ten undergraduates and three alumni were in attendance. Each brother who attended left with incredible ideas and an overwhelming desire to do well in the fall semester. Also, undergraduate Brother Nicholas Leonardson has been appointed to the ritual Commission. Kappa-Rho will continue to improve Ritual proficiency and grades and expects an awesome semester. Kappa-Zeta (Georgia Southern) The Kappa-Zeta Chapter recently sent 10 brothers to the Area II Leadership Conference. The brothers of Kappa-Zeta walked away with a first place certificate for increasing it's number of men pledged by 19 from last year. The brothers are heading into this fall looking forward to having a great year and becoming #1 on campus! Lambda-Epsilon (Central Florida) Summer, usually a slow and quiet time at the University of Central Florida, was quite active and productive for the brothers of the Chapter. With only half of the house full and roughly one third of the members in town for the summer some long needed house improvements began. As they bid farewell to former house dad, Brother Matthew Wattles, and welcome new house dad, Brother Christopher Wolf, things kicked off quite quickly at the end of May. A lot of work has been put into the exterior of the chapter house. Both landscaping to the sides of the house and overall yard work has made the appearance of the house outstanding to say the least. Also, with a favor from District Grand Master, Jeff York, the Chapter has a working lawn mower and yard equipment to use until the current mower can be repaired. With all the work put in this summer as well as great planning by all committee chairs, the Chapter expects a great rush both fall and spring semesters. Lamdbda-Lambda (Elon) Thanks to the Alumni Board of Control for all of their help and support. A thank-you also to Greek Advisor, Grahaeme Hesp, for all his encouragement. The Chapter continues to reorganize with great success and the future looks bright. Alumni are encouraged to donate contributions to the Elon/Kappa Sigma Scholarship. Donations can be sent to Campus Box 2600, Elon College, NC 27244. Please join the Chapter for homecoming November 3-5. Send rush recommendations to: Kappa Sigma/Lambda-Lambda Chapter, PO Box 4633, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-4633. Lambda-Mu (New Hampshire) The annual event, SquidStock 2000, was held on the beautiful weekend of August 5th. The weather was great, especially down in Warwick, RI. Alumni and undergrads gathered together for a celebration of life-long friendship and brotherhood. The brothers of the Lambda-Mu Chapter, from New Hampshire College (soon to be Southern New Hampshire University) were all present for their annual get-together at Brother Brian Dalesandro's house. It was a weekend of music, swimming, activities and fun. The gathering allows the brothers to "catch-up" on missed experiences, and to simply enjoy each other's company. With alumni holding activities such as this, the bond that all share will be strong for a long time. Brothers that attended were: Marc Battaglia, Marc Wydom, Ricky Mates, Steve Foote, Ray Dion, Brian Dalesandro, John Ventre, Roland St. Germain, Mike Warenda, Billy Long, Kurt Pisani, Craig Porter, Dan Wagner, Todd Estabrook, Kyle Rinker, Jeff Petit. Lambda-Omicron (North Alabama) On August 29, 1999, the Chapter held an alumni banquet to raise money for renovations to the chapter house. The event was planned and funded by the Alumni Housing KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 37 CHAPTER CHAPTER NEWS AND EVENTS Corporation. The much needed renovations, which include new carpet, new tile and newly painted walls in the upstairs living quarters; as well as newly painted walls in the downstairs living area, began in early July. The Housing Corporation also funded these renovations. Alumni and undergraduates together are doing the work. Brother Jim Page, past GM, was honored as a top Grand Master at the Area II Leadership Conference. Lambda-Psi (St. Mary's) The Lambda-Psi Chapter at St. Mary's is once again thriving, and greatly looks forward to the possibilities for the fall semester. The Fraternity increased its overall GPA in the spring, surpassing the Greek and men's average on campus, as well as leading in community service hours. The Chapter has titles to defend in intramural flag football, as well as the Greek Week competition, which is a contest, athletic and talent based, amongst all the fraternities on campus. Their sights have also been set on conquering intramural softball. The member's raised the bar of what is expected from the Chapter and from each individual brother, and look forward to consistent improvement. With the initiation of eight pledges into the Fraternity in the spring, the expectations for the fall rush are great with the increasing presence on campus. The fall semester looks to be prosperous. Lambda-Xi (Georgia College) The Chapter has had a very successful summer. Eleven brothers just returned from Leadership Conference with many awards. Brother Stephen Coxen received the Outstanding GM award and Brother Derek Pettigrew received the GT Proficiency award. The Chapter also received five scholarship awards for fall '99 and spring '00 along with Intramural and Community Service awards. Brother's Bill Mcgouirk, Derek Pettigrew, Ben Sacco, and Brit Treadway were nominated as the Four Horseman at Georgia College. The Chapter has also hosted a very successful sum- 38 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 NEWS AND EVENTS mer rush party, which has reassured us of a strong rush in the fall. The Chapter is very excited and ready for another strong year. Mu-Delta (University of Calif., Irvine) The Mu-Delta Chapter is continuing to grow and become more properous year after year. They ended the year with 24 new brothers and currently have an excess of 90 brothers. They will start the year once again the biggest and strongest fraternity on campus and are optimistic about the up coming year. The Chapter would also like to congratulate our brothers who graduated in the class of 2000. Lastly, they would like to say good luck to all brother's across the nation on the up coming year and in rush. Mu-Gamma (Texas A&M) This past summer, although quiet, proved to be a busy time for the brothers of MuGamma. The alumni of the Chapter planning a work weekend in August to remodel the kitchen and make other repairs to the fraternity house. Congratulations to Brother Gary Livingston for earning the coveted Master of the Ritual award and to Brothers Jason Hawkins and Marc Martinez, who earned Ritual Proficiency certificates at this summer's Leadership Conference. Plans are currently underway for the Chapter's fall philanthropy, Wicked Woods VI, and the annual Fall Formal in New Orleans. Fall rush is in full swing, and the brothers are looking forward to an exciting, fun, and productive semester. For more information, including the fall rush schedule and chapter event's schedule, go to the chapter website at: http://www.aggiekappasig.com. Mu-Iota (Gallaudet University) Two of the brothers in the Chapter went to the Area I Leadership Conference, Robert James Miller and Bertram Weston. Brother Bertram Weston was one of the biggest motivator in the Chapter this past year. He reminded the Chapter that being a member of Kappa Sigma must have a heart. These two brothers had a great time and would like to thank Worthy Grand Master, Brother David Persky and Brother Andy Cantrell, from IMH, who helped make the trip possible for the two brothers. ing over 150 hours this past year raising $250. Ritual Proficiency continues to grow with the highest level of participation as does Campus Involvement. Every award and accomplishment has only raised the bar for this coming year and Mu-Psi is ready to meet the next challenge. Mu-Psi (Boston) What a year it has been for Mu-Psi! After complete domination of BU IFSC awards (most notably the Outstanding Fraternity Award) and a second consecutive Greek Week victory, the Mu-Psi train continued to roll this summer. The outstanding work of the Chapter and its members really came to the forefront at the Area I Leadership Conference at which Mu-Psi walked away with a veritable trophy case of awards. Eleven brothers made the long trek from several cities to take part in this year's conference in the deep South (Delaware). Individual awards received by Mu-Psi brothers included: Outstanding Grand Master for Brother Daniel Mark Berger, Outstanding Grand Treasurer for Brother Stephen Matthew Gullo, and Outstanding Grand Scribe for Brother Aaron Merle Plitt. Brother Plitt also deserves further accolades for his election as Area I representative on the Undergraduate Advisory Committee. These great individual accomplishments were a springboard for the many chapter awards received. Two scholarship awards, a community service award, a membership award, a campus involvement award, and last but not least, the nirvana of Kappa Sigma awards, Mu-Psi's first ever Founders Award for Chapter Excellence completed the hardware total. MuPsi would also like to thank District Grand Master Don Jones for his help in leading District I to the Most Improved District award and congratulate him on receiving the Kappa Sigma Distinguished Service Award. Mu-Psi is looking forward to a fantastic year continuing the momentum generated over the past few years. Community Service Projects such as the Walk for Hunger have grown consistently in size and scope with thirty brothers contribut- Mu-Zeta (North Carolina/Wilmington) The Chapter is anxious about the upcoming 2000-2001 academic year. During the summer, Brothers Sahil Patel and Earl Corbett set up tables to show off their Kappa Sigma pride. Also, Brother Earl Corbett was involved in orientation where he met many new people. Brothers, Ben Jones, Jessie Nunery and Gabriel Ciampi are hosts of UNCW's first sports talk show on campus and have been a great success. The Chapter is very proud of the brother's initiative to be recognized on campus and take fourth place in leadership roles. The Chapter plans to have a wonderful and prosperous rush and can't wait to expand the brotherhood. an annual project for the Chapter. Congratulations to Brothers Troy Majnerick ('97) and Timothy Hagan ('97), who announced their engagements in March and May respectively. Nu-Iota will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary this April and plans are already underway to celebrate ten years of Kappa Sigma at Rowan University. With the youngest Executive Committee in our history, the brothers at Nu-Iota look forward to a fulfilling 2000-2001 school year! Nu-Omega (Tampa) The Chapter is excited about this semester. The brothers have a new brotherhood development program. Grand Master Simmons was recently engaged at the annual formal and Brother Hernandez was married in late August. The brothers are also proud to have Brother Amin as the new AA. Nu-Upsilon (Winthrop University) Chirs Keitzman received his last level of the ritual and is now a master of the ritual. Brother John Rouda is one level away and should be tested soon. Marc Pyrc received the position as student director of orientation Shannon Thompkins and Chris Farmer received jobs as Resident Directors on Campus. Brother Chris Thompson was the mascot of the Winthrop University basketball team (Big Stuff was his name). The Chapter received highest GPA on campus for mens groups as well as won intramural championships again in the spring 2000 semester. Winthrop University is getting a lacross team and the brothers from the Chapter form 90% of the team. The Chapter’s web page, designed and maintained by Brother Ben Jones, won web of the month for August 2000 and can be found at www.birdnest.org/kappasigma. Going strong into its 7th year, Nu-Upsilon has had very productive spring and summer semesters. Twelve new brothers were initiated in April. The Chapter also maintained the highest men's G.P.A. on campus, as well as working with local programs such as the March of Dimes and the Salvation Army. The Chapter Nu-Iota (Rowan University) The 1999-2000 school year brought a great deal of change at Nu-Iota. Seventeen of the 20 men pledged were initiated, but nearly 20 men also graduated or left the surrounding area, leaving the Chapter with a whole new image. Positive progress seemed to be the theme for Kappa Sigma at Rowan University. After a 3rd place finish in Homecoming and 2nd place in the President's Cup standings (intramurals), Nu-Iota captured the Greek Week title for the fifth consecutive year along side Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. Nu-Iota also retained its #1 ranking of the 10 fraternities on campus for scholarship. Among the many events the Chapter participated in, "The Big Event" was perhaps the most successful. Organized by the University and the surrounding town of Glassboro, this community service project consisted of road cleanup, a park beautification project, and other small construction tasks. "The Big Event" will be Theta-Beta KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 39 CHAPTER CHAPTER NEWS AND EVENTS NEWS AND EVENTS recently elected new officers: Peter Olinger, GM; Marc Pyrc, GP; John Rouda, GMC; David Mitchell, GT; Thomas Oliver, GS; Travis Chapman, BDC. This past summer several brothers participated in a newly founded lacrosse program at Winthrop. NuUpsilon would also like to wish good luck to a number of local alumni that have recently moved down to the Charleston area. Chapter at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) gathered at the chapter house on February 26, 2000 for a reception and Bar-b-que in celebration of the ThetaBeta Chapter's 40th anniversary and CSULB's 50th anniversary. Afterwards, the brothers and their families traveled to the Forty Niner Athletic Pyramid located on campus to watch the men's Forty Niner basketball team battle the Anteaters of the Rho (Arizona State) The Chapter is proud to say that they took 6 awards at the Area IV Leadership Conference. Included were 3 scholarship awards, a silver scroll award, GT of the Year award, and First Year Alumnus Advisor of the Year. They are proud of everyone who won this year from the Chapter. The Chapter is looking forward to starting this new school year and has plans for a large fall pledge class. This semester will be very promising with 23 brothers living in the house. Also, alumni weekend is October 28th, if you are interested in attending, please email Dan Zentgraf at [email protected] or call (480) 884 8492. They are inducting 5 alumni into the hall of fame at the First Annual Hall of Fame Brunch on October 29th and hope to see all alumni there. Theta-Beta (California/Long Beach) Approximately 75 Kappa Sigma undergraduate and alumni brothers from the Theta-Beta Theta-Eta (Arkansas/Little Rock) Theta-Eta University of California, Irvine. The past year has seen the further advancements of the Theta-Beta Chapter, with plans to continue this trend in the Fall of 2000. With an anticipated freshman class of 8,000 students, the rush 2000 campaign is in full effect, hoping to improve upon last year's accomplishments. Rush chairman, Dane LaPorte, together with the University's I.F.C., have set up campuswide events to introduce Greek Life to the community, including orientations and tours Theta-Nu 40 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 by Greeks. At a house level, Theta-Beta hosted a spring vs. fall pledge class' football competition, bringing Brothers, alumni, and rush guests together. This proved to be a positive rush tool, as over fifteen men were introduced to Kappa Sigma. Adding this fire, Brothers Daniel Blackburn, Adam Hartsfield, Mike Ortalli, John Pabon and Philip Uy attended the Area V Leadership Conference in Reno, NV, late July, earning awards for: Brotherhood Development, as well as holding a house G.P.A. over the all men's average. Added to this, Brother Philip Uy, who attained his Master of the Ritual certification, as well as John Pabon, who received the same, along with invitations from Riutalists Mike Langley and Bill Waters to join the Undergraduate Ritualist Committee. Theta-Eta had a rather rare occurrence in December 1999. Three legacies of active members were initiated on the same day. The new brothers were Nick Ring, Blake Crabtree, and Caleb Shamlin. Their older brothers are Brady Ring, Danny Crabtree, and Jasen Shamlin. pre-rush party held at the end of July. They will be combining their efforts with other Louisiana chapters to make fall rush even bigger and better all over the state. In addition, the new Theta-Mu website (http://www.nsula.edu/kapsi/) is helping the chapter to stay better in touch with rush guests, alumni, and active brothers. Theta-Nu (Ashland) The Annual Theta-Nu Alumni Golf Outing was held April 22nd at Mohican Hills Golf Course outside of Ashland. Turnout was great for the event, which included 18 holes of golf and a barbecue supper. The Chapter looks forward to see more alumni during the upcoming homecoming weekend. They encourage any alumni to send e-mail at [email protected] to let them know what alumni news you may have. If you have any questions concerning Theta-Nu, call GM Josh Falconer at (419) 207-4090 or GS Dan Tierney at (419) 207-4097. You can visit the Chapter online at www.geocities.com/ColleaePark/Den/3069/ Theta-Phi (Wichita State) Theta-Mu (Northwestern State) The summer was rather slow for the brothers of Theta-Mu (Northwestern State), but most of the Chapter managed to stay fairly busy. Just before the spring semester ended, the Chapter participated in the March of Dimes Walk America campaign by setting up the stage and route, and many brothers stayed to participate in the charity event. Plus many of the member's helped to build the three stages for the 2000 Natchitoches Jazz Festival. Right after classes let out, several of the brother's were on hand to drive to Shreveport, Louisiana (about 80 miles) and donate blood after hearing about a brother from Theta-Rho (McNeese) who was in an accident. The fall looks like it will be a great semester - and that includes another pledge class bigger than anyone else on campus, judging from the turnout at their summer The brothers of Theta-Phi enjoyed a nice summer vacation after a year of the college grind. Rush has been a top priority with a large pledge class planned for the fall. Many plans are being made for the fall as undergraduates and alumni will be teaming up to make improvements to the fraternity house. They also will be planning for the event called Shocktoberfest in which they will show their shocker pride and competing with other fraternities and sororities in a variety of events. Alumni are encouraged to contact Jason J. Kosty at [email protected]. Theta-Psi (Oklahoma City University) With this summer coming to a close, the Chapter would like to look back at the successes this year. Their biggest honor is the celebration of their great senior class. The Chapter recently graduated six brothers with Theta-Zeta honors. That is over 75% of the senior member's. They would like to thank these brothers for all the hard work they have put into both their education and their Fraternity, all of their hard work has paid off. Along with the honor of this senoir class, the Chapter has again received the coveted Silver Bowl award, #1 ranked fraternity academically on campus (fall '99), significantly exceeding the all men's average on campus (fall '99 and spring '00), and significantly exceeding the all fraternity average plus on campus (fall '99 and spring '00). The Chapter has also enjoyed the wonderful success of running our campus another year as they head into the fall '00 with the presidents of Student Senate, Tri Beta (biological honor society), and Student Foundation. The summer was lauched by some renovations! With this all behind the Chapter, they are looking forward to a wonderful year of being the GREATEST Fraternity on campus! Theta-Zeta (Eastern New Mexico) Theta-Zeta enjoyed a very successful Area V Leadership Conference over the past summer. The Chapter brought 22 brothers to Reno, Nevada for the event in which Brother David Alcon received the honor of Model Initiate. Theta-Zeta performed the initiation and Brother David Ortega gave the Explanatory Lecture in front of nearly 300 Kappa Sigma brothers. Brother Justin Ward also became the Chapter's 47th Master of the Ritual. The Brothers received multiple awards, including its 7th consecutive Founders Award of Chapter Excellence and 7th consecutive George Miles Arnold Award. The Chapter also received its first ever Silver Bowl along with Kappa Sigma's highest achievement the newly formed Founders Circle Award. The Chapter currently has four of the seven IFC office positions, including President. Brother Dave Ortega also holds the position of Student Body Vice president. The brothers are looking forward to a great fall semester and had its largest Homecoming in three years on September 29-30. Xi-Beta (Northeastern University) This past spring and summer has brought with it a relaxed atmosphere after the hectic fall and winter quarters. The Chapter played host to all chapters in District I during the first ever "Colonial Conlave" held on Saturday April 8th, 2000 here on Northeastern's campus. The Colonial Conclave was a wonderful success, and the Chapter would like to thank all those that made it possible. In a week of absolute madness, the Chapter took home a couple awards during Northeastern's Greek Week, including "Most Outstanding Alumni Program," and KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 41 CHAPTER ALUMNI NEWS AND EVENTS U P D A T E S continued from page 20 The Business Journal-Triangle in May. Theta-Psi (Oklahoma City) Rep. Earnest Istook of Oklahoma (2000) is currently working on a constitutional amendment clarifying the rights of the American people to free speech and religious expression. The Istook amendment will have the United States Congress define liberty issues, not the Supreme Court. According to him, over the past several decades the courts have created a disadvantage for religion, relating to public schools and students right to prayer at football games, etc. at 615-746-0262 or email: [email protected] with correct Phone numbers, addresses and emails. If there is a brother that you are looking for let him know. Xi-Alpha (Minnesota State) Theta-Theta (Western Kentucky University) Theta-Eta Brother Stepchew took home first place for Kappa Sigma during the Greek God competition. Eight brothers from the chapter to attended this year's Area I Leadership Conference. is courageously and triumphantly battling Hodgkin’s Disease. Lastly, we would like to thank all of our alumni for their recent donations. Xi-Gamma (SUNY/New Paltz) Xi-Eta (Christian Brothers) Coming off another highly successful year, the Xi-Eta Chapter is looking forward to its best rush ever. The brothers are working hard toward ensuring this year’s success. Six of XiEta’s members recently attended the Area III Leadership Conference at the University of Illinois in Champaign, IL. They took home nine awards in all. Scholarship awards were: GPA above All Men's Average (fall and spring), GPA above All Fraternity Average (fall and spring) and Highest GPA on campus (spring). Special recognition awards included: Campus Involvement Award, Brotherhood Development Award, Grand Master of the Year Award (Kevin Benkert) and yet another FACE Award. The Chapter would also like to congratulate the seniors that graduated this past school year: Adam Bernard, Justin Cash, Jason Hageman, Pate Hogan and Rusty Rodriguez. Special prayers go out to Alumni and Founding Father Olman Hernandez who 42 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 The Chapter recently performed over 650 hours of community service at the New Paltz Youth and Recreation Center. They helped out with the children's homework and cleaning and maintenance of the youth center. Xi-Iota (Columbus State University) The Xi-Iota Chapter recently held a softball game pitting the alumni against the undergrads. After nine innings of heated competition the alumni beat the undergrads with a score of 8-3. This makes two different sports (football and softball) in which the alumni have defeated the brothers. After the game, the alumni threw a barbecue for everyone at the fraternity house. It was a great chance for the brothers and alumni to get closer. The brothers of Xi-Iota would like to give a special thanks to Roger Nicholson, owner of Nicholson Landscapes and father of Grand Treasurer James Nicholson, for helping the Chapter grade and sod the yard. The Chapter is proud of the new lawn. Congratulations are in order for some of their members. Alumnus Greg Price and his wife Tracy celebrated the addition of Kyle Jeffrey Price to their family on September 2nd, 1999. Alumnus Mike Tante and his wife Kelly recently added Gavin Michael Tante to their family on June 22nd, 2000. Brother Scott Renew and Kelly Taylor were married on June 24th, 2000 and are expecting soon. The brothers are busy preparing for the 5th annual Xi-Iota Founder's Day which will be held on November 18th, and would like to invite all brothers and alumni interested. The Xi-Iota Chapter would like to thank alumni Scott Pless (DGM), Jason Elrod (ADGM), Shannon Hamilton (AA), Torrey Wiley(AAA), Greg Price(AAA), Matt Hudson, Brannon Kuykendall, and the rest of the Chattahoochee Valley Alumni Association for all of their generous contributions and for upholding the creed " not for a day, an hour, or a college term only... but for life". Dalton Maples (1981) and family are living in Anchorage, Alaska. Dalton is currently serving in the US Air Force part-time and is attending School to become a physician’s assistant. Michael Banks (1986) is currently the assistant managing editor of The Gaston Gazette, in Gaston, NC which is a suburb of Charlotte. Mike is still single and enjoying bachelorhood. Dr. David Sneed (1980) and his family recently moved to Elkins, WV, where David is the Vice President of Student Life and the Dean of Students at Davis and Elkins College. Brad Schlagenhauf (1990) and his wife Shanda are proud to announce the birth of their son, Adam Robert, born April 27, 2000. Darrel Stewart (1982) is a Special Agent with the U.S. Treasury Dept. Darrel and his family live in Bowling Green, KY. Scott Whitehouse (1987) is the VP of Sales at Brinly-Hardy Company. Scott and his wife Teresa and daughter, Olivia live in LaGrange, KY. Walter Norris (1973) is currently living in Lexington, Ky. where he is the Alumnus Advisor for the Beta-Nu Chapter. The Southern Kentucky Alumni Association is currently updating their mailing list. As they begin to plan the return of Kappa Sigma to "The Hill" they ask that you contact Tim Hurt them. Time was provided for each author to orally review books and experience researching in the Dallas region. Freidline Theta-Zeta (Eastern New Mexico) Brian Freidline (1995) was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army and completed his Medical Service Corps Officer Basic Course in Fort Sam Houston, TX. Brother Freidline currently serves overseas in Kosovo for a six-month deployment as a Medical Platoon Leader for 35 medics. Recently, he earned the Expert Field Medical Badge and was one of 66 who made it out of 370 candidates. Xi (Arkansas) Bill Mays (1952) has spent his career in hospital administration. Recently retired from his years with the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital, Bill's new book, Behind the Scenes in Hospitals, is becoming quite popular throughout the medical community. Brother Phillip Steele (1953) also attended the University of Arkansas with 1998 Kappa Sigma Fraternity Man of the Year, Philip Anderson, and Bill Mays. All have remained good friends over the years. Steele, from Springdale, Arkansas, like Brother Mays, also had a new book released this year: The Family Story of Bonnie & Clyde. This is Steele's eighth book. Celebrating the fact that both had books published in 2000, Brother Mays arranged a special recognition luncheon at the Dallas Country Club recently. Bill invited some fifteen other Kappa Sigma brothers to join Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), a private, non-profit telecommunication and human service organization, is please to announce the selection of Jim Skjeveland (1994) as Chief Business Officer of the company's Business Affairs Department headquartered in Sioux Falls, SD. CSD's Business Affairs Department handles the day-to-day functions and operations of six telecommunication relay centers, an equipment distribution call center and a newly established online video interpreting service. Accordingly, Skjeveland will coordinate a wide variety of activities including call volumes, staffing and traffic patterns, and the general personnel management of nearly 1500 employees across the nation. On an interim basis, Jim assumed responsibility for the overall direction of the Business Affairs Department, on March 27, 2000. He was permanently appointed to the position as of June 19th. Xi-Kappa (Florida International) Demetrio Perez (1996) a Founding Father of the Xi-Kappa Chapter, is currently entering his last year of law school at the University of Miami. In addition, he ran for the District 7 seat on the Miami-Dade County School Board in the The Atlanta Alumni Chapter is welcoming and recruiting new alumni.There are several functions scheduled for the fall including social get-togethers, mixers with local alumnae groups, Founder’s Day Celebration and Sports Events. Additionally, there are opportunities for volunteer service and leadership within the chapter and with local undergraduate chapters. All Alumni in the North Georgia and Atlanta area interested should contact W. Tad Jenkins (Alpha-Iota) at [email protected] or (678) 522-7120 or Dave Johnson (LambdaDelta) at [email protected] or (404) 2570220. KAPPA SIGMA Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 43 ALUMNI U P D A T E S September 5 elections. He can be reached at [email protected]. If you live in Baltimore City, or in Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, or Howard Counties, or in the York, PA area, the Greater Baltimore Alumni Chapter of Kappa Sigma is looking for you! The GBAC is reorganizing and has a lot of plans for the coming year, leading up to Conclave 2001! For more information on activities and membership in the GBAC, call Brother Bill Woodcock, ADGM VIII, at 410-461-3730 or e-mail him at [email protected] AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL KAPPA SIGMAS I am writing this letter from the Area II Leadership Conference at Athens, Georgia on July 29, 2000. It has been a fine conference, with old friendships renewed, valuable educational content, and encouraging interaction between undergraduates and alumni. Extensive financial and human resources have been devoted to develop fellowship, leadership, scholarship and service. We all want to become the best Kappa Sigmas we can be. What is the single most important attribute of a good Kappa Sigma? The answer is found in "The Star and Crescent" our venerable definition of a Kappa Sigma which is recited with reverence and respect wherever and whenever we gather. A Kappa Sigma is "above all else, one who walks in the light of God." Above all else. "The Star and Crescent" and our secret work show clearly that those Brothers who founded and nurtured our Order considered a man’s relationship with God to be an essential element of his Kappa Sigma membership. Yet over the course of this Conference, and others like it, there has been little mention of God. There have been no prayers to begin or end business or educational sessions, no advice to our members about how they might be strengthened in their "walk in the light of God". We have been encouraged to be leaders and scholars but not to worship. We have been exhorted to render service, to the end that we may receive good publicity. But we have neither been instructed nor encouraged in that one attribute which should be "above all else" – our relationship with God. One might observe that a person’s spiritual life is a personal matter. Yes it is, like scholarship, sex, alcohol use and all of those other "personal" matters which shape a man’s character and personality, and which demand our loving input and instruction as we help each other become better men. We are a very personal fraternity. If it is important, it is not off limits. But is it important? Have we changed? Are the words of "The Star and Crescent" real, or are they merely a benign hypocrisy, a bow to a tradition long dead? I think not. I hope and I pray not. I believe that we, like so many others, have fallen prey to the fear of the politically incorrect. I believe that we must conquer that fear and restore concern for our members’ relationship with God to our Kappa Sigma agenda. It is reasonable to expect that this will ultimately result in fewer behavioral problems and in enhanced personal and financial responsibility. It will help make us better men. How could we accomplish this? Whether it is a can of worms or a divine opportunity depends entirely on our perspective. I believe that we are called to live our lives not in fear, but in confidence that if we faithfully seek the right goal, God will deliver us and conduct us safely. And so, Brothers, as we continue our journey, let us rely upon God above all else. We have had a terrific Leadership Conference. We have wonderful and devoted leaders. We have a great Fraternity, the best Fraternity! But it can be more, we can be more. AEK∆B, Bobby Dodson 44 K A P P A S I G M A Caduceus Fa l l 2 0 0 0 0 10 Years Ago William R. Wickham, Historian The Philadelphia Grand Conclave, held at Thanksgiving time in 1900, marked not only the beginning of a new century, but also a new kind of Kappa Sigma convention. No longer would Conclaves be held in small cities and towns with little formality of program and with only modest numbers of brothers present. Attendance at the past three biennial meetings had averaged only 55 brothers, but it soared to 161 men at Philadelphia and set the tone for accelerating numbers in the future. One undergraduate commented there on the number of men over 30 who were present. Indeed, the alumni were getting more and more involved other than as the members of the Supreme Executive Committee. With the creation on January 1, 1900, of the nine original Districts, the first appearance at a Grand Conclave of the District Grand Masters provided a new focus and direction. In addition, general appointive officers, later called Commissioners, were beginning to take up their specific responsibilities. The only constitutional amendment proposed and adopted in Philadelphia was that permitting the manufacture of the badge in sizes less than three-quarters of an inch in diameter. These became very popular and for the most part replaced the larger badges of the first 31 years. Perhaps the highlight of this Grand Conclave, however, was the installation of Beta-Iota Chapter on the opening day, November 28. Not only was this the first time a chapter was installed at such a meeting, it provided the ultimate Model Initiation experience for the chapters attending, as well as the first use of a few "lantern slides" as a part of the Explanatory Lecture, then being developed by WGS Herbert M. Martin and Past WGMC and new DGM Finis K. Farr. Beta-Iota Chapter at Lehigh University in nearby Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was organized by members of the Supreme Executive Committee, and its Charter Members numbered ten. 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