Chapter Trends

Alma College - The Nu Gamma chapter held its second annual educational program for the new members of the Alma College Greek community this past winter. The theme of the program was "Greek Jeopardy." Our purpose in sponsoring this program was to introduce the new members to the Order of Omega, encourage unity among the various fraternities and sororities, and provide them with some useful information about the Greek system on our campus. The categories covered a number of topics including the Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils, historical facts, and famous Greeks.

Submitted by Sarah Oglenski

Illinois State University - The Illinois State University chapter of Order of Omega has been making its mark. In Fall '96 semester, the chapter initiated 45 new members. The Spring semester is going just as well, we recently initiated 16 new members into the chapter. We are excited to see so many Greeks getting involved in Order of Omega. Order of Omega sponsored the Greek Leadership Conference on Februrary 8, 1997. The conference had several different workshops on leadership and other skills that are important to the Greek system. It was a huge success. Throughout the rest of the semester we will be sponsoring Greek week which purpose is to unify the Greek chapters on campus. There will be games, a faculty breakfast, community service, and a Greek banquet with awards honoring outstanding Greek individuals.

Submitted by Anna Klonowski

Kent State University - Our chapter participated in Daffodil days sponsored by the American Cancer Society. We sold daffodils in our Student Center and raised over $100. We hope this will turn into an annual activity.

Our chapter is planning a faculty tea to be held on April 23. We are planning an entertainment section and hoping many of our professors will attend.

We also are beginning plans to Adopt-a-school in conjunction with our Inter-Greek Programming Board. This activity will begin in September and run the entire school year. We are currently asking for volunteers and hope this program will be successful.

Submitted by Nicole Peters

Purdue University - Last semester, the Purdue University Theta Gamma chapter of Order of Omega initiated three outstanding faculty members of Purdue. They have spent many years helping students achieve their goals while helping Purdue's Greek system grow to encompass outstanding campus leaders.

Dr. Richard Grace, former Purdue Vice President of Student Services and founder and current Director of Undergraduate Studies Program, began his career working with students 42 years ago, but became a Boilermaker and a member of the Greek system 49 years ago. Dr. Grace remembers the many "chapters" of his life and looks back fondly on his Greek chapter starting with his pledgeship for Phi Gamma Delta in 1947. The Greek chapter of his life is still being written as he continues to be active with one of his first homes at Purdue, Phi Gamma Delta. "All of this is as vivid as yesterday," he said with a smile. "It was the best match for me, and I have stayed active in Greek life in the chapter and as an alumni for 49 years. It has really been a love affair and a life of service and dedication to both the undergraduate members and alumni of the fraternity."

In 1951 after completing another chapter in his life and his undergraduate degree in metallurgical engineering, he opened another receiving his Ph.D. from Carnegie Institute of Technology. His love for students brought him back to Purdue to write one of the greatest chapters of his life: teaching. "It's being an engineer with the ability to design. I not only design 'things' but I design things for people and that's kind of a super-test of whether the engineering is good enough."

His positions at Purdue such as Assistant Dean of Engineering led him to become Vice President of Student Services in 1987 which helped him to work with the entire campus. After retiring from the position in 1995, he started another chapter of his life by putting his ability to engineer systems that help students decide upon a major. "Founding the position of Director of Undergraduate Studies Program has helped me maximize my contact with the students who need help deciding on a major. If I enjoy anything the most it's designing individual systems for the student body."

Dean Tony Hawkins, Dean of Students, received his bachelors degree form Mars Hill College in North Carolina. After teaching high school English for two years, he learned he wanted to help students with more than academics. "It was when I was teaching high school that I realized that I liked teaching students one-on-one instead of doing lesson plans."

To obtain his career goals of working with students more, Dean Hawkins came to Purdue in 1973 to work on his Ph.D. in counseling where he quickly found a home on Purdue's campus and in the Dean of Students office. One of his first positions in the office gave him a chance to work with Delta Chi fraternity members when he acted as the fraternity's advisor for three years and was initiated in the fraternity. He said he was able to see how the Greek system helps form student leaders. "It's just amazing the impact the Greek community has on Purdue's climate. Many leaders come out of the Greek system," he said. "The Greek chapters teach skills that will not show up on a transcript but in life."

Dean Hawkins has been actively involved in influencing leaders in Purdue's Greek system as well as playing a key role in helping students across campus achieve their goals. He became Dean of Students in 1996. Over the last 20 years he said he has enjoyed watching students develop and grow. "It gives me great satisfaction to see them move on. It certainly keeps me young mentally."

Dean Betty Nelson, Dean of Students from 1987-1995, became involved in the Greek system as a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority at Radford College - Women's Division of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where she was extremely involved in activitities such as being the editor of the yearbook. She said her love for being involved has made her want to maintain her involvement with students. "Some of us get so involved as undergraduates in campus life maybe we just never grow up," she laughs. "I loved undergraduate actvitities in school. I'm not sure I ever thought of doing anything else."

Dean Nelson believes through her experiences in her sorority and working with Purdue's Greek system that Greek communities help form student leaders because of the safety net the chapters provide. "I think the Greek system provides coaching and mentoring oppotunities with the expectation that is communicated and encouraged in the chapter about participating in campus life."

Although Dean Nelson retired in 1995 after working in Purdue's Dean of Students Office for 29 years, she is now working with students in the community to help them develop their transition into community leaders. She said she has enjoyed developing relationships with a variety of individuals. "Sometimes parents say, 'I brought a child to campus and an adult came home.' It's kind of like parents loaning students to us for a short amount of time. I just can't imagine doing anything that can be half as much fun."

Submitted by Jill Hoffman

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - This fall, the Mu Zeta Chapter of Order of Omega at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has taken steps to improve both the chapter and the MIT community.

In the fall, the chapter sponsored the first annual Greek Week Community Service Event. A culmination of the events of Greek Week, the purpose of the community service project was to increase cooperation between members of the Greek community at MIT as well as give members an opportunity to work together to help the communities of Cambridge and Boston. Approximately 100 volunteers spent the afternoon working at a number of different sites, including the Greater Boston Food Bank, Shelter Inc., the Women's Educational Center, East End House (an afterschool center for kids), Caspar Emergency Service Center (a shelter), and Wellmet Project Inc. (a home for recovering alcoholics). They helped to sort food items, were involved in general cleaning and yard duties, and helped process informational mailings. The event began with project sign-ups followed by a brief convocation after which the groups split up to go to their work sites. Order of Omega members were involved in planning as well as participating in the event.

Currently the Mu Zeta Chapter of the Order of Omega is working to co-sponsor a Leadership Workshop series during January with MIT's Office of Residence and Campus Activities. Called "Emerging Leader," the series of workshops is intended to provide emerging student leaders with the skills they need to achieve their leadership potential. Within a highly interactive environment, participants will be exposed to issues of ethics and diversity and to experiences requiring teamwork, communication, and decision-making. Over a span of five days, January 27-31, eight topics important to leadership development will be covered.

Next term, the Mu Zeta Chapter will be working on a community service project to target the issue of race relations on the MIT campus, as well as organizing its spring membership drive.

Submitted by Shonna Yin

University of Southwestern Louisiana - On April 18, the Order of Omega is hosting the Annual "Greek Awards Ceremony," which is at the conclusion of "Greek Week" at USL. Various fraternities and sororities are acknowledged for excellence in membership, financial management, philanthropic events, etc.

The Order of Omega will participate in philanthropic events, such as serving food to the homeless, during the month of April 1997.

Submitted by Mitra Melancon

University of North Carolina at Charlotte - The members of Zeta Phi Chapter are committed to upholding the three principles behind the Order of Omega: 1) To recognize students who have attained a high standard of scholarship and leadership; 2) To unite the Greek organizations, on campus, to work together for common goals; and 3) To plan and promote leadership and education programs and sponsor service projects.

The Zeta Chi Chapter is actively working to attain these Principles through multiple programs and activities. A Greek Leadership Conference is scheduled for October 18, 1997 to encourage Scholarship and Leadership among our Greek community. Our sponsoring of Service Activities will include, but not be limited to, providing Holiday Dinners for those less fortunate; volunteering at the Charlotte Salvation Army Soup Kitchen; and an extensive campus wide clean-up.

To conclude Zeta Phi's update, the Executive Board has created new leadership opportunities for all active members, through numerous committees, and functions, to promote a spirit of unity and commitment. The Zeta Phi Chapter is enthused with the potential of a rebirth of the Order of Omega here at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte!

Submitted by Megan Arrington

Rider University - On November 9, 1997, the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, Minority Greek Council, and the Order of Omega will be hosting a Greek Leadership Day that will target those members of the Greek system interested in leadership positions both within their chapters and on the executive councils of the Greek system. Members of the Order will serve as facilitators and round table discussion leaders throughout the day. Some of the session topics include: general sessions about the three main governing councils, new member education, recruitment, and other general executive board positions.

The Zeta Epsilon chapter of Order of Omega feels this is a very proactive step towards educating our members about potential leadership positions and the responsibilities included.

Submitted by Jonathan D. Kapell

Mount Union College - Hello from Mount Union! Pi Omicron is enjoying its first year of existence and the students have really been ambitious in creating a successful and productive organization.

A Greek Leader of the Month program has been developed and is in the process of being implemented. The purpose of this program is to recognize the leadership contributions of younger members.

Each chapter nominates one member each month and completes a nomination form describing why the nominee deserves to be honored as Greek Leader of the Month. Order of Omega members meet the third week of each month to review the nominations and select the most deserving. The winner is then featured in an article in the campus newspaper and also announced on campus radio and TV spots.

In the spring, all of the Greek Leader of the Month winners will be considered for the Order of Omega Greek Leader of the Year Award which will be presented at Greek Awards. We are very excited about this new program and thought it was worth sharing with other Order of Omega chapters.

Submitted by Lori M. Bowen

University of Nebraska at Omaha - Greetings from the Nu Sigma Chapter of Order of Omega! On November13, our chapter held its annual Greek Leadership Workshop. Dave Westol, Executive Director of Theta Chi Fraternity; Terry Zacker, Director of Greek Affairs at University of Maryland-College Park; and Bobbie Larson, National Officer of Alpha Chi Omega were our guest speakers. What an impact they left on our Greeks here at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Some of the topics covered were Greek Image/Breaking the Stereotypes, Specific FIPG Guidelines, Building Leadership, and Greeks in the Year 2000. This workshop was sponsored by Order of Omega, Interfraternity Council, and the Panhellenic Council.

The Nu Sigma Chapter has also been working on Public Relations. We sponsored our First Annual Bake Sale in the Student Center. We designed Order of Omega T-shirts which we wear on the first Friday of every month and have create our own local newsletter. Our last meeting for Fall was held on December 5, we celebrated with a "Holiday Party" and had a gift exchange.

The Spring will give us an opportunity to complete a community service project, fund-raiser and prepare for our new initiates.

Submitted by Laura Swan

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