The Life of a Phi Kap Staff Member

Lent

2011-03-15T16:22:00.004-04:00

It's Lent. Do you know what that means? Neither did I until I saw my favorite childhood funny man Pee-Wee Herman teach me on Conan O'Brian the other night.

*skip to 5:15 to the meat of the lesson.... the rest is not related

Ok, so maybe his story was not 100% true, though it was funny. Ironically enough just days before this aired I was having a discussion with my co-workers over lunch about Easter and why the date of Easter moves around so much. This prompted research and further discussions about the meaning of Easter.

I shared with them that I grew up with a family that believed in nothing. We never went to church of any kind and to be honest, everything I learned about Jesus and his life I learned from the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar." Sad but true. I actually, at the age of 30, thought it ended there... that he died on the cross and that was all. Little did I know he rose again according to the Christian religion. This then prompted me to feel horrible about my lack of knowledge and I suggested an educational program for staff members working here because I think, working for an organization such as this, we should all (including me) know the basics. Gretchen has since offered Sunday school for us (well, for me since I apparently know the least) and then this amazing Sunday school-ish lesson appears on my tv just days later. After an entire day in the office of discussing religion and Jesus and his life, a point was made - it's not that hard. "We just talked about our views and opinions and shared what we know and don't know for over 2 hours so why can't our members do that?" Nobody, even me, walked away feeling belittled or bad - we actually felt enlightened and I felt supported intellectually and spiritually by my co-workers. Not the place I would expect these types of conversations to happen though but that's what Phi Kappa Theta has fostered for us in the office. Why can't the brotherhood relationship foster that for you out there? What do you now know about Easter and lent? How can you share the level of importance it has on your life? Please... share with us in a comment!

Lessons from a new colony

2010-10-24T15:09:00.004-04:00

For those Phi Kap members who haven't yet heard. We have a new colony! Please help me welcome our newest group from Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA to the Phi Kappa Theta family! I had the pleasure of spending the last 5 days on campus with these gentlemen, doing A LOT of training and planning for their colony. During our weekend I realized that while this group still has a lot to learn about Phi Kappa Theta and fraternity life, that they also had a lot that they could teach some of our older chapters. So here are some lessons from a new colony.

They dream big!!
I have worked many times with existing chapters who are looking for a change and trying to set goals. The thing that always occurs however is often existing chapters goal set or dream with blinders on. They see things as challenges, rather than possibilities. Our new groups have a tendency to see the big picture. This group inspired me when they talked to me about how they wanted to be viewed as a fraternity and what they wanted to be known for. Its big!

They all start as equals.
Our colony members don't get initiated until they actually become a chapter. Therefore they all start on a level playing field. There is no active and new member divide, when a member gets a bid they then aren't required to spend 8 weeks proving themselves. They immediately become a part of the group and start assisting in the decision making. I promise you, they have passion. But they were able to get that through a shared vision for the group, rather than having a list of things to do to prove they belong there.

They ask Why
Part of the reason they ask why is simply of course because they don't know. They've never been in a fraternity before and are in the process of learning what it means. But the asking why benefits them! So many chapters are afraid to ask why. They do things because its "tradition" or because that's how its supposed to be done. If groups asked themselves why more often, I think we'd start seeing that many of those traditions have no place in Phi Kappa Theta. In fact when planning recruitment events the first thing I heard was " well we shouldn't be doing that event solely because everyone else is doing it" They challenged and questioned it all.

This group really sparked my passion for fraternity and sorority life again this week, because they have the ability to see the possibilities. I hope others can learn from their excitement as well.

If you haven't yet, follow them on twitter at @bsuphikaps. Or their facebook fan page Phi Kappa Theta at Bridgewater State University!

National Hazing Prevention Week

2010-09-15T09:35:00.003-04:00

Monday marks the beginning of National Hazing Prevention Week (September 20-24). Campuses nationwide are hosting speakers, contests, and giving out information regarding hazing and its effects. Here are some ideas for you and your chapter to take a stand as well.

- Actually participate in the hazing prevention activities that may be going on in your campus community.

-Take this time to review and take a look at your Associate Member Program. Be critical, is it really serving its purpose?

- Take a look at the Sigma Nu #40 answers campaign. They took some of the most common excuses for hazing and provided rebuttals. Use these to have a discussion within your chapter. You can find them on twitter if you search for #40answers or you can find some of their blog posts here http://sigmanuhq.wordpress.com/category/hazing

-Make a banner, wear a pin, announce to the campus that your chapter is anti-hazing...and ACTUALLY mean it!

-Use a video to spark discussion with your chapter. ResponseAbility or Hazed are good ones. You can also find clips at www.hazingprevention.org of personal stories.

These are just a few of the many ideas that campuses and chapters can do to celebrate National Hazing Prevention Week. We'd love to hear other ideas you have, or chat with you about creative ways to integrate this into your chapter. You can also find a lot more ideas and information at www.hazingprevention.org and we encourage you to do so! Lead the way!

So you want to land a job?

2010-06-02T11:53:00.003-04:00

Every year as school is ending (or has ended) there will always be graduates everywhere in panic mode. Job searching is hard, time consuming, and you need to get to get paid and get out of the parents house! Before my position here at Phi Kappa Theta, I spent a lot of time working in career development and still volunteer my time assisting students in finding jobs/careers. So I thought I would empower our members to get moving with (in my opinion) 5 things to step up your job search game. Hopefully even those not currently job searching will find some value!

1. Give concrete examples and experiences. I can't say this enough!! For example. Don't tell an interviewer you are a good communicator. Instead tell them that you improved communication between your chapter and alumni board by appointing a liaison and organizing monthly meetings. On your resume don't write " I sold tires", instead try " Exceeded weekly tire sales goal by 10 percent." Employers don't want empty words. Also be aware that the trend in interviewing has moved to behavioral questions. Employers don't want to know what you would do in a situation, they want an example of how exactly have you dealt with a situation in the past.

2. Research, Research, Research! You should be researching any company or position extensively. You shouldn't be applying for a job or going to an interview without knowing about who they are and what they do. Not only does it show employers your clear interest for position, but it allows you to tailor your resume and cover letter, as well as interview answers to allow the company to see how you would benefit their specific organization, rather than just any job or company out there.

3. Speaking of tailoring your resume... Unless you are applying for the exact same job with the exact same types of companies, it could be helpful to have multiple versions of your resume. It is more work on the front end, but you are able to sell specific skills better this way, and could have a much better chance at hearing back. But more importantly, you should NOT be sending out the same generic cover letter to everyone. The cover letter is the chance for you to add things about why you are interested in the position and what makes you a good fit for the company. It a way to personalize and engage the employer in a way you can't with a resume. A generic cover letter will not highlight you to your best advantage.

4. The little things do count! Checking timezones when setting up a phone interview, being courteous to administrative and wait staff, being on time, actually asking your references if they are willing to be called upon (rather than just slapping the name down of an old supervisor), writing coherent professional e-mails. All of these things matter! When job searching, you need to be projecting a professional image 100 percent of the time, you never know who will offer you a job! (seriously, I was offered a position with the hotel while waiting for Anita to pick me up for my interview here...you really do never know!) When hundreds of candidates are trying to get the same position, it doesn't take much to get you taken out of the running. And while we are at it, I know you've heard it, but please clean up your online presence.

5. Being in a fraternity is an advantage, but only if you use it to your potential. Fraternities always sell the after college benefits of joining, I'd bet the majority of our chapters do the same. There are absolutely benefits to being a Phi Kappa Theta member after college, but being in a fraternity doesn't mean you will suddenly have access to great jobs and networks, it just means you have the opportunity to do so. So use fraternity to your advantage. Come to conferences and network with chapters, staff, and alumni volunteers, look up Phi Kap members in the city you are interested in moving to. Join your chapter alumni board or group (or start one!). And for those still in school, make a difference in your chapter so that Fraternity can be a selling point on your resume, not just a club you throw in at the bottom of the page!

I could type much more if given the opportunity, but hope this post gives you some things to think about and re-energizes those of you in the midst of it all! And I'll always answer questions if you have them.

I just flew in and boy are my arms tired!

2010-04-21T16:50:00.009-04:00

Okay, so the joke in the title isn't funny, but I did just fly in and thought it would lead in to a great post about travel!

Rob and I just got back into town last night from what I believe is our last traveling of the school year! In all of the traveling I've done this year and all of the Phi Kappa Theta members I've met with, the most common questions I get are about the traveling we do. Members want to know how often we actually travel, how many chapters we see, what its like to have a job like this, etc. So coming fresh off of two colony visits and being grounded for a few months, I thought this would be an interesting post.

To start with a Phi Kappa Theta travel review, I did some quick math on our travel stats for the year. Many of our events did have multiple staff members attend, but for ease I only counted mileage one time. While we have a larger staff, the traveling staff consists of myself, Rob, and Anita, so these miles are between just the 3 of us. Miles traveled from August 1 to today.

Fraternity Conferences (Convention, PA, Regionals): 1,298 miles

Chapter/Colony Visits: 15,897 miles

Misc (Board meetings, Professional conferences, etc) 9,453 miles

Total miles traveled since August: 26,648 miles

Chapters seen : 17

States visited: 10

These definitely aren't exact numbers. I did some estimates as it would've taken me much longer to do a true total. But hopefully it gives a view of what it looks like for us here in the office. The summer is typical quieter, though I think most of us have at least one conference travel this summer before LI in St. Louis!

I also get asked a lot about what it's like to be able to travel for work, usually from members who career wise are curious what it would be like. The Phi Kap staff doesn't travel constantly. Average is once or twice a month per traveling staff member depending on whats going on and we do our darndest to get the most out of each trip (multiple chapters during a trip). But my quick answer to members who ask...is that it is really cool to travel! We get to see different cities and campuses, we get to meet people all over the country and I have fun stories from almost every trip. I feel lucky to get to experience the country in a different way than many and wouldn't trade it for anything! However members who are considering jobs with traveling components also need to understand that it isn't always great. It can get lonely and it can be hard to miss events at home that are going on. You see a lot of hotel rooms and airports and don't always get to explore the city you are in. And believe it or not, you do get sick of eating out.

I hope that answered the questions that I always get. Happy travels for anyone who is, and I look forward to seeing new chapters and new places during the next school year!

Leadership Institute

2010-04-06T13:20:00.010-04:00

Registration for Leadership Institute 2010 has been open for a few weeks and we couldn't be happier! This year looks to be an impressive conference. For the first time we're including spiritual development training for all attendees, etiquette training, and brand new alumni training. Two major highlights of the weekend include a night out at the City Museum which includes dinner and a few hours to explore the museum. In addition, we are holding a drive where we are asking attendees to donate items to Annie Malone's Transitional Living Program. Visit the event page on the website to see a full agenda, items to donate, and information about Annie Malone's.

Early Bird registration ends on April 16th so hurry and register to save $50 per person! Remember that all chapters need to send at least two people and we encourage all of our members to attend. We are hoping for record numbers this year so get registered!

If you have any questions about Leadership Institute, please contact Anita Kerlin at anita@phikaps.org.

Manliness-Some Thursday Food for Thought

2010-04-01T11:50:00.006-04:00

A colleague posted this on facebook today and thought it provided an interesting perspective into what it means to be a man, or to be manly. Do you agree? disagree? Tell us your thoughts! The Art of Manliness also is an interesting site around the same topic!

What Potential Members need to know before saying "YES"

2010-03-04T11:43:00.003-05:00

What's the most important thing we make sure Potential Members know before saying "yes" to a bid? T.J. Sullivan answers this question. Please visit his blog and check out all of his posts, they are fantastic!
http://apathymyth.blogspot.com/

You Are Always Wearing Your Letters

You're interested in joining our fraternity? We'd love to have you. You're the type of person we look for: committed, enthusiastic, a leader. We think you'll do great things here, and we hope that we'll open some doors for you. You will make lifelong friendships, and hopefully, you'll be the type of person whose positive impact will be felt here for many years.

This is the start of something really cool.

We know you have your reasons for joining, and we also know that the reasons you'll stay will be entirely different. Trust us on that one. People tend to join for the image, the props, and the social stuff. They stay around for the friendships and because they find a place where they can impact the lives of others. It's a family. We know this. Soon, you will, too.

Soon, these letters will be yours. But, there's one lesson that we need to impress upon you before you sign your name on the dotted line, pay that first fee, and get that first t-shirt. It's the single most important thing we're going to ask of you, so you need to listen and understand it, now, before you say "yes."

It's the one most important thing that any fraternity or sorority can impress upon its new members. It's the one lesson that every group must impress upon its newest members. Truly, our survival as an organization on this campus, and nationwide, depends on you understanding this one simple lesson and taking it to heart.

It's more important than our history, our traditions, our structure, or our rules. Because, if you don't understand this most fundamental lesson, then none of the other stuff will matter. If you don't get this one "golden rule of fraternity," then your son or daughter won't have this kind of organization to join someday, and all of this will just be a fuzzy memory.

Here it is. Ready?

From the moment you say yes to this organization, you are always wearing your letters.

I'm going to repeat it.

From the moment you say yes to this organization, you are always wearing your letters.

We're not talking about t-shirts, or sweatshirts, or hats made in the colors of the group. We're not talking about a tattoo on your ankle, some party favor, or a badge you wear on your dress shirt.

What we mean is that when you say yes to lifetime membership in this group, everything you say, do and represent from that moment forward is a direct reflection on this group, your brothers, and the thousands of members who have come before you. Everything you put out to the world is a direct reflection of this fraternity. Every decision, every achievement, every mistake you make happens to all of us from this point forward.

When you go to the grocery store, you represent us. If you fall asleep in class or earn a weak grade, you represent us. When you drive down the road and slow down so a pedestrian can cross the street, you represent us.

When you turn 21 and hit the town, you represent us. When you become a leader of another campus organization, you represent us. When you insult someone or talk badly about another fraternity, you represent us. When you break up with someone and make decisions about how you behave during that difficult time, you represent us. When you go on Spring Break, you represent us.

When you go home and sit at your mother's dining room table, you represent us. When you get a job and go to work for a company or organization, you represent us. When you commit your life to that special person, someday, you represent us.

You are always wearing your letters.

From this day forward, always. Every day, in every situation. They never come off.

As surely as if you tattooed these letters on your forehead. It doesn't matter if you're wearing a jersey with our name on it, or a business suit at an interview. You have to assume that every person you meet will form a permanent opinion about fraternities – good or bad – based on how you interact with them. Every good thing you do builds us up. Every dumb thing you do tears us down.

We live in a time when the actions of one man or one woman can kill a group like ours. One person who acts in a way that is inconsistent with our shared values can end a hundred years of tradition and pride. One choice you make on a Friday night can take away everything that generations of men have worked to build.

All the stuff you see that belongs to us can be boxed up or thrown out, because of the choices you make.

If this seems a little intense, that's good. Because it's serious. If it sounds like too much responsibility, or if you don't think you can behave in a way that reflects well on us at all times, then walk away now. Do us the favor. We won't think less of you. In fact, we'll thank you. This sort of commitment isn't for everybody.

But, don't say yes unless you understand.

We're not asking you to give up anything. We aren't asking you to become something you aren't. We're asking you to become something more. We're inviting you to become part of a group of men who make a promise to take care of each other, every day. We're asking you to become the very best version of you that you can be.

We're asking you to take a leap of maturity and to go to that place where you're the same, honorable, dignified person on Saturday night as you are on Tuesday morning.

It's a big deal, and not everyone can do it. Forget everything you've heard up to this point. Forget how much you might desire this, or how much we might want to bring you into the group. Just clear your mind and ask yourself one question.

Are you ready to never take them off?

Because when you say yes, you're not just putting letters on a sweatshirt. You're putting them in your heart. You're forever stamping your identity with them. Everything you are, from this point on, becomes who we are.

You will make mistakes, and brothers will remind you of your commitment. There will be times where you will see other brothers forgetting their promise, and you'll need to remind them. That's part of this whole "fraternity" thing. We work together to make ourselves better men who stand for something. We carry each other. We matter to one another.

If we're doing fraternity right, then we'll make you a better man. If you're doing everything right, then you will make us a better organization.

So, please think about it. Take it seriously.

Because if you say yes, these letters belong to you as surely as they belonged to our founders. If you say yes, these letters become your responsibility forever.

That's the promise.

- T.J Sullivan CEO, Campuspeak

Don't Be Such A Jerk

2010-02-04T15:35:00.002-05:00

I just got back from a 6 day long visit to work with our chapter at Texas A&M. I had the concept already in my mind for this blog before I left and then something happened on my flight home that reinforced the story I want to tell.

I'm in my seat (as is everybody else) and the flight attendant is standing next to me when this man gets on the plane. He starts to open the closed overhead bins when she interjects "If the bin is closed then it's full. It seems there is no room for your items so we'll have to plane side check them." This man then erupts into a fit of rage while he yells at her, calls her stupid, and then proceeds to open the bin above my seat (where my bag is). He says "I'll make room then!" as he starts aggressively cramming his bag into a space that had no room, he's insulting her and making sarcastic remarks like "Look there Lassie, looks like you're not very bright because I just made room. Oh my, that was so hard!" She, of course, maintained her composer and asked him to sit down. The other people around me were rolling their eyes and making comments about how inappropriate and rude he was under their breathe. As the 2 hour flight goes on, every time he is asked if he wants a beverage or asked to turn off his phone he is rude and loud and just out of line. We arrive in Detroit (layover) and of course he finds it necessary to leap out of his seat (before the seatbelt sign was off) and barge through others to get his precious luggage and start making business calls. It was then that notice the small luggage tag on his bag and it says "Residence Hotels, by Marriott." The next thought that crosses my mind is "Oh good God I will never EVER stay at a Marriott in this city and risk seeing him. He is such a jerk, how could he work in such a customer service oriented job? If he's the boss, I bet his staff hates him and if he's a staff member, how could the company allow him to stay if he acts like THAT!?"

It is then that I have this realization that in that moment I did what any other normal person would do - make assumptions and judge his entire company based on one jerks behavior. People do the same thing in Greek Life and with your chapters. There is some incentive to kicking out members who do stupid things or misrepresent the Fraternity or your chapter. If I had never met that man it's likely that I would have stayed in his hotel but now I pass judgement on not only his hotel but Marriott, who allows their employees to act like that. Maybe they have no idea how he acts outside of work but if they did I certainly hope they would fire him. Lucky for you, you're around your chapter brothers all the time, not just at meetings. You know how they act all the time, and it's your responsibility to hold them accountable. Don't allow jerks to stay in your chapter without repercussion for their behavior. This is a time when leaders have to manage and not just lead. I'll go back to my favorite analogy. If you need to buy eggs, you open the carton and if there is a cracked egg, you put it back and find a carton with no cracked eggs. Don't let your chapter be the carton that gets put back.

The men of Texas A&M were the antitheses of jerks. They actually have one of the most remarkable qualities that is so impressive in a person. They hear things that maybe they don't want to hear or don't agree with, they tell you how they really feel, you have conflict and then you walk out of the room friends and they still treat you with respect. So people - stop being jerks and treating people poorly who have to tell you what you don't want to hear. To better ourselves as people and as chapters we have to be open to criticism and change. Don't treat somebody like crap just because they are doing their job. You should strive to be mature, honest, gentlemen like the men of Texas Gamma Sigma.

Setting goals and my Bucket List

2010-01-21T11:27:00.006-05:00

So I first must apologize for the severe lack of blogging going on by the Phi Kap staff lately! We like many of you had the holidays, vacation, President's Academy and now many of us are prepping for some spring chapter visits (so we look forward to actually getting to SEE some of you!).

I've been thinking a lot lately about goals. I chose not to make a New Years Resolution this year as I never actually follow through, but instead I was inspired by the new MTV show The Buried Life to go back and review, revise, and work towards my Bucket List! When I was in grad school I made the list and recently I expanded my list to 100 things I want to do in my lifetime! (I am now officially admitting to being an MTV addict, so if you aren't as nuts as I and haven't seen the show yet, check these guys out at www.theburiedlife.com ).The difficult part of course is deciding where to even start on my list. Whenever we as staff do strategic planning with chapters, we often have to have this same conversation. Where to prioritize and how to start breaking down each goal into something more manageable for the short term? Take each goal and give yourself strategies or mini goals to help complete them! Think about balancing short term and long term goals, as well as prioritizing what you or your chapter find the most important to accomplish. It is helpful to have some accountability as well. We encourage chapters to share goals with a staff member or advisor to help keep them on track!

So to start the goal momentum I'm going to share some goals on my bucket list that I'm working on:

#5 Run a half marathon (Rob and I will be running this in May!)
#21 Pay off my grad school debt (by following a budget with monthly goals!)
#23 Learn to make a Key Lime Pie (my favorite dessert)
#57 Visit all 50 states (thanks to Phi Kappa Theta, I've added PA this year)

Now that I'm putting some of mine in the open, I hope it encourages all of you to revisit what you want both personally and out of your Phi Kappa Theta experience. How do you plan to get there?

So are you willing to share your personal goals or chapter goals for accountability? We'd love to hear them! Leave us a comment!

Last Day of Movember

2009-11-30T13:29:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the last day of Movember!

For those Brothers, friends and significant others who have been participating in Movember for the past 30 days, we thank you for your involvement. Phi Kappa Theta's National Movember Team of 24 participants have raised nearly $565 dollars. We look forward to seeing how other Phi Kappa Theta teams have been fairing over the past month.

We want to remind you that while we have spent the last thirty days raising awareness of men's health and specifically prostate and testicular cancer, it is important to remember that we should constantly work to raise our own awareness of health related issues. There are a number of resources that may be found related to men's health topics. Many of them may be found on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website. There is a great link on the CDC's website related to men's health 'Topics A-Z'.

We hope that you all have had a great experience participating in Movember 2009. We look forward to continuing our involvement and increasing our impact on Movember 2010.

Pennsylvania Tau Re-Charting Weekend

2009-11-30T10:52:00.006-05:00

Hope everyone had a fantastic holiday! We are working hard catching up on all of our work after being out of the office, but wanted to take some time this morning to update all of our blog readers on the weekend before Thanksgiving!

At Convention this past summer, the delegation voted to Re-Charter our Pennsylvania Tau Chapter at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA. I had the pleasure of spending the semester working with their President, Kevin Hernandez as they planned their Installation banquet and so was extremely excited to be able to see how the weekend turned out!

Myself, Anita, and National President, Kevin Lampe all made the trip out on Thursday night so that we could spend all day Friday on campus with the guys. We were able to meet up with the outgoing and incoming Chapter Presidents, and meet up with the chapters advisors, both non-members who have given a lot of hours to help make this chapter successful! The chapter held Ritual on Friday night in the campus chapel with the help of the brothers of the Pennsylvania Alpha Xi chapter at Duquesne University. The Duquesne members even got a spaghetti dinner, courtesy of one of the mothers! We also had quite a surprise as the chapter had chosen to participate in Movember and there were some wild mustache's the entire weekend! Below you can see members of both chapters with Kevin Lampe after Ritual.

Saturday was a busy day for everyone! Many of the Pennsylvania Tau members are football players and cheerleaders and it was the last home game. We sat in the stands with all the parents cheering on the members! Although the team lost by 1 point, we got to witness a fantastic interception and touchdown by our own Russel Fisher! And lucky for us, it wasn't even that cold out yet!

Saturday night the guys held their banquet in the ballroom of the Ramada Inn in the nearby town of Altoona, PA. All of the chapters members, parents, and advisors and friends of the chapter were in attendance. The men put together a slide show of pictures and displayed their awards for Fraternity of the year from Saint Francis University, as well as the Colony Development Award that they were given at Convention. We heard speeches from Father Gabriel Zeis-President of the University, Greek Advisor-Bobby Anderson, Founding Father and alum-Ryan Bird, as well as Anita. The members of the chapter also presented the Chapter President and emcee for the night with a plaque in recognition for his service to the chapter. The evening ended with a speech from National President Kevin Lampe, as well as him presenting the chapter with Ritual books, the charter, and swearing in the officers. We then concluded by taking about a thousand pictures, Anita gave the two of us the titles of papparazzi for the weekend! I know it was a bittersweet night for many of the members who played their last football game that day, as well as seeing all of their hardwork come to fruition that evening with receiving their charter.

The members did an outstanding job, and we had a great visit with the members who always greet us with hugs and treat us like family! Congrats Pennsylvania Tau on an amzing milestone and I hope you'll please join me in congratulating our newest chapter! You can see more pictures on our facebook page, PK Thomas!

Thanksgiving and Movember

2009-11-24T11:32:00.005-05:00

Greetings Readers,

This week is Thanksgiving Holiday. I hope that well all have the opportunity to spend the holiday with friends and family. I know that my own family will be making the ten hour drive from Candor, NY to Indianapolis, IN to spend Thanksgiving with me. I am very excited to share the holiday with them.

I am also a little excited for them to see the progress I have made in growing my Mo'. My parents have never seen me with any substantial amount of facial hair, so this will be interesting. It will of course, be the perfect opportunity to speak to my father about his own health. He is in his early 60's and I want to make sure he is thinking about his long term well being. The holiday weekend will provide the perfect opportunity for all of us to speak with our fathers, uncles, brothers and grandfathers regarding their health. Be sure you are able to speak to them about what has motivated you to participate in Movember.

Here is a brief chart that helps us understand what men should be reviewing with regards to their health through their life.

Have a great safe Thanksgiving and be sure to post your Movember pictures to the facebook event!

Temple Colony Chapter Gets Creative for Movember!

2009-11-20T11:41:00.003-05:00

I trust that all of you Movember participants are having a great week four! I know personally I am starting to get into that awkward phase of wearing my 'badge' for Movember and have caught people giving me awkward looks. I am clearly not supposed to have a mustache! Regardless, it has providing me several opportunities to share how I am helping to change the face of men's health. I have spoken with approximately a dozen people in the last week talking about Movember as well as both the Prostate and Livestrong Foundations. It personally has been a very rewarding experience.

As I continue to serve in my role as a professional, it is important for me to learning quickly about news stories that are happening around the country relating to Phi Kappa Theta. Using alerts, I am emailed any news story, article, blog, or note that can be accessed related to Phi Kappa Theta. Admittedly, many of these stories are negative so I always have a bit of anxiety when I get an alert in my inbox. However, yesterday I received a great story related to our Pennsylvania Iota Colony Chapter at Temple University regarding their involvement with Movember. To read the full article, follow the link.

I want to recognize all of you who are participating or contributing to Movember for your hard work! Remember to share news, events and even your pictures relating to Movember so we can continue to share them with the rest of our readership.

Yours in Service,

Robert Riggs

Veterans Day

2009-11-13T10:10:00.003-05:00

Here is a great article from the USD News featuring Father Mullan, member of the Board of Trustees and advisor for the California Phi Delta Chapter at University of San Diego. If you have not had the honor of sharing a conversation with him, you should. He is an amazing man.

Every Day is Veterans Day for USD’s Father Mullen

Veterans Day was celebrated nationally on Wednesday, a day meant to honor all who have served in the U.S. military. To Father Owen Mullen, chaplain at the University of San Diego, it was a continuation.

“It’s not just one day to me,” he says.

Mullen has strong ties to the military, with whom he served in the Army National Guard, as a chaplain at West Point and retired as a full colonel. His University Ministry office space features photos, plaques, mementos and a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) cap.

He conducts the daily mass at Founders Chapel twice a week, offering support when presenting the prayers of the faithful to “let us remember those in the armed forces, particularly those in troubled spots in the world, for them and their families, and that they come home safely.”

Mullen, now 71, didn’t see any battle time during his military career, but it wasn’t by choice. “When I went into the seminary they put us in a different distinction and it got us out of the draft. But it always bothered me because I wanted to be like everybody else.”

When he was ordained, Mullen asked a bishop about the possibility of joining. “He said, ‘I can’t let you go right now. I need priests here.’ He let me sign up for the National Guard reserves, but in those days people were fighting for a spot. Today, they’re begging for chaplains. I thought it was my duty to our country and for all of those who had served in the past that I take their place.”

Mullen worked for several years at West Point welcoming and working with new cadets and seeing their potential as leaders. “Where else in the world do 22-year-olds have the responsibility of leading 11 or 12 people, and they’re responsible for their lives?,” Mullen asks. “It takes a pretty strong person to do it. That’s what I admire about the military, including our own NROTC graduates.”

Mullen’s commitment to young people is consistent. He is in his second stint at USD, first from 1981-89, now back on campus since 2004. He is the team chaplain for USD’s football, baseball and club lacrosse teams, works with the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity and delivers the invocation at the San Diego NROTC fall and spring commissioning ceremonies.

“I was here when the NROTC started on campus (1982) and I think it’s one of the greatest things in the world,” Mullen says. “I listen to our students and I have lunch with them pretty much every day. They’re very positive. Those I meet through my work with the different organizations think it’s great that (NROTC students) are here. I think it’s great for the university and it makes a statement.”

— Ryan T. Blystone

Link to original article

Movember's Impact

2009-11-11T09:51:00.003-05:00

Readers and Movember participants,

I would like to share with you a video from Movember's website that goes into more detail about how much of an impact Movember is having with the research that is going on with Prostate Cancer. The information they discuss really brings awareness to how many men Prostate Cancer actually affects.

Please continue to raise awareness of men's health issues throughout your campuses, communities and families!

Movember Day 6!

2009-11-05T16:05:00.006-05:00

Greetings Readers!

So as we are officially begin the sixth day of Movember, I thought it might be a good opportunity to share some ideas on events and projects that Movember participants might look to hold this month. We have a number of chapters as well as individual members who have committed to helping us 'Change the Face of Men's Health'. There are really two types of events/projects that would be relevant for the month of Movember educational events and fundraising events.

Educational opportunities would help us raise the awareness levels of the importants of men's health issues. Those might include simple acts such as:

Distributing information about men's health throughout campus

Coordinate a phone-a-thon with collegiate members and have them call their brothers, fathers, uncles, and grandfathers and talking to them about their health, the last time they had a physical, the last time they spoke with their doctor about their risk to cancers, etc (written scripts recommended), invite a sorority to participate and call their brothers, fathers, etc

Coordinate a phone-a-thon to the alumni of the chapter speaking to them about men's health issues (written scripts recommended), invite a sorority to participate and call their brothers, fathers, etc

Coordniate a panel of medical professionals to come in to speak to the chapter, fraternity and sororoity community, or even open it up to the entire campus

Have all of your collegiate members get their annual physical exams in the month of Movember

Attend the end of Movember Gala Party

There are a number of opportunities to get involved with the Livestrong Foundation direclty off their webiste including becoming a Livestrong Leader. See all the opportunities to Get Involved with the Livestrong Foundation.

Funds raised throughout the month of Movember given to the Movember Foundation who then distributes them between the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Livestrong Foundation. Fundraising opportunities might also include:

Hosting a Mo Party

Hold shave auctions for those participating by growing a mustache

Solicit you friends and family members for donations to your Movember teams

These are just a few ways that we can all become part of the movement that is helping us 'change the face' of men's health. We would love to hear and see more ideas and opportunities that our members are creating to become involved with Movember.

Accreditation: The Next Generation

2009-10-29T13:57:00.003-04:00

Next Wednesday is officially the big day! I hesitate to say that it's the day that the new Accreditation application opens because it's SO MUCH MORE than that! The Accreditation application is a small part of a bigger and better application called Achieve. Achieve is essentially a membership, event, activity database, accreditation, communication tool and more. Okay, so it won't be all of that on Wednesday but it will be sometime in the future. We just got back from a meeting and review of the application and we are quite pleased with where we are at. This will be a big change and a big step forward for our organization and its members. Be sure that you check out the Temple magazine article on the new application. For our blog readers, you get VIP insight into the program right now!

For now, the Achieve Application's functions are limited but will continue to expand as the year goes on. On Wednesday each member will be sent instructions to login to the system. Each member will be able to add and edit information into their personal profile. Right now all that is visible is achievements, events, and organizations. We ask that each member begins to enter all of the non Phi Kappa Theta related events he has attended, achievements awarded, and organizations that the member is involved in so far this year. Officers have special permissions that allow them to add and edit chapter specific activities and events. Once the chapter event is held the officer can select the names of chapter members who have attended the event. This event information will then show up on the chapter profile as well as the profile of all members who attended. Be sure to login often and keep your profiles updated. Why is this so important? Well, your individual and chapter profiles talk to your chapter's Accreditation program. They don't literally talk, but the program was created to take your events and activities and automatically populate certain fields of your chapter's Accreditation application. For example, one of the requirements is that 80% of the chapter must attend at least one professional development program this year. Imagine that your chapter asks somebody from the campus Career Development Center to do a presentation on interview skills for the chapter. The secretary logs in to the Achieve Application, adds a new event, enters the requested information, and selects all of the chapter members who were in attendance from the pre-populated list. It is important to remember to attach documentation of this presentation (such as a signed letter from the presenter) when you add or edit the event entry. This data would automatically calculate if the 80% minimum has been reached and will show the documentation on your Accreditation application.

Make your own life easier by entering as much information as you can on Wednesday and adding information as it happens instead of rushing at the end of the year. We hope you find the application and process easier and as we move forward you will see all of new and exciting benefits that Achieve has to offer. If you have any questions during the year, let me know! Get excited.

Facebook Manners

2009-10-23T15:29:00.005-04:00

Thought this was a fun way to end a Friday and also a reminder that manners apply to social networking as well!

Aha! Moments and Practicing What We Preach (Recruitment Edition)

2009-10-21T09:37:00.011-04:00

First I have to start off this blog post by admitting that I love those Aha! moments. It is one of my favorite things about working with students is teaching them something and seeing the light bulb come on. I also love that for some reason the Aha! moments come at the most random times!

Mine came last night as I was driving across town to meet friends for dinner. I have a tendency to think and drive, especially on my drive into and out of work. I swear that's when things come together for me! As I was driving I was reflecting on some conversations regarding expansion that I've had in the past few weeks. I've talked to a handful of people who have given me some great insight into how to improve the way we do expansion. I've listened, I've taken notes, but for some reason something still wasn't clicking. Then as I'm jamming to the radio last night I realize Aha! Expansion is simply recruitment! In my years working with Greeks I've taught recruitment principles countless times, as have others in the office, but for some reason we weren't practicing what we preached! I'm excited to start making that move.

We have been treating expansion as rush, not recruitment. The reason that the term changed, is because rush doesn't work. Sitting in my office waiting for people to contact me isn't successful. Sure I get e-mails about starting chapters, but we've been expecting them to come to us and be interested in us and it rarely turns into anything because we don't take the time to sell to them. Recruitment is about actively pursuing the opportunities and selling what you are instead of playing the waiting game. We teach collegians to know what kind of men they are looking for and to make that list of values, criteria, or expectations. Our list however isn't specific, I don't know that we really know what type of institutions we are looking for. We teach collegians to build relationships all year round, to become friends and to increase the potential pool! Yet for expansion, if a campus says they aren't open at this time we give up and move on instead of building and maintaining a relationship for when there is a chance of success. I can come up with a lot more examples, but I think you all get the idea!

I'm confident that the recruitment tactics I've been teaching will serve expansion well. I am excited to practice what I preach and show all you recruitment naysayers why recruiting works and rush doesn't, even outside of collegiate fraternity recruitment. (I'm also confident I can prove it works without a lot of money either!)

And feel free to share your Aha! moments now that I've told you how much I love them :) I can't be the only one who thinks and drives right?

Positive Change to a Negative Enviroment

2009-10-15T11:49:00.003-04:00

Things at the office have been less than wonderful this month and we all find ourselves dealing with unhappy people and a-lot of negativity. Sound familiar? Well let's alter our environments and bring in some positivity! How? Well I would like to follow the lead of these people.....

What do YOU think?

Phi Kappa Theta supports Movember

2009-10-08T09:50:00.004-04:00

Earlier this summer we were contacted by a representative from Movember asking us if we were interested in supporting their organization. As you can imagine, we are solicited by dozens of companies and organizations every year so at the time I didn't think much about the email.

Several days later, I decided to check out their website to learn a little more about the organization. My initial reaction was of concern, the images of men sporting ridiculous mustaches dressed up in 70's style clothing wasn't an image that Phi Kappa Theta is looking to portray. As a social fraternity, we are constantly fighting the negative stereotypes; Movember's events seemed to only feed into those stereotypes.

What did catch my eye on the home page was Movember's Tagline; "Changing the Face of Men's Health." After speaking further with Movember's, Katie Theile I learned that the purpose of growing a mustache for an entire month was so that it could serve as the ice breaker for conversations about men's health issues to happen. Admittedly we as men, we barely ever talk about issues related to our health. Movember provides the opportunity for men to become engaged early and raise the awareness of men's health issues.

As members of Phi Kappa Theta, we are committed to serving society. Throughout the months of October and (Mo)vember, we will be writing blogs about men's health issues and will be encouraging our memebers to participate in Movember's efforts. In addition, member of our professional staff will also be growing mustaches for the month of (Mo)vember to raise awareness.

We hope that you will join us and our Movember team as we work to Change the Face of Men's Health.

President's Academy 2010

2009-10-05T17:16:00.004-04:00

Information for the 2010 President's Academy went out last week. We are very excited to announce the new structure of this year's conference. There will be three training tracks available; one for incoming President's, one for (iServe) members, and one for any other collegiate member who would like to attend. There has been some discussion about the October 19th registration deadline for the President's so we're taking to the staff blog to explain why this decision was made.

For the first time there is now a full time staff member dedicated to educational programming and conferences. This means that the Fraternity will become significantly more organized and conferences will be planned at least one to two years ahead of time. This means there will be more opportunities to increase attendance because of advanced planning and more time to market each conference. We will begin this new trend with President’s Academy. In addition, President’s attend this event because of a grant from the Foundation. It is our hope to provide the opportunity for the President from each of our colonies and chapters to attend at no cost to the local chapter. By booking flights well in advance of the holiday, we keep transportation costs down which allows us the chance to invite more Presidents’s to attend at no cost. In addition, those flights are all booked by the staff which takes weeks of comparing costs, booking, and communicating those flights to the attending member.

The Holidays are a very difficult time for us to reach chapter members, as they are preparing for and taking exams in addition to traveling home for winter break. Many of our members leave campus before Thanksgiving and do not return until after the New Year. Keeping a registration deadline before November allows us to recruit members to attend, have ample time to book transportation, and the opportunity to send all major information about the conference to attendees before they leave campus for the Holiday. This helps us ensure that all communications are received before members become more difficult to reach over the winter break.

We would like all of our chapters and colonies to begin electing their President earlier in the fall term which allows for a more successful transition. The President of the United States is elected in November and takes office in February. The time after his election is spent preparing for his term in office by shadowing the current President to create a smoother transition. This is what we would like to see from our own chapters. The President should be elected in October, spend time transitioning and shadowing the outgoing officer, and then beginning his term in January when members return to school.

I hope this helps you understand why the deadline is earlier this year and will continue to be in October in the coming years. If you have any additional questions about President’s Academy Registration, please let me know at anita@phikaps.org.
To learn more about President's Academy, visit the event page.

Adventures in Pittsburgh Part 2

2009-09-22T16:51:00.006-04:00

Anita and I are on our 6th day and decided we would finish our Pittsburgh adventures in a Part 2 blog.

After the Mideast Regional Conference finished, we stayed to work on a strategic plan with the Pennsylvania Mu Chapter at the University of Pittsburgh. When trying to decide what to write about we were happy to compare our experience with our own embarrassing story from this morning.

We woke up this morning and spent some time sitting in bed, catching up on work e-mail. Out of nowhere Anita screams bloody murder and jumps on to my bed, which in turn has me screaming right along with her (I was unsure what else I was supposed to do!) At that point I see what she has been screaming about. We have a giant, radioactive grasshopper climbing down the side of the bed. The two of us being the girls that we are, are huddled on my bed, screaming and unsure of how to handle this. Every time I gather a little courage to go find him, I get scared and run back to our home base. Finally Anita forgoes our pride and calls the front desk to ask for assistance where they send someone up to help. He is unable to find it but offers his assistance if we manage to find it and kill it. At this point we realize we must go shower and get ready for the day regardless of this bully of a grasshopper and sure enough as soon as I stand up, he lands at my foot. After this 25 minute debacle, Anita is finally able to trap him with her Phi Kappa Theta binder and we manage to get our fantastic helper up here to dispose of him. Even though we both were terrified, we both afterwards felt fantastic to have taken care of him ourselves after all.

As we started to write these blogs, this story gave us an opportunity to reflect on the process of strategic planning and how the similar challenges we find when working with chapters toward change. We started out this story feeling scared, it was easier for us to huddle in a corner screaming, than face the challenge of killing this deadly jumper. We occasionally got bouts of courage only to revert back to our huddle. At some point we realized we just couldn't do it and we reached out for help, but ultimately after this, it was still left in our hands and we managed to come out victorious.

University of Pittsburgh is one of many chapters that have been placed on Chapter Colony status this year and that has afforded us the opportunity to work with them a little more closely than in the past. The chapter, like many, are scared of what might happen (just as we were scared of our bug). They also were able to realize that they can't do it all on their own, swallowed their pride and have reached out to us as staff and are working to reach out alums in the area, as well as campus professionals for assistance. Just like in our story we see bouts of courage and motivation in the chapter. They see this as an opportunity to better themselves and make a stronger chapter. When we as staff see that, it is exciting and the chapter is dynamic to work with. However ultimately what I hope for them and for all of our chapters is that they continue with the courage and not revert back to what is easy and what they know. We have heard a lot about traditions this weekend and while traditions are important we hope that traditions aren't holding them back from the growth they are capable of. We feel confident that if they don't hold back, they too will come out feeling victorious.

Adventures in Pittsburgh Part 1

2009-09-22T16:12:00.010-04:00

This entry is co-written by Gretchen and Anita aka your trusty Member Development Staff.

We are in Pittsburgh for the Mideast Regional Leadership Conference in addition to working with our Pitt chapter on creating a Strategic Plan. Our adventure begins on Thursday afternoon in a car in Indy. During our 7 hour drive we laugh, we jam to Rascal Flatts, share stories, and eat DQ Blizzards (we both agree the Cookie Jar ones are really good - so get yourself one). We arrive to our hotel around 11pm exhausted after being lost in Pittsburgh for about 30 minutes. This is not the last time it happens, as we get lost each time we leave the hotel.

Friday we get lost going to Duquesne and after an hour (when it should have been 5 minutes) we arrive. Campus is beautiful. The first day goes well. We have guys from Duquesne, St. Francis, Pitt, and Carnegie Mellon. The troubles begin on Saturday morning. While we were up and going by 6:30 am the brothers were sleeping and continued to do so much longer than they should have. This caused all but 5 people to be late - many were over 20 minutes late. Being on time was one of 2 rules and it was already broken. Morning sessions went well and then we head to the Pirates game for a brotherhood outing. The second rule was that it's a substance free weekend and unfortunately, not everybody decided to uphold that rule either. Word of the day was disappointing and it only got worse when members were sleeping during programs after dinner.

Sunday was a much better day. Pretty much everybody was on time and participation was high for the last few sessions. We finished at 11 and everybody departed home. By noon, Gretchen and I were back at the hotel and googling Olive Garden. We had some time before we had to be at Pitt and wanted a good meal in the suburbs. Bingo! 15 minutes away from one. We hop on the series of highways that google tells us to take. 50 minutes later we're worried that we are about to see signs saying "Welcome to West Virginia" so we turn around. Now it's 2pm and we're hungry and really crabby. Then suddenly, en route back to where we think Pittsburgh might be we see something. What is that? A sign... for a street... that is somewhere in the directions to Olive Garden. Cheers abound in the car and we turn thinking "This can't get any worse." Then we find another street on our directions and turn. Next thing you know we question if it's really an Olive Garden in front of us or just a mirage. We enter, we stuff ourselves, and we return to the car. The best part of this story is that it's right off the highway that runs to the hotel and it took us 10 minutes to get back. We then decide that we hate driving in Pittsburgh. Throughout our time here the roads change direction, change names, signs are less than abundant, and we get... lost a-lot.

Eliminating the Double Standard

2009-09-03T10:36:00.006-04:00

As a staff we receive a variety of newsletters, articles, and e-mails with thought provoking articles regarding Greek Life. Here is one below from RISE Partnerships Inc. that I found incredibly relevant right now as many of our chapters are preparing to take on Associate Members. As always, would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Eliminating the Double Standard Building a High-Performing Chapter through New Member Education

Until now, most conversations about hazing have revolved around ethical, legal and safety concerns. We are now beginning to realize hazing's impact on an organization's basic ability to be successful. The methods we use to educate new members connect directly to the chapter's future performance. Thanks to this new perspective, we gain a number of new insights about how to overcome the problem of hazing. There are a few elements within most new member education programs that have a dramatic effect on chapter performance. If these elements are addressed, you can relieve any and all worry about potential hazing practices. The most significant element is the presence of double standards. Think about your program as you read the sections below, and look for ways to strengthen your chapter by bridging the gap between members and new members.

Break Down Barriers: There is often an invisible barrier between initiated members and a new member class. New members tend to have fewer privileges. They might be required to sit in the back of the meeting room and wear specifically prescribed attire. They may have limited access to the house and must walk everywhere as a group. The intent of these activities is to build "pledge class unity," but that separation actually wedges a barrier between members and new members, preventing a sense of unity from forming among the entire brotherhood or sisterhood. This is a natural phenomenon which attempts to preserve group identity, but successful chapters are able to overcome it by bridging the divide rather than exaggerating it.

Here's how they do it: Involve more initiated members in education and team building experiences. Modify activities to create mixed groups where initiated and uninitiated members are working side-by-side during team builders, songs, reciting the creed or coordinating other projects. Rather than leaving new members to lead a project on their own, teach leadership through a job-shadowing system where they work hand-in-hand with officers on a weekly rotation. Add new members to committees and involve them in the work as soon as the process begins. Offer small, optional activities at a regular time each week for both active members and pledges in order to strengthen connections and break down any barriers.

Aligning Expectations: Even if you break down those barriers, you still have to address the double standard. It happens when members heap impossible expectations on new members and then wait for them to make the slightest mistake. New members get confronted for missing class, forgetting their pin, skipping an event, not knowing the Greek alphabet or making an inappropriate comment. Meanwhile, some of the same initiated members are delinquent in dues, frequently absent, struggling academically and rarely held accountable for their behavior. The intent behind this double standard is that new members prove their worth and learn responsibility. In reality, they learn to work hard until initiation so they can slack off. In other words, we begin teaching "Apathy" during new member education! Healthy chapters reverse this dynamic. They keep a close watch over initiated members, insisting that they fulfill their commitments and lead by example. Meanwhile, new members are given the chance to practice, prepare and make mistakes before they take a knee, raise their right hand and take the oath of membership. Consider some of the following steps to equalize this expectation:Add an "Ideal Member" activity where members and new members spell out the do's, don'ts and other basic expectations.Write down every expectation that you have for members and the same for new members. Now switch the lists!Develop a these expectations into a Code of Conduct or a Membership Contract which covers attendance, dues payment, behavior and involvement.Use (or create) a standards board within your chapter when someone violates one of these expectations. Handle infractions by members and new members through the same process and with the same intensity.

Create New Traditions: Many members resist changes to new member education for fear that they are abandoning tradition, but this fear is irrational. Fraternities and sororities are constantly evolving as we discover new insights about how to educate members, build bonds and cultivate honor and respect. We are not abandoning tradition. Instead we are developing new ways to retain our tradition and remain relevant long into hate future.

If you are interested in learning more about how to build a stronger chapter and move From Hazing to Health, contact RISE about bringing this experience to your community.

Social Media

2009-08-26T15:31:00.002-04:00

WOW! This really makes you think about social media and how it affects us, and in turn our organization. This is a great video for those who are hesitant to utilize such avenues. Amazing. What are your thoughts?

Gchat with Staff!

2009-08-25T11:27:00.003-04:00

Ever have a really quick question or wish you could snag a quick chat with a Phi Kap staff member without calling or e-mailing? Now you can! The entire staff is on gchat whenever we're in the office. Now you can chat with us whenever you want, instead of e-mailing back and forth or calling. It's just another easy way to communicate with us. How do you do it? Well, if you have a gmail address, under the chat tab there is a box that says "search, add, or invite." Enter our e-mail address and then select "invite to chat" from the menu on the right. It's that easy! We'll accept your request and then we will show up on your chat list.
If you have any questions or feedback, let us know. Keep reading the blog and have a great week! Best of luck to those who have fall recruitment soon!

Motivational Video

2009-08-20T09:35:00.004-04:00

A great motivational video. Thanks to Jeremy from Delta Tau Delta for finding this first.

50th Convention Recap

2009-08-18T12:52:00.010-04:00

Well all of the staff has recovered from Convention and we are finally settling back into life in the office. Settling in is probably the wrong word though, we are actually kicking into crazy high gear as we prepare for the start of the school year! I did want to take some time to recap our time in Columbus for those who weren't able to attend though. As a staff we kept busy with setting up rooms, registration, selling merchandise, and meetings, but there was a lot that occurred over the weekend to be aware of!

I don't have the time to mention everything over the weekend, but did want to mention a few highlights! The new Fraternity Board members were elected and installed, as well as elections for our new UGAC members.We got to hear some inspiring words from past National Presidents during the anniversary banquet, gathered information at educational sessions, and rolled out the new awards program based on accreditation results where we announced that the MA Lambda chapter at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was the winner of this years Founders Cup amongst many other awards given. The vote to recharter the colony at Saint Francis University also took place and they have become our newest chapter. If you get the chance please take the time to congratulate all those elected to positions, award winners, and the men from Saint Francis. Please also make sure your delegates share any other pertinent information that I haven't shared here with you!

Lastly I'd like to comment on how much I enjoyed attending Convention. Anita and I had talks with various members throughout the weekend about the differences between the Convention meetings of men and women. Both of us really appreciated the fact that Phi Kappa Theta really allows their undergraduate members to have a vote and a say in what goes on in their fraternity. Not all organizations give the same opportunities and I really enjoyed seeing undergraduates stand up during debate to make their voices heard. That is something I hope you don't take for granted!

I couldn't cover everything in this post, so please post your thoughts on Convention to share! If anyone wants to see pictures of the weekend, award winners, and archive room, make sure to add PK Thomas as a friend on facebook!

50th Convention Update

2009-08-03T10:29:00.000-04:00

If you're a blog reader, often you are privy to the latest information on PKT and what we're doing. This post is about something that we have not publicly announced yet so feel special to be getting the exclusive information.

This year we have embraced technology for the 50th Convention. You may know that we have a Phi Kappa Theta Twitter page, a YouTube where we post our videos, the Facebook page, and this blog but we have stepped up yet again. The newest rage is Event Tweets on Twitter. Confused? Get on Twitter and search #PKT50th and you'll find people's Twitter updates that are related to our 50th Convention. From now until Convention you'll see staff members updating the Twitter account and including #PKT50th in the update. That's called a hashtag and it's a way to organize posts. It allows multiple people to Tweet about the same topic and keep it in one place. Once Convention begins, any attendee at Convention will have the ability to add #PKT50th in their update if it's Convention related and people who are not attending can see live Twitter updates from Convention in Columbus. Pretty cool, huh!? So if you're going to Convention be sure to start your Convention related Tweets during your travels to Convention and use #PKT50th in or at the end of your tweet. If you're not attending - be sure to search #PKT50th on Twitter to follow status updates straight from the membership in attendance.

Member Spotlight: Russel Fisher; Pennsylvania Tau Colony Vice President

2009-07-31T10:26:00.004-04:00

Some staff members here at the Executive Office utilize google alerts. These alerts tell us when our name is used online in news articles or press releases. Today I was sent the best google alert I've seen in a while and it compelled me to start something new on the blog - a Member Spotlight. Our members are often doing amazing things and being recognized in their community or across the country for their extraordinary efforts. Today, our first member spotlight is on Russel Fisher, a colony member of Pennsylvania Tau, St. Francis University. For those of you who read the blog often, you know that we work very closely with the colony and I have been there twice in the last year. Russel is the Vice President and is one of the most outstanding young men I have had the pleasure of working with. Here is a link to an article about Russel and his recent nomination to the 2009 Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team. Congratulations Russel!

http://www.tribune-democrat.com/sports/local_story_208234213.html

Mideast Regional Conference

2009-07-20T10:43:00.000-04:00

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The Mideast Regional Leadership Conference will be held in Pittsburgh, September 18-20, 2009 and will be hosted by the Pennsylvania Alpha Xi chapter at Duquesne University. The President at Duquesne, alumnus Lenny Chan, and I have been working hard to secure room blocks, finalize the training schedule, select facilitators, and organize a very fun brotherhood outing for all attendees. The training will provide two separate training tracks on Friday night and Saturday; one will be the (iServe) Institute and the other will be for collegiate members. The two groups will converge on Sunday morning for training that was requested by both alumni and collegians. It's going to be a great Regional Conference that is being planned based on the needs and requests of members in the Mideast Region who responded to the survey which was sent in August. Tell your advisors, alumni, mentors, brothers, anybody who works with your collegiate chapter to mark their calendars for this weekend. More information, including cost and an agenda will be made public as soon as it's completed. Post a comment if you have questions about the event - we love to hear your thoughts!

My First Few Weeks on Staff

2009-07-17T11:11:00.007-04:00

Alright, my first post as a Phi Kap staff member! I thought I would just briefly talk about my first few weeks on staff and my impressions so far as someone who is new to the organization. For those who I haven't met yet, my name is Gretchen and I'm the new Assistant Director of Member Development.

I've been officially in the office for three weeks now and have spent a big chunk of that time really learning about the fraternity. I've met with all the staff members, a board member, vendors, and spent hours reading every policy, document, Temple, and every nook and cranny of the website. I'd like to pretend I have it all figured out, but I'm learning more every day.

Everyone I've met has been extremely welcoming and also a lot of fun, but one of the things I've been most impressed with since I've been here is the strategic plan and vision for the organization.It is exciting and motivating as a staff member to help the fraternity move forward and to grow and it was one of the biggest reasons I was interested in this position. What I've learned even more since being on staff is that it isn't change simply for the sake of change, everyone has spent a lot of time reflecting on how to make Phi Kappa Theta and its membership the best that it can be. I find a lot of organizations have a vision and plan that are just for show, and that is definitely not the case here. Plus in my opinion, some really cool things will be in the works.

We are gearing up for convention here in the office currently and I'm excited to meet everyone who will be attending.I truly believe your stories and experiences will teach me much more about Phi Kappa Theta.My challenge for you all is,If you had to teach someone about Phi Kappa Theta what would you tell them? What are you proud of? I'd love to hear your answers!

Mission Accomplished

2009-07-01T17:07:00.004-04:00

I could not be happier to announce that the Accreditation Application grading process is over. We spent all day, every day, for the last month reading these things and let me tell you it was quite an experience. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I sighed and once or twice I even rolled my eyes. Overall, our chapters are doing some really good things which is always great to read about. I am so excited for the awards banquet at Convention to recognize these chapters and their hard work. We also have a lot of work to do before next year's Accreditation Application is released. We are putting this project through some changes and we start working on it in t-minus 11 days. Less writing, more clicking. The format will be even more user friendly and straight forward. I could not be more excited for Accreditation version 2.0.

In other exciting news, Gretchen Stahl, the new Assistant Director of Member Development, started this week. She keeps coming back so I guess it's safe to assume she likes it here so far. It's great to have her here and she really fits in with the rest of staff so well. Once Convention is over we'll have the time to start moving forward with some very exciting things we're working on for our membership. Fresh ideas, new and updated resources, and a Mideast Regional Conference this fall that everybody will want to attend.

Now for some business. Get excited for Convention because we are! We are doing some cool new things at Convention this year to celebrate 50 years of brotherhood. I am hoping we have record breaking attendance, but we have some chapters that have yet to register! Who are they, you ask? See below. Let's utilize mass accountability here to get them registered!

Belmont Abbey
Carnegie Mellon
Cincinnati
Detroit-Mercy
Georgia
Louisiana at Lafayette
Michigan Tech
Nebraska-Lincoln
New Orleans
Nicholls
Ohio University
Pittsburgh
South Dakota
St. Francis
St. Louis
Texas-Austin
Truman State
Washington State

Lost Greek Generation

2009-06-17T14:55:00.001-04:00

This was sent to me today and it's all the buzz around my interfraternal friends Facebook pages. Thoughts?

Convention, Accreditation, and Life

2009-06-04T14:50:00.005-04:00

I have several things to write on three different subjects so I'll will try to compartmentalize this.

50th Convention:
Keith and I love making videos. Since I started staff a year ago we have made several of them, with each getting better and better. My favorite was the last promo video for Convention with the exploding crests. The last 1/2 just blows my mind it's so cool. If you haven't seen it - you should.

So we just created a NEW one. It's the final promo for Convention and it might be my new favorite. Check it out and get excited for Convention!

Accreditation:
The results are in and out of our 44 active chapters (clearly this does not count colonies) we have 35 groups that submitted their Accreditation Packets. We had very few issues and we have already learned alot about the process and small things we can do for next year to make it even better. It's amazing that one year ago I was sitting here reading stacks of notebooks for awards and thought "Wow, we must make this easier and electronic" and now, it has happened. I can't wait to start reading everything. Thank you so much to all the people who assisted with the creation of the program and to all of our chapters for their patience and open communication. This is going to be great!

Music:
A new first for the blog - music. I love music. You might be surprised to learn that my current obsession is 311. A group I've never liked before but the new album "Uplifter" is great. I have one song on repeat that I listen to all day long. Catch these lyrics:

"...Chipping away, day by day, until we see it break apart - hear me talk about
Let it be known it can be done. Bit by bit and one by one.
If the both of us try from both of two sides, until we see the sun..."

If you take this out of context of the song (which I will now do) it makes me think of Greek Life and stereotypes. Just before this part of the chorus it references a heart surrounded by stone. If the heart is really all the people who hate Greek Life, and the stone wall around it are all the stereotypes, we need to chip away. All of us from every side should chip away. It's not easy and maybe one person can't realistically make a HUGE impact, but we can chip. If we all chip - all Phi Kaps, all fraternities and sororities, Greek Advisors, alumni, friends of Greeks; we can make a difference. Sometimes it takes work. Last night I was with friends and I was telling them about an upcoming Mario Kart competition that I must win. I've been practicing every night. My friend Jeremy asked me if I was having fun playing all these hours by myself just to win. I said, "It's not always about having fun, it's about being the best!" It's not easy, but often the rewards of our hard work make it worth everything. Sometimes the fun happens after the hard work. I'll have fun when I win this weekend. There's a time for both hard work and fun.

New Staff Member Hired!

2009-05-28T13:44:00.001-04:00

This is the press release that was just sent out to the Fraternal world. Get excited, because we are!

PHI KAPPA THETA HIRES ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MEMBER DEVELOPMENT

Phi Kappa Theta Executive Vice President Robert Riggs announced today that Gretchen Stahl will serve as the organization’s new Assistant Director of Member Development.

In this role, Gretchen will serve as the primary professional charged with the development and implementation Phi Kappa Theta’s expansion and recruitment efforts, as well as the assessment and strategic planning for existing collegiate chapters. She will assume the responsibilities of this position on June 29, 2009.

Gretchen is a member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity and holds a Master’s of Science in Counseling and Student Personnel from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Prior to joining Phi Kappa Theta’s professional staff, Gretchen served as Career Exploration Coordinator for Minnesota State University. During this time, Gretchen worked with first year students, participated in outreach and enrollment activities, and created resources and programs to assist students with career success. Prior to her role at Minnesota State University, Gretchen served as the Assistant Director of Student Involvement at Centenary College of Louisiana.

“We are very excited to have someone with Gretchen’s professional background join Phi Kappa Theta’s staff,” says Anita Kerlin, Director of Member Development. “Her experience both working on a campus and with career development will be beneficial in helping us provide training and resources to our membership which will allow us to support our members as they live Phi Kappa Theta’s Mission.”

Phi Kappa Theta actively develops men to effectively lead and passionately serve their society, fraternity and God. Phi Kappa Theta recently celebrated the 120th anniversary of its founding and the 50th anniversary of the merger of two fraternities – Theta Kappa Phi and Phi Kappa. This united fraternity has 1,500 collegiate members and more than 30,000 living alumni.
For more information, contact Robert Riggs, Executive Vice President, Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity, at 317-872-9934 or rriggs@phikaps.org.

Squirrels at UCLA Teach Greeks a Lesson

2009-05-21T13:49:00.005-04:00

This was sent from my very good friend who is the Greek Advisor at UCLA. This is a great video, and not only because being an Alpha Gam I naturally adore squirrels. It might seem cheesy but I think there are some real lessons here. Think about how this video could relate to your chapter or colony and it's members. Imagine the big squirrel as your big brother or older members and the baby squirrels are your younger members. Post some feedback - I want to know what parallels you see and what you took from this video! Let's get some discussion on here! Leave a comment because we want to hear from you instead of us just writing all the time. :-)

Practice What We Preach - Staff "Brotherhood"

2009-05-20T14:42:00.005-04:00

Today I was asked by a non-member and somebody who does not work for their National Headquarters what I liked best about working for Phi Kappa Theta. The answer was so easy it surprised me. I respect the organization because people, even at the highest levels, try to live out our mission every day. There is no hypocrisy. So often you see organizations preach to their members to be interfraternal and then you see their staff or board members saying negative things about other organizations. I also love hearing high level people talk about brotherhood and then watching those same people fight and bicker and disrespect each other. I see a lot of hypocrisy, but not in Phi Kappa Theta. I love knowing that the Board of Trustees has such professional and selfless men serving. We stress brotherhood to our chapters. Yesterday the staff had a "brotherhood" outing at a baseball game. It was so fun and the weather was perfect. In addition, we're preparing to do a service project in a couple weeks working at the Special Olympics. We as individuals give time to impact our society, just as the mission states. We do it as a staff as well. I'm not sure I've been as grateful to work for such a great organization as I was today when I was asked to reflect on my favorite part of Phi Kappa Theta.

Spirituality in College

2009-05-14T10:02:00.004-04:00

Rob and I are both members of the Association of Fraternity Advisors (AFA). We go to the Annual Meeting each December, have training and networking opportunities with other people in our field, and receive resources on new and relevant topics in the world of Higher Education. I posted a blog about a month ago about spirituality and brotherhood. Below is an article that was written for AFA and I wanted everybody to have an opportunity to see it. This might shed a little light for some of you on the idea of spirituality and how it affects college students. I found it interesting.

Spirituality: A Passing Fancy or Growing Edge?
Rev. Deborah Casey, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Courtney Hull, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
May 2009

We live in a world of “sound bites” and “buzz words,” trying to capture a sense of understanding and insight in brief suggestive phrases before the world turns its ears elsewhere. Spirituality has become a “buzz word” for everything from being rooted in a particular religious tradition to (with apologies to the Beatles) a mystical, magical mystery tour of the meanings of life (Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Starr, & Knowles, 1967).

In his book To Know as We Are Known: A Spirituality of Education, Parker Palmer (1983) describes spirituality as a “way of being, of awareness.” While this spirituality may not include frequent attendance at religious services, we know students are exploring what it means to have the awareness Palmer discusses. Sometimes discussions happen within a classroom, at a late-night rap session, or on a service trip. Wherever they happen, students are drawn to these conversations as they ask questions, compare experiences, share beliefs and doubts, and seek information and avenues of expression.

As we know and have seen firsthand, college is a time of significant personal growth for many, if not most, young adults. New friends, new experiences, and new opportunities allow them to not only reflect upon the values and beliefs that they already possess, but also to explore perhaps a new way of being or a new awareness—a spirituality that will guide them forward into their adult lives.

In an effort to better understand how the undergraduate college years influence students’ perspective on spiritual and ethical matters, researchers at the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA conducted the first longitudinal study, called Spirituality in Higher Education: Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose, to document changes in these perspectives between the freshman and junior years. This study examines data collected from 14,527 students attending 136 colleges and universities nationwide. The students first responded to the survey as they began their freshman year (2004) and then again at the end of their junior year (2007). This presented the researchers with the opportunity to document how the college experience may influence students’ perspective about spiritual issues over time. The study also explores changes in students’ religious beliefs and commitments, political orientation and attitudes, and health and well-being (Higher Education Research Institute, 2007a, December 18).

The study (HERI, 2007a, December 18) finds that students undergo significant spiritual growth in three areas: 1) A growing ethic of caring; 2) a need for reflection; and 3) a strong sense of purpose.
A growing ethic of caring: By their junior year, nearly 75% of students rate “helping others in difficulty” as being very important or essential, compared to 62% of those who said this as freshmen. Additionally, 67% say they strive to “reduce pain and suffering in the world,” compared to the 55% who said this as freshmen.
A need for reflection: “Developing a meaningful philosophy of life” is very important or essential to 55% of junior year students, compared to 41% who said the same as freshmen. Also, 61% of juniors say they are “thankful for all that has happened to them,” compared to 52% who said this as freshmen.
A strong sense of purpose: Half of all junior year students participating in the study say it is very important or essential to “integrate spirituality” into their lives, compared to 42% who said this as freshmen. Also notable, 83% are striving to “become a more loving person,” compared to 67% who stated this as freshmen. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of juniors say that they will work to “improve the human condition,” compared to 53% who said this as freshmen.
The study also revealed growth in what the researchers call an “ecumenical worldview,” with 55% of juniors saying that they are committed to “improving my understanding of other countries and cultures,” compared to 42% who said the same as freshmen. The majority of juniors are also open-minded about the religious values of others, with 91% agreeing that “non-religious people can lead lives that are just as moral as those of religious believers,” compared to 83% who said this as freshmen (HERI, 2007a, December 18).

Alexander Astin, who conducted the study, indicates that “many students are emerging from the collegiate experience with a desire to find spiritual meaning and perspective in their everyday lives. The data suggests that college is influencing students in positive ways that will better prepare them for leadership roles in our global society” (HERI, 2007b, December 18).

Despite this high level of interest in spiritual engagement among students, the researchers have found that few colleges or universities are actively encouraging students to explore these issues, and there are few academic or campus programs to support these interests. Most students (60%) report that their professors never “encouraged discussions of religious/spiritual matters,” and only 20% report that their professors “frequently encouraged exploration of questions of meaning and purpose” (HERI, 2007a, December 18).

Whether you are an advisor, organization professional, or staff member working in higher education, you are probably aware of a deepening of this journey in the students you encounter. This infusion of new perspectives is often challenging, sometimes scary, and always risky. Where do we as the professionals who walk on these journeys with students turn for resources?
Direct students toward campus faith groups. Know your students well enough before recommending a particular group. Denominational student groups or parachurch groups (i.e. Intervarsity, Campus Crusade, Navigators, or Fellowship of Christian Athletes) work for some, and for others there are interfaith discussion groups sharing differences and similarities.
Invite spiritual leaders to your groups for discussions (with clear boundaries regarding respect for differing views), focus on the rituals of your organizations and how they came to be (many of them have spiritual dimensions), and use them to explore meaning and application both within the organization and beyond.
Offer service opportunities. Look for opportunities to serve the community through work days with local service agencies, participation in fundraising events (walks, relays), or tutoring and mentoring programs.
When a student puts him/herself into direct interaction with someone in need, when he or she works with someone outside his/her comfort zone, and when the recipients of the service become more than an idea or cause and begin to be known for who they are, lives begin to change from both sides of the relationship.

An example of spiritual exploration in action takes place at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, which hosts an annual program called “Santa’s Gift Bag.” The program helps families in need with Christmas gifts for their children. It is a program which is coordinated by United Campus Ministry and involves all areas of campus (students, faculty, and staff) as well as the churches and businesses in the community. It is exciting and encouraging to witness the shift from self to others that many students experience. The perspective that “service looks good on my résumé” changes to “this project is important and helps members of my community and is fun.”

Parker Palmer probably said it best, “…life in community is a continual testing and refining…in my life….keeping me both hopeful and honest about the love that seeks me, the love I seek to be” (p. 18).

References

Higher Education Research Institute. (2007a, December 18). Spiritual changes in students during the undergraduate years: New
longitudinal study shows growth in spiritual qualities from freshman to junior years. Retrieved on May 5, 2009, from
http://www.spirituality.ucla.edu/news/report_backup_dec07release_12.18.07.pdf

Higher Education Research Institute. (2007b, December 18). Students experience spiritual growth during college: UCLA study reveals significant changes in undergraduates’ values & beliefs. Retrieved on May 5, 2009, from http:// www.spirituality.ucla.edu/news/Spirituality_on_Campus_release_12.18.07.pdf

Lennon, J., McCartney, P., Harrison, G., Starr, R., & Knowles, B. (Writers/Directors). (1967). Magical mystery tour [Motion
picture]. London: 2 Entertain Video.

Palmer, P. (1983). To know as we are known: A spirituality of education. San Francisco: Harper & Row.

The Rev. Deborah Casey is the Protestant Campus Minister at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and has been part of United Campus Ministry at Mansfield University since 1992. Courtney Hull is a Certified Catholic Campus Minister at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and has been part of United Campus Ministry at Mansfield University since 2001.

California Phi Delta Re-Chartering Weekend

2009-05-05T15:32:00.019-04:00

April 29, 2009 marked the 50 year anniversary of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. In my mind, there is no better way to celebrate than with a re-chartering.

I inherited the California Phi Delta colony at University of San Diego when I came on staff a year ago. Andy and Rob along with some local alumni did an exceptional job restarting the group a few years ago. Last summer I met a young man named Chris Liepman who was the President of the colony at the time. He served as a blogger at the Leadership Institute and I quickly learned how intelligent and well spoken he was. This reflected well for the group and excited me even more for my visit in the fall where I helped them create their 5-year Strategic Plan. This was my first visit for Phi Kap and it made for an outstanding start to what I hope is a long and enjoyable experience with Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. They created an impressive Strategic Plan that reflected their high moral standards and strong brotherhood. This group was so fun to be around and so motivated that in my mind, they had created an ideal Phi Kappa Theta chapter. It was exciting to work with them on their Petition to Charter as the spring term began. In February it was completed and sent to the voting delegates and by March 6, 2009 their petition was approved. The colony leadership worked hard to plan their re-chartering weekend which would take place just a month and a half later.

Rob, Andy and I arrived in San Diego on Thursday. Friday Rob and Andy met with alumni while I helped the colony members prepare for the weekend. Friday night the colony initiated 13 new young men into California Phi Delta. Alumni, staff, and a representative from the nearby chapter at San Diego State came to show support. I (obviously) was not in attendance, however I did have an opportunity to meet the Associate Members beforehand and, to no surprise, they were outstanding.

Saturday evening was the re-chartering banquet. The leadership worked so incredibly hard to make this event meaningful while representing the personality of the colony and it's members. At 6pm colony members and their dates, representatives from other Greek organizations on campus, alumni, university administration, and staff members all gathered in the Garden of the Sea. I have visited many campuses and this, by far, is the most beautiful. The gardens had a stunning view of San Diego and were accented with flowers, sculptures, and a reflecting pool. Guests enjoy conversation, scenery, and beverages until dinner at 7pm.

Father Mullen, the colony's main advisor, served as the emcee for the evening and the invocation was done by Father Peter McGuine. The chapter had showed two videos. One was the video which was used during recruitment earlier in the year. The second was created just for this banquet and showcased each individual member, including the men who were initiated the night before. They were very well done and quite enjoyable whether or not you knew all of the members.

After dinner, there were several people who spoke. Jonathan D’Angelo, the first member recruited and Founding Father, spoke about how Phi Kap impacted his experience at USD. Amanda Womack, Greek Advisor, spoke highly about the colony and how the men have positively impacted the campus. Andy Kowal spoke about his experience beginning the colony, as did Rob Riggs. Rob also presented the colony with Ritual books, a President's pin, and a gavel with their chapter name engraved on it. Jack Kelly, Alumni Board of Director's President also spoke about how excited the alumni are to have the group re-chartered and their plans for continued support. He also took a moment on behalf of the colony and alumni to acknowledge Father Mullen for his passion and support with the colony and its members. Then, representing the National Fraternity Board of Trustees, Father Mullen presented the colony with the charter.

The colony (or chapter at this point) also took an opportunity to recognize some people for their efforts. Andy, Rob, and myself were all thanked and acknowledged for our assistance and support. They also awarded members for excellence in academics, involvement, and commitment to the chapter.

Overall, the evening was elegant, entertaining, and reflective of the strength of this newly re-chartered chapter of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. If I were a member, I would be extremely honored and proud to call them a brother. Congratulations on a beautiful weekend and years of hard work and dedication bringing Phi Kappa Theta back to University of San Diego.

Sean Stephenson Article

2009-05-05T10:57:00.004-04:00

Hey everybody!

Here is a link to a great article on Sean Stephenson that is in the Chicago Tribune. If you don't know who this amazing man is - you should. He's an alumnus of Phi Kappa Theta and has been very involved in motivational speaking. I had the pleasure of seeing him speak at Leadership Institute last summer and President's Academy in January. He is also filming a pilot for a show about his life on A&E. Special thanks to Rob Stalder who posted this on his Facebook page for all to see. Enjoy!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-sean-stephenson-05-may05,0,976278.story

Building a Spiritual Brotherhood

2009-04-17T00:23:00.005-04:00

No surprise here - I've been on the road all week. I started at a brand new interest group at Minnesota State University, Mankato and have spent the last two days at our colony at University of South Dakota. This colony is doing really well. The men are very smart, fun, down to earth, and they really live the mission and vision of the Fraternity. Being so new, they struggle with what most new colonies struggle with - their identity. This led to many great conversations with their members tonight and I felt inspired to share some thoughts from our discussions in hopes of comments from the brotherhood.

I often ask how you can sell a product if you don't know anything about it. If I were a car salesman but I didn't know how to turn on the headlights of the car, what kind of gas it took, or where the spare tire was - you would think I was an idiot and this was a hidden camera show. This applies to recruiting men for a chapter when you have no idea who you are or what you are looking for. How can you recruit members when you don't know what you are? It's a struggle and sometimes leads to a difficult conversation. Today the conversation centered around something that I have talked with more Phi Kaps about in the last 3 months then I have over my entire life... spirituality. Let me start off by saying that I have never met a Phi Kap that was not welcoming of any and all religions and our organization does not discriminate. However, for marketing and recruitment purposes, how do we sell ourselves? Are we "the Catholic Fraternity" or are we "a Fraternity with high ideals, moral standards, and that fosters spiritual exploration?" It seems that this is something that many of our chapters struggle with as well. What if you walk the walk but don't talk the talk? There are many people out there who live the same values that we expect our members to live but they may not necessarily identify with being Catholic. Do we scare them away with the Catholic label? Should we push our Catholic heritage in recruitment and marketing to fill a niche or void in our communities? How do we create a balance? I know that University of San Diego and Nebraska have successfully sustained themselves as strong groups who are very connected spiritually. How did they do it? How can we take what they have done and help our other chapters and colonies accomplish the same comfort with our heritage and how we fit into our respective Greek communities? How do you create a diverse group while still serving society, Fraternity, and GOD?

Fraternity Staff Position Available

2009-04-08T11:02:00.002-04:00

Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity is now accepting applications for the Assistant Director of Chapter Development position. Primary responsibilities include managing the expansion and colony development program, as well as assisting with recruitment and operational training and assistance for our collegiate groups and the (iServe) Network. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s Degree, strong written and verbal communication skills, experience with facilitation and presenting, as well as a strong understanding of Greek Life. Applications will be reviewed as they are received with an anticipated start date of June 1, 2009. To review the job description please visit our website. For questions or to apply, submit a resume with salary history, cover letter, and three references to Anita Kerlin, Director of Chapter Development at anita@phikaps.org.

An Evolution in Leadership

2009-04-08T10:37:00.007-04:00

In earl April the Fraternity Board met in Indianapolis for their annual spring meeting. This meeting also marked the two year anniversary of me having the honor of serving as the Fraternity's Executive. As I reflect on how the organization has evolved over the past two years, I can't help but get excited about what's to come.

Just two short years ago, I was sitting in my first Board meeting as the Interim Executive, unsure of what my own future would be, let alone the future of the Fraternity. It was at that meeting that the Board made the decision to focus on the future, rather than try and analyze the past. It was that decision, to invest our time and resources into our successful future, that completely changed the culture of those Board meetings and the Fraternity. With a clear Mission and purpose, we have been able to make decisions that serves the best interest of our members.

As we prepare for the August Convention in Columbus, OH, we will be losing one of the key members of the Board, our current President, Robert Stalder, who has been an excellent role model of servant leadership for Phi Kappa Theta. In addition to the loss of Brother Stalder, we will also have two new collegiate members serving on the Board beginning in August. We look forward to having these new faces on the Board and are confident that the hard work done over the past two years will continue to provide us a solid foundation as we build Phi Kappa Theta's future.

Life Lessons - Living in Fear

2009-04-04T02:27:00.007-04:00

More often than not I think we all live in fear. Sadly, I think too often we make decisions out of fear instead of out of the desire to make said decisions. I find I'm struggling with fear in my non-work life and it makes an interesting transition into being a member of a Greek organization. People "Go Greek" because they want to feel like they are a part of a greater something and to feel accepted. That's often the same reason people gravitate towards athletic teams, churches, or any other kind of group. You enjoy the topic, it's relevant to you, and you enjoy feeling like you are a part of something bigger.

If we think about recruitment we often forget to ask people to join our organizations because we are afraid to get the "no." We take "no" so personally, even though they are not refusing us, just membership into our organizations. We are all afraid of rejection because we think it will make us look stupid so we would then, feel stupid. Think of all the other things in every day life that we don't do because of fear. We don't take risks. We don't enjoy life to it's fullest. We don't stop and live in the moment because we think too much about the repercussions of our actions. I'm not saying you should make irrational decisions by any means, but I think we could all benefit from a little less fear and a little more confidence.

Sean Stevenson is a brilliant man, and if you have never heard him speak before - you need to. He talked once about this concept of "Crazy Eights." Basically, it's the insane emotional rollercoaster that we send ourselves through over and over and over because we let our feelings run our lives instead of taking control of how we feel. Ask those men to join the Fraternity. Go over and sit at a table with people you don't know and get to know them (Step one of the five step recruitment model). Challenge yourself to do something great. Don't let fear run your life or dictate the decisions you make.

Re-Chartering and the "Typical Fraternity"

2009-03-23T21:21:00.002-04:00

The continued growth of our organization is thrilling to me. I am so excited to announce that our colony at the University of San Diego will be re-chartered the weekend of May 1, 2009. The colony is comprised of the most impressive young men I have had the pleasure of working with. They are an incredibly well respected group on campus and as individual leaders they are second to none. They are very involved on campus and contribute so much to the university and the community. These men truly uphold the ideals of Phi Kappa Theta. They are fun, intelligent, motivated, respectful, and passionate. I can’t wait for my return visit in May for the Installation.

In other colony news – I have spent the last week and half working with two of our other colonies out east. The dynamic of these two groups could not be more different. The one thing that they have in common is that the members of both colonies are athletic and play(ed) sports. It’s always interesting to watch the dynamic of a group of men or to compare the dynamics of two different groups that are at the same place in their “life” as a colony/chapter. This led me to a very interesting discussion about being the “typical Fraternity.”

You would be surprised how many groups label themselves as “not the typical fraternity.” Sometimes it’s true but normally it’s not. Once in a great while the group is even the textbook definition of “stereotypical Fraternity.” Perception is reality and its fun to see how people perceive themselves and the differences of that versus how other people perceive them. Some may argue that only a couple members of the group are “stereotypical frat guys” but “the rest of the group is not.” I challenge that with the idea that your weakest member still represents your entire chapter. Your chapter can only be as great as your weakest member. Imagine all of your members to be just one egg in a large carton of eggs. If you go to the store to buy eggs what do you do? Open up the carton and look at them all. What do you do if one of the eggs is broken or cracked? You put the entire carton back and look for one without a broken egg. You are judged, just like the eggs, by your weakest member. People do it all the time. Think about another organization on your campus. Maybe you had one bad experience with one or two people but naturally you reflect that on the group as a whole. Remember that when you think about the image of your chapter. Remember that when you decide to not hold each other accountable. Remember that when you have members who misrepresent our organization but you let them stay members because you’re too lazy or afraid to suspend them. You perpetuate the behavior of your chapter. Every member is responsible for the image and behaviors of their chapter and its members. Thank you to the groups who believe in this concept. I know it’s not always the easy choice but it is the better one. PTAU!

Kansas Iota

2009-03-05T22:43:00.003-05:00

After the Midwest Regional Conference was over I spent a couple days helping out the Kansas Iota chapter. Something that I continued to be impressed by with men versus women is that men are much more accepting of help. When working for a women's group - if I would have asked an award winning chapter if they wanted assistance they would have laughed and sent me on my way. Yet EVERY Phi Kap chapter so far has been accepting and appreciative of help. As small as that seems - it's encouraging and motivating.

I had some really great conversations with this chapter and its leadership. They have some amazing men in that chapter and I see great success on the horizon for them. I believe that much of what they are going through all chapters go through to some extent. Everybody has issues with involvement and commitment. Most chapters are segregated - sometimes 70 of guys doing 100% of the work and the rest are "dead weight." Sadly, at times the number is 50/50. I really enjoy challenging the process and people to think outside the box. Here's what I think - give the best care to your best customers. That's how businesses are successful. Imagine a chapter to be like an upscale restaurant or club. The regular patrons who are there the most and who spend the most money get treated better. They get better tables, VIP access, and overall more time and effort is spent keeping those customers happy. The customers who come on occasion or one-time customers are the ones that the normal amount of effort is used for. Courtesy, respect, friendliness - just as you would expect. The customers who cause issues like damage or liability are tossed out without question because the business risks it's reputation by keeping lousy customers. OUR ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RUN WITH THIS CONCEPT IN MIND! It's the same thing! We're providing an experience to our members. It baffles me that chapters allow the complacent members to hold them back. I'm not saying kick them all out but you also shouldn't cater to them when they are not the best members. Simple, real life example.

With that said - I challenge all of you to not allow you complacent or uncommitted members to hold you back. Keep moving forward and if they hang on then great. If they fall off just know that you will pick up better guys along the way that can keep up.
Thank you so much to Kansas Iota for being so gracious, friendly, and open with me. I think it was a mutually beneficial experience and I look forward to the next time I see them again.

Foundation Board Meeting Inspires

2009-03-03T22:23:00.005-05:00

This past weekend the Foundation Board of Trustees held their spring Board Meeting. This was the second face to face meeting of the fiscal year, but only the third meeting of this Board since their first meeting in the spring of 2007.

During the meeting the Board addressed several key issues facing Phi Kappa Theta. Those issues included the establishment of a policy regarding chapter designated endowments, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, and the effects of the economy on the Foundation's ability raise money to support Phi Kappa Theta. To me the most important issue was the effects of the economy.

As the Foundation readjusted their revenue projections for the 2009 development year, they of course needed to identify areas to cut their expenses, the Fraternity's educational grants were one of the areas up for discussion. I was of course very nervous because the two entities have had differences in the past, which played a major role in the split between the two groups several years ago.

However, my confidence was restored when the Board collectively recognized that enhancing the educational programs of the Fraternity was at the very core of their Mission. They voted in favor to support the educational programs of the Fraternity! Their commitment to the Mission even during these economic times is inspiring.

As I prepare for the upcoming sprig Fraternity Board meeting, my own personal commitment has been recharged by the recent actions taken by our Foundation Board. My actions will reflect my commitment by increasing my financial investment in the Foundation.

Midwest Regional Conference in Review

2009-03-02T15:57:00.003-05:00

Kansas. I love Kansas. It makes me think of "The Wizard of Oz" which is my favorite movie in the world. The trip began with some major difficulties during my layover at Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP). Let's just say it involved lots of snow, sick babies, and being on a plane for 8 hours and only in the air for 1 of those hours. Yeah - it was as miserable as it sounds.

Fast forward to Friday evening. Alyson and I stop by the Kansas Iota chapter house to drop off breakfast and pop for the guys since everybody is staying at the house. The house is impressively clean and the guys are hilarious! They gave us a tour and were so welcoming. We hung out there for about an hour before heading to the hotel.

Saturday went really well. Ben DeLost presented on Alumni Development first. Then, Aly Campbell, from Alpha Sigma Alpha, presented on philanthropy and fundraising. I stepped out to check on lunch and when I came back I could hear the guys roaring laughter from down the hallway. Then we did some recruitment training and then lunch. After lunch we reviewed the Accreditation website and did an interactive recruitment activity. We ended the day going back to the chapter house and watching "Miracle" and then the guys utilized scenes and quotes from the movie to fix mock chapter issues in small groups. We had dinner at the house shortly after and then everybody stayed at the house to hang out and enjoy the brotherhood.

Overall it was a great conference. We had a colony, Founders Cup winners, and a diverse but strong grouping of chapters were represented. It was really special for everybody to see Mizzou in attendance. Though they had to eave early, all of the other groups in attendance kept mentioning how happy they were to see some guys from Mizzou and that they seemed like really great guys. It was refreshing to see all of these groups getting along and spending time together.

USD Petition to Charter

2009-02-25T21:56:00.004-05:00

This week has been the craziest week in the office I've had since I started. Andy and Rob are getting ready to head to the Foundation Board meeting so they are frantic getting ready. I have three days between Regional Conferences with a chapter visit tacked on the end. Don't get me wrong I love being at chapters working with the collegians face to face more than anything but it's a really busy time.

The highlight of my week has been sending out our colony at University of San Diego's petition to charter yesterday. It's the first time that Phi Kappa Theta has done a petition vote electronically. Typically we vote at Convention but these guys have been waiting so long. They are beyond ready. Plus we'll have two other petitions to vote on at Convention. They are an awesome group of men on a great campus with Father Mullen as their advisor - what more could you ask for? We need 30 votes yes to make the chartering happen. Rob even changed his Facebook status to reflect our need for those affirmative votes. We hope this passes so we can charter them the first weekend of May. I'm really thrilled about my first Phi Kap chartering.

Great Lakes Regional Conference Review

2009-02-25T21:09:00.003-05:00

The Great Lakes Regional Conference was last weekend up at Purdue. What a great time! Kevin Lampe might be one of the most fantastic brothers of Phi Kap that I have ever met. I mean he has passion and vision like I've never experienced before. I had the privilege of hanging out with him much of Friday which was great fun. It's exciting just to be around him and hear his stories - personal, professional, and fraternal.

Saturday started off with a Keynote and alumni development programming from Kevin. It's great to watch the guys watch him because you can see the respect. They are so engaged in what he's saying. Then I did a track of recruitment training. It's so hard to do recruitment training because I only had 50 minutes and I could talk for hours about recruitment. We covered just the basics - NIC 5 Step Model, how to have a conversation, how to meet people, tips on non-verbal communication, etc. I love teaching guys to take things out of context. I feel like they get it. It's boring to hear people talk about "Fraternity" for hours so I always love using analogies or making them think outside of "Fraternity." We talked about how recruitment is like dating. Love that. Next was lunch. A Purdue brother owns this great place in West Lafayette and that's where we got food from. We had hot dogs (which I normally think are gross but these were actually really good) and fries. It was nice to have down time and meet some new guys.
After lunch was Accreditation. It's factual and boring for the guys but I sure am excited for it! That program is my baby! We (me, Rob, WPI, Ben DeLost, Brett Breir, Dan Bureau) put so much time and energy into that thing. I can't wait to see how successful it is. After that we had more recruitment training. This time it was a role play activity to help the guys learn how to troubleshoot difficult questions in conversation. This is one of my favorite activities to do with a group of people. I used to do this with the girls all the time but doing it with guys is even better because they're not fake. The last activity for the day was watching the movie "Miracle" and small group activities.

Saturday night. Where to begin? To be honest the outcome of this evening was disappointing. I did not attend, however the chapter was aware that the evening social function was to be alcohol-free. It was not. In addition to drinking, items were stolen from the Purdue chapter house. I am shocked that brothers would disrespect me by drinking and disrespect the Purdue brothers by stealing. It's a shame really. I hope we don't have the same issues at the Midwest event this weekend.

First post

2009-02-19T16:03:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the blog! I felt obligated to make a post so the new blog wasn't empty. The Great Lakes Regional Leadership Conference is this weekend at Purdue and I am uber excited. We have several chapters being represented and some great programming lined up. I'm also working on California Phi Delta's petition to charter so keep your eyes peeled for that in your inbox next week!

Anita