INSIDE
THIS ISSUE:
Brothers of
Alpha Phi
2
WCC 5
WVC 6
WC 7
WKRS 8
WKF 9
WAL 10
B U T L E R U N I V E R S I T Y
Leaders in
Pharmacy
Brothers
for Life
The
Activator
V O L U
M E 5 2
Butler
University—Indianapolis, IN
2009-2010
Phi
Delta Chi
Alpha
Phi Chapter
M A Y 2
0 1 0
WP 11
WMA 12
WIG 13
Committees
of Alpha Phi
14
Special 21
Superlatives 26
Brotherhood
Report
27
Worthy Chief
Counselor
Worthy Vice
Counselor
Worthy Keeper of
Records and Seals
Worthy Keeper of
Finance
Worthy
Correspondent
Worthy Prelate
Worthy Alumni
Liaison
Worthy Inner
Guard
Worthy
Master-at-Arms
Laura Hirsch
Jeff Filotei
Carly D’Agostino
Bill Burke
Tony Liszewski
Nancy Hall
Tyler Hensley
Sean Polacek
Laura
Weatherford
CHAPTER OFFICERS
P A G E 2 THE
BROTHERS OF ALPHA PHI
CHAPTER ADVISORS
Dr. Bonnie Brown
Dr. Todd Hrubey
ACTIVE
BROTHERS
P A G E 3
Amy Armstrong
Jeff Filotei
Joel Hahn
Stephanie Heath
Laura Hirsch
Chelsea Keyes
Kristin Henrich
Ashley Kierath
Amy McManness
Katie
Andricopulos
Michelle Busch
Carly D’Agostino
Michael Erdman
Sarah Gore
Nancy Hall
Caitlin Handler
Alex Isaacs
Kat Kos
Chad Lesczynski
Kara Longoria
Chris McGuire
Anne Nelson
Ryan Shean
Steve Smith
Vanessa
VanArsdale
Julie Williams
Josh Brown
Bill Burke
Kacey Carroll
Jama Casey
Sarah Donohoo
Katie Godbey
Meghan Graff
Tyler Hensley
Lindsay Jamison
Lauren Levine
Tony Liszewski
Emily Pflaum
Jordan Pflum
Erik Angelotti
Maddie Barga
David Blunk
Allie Bresler
Dana Carter
Waylan Choi
Samantha
Christie
Melanie Clark
Meredith Dennis
Heather DeYoung
Katie Felt
Shawn Ferguson
Eric Garst
Kathryn
Hauenstein
Matt Heinsen
James Hyatte
Bonnie Kaminsky
Katherine Kielts
Sarah Leon
Brittany Lovko
David Martin
Claire McCarthy
Alyssa Meyer
Aalap Modi
Kelsey Myers
Vishal Ooka
Josh Peters
Sean Polacek
John Prout
Adam Romesser
Stacie Slamann
Laura
Weatherford
Tara Haworth
Brigette Allen
Kevin Bozymski
Ryan Cash
Kelsey
Delsignore
Sarah Ferry
Kyle Frantz
Jeff George
Adam Johannes
Brayton Jones
Kim Kraska
Jenna
Ksiazkiewicz
Kelly Kyrouac
Kyle Mohler
Brandon Ng
Kaitlyn Robinson
Seth Schmitt
Steven Swank
AJ Teare
Thien Than
Stevan Tomich
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
The Executive
Members
of the
Alpha
Phi Chapter
P A G E 4
“Brotherhood:
a
shared
feeling of
fraternal
spirit
among
members
of a
group.”
-Kevin Bozymski
P A G E 5
When I
started my journey as a Brother of Phi Delta Chi, I never expected it to lead me
here. Leading
this
chapter as the Worthy Chief Counselor has been an honor and a privilege. This
was my fourth and final
year on
the Executive Board. It’s hard to believe that my time as a collegiate Brother
is quickly coming to a
close.
Looking back over my years as a student at Butler University, I know that
nothing has made a greater
impact on
my life than Phi Delta Chi. I owe so much to our Fraternity. Because of our
Fraternity I have
friends
from all across the country. Because of our Fraternity I have leadership skills
I will utilize for the rest
of my
life. Because of our Fraternity I have an organization I can proudly say I am a
part of to anyone and
everyone.
Because of our Fraternity I am the person I am today, and I will be forever
grateful.
The
chapter as a whole experienced a lot of changes this year. After our ChEQ visit
last year, we were
still in
the process of implementing a lot of the changes they set out for us.
Unfortunately, we had to remove
some
parts of initiation that was not part of Ritual. The big change, however, was a
complete restructuring of
our
committees. We started out the year with our first annual chapter retreat. At
this retreat we split up into
committees
and got to work. Each committee came up with their goals for the year. We put
extra focus on
getting
each member of the committee involved. We then came together as a chapter to
come up with our top
5 goals.
I believe this retreat helped our
chapter
come together and got everyone on
the same
page with the same focus in mind.
Our main
hope for this retreat was to make
every
Brother feel ownership of our chapter
and know
that their opinion had an impact
on where
our chapter was headed.
To the
WCC who will be taking my place:
take a
deep breath and enjoy the ride!
Problems
will arise at the last minute and
people
will be looking to you to fix it.
When this
happens, don’t stress out about whether or not you’re making the right
decision. Sometimes there
isn’t a right
decision and you just need to come up with what you think is best. Try to stay
positive even if
problems
do arise. Remember that the whole chapter is affected by how you approach a
situation. Negativity
spreads
like wildfire. On a lighter note, enjoy the year! I promise you will get more
out of this experience
than you
ever thought possible.
I want to
thank every member of the Executive Board for all of their hard work and
dedication to our
Fraternity.
This chapter would fall apart without your leadership. I would also like to
thank every committee
head. You
don’t always receive the recognition you deserve. Thank you for being so
flexible with the reorganization
we
experienced this year and for everything that you do behind the scenes for our
Fraternity. Last
but not
least, I want to thank all actives. I’m continuously amazed at the leadership
and dedication seen in
each and
every Brother. I am so proud to have you as my Brothers, and you are my
Brothers for Life!
AAAE,
Laura
Hirsch
Worthy
Chief Counselor
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“Phi Delta Chi
has been a way
for me to meet
so many great
friends and
form relationships
that I will
treasure for
the rest of my
life.”
- Jeff George
P A G E 6
As another
year nears completion in the Alpha Phi chapter, I find myself
reflecting
on all we have accomplished. Quite honestly, I have never been prouder to
be a PDC
brother! Over my past five years as a member, I have seen our chapter grow
immensely
with this year being our most progressive ever!
After
being president last year, transitioning into the role of vice president
was a
breeze. I already knew the responsibilities of the WVC and was able to
transform
the
position because of that. I made quite a few changes with the position this
year that
really benefited the chapter as a whole. One of my goals as vice president
was to
increase committee and committee head involvement. The first step was
appointing
remarkable
committee heads at the end of the spring semester, rather than
waiting
until the fall like we used to do in the past. This allowed the committee
heads all
summer to brainstorm fresh ideas and prepare for their roles in the fall.
The next
step was to get the committees active and excited from the very start of the
school
year. This was accomplished at our first ever chapter retreat and campout that
was held
on our first weekend of the year. The main focus of the retreat was on
committee
goals and
brainstorming.
All committee members were required to take
ownership
of at least one event or project for their committee.
Throughout
the year, this proved to be effective and each individual
brother
made an impact on our overall success. It made me
proud to
see so many brothers take initiative and make a difference.
Based on
suggestions from the ChEQ visit committee last
spring,
as WVC, I oversaw all the committee heads this year. We
also
excluded other exec members from overseeing individual
committees.
I held a couple committee head meetings per semester
that
allowed committee heads to present their progress and
discuss
problems with the group. The exec committee also passed
issues
that required additional input down to the committee
heads for
their help. The meetings helped me understand committee
struggles
and keep track of the activities being they were
planning.
Overall,
this past school year has been my best yet in Phi Delta Chi. I really don’t
know what I’m going to do without seeing my
brothers every
week at our many events and around campus. It has been a pleasure to lead the
group for yet another year and I
will miss
everyone greatly!
AAAE,
Jeff
Filotei
Worthy
Vice Counselor
P A G E 7 Worthy
Correspondent
Upon
first impressions, the title of my position sounds elementary
and
self-explanatory. A Worthy Correspondent communicates within
one’s own
chapter, with other chapters, with the Grand Officers, and with
the
surrounding community of the Alpha Phi Chapter. Yet, in actuality, my
position
is much more complex, complicated and intricate. In serving as the
WC for a
second consecutive year, I have learned much more about my
position,
its duties, and traits within myself. I am more than just a liaison. I
am an
indispensable Brother in our chapter that ensures all active Brothers
stay
well-informed and enthusiastic about national events, regional events,
gatherings
with other chapters, and events within our chapter. The WC’s
duties
entail much more than just simply composing and overseeing the
completion
of the Achievement Award Program.
In
retrospect of the past two years, not only has the WC been one
of the
most laborious and time-consuming jobs but also one of the most
humbling
and rewarding jobs to possess within the chapter. A large portion
of the duties
of the WC is to oversee the completion of the Achievement
Award
Program. Delegation is essential when it comes to turning in all the
monthly
reports for the Thurston Cup. I take pride in getting as many
Brothers
as possible involved in drafting reports or lending time to volunteer
and
participate in chapter activities (which encompass service projects
and
activities for St. Jude). By getting so many involved, it gives Brothers
and the
chapter a greater sense of accomplishment. I encourage Brothers to
become
active within our Chapter and enthusiastic about what we do each
and every
year. One of my main tasks with the Achievement Award Program
is to
show nationals that our Chapter maintains solid bonds with each other, and we
are proud of all of our achievements (scholastic, altruistic,
and
leadership accomplishments).
Another
aspect of my duties entails informing and encouraging participation in the
chapter with regards to the latest updates
and
happenings at regional and national events. Whether the events relate to Grand
Council, Leadership Development Seminar, or Regional
Conferences,
I relay to the chapter every tidbit of information I receive and make sure
Brothers are adequately informed (I also strongly
recommend
attendance at these events). From personal experience, I have found these
events to not only be rewarding but also solidifying
in my
dedication and devotion to Phi Delta Chi. If nationals or the Midwest region
have news to send to chapters, I ensure all Brothers in
the Alpha
Phi Chapter are aware. If other chapters want to meet with our Chapter or
contact us for discussion, I ensure as many Brothers
are well
informed and participate. I enlighten our Chapter about our buddy chapter and
their great ideas they have implemented for service
projects,
social activities, and fundraising. Basically, I encourage as much
participation out of my chapter as possible. And I ensure that
nationals
and other chapters learn about our accomplishments and pride for the Alpha Phi
Chapter.
I could
easily continue, but I would like to sum up my roles as WC in a few thoughts. I
relay messages and upcoming events
from
nationals and the Midwest region as well as upcoming events or messages from
other chapters. I encourage increasing participation
from the
Brothers within our chapter so that we can take pride in our many
accomplishments and achievements (via the Achievement
Award
Program). My position requires a lot of work, time, effort and dedication. I am
constantly and vigilantly working to ensure our
chapter
maintains its close bond. Yes, I have experienced my fair share of struggles
and setbacks. But, by being WC, I have accomplished
things in
life that I never thought I could. There are times when I go above and beyond
to exceed expectations of being the WC. And there
are also
times when I I feel that I am not working up to par as the WC in which case I
go back to the “drawing board” to reassess how I can
better
carry out my duties as the WC. In conclusion, it is a difficult, humbling, but
deeply rewarding position that I am truly honored to
have had
for two years. My position can be explained with my thoughts above, but the
message I continually preach back to and can describe
my role
as the WC can be summed up in one word - communication. It is essential in
ensuring chapter enthusiasm, participation, and
recognition
for achievements. It allows the Alpha Phi Chapter to remain connected with each
other, with other chapters, and with nationals.
It is
what keeps our chapter alive and strong. And the establishment of this
necessary communication comes from my roles and responsibilities
as the
WC. It is an essential aspect to guarantee the success of fraternity life.
AAAE,
Tony
Liszewski
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“Phi Delta Chi
is a united
brotherhood
where its
members learn
and grow
together in an
effort to be
great
pharmacists.”
- Kelsey
Delsignore
Last
year, for the first time since I've been a Phi Delta Chi brother in the Alpha
Phi chapter, I decided I wanted to become
a part of
the Executive Board. The decision stemmed from witnessing a group of awesome
leaders on the past exec boards, as well
as from
wanting to have an experience similar to theirs and to strengthen our chapter
as much as possible. For the past year, I feel
like our
current exec board has done just that, and I'm very happy to be a part of it.
I've been so fortunate to hold the office of the
Worthy
Keeper of Records and Seals because it's taught me so much about our strong
fraternity and how our organization works at
its core.
As WKRS,
I am in charge of keeping records
of the
brotherhood's attendance at meetings as well
as taking
minutes at both formal and informal chapter
meetings.
I then post these minutes on Blackboard,
a school
academic site, so brothers who were
unable to
attend the meeting may see what we have
discussed.
It also allows brothers who are out on
rotations
the ability to stay current with the activities
of their
Alpha Phi chapter.
In the
past, the WKRS has always been in
charge of
the scholarship committee. However, this
year we
expanded the role of the scholarship committee
head so
that my position now simply oversees
how the
committee is doing. It has been great to work with that committee and watch all
the amazing things we have done academically
this
year. I also came up with an idea to reserve study rooms before clusters and
finals in Jordan Hall, one of Butler's
main
academic buildings, so our brothers have a place to study outside of the
library during these stressful times. Our chapter has
really
seemed to enjoy that bonus, so we'll continue the reservations for the future.
Another
job of my position is to organize our annual senior dinner and gift. Two years
ago we started a tradition of ordering
white
coats with embroidery for the current P3's as they "graduate" into
rotations. We have a nice dinner at their chosen restaurant,
and we
present them with their white coats. We do this every year to honor and thank
our P3's for all they have done for
the
chapter over the years.
Although
I am sad to see this year come to a close, I've been very happy and honored to
hold this position and experience
all that
Phi Delta Chi has to offer. I hope that my contributions as WKRS have benefited
the chapter and that Alpha Phi will continue
to grow
and develop into an even better and more successful chapter in the future. Phi
Delta Chi will always hold a special
place in
my heart because I will forever be Phi Delta Chi.
AAAE,
Carly
D'Agostino
Worthy
Keeper of Records and Seals
P A G E 8
Worthy
Keeper of Finance
After I
was installed as the Worthy Keeper of
Finance
in the spring of 2009 I had a few goals that I
wanted to
accomplish. The first of these was to increase
the cash
flow of the chapter and decrease the
delinquent
accounts owed to the chapter. I have been
able to
accomplish this through encouraging brothers
to pay
their accounts in full and in a timely manner. I
have also
strictly enforced the expulsion of brothers
for
unpaid accounts over the minimum balance. While
doing
this I have also shown compassion and understanding
towards
brothers who may be experiencing
financial
difficulties by working with them to setup
intermittent
payments that will result in the full payment
of their
account balance before the end of the year.
A second
goal of mine was to ensure that the chapter’s finances were arranged in a way
that separated them
from the
individual brothers. This would prevent any legal action taken against the
chapter (something we hope
never
happens) from affecting any of the brothers. In collaboration with the previous
WKF and the rest of the executive
board it
was determined that this could be accomplished with the formation of a
corporation. After this first step
was taken
and some further research, I decided the chapter could benefit from being
recognized by the IRS as a taxexempt
501(c)7
corporation. I took this task upon myself to complete some additional research
and complete the necessary
documentation.
I am proud to announce that Phi Delta Chi-Alpha Phi Chapter Inc. is now
recognized as 501(c)7
not for
profit corporation.
This year
the chapter also found it necessary to increase the dues for all brothers but
most significantly for
the P3
brothers. The primary basis for this increase in dues was the addition of a ten
dollar per brother for a liability
insurance
policy taken out by the national office. This liability insurance is mandated
by the by-laws and constitution
of Phi
Delta Chi, but had not been complied with previously. Sadly this increase in
dues resulted in some brothers
requesting
to be expelled due to the increased financial obligations. These brothers were
primarily P3s because they
saw the
greatest increase in dues. This larger increase is the result of the P3s
needing to pay dues for their P3 and P4
years at
the same time. The executive board has explored a few options to defray this
increased cost over a longer
time, but
none of these options appear to be an entirely viable option.
This year
I also tried to ensure that the brothers of the chapter were well informed
about the financial standing
of the
chapter. In the beginning of the year a budget was presented to the brothers to
inform of the distribution of
the
chapters income. This is a requirement under the by-laws that had not been
previously complied with. My hope
was that
by doing this brothers would be more likely to pay their dues in full and in a
timely manner because they
would
know more specifically where their money was going to. I believe that
throughout this year I have maintained
the
chapter’s finances and bookkeeping system in a way that will make it easy for
any future WKF to learn and use
effectively
for the benefit of the chapter.
AAAE,
Bill
Burke
P A G E 9
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“A man should
first instruct
himself in the
way he should
go; only then
should he instruct
others.”
- Buddha
Worthy
Alumni Liasion
P A G E 1 0
“The past is never lost and is always available for the enrichment
of the present.” -Virgil
Two-thousand
years ago, Virgil had it right; our future can be but an improvement from our
past. We learn from the wisdom
of the ages
how to live and how to thrive. So also do we do this in PHI DELTA CHI, and I
have been blessed to be able to see
this
interplay of past and future from a position at the intersection of the two
within our humble Alpha Phi chapter. This year's
activities
of the Worthy Alumni Liaison may not have been grandiose or
great in
number, but the groundwork has been put in place for a
bright
future. First and foremost, initial steps have been taken to refound
the
Butler Phi Delta Chi Alumni Chapter, which is perhaps the
most
effective tool the fraternity has to bring together collegiate and
alumni
brothers. Several younger alumni have stepped forward to lead
in this
endeavor, but it is likely that they cannot do it alone. Alumni,
they need
your help! If you are interested in the least, contact me
directly
at thensley@butler.edu.
In other
news, this year we honor the passing of one of our
own,
chapter founding father Karl Erdmann. Last year, you may recall,
the chapter
began to get involved with one of Brother Erdmann's life
works,
the Pharmacists' Recovery Network (PRN). The Indiana PRN is
a source
of aid for all pharmacists who suffer from substance abuse or
dangerous
habits, and under Karl's leadership for many years, they
have
helped countless colleagues rise out of the depths of dependance.
Plans are
underway for next semester to partner with PRN to present
awareness
talks to pharmacy students.
This
semester also saw continued involvement and connection
with
younger alumni to the chapter via online/social networking avenues.
Those of
you I haven't found, find me through email and/or
facebook
for a more direct link to chapter and fraternity news and
updates.
Brothers, continue referring alumni you know to me this way
as well!
The chapter was also graced by the presence of another former leader within the
chapter, Carl Hensley, who dropped by
late in
the semester to share his experiences in the wide world of pharmacy with
brothers, and to offer wise advice and counsel to
soon-to-be
graduates. It is through avenues such as this that we truly apply the best of
the past toward our future and strengthen
the
fraternal union which binds us all.
AAAE,
Tyler
Hensley
Worthy
Prelate
P A G E 1 1
Serving
as the WP for the Alpha Phi chapter of Phi Delta Chi has truly
been one
of the best decisions I have ever made. This was my first year
on the
exec board and I have learned so much from this experience. Having
a voice
in executive decisions has been an awesome privilege that I
would
never trade.
The WP of
our chapter has always been in charge of keeping and
updating
the test files. This year I decided to enhance the test files by
converting
them into electronic documents. For the majority of my
Christmas
break, I scanned and uploaded all the paper copies of tests our
chapter
has accumulated over the years. The test files can now be found
in our
chapter’s Google Docs account for all brothers to access at any
time. Any
brother can easily contribute to the test files by uploading
documents
of past exams. By making this valuable resource available to
all
brothers all the time, I hope to have helped improve the academics of brothers.
Due to
modifications made from the ChEQ visit last year, the WP is now in charge of
providing a ritual
fun fact
at each formal meeting. I look up interesting information about ritual in the Phi Delta Chi: A Tradition
of Leaders in Pharmacy book to share with the
chapter. These facts are a neat way to remind the chapter
of our
wonderful history as well as teach new brothers about our traditions.
One of
the major jobs of the WP is to compile a scrapbook for the chapter. Throughout
the year, I
have been
taking numerous pictures at each and every event. With the help of the social
committee, the pictures
are then
compiled to form a scrapbook containing glimpses of each occasion. This book
also contains a
picture
of each newly initiated brother, the families at initiation, and a group
picture of the entire chapter. My
hope is
that the scrapbook will provide wonderful memories to brothers flipping through
its pages for years
to come.
Another
new tradition that was started this year as a result of the ChEQ visit was that
of recognizing
each
brother’s birthday. At the beginning of the year I gathered the birthday and
mailbox number or residence
hall of
each brother. Throughout the year I have been sending a birthday card to each
brother on his/
her
birthday. Although the cards are not signed by individual brothers, I have
still received numerous comments
from
brothers about how much they enjoy opening their mailbox on their birthday and
finding a card
from Phi
Delta Chi.
Overall,
this past year has been an eye-opening experience. I have been an active brother
since December
of 2006,
but I have never held a leadership role. Seeing the organization from the
vantage point of the
executive
board and sitting on the other side of the desk has helped me to realize how
much commitment
goes into
making this chapter successful. This would never be accomplished without the
great brotherhood of
Phi Delta
Chi.
AAAE,
Nancy
Hall
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“My brothers
have given me
something that
no one else
could. They
have shown
me a path that
I want to go
down. My
brothers have
given me a
goal that is
within my
reach and have
made me want
to reach it.”
- Jenna
Ksiazkiewicz
Worthy
Master-at-Arms
P A G E 1 2
As the
Worthy Master-at-Arms of the Alpha Phi Chapter of Phi Delta Chi, I had the
privilege of serving on the exec committee as well
as
planning recruitment events and educating the pledges throughout their pledging
process. As a member of the exec committee,
I took
part in the behind the scenes planning and decision-making for the chapter.
Working
with the Worthy Inner Guard, I helped plan three recruitment events as well as
set up the information booth at
the fall
block party. We set up a board with reasons why people should join
Phi Delta
Chi and passed out both brochures and medicine vials with the dates
and times
of our recruitment event. We also had everyone sign a sheet with
their
name, year, and email in order to email them reminders of these events.
The first
event was an informative pizza party where we prepared a Powerpoint
with
information about Phi Delta Chi. We served pizza and had our active
members
interact with the potential new members, answering any questions
they may
have had about the chapter or about being a member. We also
passed out
applications to the potential new members that served as an information
sheet
about them. Our next event was game night where we had actives
bring
snacks and games in order to get to know the PNM’s better, after
which we
voted on which PNM’s to invite to our next event at the Spaghetti
Factory.
The next day we passed out the invitations to night out and created
the movie
that the PNM’s watch before they actually head to dinner.
Throughout
the rest of the semester, I was in charge of receiving the
signed
bids of the pledges, teaching them the history of Phi Delta Chi, administering
their
quizzes, and helping them with their committees. I also organized
a few
events to strengthen the brotherhood of the pledge class. The first
was a
trip to Noodles for lunch. The second was a late night game of capture the flag
at the IM fields, which included a few actives
as well.
For initiation I was just in charge of making
sure the
pledges were going where they needed to be
going,
since it was my first initiation from the perspective
of an
active member.
AAAE,
Sean
Polacek
Worthy
Inner Guard P A G E 1 3
Last year
when I was nominated for the position of Worthy Inner Guard, I was ecstatic! I
realized that being a
member of
the executive board would help me become more involved in Phi Delta Chi and
also help contribute
to the
fraternity by helping others have some of the great experiences that I had as a
new member. However, I
never
imagined how much this experience would help me to grow. I developed better
time management, as
well as
organizational skills. I also became comfortable addressing a large group of
peers. Certainly I could
have
taken a public speaking class to help me develop these skills, but I would not
have gained the memories
that I
now share with my brothers. I now feel a close fraternal spirit with my fellow
members of Phi Delta Chi
and I
also feel intimate ties with the new member class!
Working
with the new members has probably been the most rewarding experience of this
position.
Planning recruitment
events was at times difficult and stressful, but seeing the potential members
enjoy their
time at
each event made the work we put into the event worth it. When we finally
received our pledge class,
Sean and
I would show up every Sunday for the educational meetings. One day I realized
how dedicated the
new
pledges were to becoming active members. Seeing this drive and desire to be an
active member in Phi
Delta Chi
renewed my desire to play an active role in the new member’s experiences.
During the meetings I
helped
them to understand the history
behind
Phi Delta Chi, while also
stressing
the importance of brotherhood
within
the chapter. Sean and I
both
worked hard to bring the new
pledges
and actives together, so that
there was
no disconnect between the
classes.
The new members took this
foundational
value to heart and
planned a
pizza party for the actives.
There was
Twister, dancing, good
food, and
many new friendships
formed
from this party. Now that
initiation
is long over and meetings
resume every
other Sunday, I can look around the chapter room and see that no one is by
themselves. Everyone
seems to
be engaged in talking with another brother. When the time came for nominations
of a new exec
for
2010-2011, the new members were the first to raise their hands. There are no
defined lines that separate
the
classes; we are all equal in the brotherhood.
Through
my experience as Worthy Inner Guard I came to realize that brotherhood is what
Phi Delta Chi is all
about.
AAAE,
Laura
Weatherford
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“Not only
can I
call the
members
of Phi
Delta Chi
my
brothers,
but
they are
all also
my
encouragement,
my
mentors,
and
most
importantly,
my
friends.”
- Kim Kraska
The
Committees
of the
Alpha
Phi Chapter
P A G E 1 4
“After
5 years of being an
active
brother, I am most
thankful
for all of the
people
I have met
through
Phi Delta Chi. I
met
my best friend
through
pledging freshmen
year,
and I was her
maid
of honor in her wedding!
It
has been such a
great
ride.”
-Amy
Armstrong
Social
Committee
The social
committee planned several fun events this year. After the chapter retreat at
the beginning of the
year, the
committee planned another cornhole tournament. Both active brothers and pledges
were invited to
attend,
and it was a great time to catch up with people we had not seen over the summer
and get to meet the
new
pledges.
We
finally got the opportunity to visit the alpacas at our advisor Dr. Hrubey's
farm. Over twenty brothers
made the
short drive up to Zionsville to get a tour of the farm and learn how to raise
and show alpacas. The
chapter
also had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.
For
initiation our chapter hosted several brothers from the Alpha Upsilon chapter
at Ohio Northern University.
The
brothers were able to see most of our initiation ceremony and spent the night.
This
spring our chapter played laser tag with members of the other pharmacy
fraternities on campus, including
Kappa Psi
and Lambda Kappa Sigma. It was a good way to get to know students in the other
pharmacy
fraternities
and have fun at the same time. We have another cornhole tournament/cookout
planned for this
April,
and a Bar Crawl with some of our brothers from Ohio Northern University also
planned for this spring.
Overall,
the social committee had a great time organizing events to help brothers in our
chapter get to know
one
another and promote friendships between one another. We hope that this
tradition will continue in the
coming
years and brings our chapter even closer together.
AAAE,
Mike
Erdman
Pro-Projects
Committee
The Alpha Phi Chapter was
hard at work with various projects
throughout the year.
Volunteering in the community allowed
brothers to branch out to
the city of Indianapolis and lend a helping
hand. Every week, a group
went to the Ronald McDonald House
and cleaned and stocked the
kitchens with food as well doing landscaping.
It was a great experience
getting to help out in our community
for families in need.
Brothers also volunteered at Sunrise
with the residents, playing
games, socializing and having a good
time. We also helped with
flu awareness by putting together flu
kits for the university
students to help spread health tips during
the flu season. Phi Delta
Chi also sponsored a blood drive, as we
did last year, and had a successful
turnout (read full story on page
24). Another project we
worked on was Rebuilding the Wall. We
helped to rebuild a deck on
a house by weeding, gardening and
painting as well as doing
various carpentry projects. It was a successful
year of volunteering for
the brothers of Phi Delta Chi, and
we look forward to giving
our time and efforts again next year.
AAAE,
Caitlin Handler and Vanessa
VanArsdale
P A G E 1 5
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“Phi Delta Chi
has introduced
me to my role
models in life;
I'm so lucky to
call them
brothers for
life.”
- Carly
D'Agostino
The Alpha
Phi chapter values scholarship for each and every brother because it is such a
vital part of learning, achievement, and each
brother’s
future. The scholarship committee has been very busy with new ideas and many
activities that offer brothers opportunities to be
recognized
for their academic achievements. At every meeting, one member of the committee
researches a scholarship opportunity and presents
it to the
chapter. This allows the financial burden of pharmacy school to be potentially
lighter because brothers are encouraged to
apply for
scholarships that are readily accessible to them because of the scholarship
committee. Also, the chapter’s ongoing tutoring program
for the
new pledges was active again this fall. This program allows for pledges to not
only become familiar with the actives, but helps
them to
know the actives on a deeper level by asking them for help and advice. As
always, group study sessions are strongly encouraged and
taken
advantage of by many Alpha Phi brothers. This fall, our large compilation of
test files was put into an online database. This large project
took a
lot of work by our Worthy Prelate, but now the old exams are easily accessible for
all brothers and can be utilized to prepare for
tests.
This will also be very helpful for adding further tests in the future for our
brothers to come. Since many of our P3 brothers have questions
and
concerns about starting rotations, the scholarship committee initiated a
question and answer session with Phi Delta Chi brothers
currently
on rotations to ease concerns and answer questions about the rotation process.
The scholarship committee is hopeful that this
program
will continue in the future because of its success this fall.
The
scholarship committee has worked very hard to improve the chapter’s recognition
programs, because it is very important to
be
praised and encouraged in order to perform well. First, the scholarship
committee modified our “A drawing” that is conducted once a
month at
a formal chapter meeting. For each “A” a brother receives on an exam, they can
place their name in a drawing to win a prize. In
order to
promote active participation, the scholarship committee has tried to improve the
prizes by allowing brothers to win practical
things,
such as gift cards. The brothers that do not win the drawing, however, are
still recognized by the chapter because their names are
hung on
our chapter bulletin board in a document titled, “Outstanding Academic
Achievement.” The newest program to be implemented by
the
scholarship committee for scholastic recognition is the “SMARTies” rewards
program. Brothers turn in academic goals at the beginning
of each
semester, and mid-way through the semester, a member of the scholarship
committee follows up with each brother as to how they
are doing
with their goal. It is an accountability program that rewards brothers that
have met their goal at the end of the semester with
Smarties
candy and a chance to be entered into a drawing for “bigger prizes,” which
include movies and many gift cards. Finally, Brother of
the Month
is a recognition program designed to award one brother for their time and
outstanding commitment to the chapter. Chapter members
send
nominations to the scholarship committee with an explanation as to how this
particular brother has demonstrated excellence to
the
chapter. The scholarship committee
then
votes, and the Brother of the
Month is
awarded with a T shirt at
the
following chapter. Scholastic
excellence
is something that the
Alpha Phi
chapter strives for, and by
awarding
and recognizing our
brothers
academically, scholastic
goals can
be achieved by the chapter
and each
individual member.
AAAE,
Amy
Armstrong
P A G E 1 6
Scholarship
Committee
School
Visits Committee
The school visit committee
was originally established
several years ago as an
extension of the
pro-projects committee
aimed at educating local
high school students about
the profession of
pharmacy and presenting it
as a viable career
option. Last year the
program was expanded to
included visits to
elementary schools to teach
younger children about
poison control. This last
semester, the program was
further expanded to
include visits to middle
schools, as well, to help
7th and 8th grade students know what
classes to
take in high school if they
are thinking about a career in health sciences. Visits to the elementary and
middle schools have
typically been carried out
during the fall semester, while the high school visits typically occur in the
spring.
This fall, we organized
visits to three local IPS elementary schools—IPS #70, IPS #43, and IPS #55. The
six brothers
that are on the school
visit committee began planning these visits in early September. On November 4th, we had four brothers
attend local elementary
school IPS #70. They gave a presentation using a pre-made poster and our
self-proclaimed mascot
“Petey the Pill” who
teaches children to “P. I. L. L.” or “Pause, Inspect, Learn, Live.” They
presented to approximately 100 1st
and 2nd grade students who
responded very enthusiastically and asked plenty of questions. We also gave
each student a letter to
take home to his or her
parents instructing the parent how to make their houses safer for their
children and what to do in case
of an accidental poisoning.
On November 6th, three brothers attended local elementary school IPS #43. They
gave two presentations:
one to 1st graders and
kindergarteners, and one to 2nd graders. Both groups were
very receptive and the teachers were
overly appreciative. They
also presented using “Petey the Pill” and our poster board. Stickers were
handed out to students
who raised their hands to
ask questions. Also, letters were given to the teachers to send home with the
children. On November
11th, three brothers visited
local elementary school IPS #55. They gave one joint presentation to a group of
approximately 90 1st
and 2nd graders. They also reported
that the visit went ‘wonderfully’ and that both students and teachers were very
receptive.
Letters and stickers were
handed out at this visit, as well.
This fall was the first
year we implemented the middle school visits, so we only managed to visit one
middle school
with the hopes of even more
middle school visits next year. On November 13th, four brothers visited
Chapel Hill 7th and 8th grade
center for our first middle
school visit. Our contact with this school was extremely excited to have us
give this presentation.
These brothers spoke to the
AVID group, which is a group of about 70 or 80 8th grade students targeted as
needing extra academic
encouragement. Many of them
come from broken families, and as they may not get this support at home, the
AVID group
is designed to give them
that support. The students seemed quite excited about the prospect of a career
in pharmacy and had
many legitimate questions.
The purpose of this visit was to start students thinking about their future at
a younger age and to
motivate these students in
particular to continue their education at a university. For example, we
provided them a list of the
best classes to take in
high school to prepare for college pharmacy courses and talked to them about
college in general. We
used a powerpoint to
present the profession of pharmacy to these students, and also passed out a
brochure summarizing the
presentation.
We have emailed and called
four different high schools multiple times this semester in an attempt to set
up visits.
For whatever reason, the
schools have not been getting back to us. However, four brothers did visit two
AP Chemistry classes at
Ben Davis High School on
February 19th. We presented to two different classes of 11th and 12th grade students using a
powerpoint
which presented many
aspects of the profession of pharmacy. A brochure similar to the middle school
brochure was also
passed out to these
students. Candy was given as a reward for participation and questions from the
students. The students,
especially in the second
class, were very receptive and many of them expressed an interest in becoming
pharmacists. We were
able to help these students
by answering their questions and helping them begin to create a plan for their
futures.
AAAE,
Brittany Lovko
P A G E 1 7
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“Brothers
accept
one
another
for who
they
really are.
Brotherhood
shows no
judgment
or
discrimination.
Brotherhood
knows no
stranger.
Brotherhood
is
proof
that
many are
more
powerful
than
one.”
- Brigette Allen
Membership
Committee
The
membership committee of the Alpha Phi chapter of Phi Delta Chi fraternity accomplished
several goals this past year! At the
annual
chapter retreat, the committee planned better ways to approach potential new
members during rush events.
The first
rush event was a pizza party, which was hosted in the science lecture hall
where there was a very good turnout of interest.
There
were several people interested in what Phi Delta Chi was all about and many
expressed a desire to be a part of it. All of the attendees
of the
pizza night were invited to the second rush event, which was a game night held
shortly after the first event to further assess
their
potential of making an impact on the fraternity. The game night consisted of
multiple tables, each with a couple of active brothers
playing
games like Pictionary and Scrabble. During the chapter retreat, the membership
committee expressed a desire to get to know the
potential
new members better and on a more personal basis so that it would be possible to
get a better idea of what they were like as a person.
For most
tables at least one active on the membership committee was present to do so.
After
this event, there was a first round of voting to see who would receive an
invitation to a night out at a restaurant with the
actives.
These invitations were hand-delivered by the committee to each invitee’s room,
or in some cases even house. At the restaurant, the
committee
was again dispersed throughout the room. After the dinner, all the actives
gathered together to discuss who would be given a
bid to
the fraternity and a majority vote was required for an individual to be given a
bid. This past year there were several worthy candidates,
but
unfortunately not all of
them were
given a bid. As a result,
though, a
very involved pledge class
was
recently initiated!
After the
potential new
members
were decided, the committee
heads
printed out bid cards and
delivered
them to each potential new
member’s
rooms. The committee
had a
goal at the beginning of the
year to
get to know the pledges better
and that
was done due to several
social events
such as a cornhole tournament,
cookout,
and capture the
flag in
the dark. The committee was always around to help the pledges learn the
material and guide them if they ever needed help with their
signature
books or had other questions.
The final
steps the membership committee took were in the actual initiation process,
where the committee heads and members
were
split up to each of the respective stations. This helped the initiation flow
smoothly and less stressful since the membership committee
understood
the entire process of initiation and were around to guide other actives in the
case of confusion. After the new members were
initiated,
little paper pill cutouts were crafted, reading the names of the new initiates,
welcoming them to the fraternity. Each of these pills
was
placed on the doors of all the initiates’ rooms. Individuals on the committee
helped with creating the pills and passing them out.
Overall
the committee was invaluable to the process of pledging and eventually
initiation. Thanks to the hard work the committee
has done,
the Alpha Phi chapter of Phi Delta Chi has welcomed a great new pledge class of
brothers!
AAAE,
Adam
Romesser and Waylan Choi
P A G E 1 8
St.
Jude Committee
The St.
Jude committee started early this year in getting excited about the year.
Committee head Stephanie
Heath
visited the St. Jude Hospital in July. She got to experience the ins and outs
of the hospital as well as
visiting
the Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy. It was a great experience and she brought back a
lot of knowledge and
enthusiasm
for the committee for the year. In the fall, the big project was a Casino Night
that helped to raise
money for
St. Jude. While this was a small event, we hope to improve on the publicity and
outcome next year.
This
year, instead of doing a workout as we’ve done in past years, we had all
brothers meet to write thirty or
more
letters while eating pizza and watching a movie. It was a great night where we
not only got to help out
for a
great cause, but we also got to bond as a chapter. We look forward to giving
more to St. Jude in the following
years and
are hoping to find more ways to raise money for St. Jude.
AAAE,
Stephanie
Heath and Meghan Graff
P A G E 1 9
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“Phi Delta Chi
is a place
where I can go
to be accepted
by everyone
for who I am.
The love and
support from
my brothers is
amazing and I
hope never to
lose this special
bond.”
- Nancy Hall
Fundraising
Committee
The
fundraising committee of Phi Delta Chi’s Alpha Phi chapter has had a good rebuilding
year so far this school year. In the past
we have
made many attempts at raising funds for the chapter but have not had a lot of
success. This year, we were determined to
make more
progress than we have in the past. The committee started out with 4 members at
the start of the fall semester.
In the
fall, we started off the year with planning a Campus Golf Open in which we
invited the entire student body to play a
9-hole
campus gold course. We decided to plan it for Sunday, September 27th at noon.
Participants were to play in pairs and we
charged
$5 per pair with an optional $1 club rental if the players did not have access
to a club. Clubs for use were provided by Phi
Delta Chi
brothers and a basket of old tennis balls were donated by a member of Butler
University’s Women’s Tennis Team. Prizes
were
available for the longest drive and the team with the fewest strokes by the end
of the 9 hole course. The course was laid out
across
our campus with the first hole starting in front of Butler’s Clowes Memorial
Hall and ending it on the side of Schwitzer Hall,
an
underclassmen dormitory. Unfortunately, after all of our hard work and
planning, we did not have any students attend our
event. We
are planning on holding another Campus Golf Open in April sometime so we can
re-use the resources we acquired during
planning.
The next
fundraiser we started to plan
was a
t-shirt fundraiser available for all the
pharmacy
students in Butler University’s College
of
Pharmacy and Health Sciences. It was targeted
for
pharmacy students of all years to prepharmacy
freshmen
and sophomores to 6th year
pharmacy
students out on rotations. The front of
the shirt
was titled “You Know You’re a Butler
University
Pharmacy Student If…” and the back
of the
shirt listed ten reasons. Most of the reasons
were
directed towards Butler’s program
which is
why we decided made it Butler specific.
We
offered three different colors of cotton tshirts
which
included bright pink, navy blue, and green. Ultimately, we did a pre-order and
ordered 50 shirts to earn a $180 profit.
For the
rest of the term, we have one additional big fundraiser planned for this
semester. Ideas came from some of our
five new
committee members who were new members initiated in December of 2009. We are
planning to hold a raffle/bake sale
the week
before Spring Finals week at the end of April. We are going to be selling baked
goods and snacks to students studying for
finals as
well as raffle off a few bigger items including a pair of custom made Butler
Bulldogs tennis shoes. In addition to this, we
also plan
on having a ‘Guess How Many’ jar or two of candy. We will sell tickets for 1
guess for 50 cents or 3 for $1. We are hoping
that this
will help make the student body more aware of our organization and be more
supportive of our fraternity.
Overall,
we feel that we have had a good year of building our fundraising repertoire and
hope to keep building our committee
in the
upcoming years.
AAAE,
Sarah
Donohoo
P A G E 2 0
Special
Events
of the
Alpha
Phi Chapter
P A G E 2 1
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“I'm not one for stress so as
classes got harder and my work
load seemed never ending I
really started to panic. Phi Delta
Chi helped me make some great
friends, people in my class who
knew exactly what I was feeling,
but more importantly, older students
who had already been exactly
where I am and made it
through. I don't know what I
would do without Jeff Filotei.
He's been a great listener and
given me some of the best advice
I could ask for!”
-Maddie
Barga
Founder’s
Day
Each year
on November 2nd, Phi Delta Chi chapters across the nation celebrate the
founding of our fraternity, the first professional
pharmacy
fraternity in the United States. This year, the Alpha Phi chapter at Butler
University decided to put a unique
twist on
our Founders' Day celebration. On Sunday, November 1st, our chapter visited the
Whispering Willows Alpacas at
Fishback
Creek Farm, which are owned and maintained by one of our chapter advisors, Dr.
Todd Hrubey. For the visit, a group
of
brothers carpooled to the Zionsville farm and spent a beautiful afternoon
enjoying the company of the alpacas and each other.
In
addition to learning how to care for alpacas, the brothers held an informal
chapter meeting, a mini chapter retreat, and
ended the
evening cooking dinner and making s'mores around the farm's camp fire. During
the chapter retreat, members reflected
back on
the past semester, and discussed various opportunities for improvement for the
upcoming semester. The
brothers
agreed that the newest pledge
class
will be a great addition to our chapter,
and we
are looking forward
to
Initiation in December.
AAAE,
Sarah
Leon
As a part
of the pledge party committee, I helped to organize it by planning it through a
series of steps. We brainstormed to
bring new
and unique ideas to the table. Once we thought of a twister theme, everything
started to fit and fall into place. Kyle
Mohler,
one of our pledge brothers had a small DJ light set with colors that would work
well with the colors of twisters. Wearing
the
colors of twister to the party would also promote both unity among everyone and
a joyful atmosphere for the party. We
played
Twister, socialized, and got to know the new pledge class. In the end,
activities like this are very useful in improving
communication,
building relationships, and promoting unity among the brothers and future
brothers of Phi Delta Chi.
AAAE,
Carson
Wells
Pledge
Party
P A G E 2 2
Gatlinburg
It was
January 15, 2010, the day that had been of great discussion by the brothers of
the Alpha Phi Chapter of
Phi Delta
Chi since school had resumed earlier that week. It was the annual retreat to
the great cabins near
the Smokey
Mountains of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Twenty-three brothers, in seven different
cars, traversed
mountainous
and curvy roads of about 420 miles to reach Cherokee Dreams Cabin. That night,
brothers were
playing
board games such as Quelf or card games and were socializing. There was also a
game room downstairs
where
other brothers
played
air hockey, shooting pool,
or eating
dots with the classic
arcade
game called Pacman.
Many
brothers called it a night
early due
to the long drive and
to be
prepared for activities of
the
following day.
The
following morning,
about
five of the brothers
went to
breakfast at the main
cabin. We
met and socialized
with
brothers from the Beta
Delta
(St. Louis) and Alpha Iota (Georgia) Chapters. Afterwards, we rejoined our Alpha
Phi brothers at Cherokee
Dreams.
We explored the cabin as our brothers got ready for the hike planned for that
afternoon. The outside
of the
cabin was glamorous, being three floors tall, with the balcony surrounding the
entire place. The view
of the Smokey
Mountain from the balcony was breathtaking.
A few
brothers took advantage of being in the mountains and went skiing, while the
rest of us went
hiking
that afternoon with several brothers from other chapters who joined us,
including Alpha Upsilon. After
about
forty-five minutes into the hike, we finally reached our chosen destination, a
grand waterfall. Our Alpha
Phi
Chapter took a group picture with the waterfall to preserve the wonderful
memory. The main cabin served
Mexican
that evening. Soon after eating, we returned to our cabin. Evening festivities
began and brothers
from
other Chapters stopped by to join in the festivities. We also used the two hot
tubs that were outside on
the
balcony. It was drizzling a little, which added coolness to the night that
complemented the hot tub nicely.
Although
the weather was not promising the next morning, some of us decided to go hiking
again
that day,
to a more adventurous path called Chimney Tops Trail. Five of the brothers left
on the hike as the rest
stayed back
to enjoy a comical and entertaining movie called The Hangover. That evening we
joined our
brothers
at the Alpha Upsilon cabin for more bonding. We woke up the next morning and
made our long journey
back to
Indianapolis, after a weekend of fun, relaxation, new friendships and of course
brotherhood all
around.
AAAE,
Thien
Than
P A G E 2 3
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“To advance
the science of
pharmacy and
its allied
interests, and
to foster and
promote a
fraternal spirit
among its
members.”
Blood
Drive
The Alpha
Phi chapter of Phi Delta Chi sponsored a blood drive
through
the Indiana Blood Center on January 26, 2010 from 11-4 PM and
plans on
hosting another on March 30th. The drive took place on campus in
a
bloodmobile. It took careful planning which was assisted by a field rep
from the
blood center. We were provided with posters to advertise, tips for
a
successful event, and an online link to sign-up volunteers in advance. My
committee
and I advertised as much as possible through social media, by
emailing
the entire College of Pharmacy, reaching out to faculty and staff,
hanging
posters, and by word of mouth.
Despite
the cold and unbearable January weather outside, we had a successful
turnout
of 35 donors. Even more eager participants had shown up, but
in the
interest of time could not donate. Out of the 35 donors, 28 units of
blood
were obtained. We were recognized by the blood center for hosting a
stronger
blood drive than most groups! Our rep said most drives produce
fewer
than 16 units of blood which we far surpassed! It couldn’t have been done
without the dedication and support of our brothers.
A large
portion of the donors were active Phi Delta Chi brothers which demonstrates our
strength as a chapter, our passion for
the
health of others, and our willingness to advance the profession of pharmacy!
AAAE,
Julie
Williams
Health
Screening
Annually,
Phi Delta Chi helps sponsor a health
screening
for the community of Indianapolis. This year, instead
of the
whole chapter organizing it, it was headed by
three
brothers on rotations as part of their undergraduate
research
project. There were 92 patients that came and over
358
screenings performed, including testing cholesterol, bone
density
screening, blood glucose, blood pressure, eye exams,
and body
mass index. There were also several counseling stations for patients who had
any questions regarding their test results.
There
were 79 students who volunteered, and of these 21 were Phi Delta Chi members.
Faculty also assisted, including Phi Delta
Chi
alumni Dr. Michael Vance and Dr. Lawrence Kennedy. The chapter’s faculty
advisor, Dr. Bonnie Brown also offered assistance.
The
students participating in the screening were given a firsthand experience as
healthcare caregivers, which is a just the beginning
towards
being leaders of pharmacy.
AAAE,
Kristen
Wilcox, Jayme Jedrzejcak and Melissa Hintmann
P A G E 2 4
Grand
Council
Grand
Council is probably the
best and
most powerful Phi Delta Chi
event a
Brother can attend. While Brothers
may not
be appealed at the idea of
attending
business meetings in a different
location
within the country, it is definitely
worth
every penny spent towards attending
Grand
Council. I absolutely love attending
Regional
and National events
where I
can meet and chat with Brothers
from
Chapters all across the nation. I
probably
do not even know half of the
Brothers
personally there, but it is so easy
to simply
start a conversation with any Brother present since we share such a strong and
common bond with
Phi Delta
Chi. In Phoenix for the 2009 Grand Council, it was quite toasty outside each
day being in the desert
during
August. We held most of our business meetings during the day, and we also held
many sessions that
focused
on developing innovative ideas and skills for our Chapter to become much closer
and stronger.
Our
Chapter has begun to develop, plan out, and strive to achieve SMART goals this
year and hope to
complete
them by the end of next year. There has already been a marked improvement in
our overall attendance,
types of
projects and activities completed, and overall closeness in general with the
restructuring of our
committees
(one of our SMART goals). Once the meetings have been finished during the
afternoon, Chapters
generally
are free to relax or roam around town on their own for the evening. Generally
there is a social event
held each
night in which Chapters are welcome to participate, including the Casino Night
where Brothers received
a certain
number of raffle tickets depending on how much “money” they had at the end of
the night.
The night
life was simply fantastic as well. It was indescribably awesome traveling
around town and visiting
restaurants
and other places in town. We generally relaxed with other Chapters during the
evenings, whether
in town, at
the pools, or just in the hotel rooms.
It is so
fun just relaxing with other Brothers from around the nation in a beautiful
city, as well as in
an
amazing hotel as well. However, the most profound and best experience of the
event is the final business
meeting
where the entire fraternity goes through ritual processes and recites the motto
together. Having hundreds
of
Brothers say the motto simultaneously is so powerful. Delegates from each
Chapter also vote on certain
issues at
hand with the national fraternity, including the insurance plan that was
recently passed. It is
difficult
to describe Grand Council in words. In order to adequately explain it, Brothers
must attend the event
and
experience it themselves. It is such a powerful event that Brothers will
definitely be glad they attended
once they
did.
AAAE,
Tony
Liszewski
P A G E 2 5
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
“I am so glad
to be part of
this organization
where I
have an active
voice in my
community, a
mentor to look
up to at all
times, and
most importantly,
friends
for life.”
- Sarah Ferry
Superlatives
Active of
the Year: Laura Hirsch
Pledge of
the Year: Carson Wells
Most
likely NOT to be a pharmacist his/her whole life: Sean Polacek
Most
likely to be an entreprenuer: Mike Erdman
Most
likely to be late to work everyday: Kat Kos
Best
hair: Jama Casey
Best PDC
friends: Tyler, Tony and Bill
Best
Smile: Chelsea Keyes
Funniest
Brother: Vanessa VanArsdale
Most
Spirited Brother: Tony Liszewski
Most
Talanted Brother: Brittany Lovko
Most
Talkative Brother: Jeff Filotei
Friendliest
Brother: Sarah Leon
Most
Likely to Succeed: Jeff Filotei
Most
Likely to be on the FBI's Most Wanted List: Ryan Cash
Best
Personality: Carly D'Agostino
Most
Likely to Stay Active in PDC after graduation: Laura Hirsch
Most likely
to forget that there is a meeting: John Prout
Biggest
Flirts: Sean Polacek and Meghan Graff
Biggest
Sweetheart: Carly D'Agostino
Best
Dressed: Stephanie Heath
Most
likely to have 7 kids and a minivan: Chris McGuire
Most
contagious laugh: Jenna Ksiakiewicz
Most
intelligent brother: James Hyatte
Most
likely to spaz out during his/her 1st set of clusters: Maddie Barga
Cutest
PDC couple: Amy McManness and Steve Swank
P A G E 2 6
2009-2010
Arriving at Butler University
as a freshman was probably one of the most exciting and frightening experiences
of my life. I was so
excited to start a new
chapter in my life and meet new people. Yet, as a shy person around new faces,
I found it quite difficult at times to start
talking to peers I had
never met and try to establish friendships. I could never have fathomed that I
would have so much difficulty establishing
close friendships with
peers. I had friends back at home in Schererville for so long, but I never
really had been exposed to a complete new crowd
of peers. I met some
acquaintances in my residence hall and pharmacy class, but I never felt a close
connection with any of them at the beginning
of the year. In other
words, my first year at college was not off to a good start. Also, as a more
home-bodied person, I quickly became very
homesick. Everywhere I
turned it seemed as if I was in the wrong place and did not belong there. I was
two weeks into school, and I did not feel
at home at Butler.
I tried to look into as
many organizations on campus as possible. Yet, I did not find much solace here
either. I still did not feel as if I
was in my niche. Feeling
quite blue, one of my older friends from home who attended Butler at the time
encouraged me to look into the Phi
Delta Chi Fraternity. I had
only heard about it briefly since she was an active Brother and would regale me
with countless memories she has
already had with the Alpha
Phi Chapter. The first rush event was being held that day, Pizza Night, and I
wasn’t sure if I wanted to go. I felt
burnt out already from
trying so hard to find my niche. But, I always try to remain open-minded; so I
went. Upon arriving, I could not believe
how relaxed and fun the
environment was at the event. There were about fifty active Brothers welcoming
all the interested freshmen and sophomores
and made sure each
interested person met each active Brother present. I still remember when one
Brother stopped his conversation with
another Brother just to
make me feel welcome and talk to me about anything I wanted to ask or just chat
about. I felt so welcomed and honored
that they truly cared about
me, and they had only known me for a few minutes. I witnessed these same
actions at the other rushing events and
knew I had finally found my
niche. Amidst all the adversity I felt at Butler for the first two weeks, Phi
Delta Chi completely eradicated those
feelings and welcomed me
into their family. In the matter of a few hours, I made over fifty new friends,
and I knew these friendships would be
life-long. No one ever
showed me the kindness as Phi Delta Chi did.
I was honored that year
with receiving an invitation to pledge Phi Delta Chi and soon become a true
Brother. When I received my
welcome sign that was in
the shape of a capsule, I was ecstatic. But, during the pledging process I
learned that one of the main ideas of being a
Brother in Phi Delta Chi
was to be leaders in pharmacy. At that point, all the nervousness I thought had
vanished reared its ugly head. How am I,
the shy person who can barely
feel comfortable to talk around strangers, be a leader in pharmacy and actively
promote the science? I admit I did
not mention this fear and
harbored my nervousness until after Initiation. Soon after Initiation, the time
came for nominations for the new executive
board. I wanted to serve my
community and fraternity more, but I really just wasn’t sure how to do so since
I was so afraid. I finally mustered
the courage after an
informal meeting and talked to the Worthy Correspondent at the time. She was always
open to anyone who had questions
or concerns, so I hoped she
could shed some advice for me. I explained to her my desire to be a leader but
my simultaneous fear to actively
move forward. I feared that
I would not perform up to par with an executive position and would make our
Chapter look poor. I will never forget
what she said. She simply
said, “I see great potential in you. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with
a leadership position, and don’t think
you always have to be
correct. Leaders are never correct or right in their decisions all the time.
It’s a growing process, and as you learn whether
from success or setbacks,
you become a leader in pharmacy.”
She later encouraged me to
run for Worthy Correspondent, and listening to her advice, I did. And I could
not believe the results when
I heard them. I was the new
WC for our chapter. From that point, I was much more open to people I had never
met, and I began taking more
and more of an active role
in the fraternity and outside it. In short, I rapidly pushed forward and was
willing to challenge myself to goals I
thought I could never
attain. Just from that small conversation I had with her, I went from a shy and
timid person to the WC for our chapter for
two years, and I have just
been elected as the WVC for our chapter. I am also the Vice President of the
Student Sociology Association at Butler.
These past couple years
have made me feel so alive and happy. It’s funny how just a few words can
completely change your life. I was at the
point of wanting to leave
Butler and continue being shy and afraid of throwing myself out there in the
world. Yet, she showed me that I had
potential, and she
encouraged me and guided me from that day and helped me become the leader I am
today. I will forever remember her encouragement
and kindness, and I could
never show how much gratitude I have for her help.
P A G E 2 7
Brotherhood
Report
T H E
A C T I V A T O R
Becoming an active leader
in Phi Delta Chi was a big stepping stone in my life, but there was one other
obstacle I had to overcome. And this obstacle
was and has been the
biggest obstacle I have ever had to conquer. I always knew that I was different
from society’s norm of sexuality, even when I was
little. But, out of fear of
the repercussions from others I might get if I reveal my secret, I bottled it
up throughout grade school and high school. Grade
school was not much of an
issue since I was still understanding more about myself and was still quite
young. But, high school proved to be much more difficult.
I began to realize I could
not continue to be in denial and had to accept myself at some point. But, I
refused to come out at that time since I knew I
would be greatly ridiculed
and harassed. I was already ridiculed at times for my weight, and I knew that coming
out would result in much more hurtful and
torturous ridicule. At
first I thought that I was saving myself much harm and sadness by hiding my
secret. The resulting consequences were quite contrary.
I cannot explain how much
anguish and sadness I felt holding my secret in. Yet, how could I reveal it? I
was so afraid of coming out to a society that looks
down upon people like me,
and I just could not bear to see my parents’ reaction when I came out. I just
could not hurt them like that. So, I went to Butler
still hiding my secret.
Again, I thought that I would not have to come out since I was starting a new
chapter in my life and could start fresh. Well, the same
consequences occurred. I
was in such agony, I just could not live with myself some nights. It began to
preoccupy me all the time to the point that I could
not sleep or even
concentrate in class. In March of freshman year, I attended the Midwest
Regional Conference with a few Brothers in my chapter. One of the
Brothers was always in a
jovial mood and to me simply saw the best in everything. It was as if nothing
could bring him down or upset him. The first night
there, I was of course
already preoccupied with my thoughts, and out of an impulsive decision, I asked
him if we could talk sometime soon. I didn’t say what
I wanted to talk about, but
I just wanted to talk. Of course, he met me a couple days after the conference
back at Butler. I froze for a few seconds, but I just
quietly told him my secret.
And his response is one I will not forget. He just says, ‘Okay. Is that all you
were worried about? Doesn’t it feel better once you
just tell someone?’ I
couldn’t believe that he wasn’t shocked or upset about my secret. And then it
hit me. He was treating me as a person; as a friend. We
talked for hours about my
deep fears and concerns with coming out to everyone, and he just reassured me
and guided me to understand that of course not
everyone is going to be
okay with me coming out. But, he also made a great point. If people are not
okay with who I am, then why do I need to talk to
them? I should just bask in
those friends that do care for me and accept me for who I am. He was there for
me in my greatest time of need. And he knew
just what to say to
reassure me and make me more comfortable with myself and my decision to come
out.
Feeling confident and
bolstered with his help, I decided that I was going to come out to my family
first and then my friends gradually. I was still
nervous and quite scared to
tell them. Even though he reassured me, I knew my parents would be my toughest
critics. I will never forget that day in March.
I called my mother with the
intent to tell her my secret, but when I called her, she was frantically
running out of the house back at home. She told me something
was wrong with my grandpa
and I’d have to tell her what I wanted later. Well, she called me forty five
minutes later that my grandpa had a massive
stroke and was not going to
recover. I fell to the ground in shock and just stared at the wall. My only
grandpa, who I cherished deeply, was gone just like
that. Of course, I did not
tell my mother my secret that day. I could not even fathom trying to put her
through that additional anguish. I was depressed for
quite some time after his
death, and due to that, I put off telling my parents my secret. Unfortunately,
I fell back into my old habits of fearing what my parents
or society would think of
me. All that anguish I thought was gone rushed back, and now I was even more
saddened with my grandpa’s passing. I lived
in this utter anguish for
eight more months, and when at the Gatlinburg retreat, the same Brother who
helped me last year with my secret asked me how
things were going. I said
things were fine, but soon told him everything that has happened since our
meeting last year, and we met again to talk. We did
not talk as long, and I was
shocked at his advice and guidance to me. He was kind and reassuring of course.
But, he also became stern and simply asked me
what I was trying to hide from.
I already came out to him, I am almost through the hurdle completely. What was
I waiting for? At first I couldn’t understand
why he was so terse with
me, but he was right. What was I waiting for? It was that kind of pep talk or
encouragement I needed to finally push forward.
He checked in with me
frequently to see how things were going and to make sure I was okay. I soon
came out to my parents and friends. My friends
were okay of course, and I
was shocked to see that my parents reacted as they did. They just said that my
secret doesn’t change anything between us and
that they still love me.
All that anguish, fear, and guilt I had. It rapidly vanished, and of course I
was upset I harbored my secret for so long. I regret that
I’ve never really thanked
him for guiding me through my most difficult time I’ve experienced in twenty
years. Even though he may not think it, he has permanently
changed my life for the
better, and allowed me to finally be happy with myself. He made me who I am
today. I can never express how grateful I
am that he helped me in my
greatest time of need. I am forever indebted to his help and guidance, and I
will never forget it.
Basically, there are plenty
examples I could recount where Brothers from the Alpha Phi Chapter acted simply
as that—true Brothers. These few
examples I talked about
were the ones that clearly have had the most impact on my life. Brotherhood
cannot be defined in a sentence or in a few adjectives.
It is the acts of kindness,
altruism, help, and guidance that I received from my Brothers that emphasizes
the idea of brotherhood. My Brothers help me when
I was weak, fearful, shy,
and alone. They brought me up and created in me a strong, active, and happy
leader. I cannot even fathom what my life would be
like today had it not been
for my Brothers in Phi Delta Chi. They quickly took my blue feelings and
immediately made them everlasting happy ones. I have
shared countless memories
with my Brothers, and our friendships will never cease. I am forever indebted
to all the help my Brothers give me, and I will be
forever grateful. I will
forever be their friend. We are Brothers for life. We are Phi Delta Chi.
AAAE,
Tony Liszewski
A special
thanks to all who contributed their time and effort to helping
make The
Activator a success, including executive members, committee
heads, and
my committee members, including Kevin Bozymski, Kacey
Carroll,
Katie Godbey, Matt Heinsen, Lindsay Jamison, Katherine
Kielts, and
AJ Teare.
AAAE,
Alyssa
Meyer, Activator Committee Head
We Are
Phi Delta Chi