Phi Gamma Delta | Chi Eta Chapter Spring 2017 VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 What’s inside? Pledge Profiles Bike4Alz Update Chili Cookoff A Viral Engagement Welcoming New Sigma Class MARK YOUR CALENDAR! April 23 - April 30: Greek Week Photo by Thomas Deaton Starting back in January with April 29: Frank Norris Pig Dinner warmer than usual weather, the brothers of Chi Eta enjoyed the May 1: FIJI and Chi Eta Founders first week of classes playing sand volleyball and time outdoors during Day May 12-13: Graduation the day and pre-recruitment events at night. After a full week of class, Spring recruitment began on January 30th and ended on February 3rd with the Chi Eta brothers greeting eleven new pledges at the top of the Hill. After eating 30 pizzas at Mr. B’s, the FIJI brothers went back to campus to officially welcome their new pledge brothers with the pledge initiation ceremony. Afterward, the new members were off to bed so they could head out for a weekend pledge retreat to learn more about the fraternity and bond with their new pledge brothers. The new Sigma class is made up of eleven members; Griffin Beckner, Will Boothe, Andy Cockrum, Seth Cook, Dominic Cortez, Tristan Cusick, Levi Fisher, Justin Gentry, Ethan Hunt, Jacob Karaglanis, and Davis Taylor. Along with a new pledge class, Chi Eta took a new approach to assigning big brothers. To allow for both pledges and potential big brothers to get to know each other better, Chi Eta had their first ever Big Brother Reveal in February. By adding a new reveal, pledges and their potential big brothers had times to meet up and get to know each other. We are very excited to welcome the Sigmas to Chi Eta and hope to constantly improve and foster friendships within the FIJI house. FRIENDSHIP. KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE. MORALITY. EXCELLENCE. 1 \r\nPhi Gamma Delta | Chi Eta Chapter Spring 2017 The Sigma Pledge Class Griffin Beckner Major: Psychology Year: Freshman High School and Hometown: Murfreesboro TN Birthday: April 15, 1998 Hobby: Soccer and eating Why did you rush FIJI: I wanted to join a group of guys who would keep me accountable and inspire me to grow into a better man Will Boothe Major: Exercise Science Year: Freshman High School and Hometown: Muhlenberg County High School Birthday: October 27, 1997 Hobby: Sports and sleeping Why did you rush FIJI: Brotherhood, want to better myself as a person, reach academic goals, and community service Andy Cockrum Major: Music/Geography Year: Freshman High School and Hometown: DuPont Manual High School, Louisville KY Birthday: January 5, 1998 Hobby: Anything outdoors, especially hiking and swimming Why did you rush FIJI: I heard a lot about it from Parker and it sounded great FRIENDSHIP. KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE. MORALITY. EXCELLENCE. 2 \r\nPhi Gamma Delta | Chi Eta Chapter Spring 2017 Seth Cook Major: Sport Management Year: Junior High School and Hometown: New Albany High School, New Albany IN Birthday: March 10, 1998 Hobby: Boating Why did you rush FIJI: I rushed FIJI due to the group of guys in the fraternity and how they relate to me Dominic Cortez Major: International Business/ARC Year: Sophomore High School and Hometown: Aaron Academy, White House TN Birthday: April 18, 1997 Hobby: Rock climbing and running Why did you rush FIJI: I wanted a fraternity experience with a group of men who shared my values, ideas, and who would never push me to compromise them Tristan Cusick Major: Communications/Philosophy Year: Sophomore High School and Hometown: Christian Academy of Louisville, Louisville KY Birthday: June 16, 1997 Hobby: Fifa, rock climbing, working out Why did you rush FIJI: To get a community of men that I know I could depend on and help grow me Levi Fisher Major: Civil Engineering Year: Freshman High School and Hometown: New Albany High School, New Albany IN Birthday: January 7, 1998 Hobby: Sports Why did you rush FIJI: I really enjoyed being around all the guys and how easy it was for me to get along with them, I could really see myself as one of them just during rush week FRIENDSHIP. KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE. MORALITY. EXCELLENCE. 3 \r\nPhi Gamma Delta | Chi Eta Chapter Spring 2017 Justin Gentry Major: Fire Science Year: Freshman High School and Hometown: Bowling Green High School, Bowling Green KY Birthday: December 25, 1997 Hobby: Anything sports related Why did you rush FIJI: Felt something special about the group of guys Ethan Hunt Major: Business Management Year: Freshman High School and Hometown: Franklin Simpson High School, Franklin KY Birthday: March 10, 1998 Hobby: Playing basketball and going to concerts Why did you rush FIJI: I rushed FIJI because of the brotherhood and friendship that is represented in this chapter Jacob Karaglanis Major: Sport Management Year: Freshman High School and Hometown: North Oldham High School, Goshen KY Birthday: May 8, 1998 Hobby: Sports and Xbox Why did you rush FIJI: I wanted to have a brotherhood with these guys and I wanted to have good accountability for grades and being a better guy. Davis Taylor Major: Finance Year: Freshman High School and Hometown: Greenwood High School, Bowling Green KY Birthday: September 11, 1997 Hobby: Sports Why did you rush FIJI: To have a great experience and to meet friends for life FRIENDSHIP. KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE. MORALITY. EXCELLENCE. 4 \r\nPhi Gamma Delta | Chi Eta Chapter Spring 2017 A Letter From Bike4Alz Brothers, This summer Bike4Alz will be going on its 5th trek across the country in efforts to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease. Starting in the summer, Bike4Alz is becoming an annual event so as to establish lasting relationships with the communities we go through during our ride. The Bike4Alz team has been hard at work since early October to ensure this will be the most successful ride yet. We have early morning training, big name sponsors, a trailer purchased, and $21,000 already raised. We are very excited for what is to come this summer. Help is still needed with spreading the word of the ride, and although $21,000 is a nice number, some of it will be spent on ride logistics and it is far away from our goal of $100,000. So join us in riding for memories. You can learn more at our website www.bike4alz.org. Sincerely, Logan Carroll Bike4Alz President FIJI’s Chili Cookoff Returns On March 24th, FIJI hosted a Chili Cook Off to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Bowling Green. The Boys and Girls Club is an after-school program that offers a safe place for the youth of Bowling Green to do their homework, eat a free hot meal, learn important ideals such as service to others, and much more. We had six teams enter the Cook Off, and about 120 more people show up to the event. The organizations of Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Omega, Phi Mu, and Kappa Delta entered chilies for the event. We also had a FIJI team, lead by brother Cade Brown, enter and participate. The winner of the Cook Off was Alpha Delta Pi. The prize for winning was $200 in gift cards to Nat’s Outdoor Sports and Southern Threads. The total amount of money raised for the Boys and Girls Club of Bowling Green is approximately $1,200. FRIENDSHIP. KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE. MORALITY. EXCELLENCE. Photo by Wil Scott 5 \r\nPhi Gamma Delta | Chi Eta Chapter Spring 2017 Graduating Seniors Top, left to right: Trent Erps, Jacob Hogdes, Taylor Leigh, Jay Todd Richey, Brent Harney, Carson Price, Brandon Pruitt, Alec Brown, McGavin Brown, Elijah Essa, Travis Hardcastle, Caleb Sloan, Josh Hicks, Logan Houchens, & Austin Richards 6 FRIENDSHIP. KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE. MORALITY. EXCELLENCE. \r\nPhi Gamma Delta | Chi Eta Chapter Spring 2017 FIJIs Abroad Nikil Ravishankar Left: Nikil Ravishankar stands next to a cliff in Ireland. Brother Ravishankar is spending the semester abroad at Harlaxton college. Alex Stackhouse Below: Alex Stackhouse poses with a photogenic elephant. Brother Stackhouse is spending the spring on a ship with Semester at Sea. Zach Zimmerer Above: Zach Zimmerer stands in Paris, France. Brother Zimmerer is spending the semester abroad at Harlaxton college. Kyle Martens Above: Kyle Martens stands on the Great Wall of China. Brother Martens is spending the spring on a ship with Semester at Sea. FRIENDSHIP. KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE. MORALITY. EXCELLENCE. 7 \r\nPhi Gamma Delta | Chi Eta Chapter A Viral Engagement Spring 2017 Graduate News Brother Ben Harris (Zeta) accepted a job litigating insurance defense claims with Walters Meadows Richardson in Lexington, Kentucky. Brother Mitchell White (Alpha) and wife Courtney are expecting a baby in late August. Photo by Rachel Kelley Brother Elijah Essa proposed to his girlfriend Sarah Burnett in February by singing his own rendition of “My Shot” from popular musical Hamilton. Brother Essa and several friends, including other FIJIs, practiced for a month to create a performance for the engagement. The video of the engagement went viral with over 20,000 views and feature on Broadway.com. Chi Eta Outstanding Alumnus 2016- 2017 Academic Year Bryan Hartzell sacrificed his summer to be a much needed driver on the 2016 Bike4Alz ride. We appreciate his time in helping Bike4Alz get across the country. Without him, one of the 14 bikers would have had to give up their spot biking. Hartzell was also Chi Eta’s field secretary for last Fall. It is because of this we are awarding Hartzell the Chi Eta Outstanding Alumnus Award. Thanks for all you do for Chi Eta and the International Fraternity, Bryan! Brother Sean Jacobson (Iota) will be moving to Chicago to begin a PhD program in American and Public History at Loyola University. Chapter by the Numbers 67 Initiated Brothers 11Pledges 138 Grad-Brothers 4 Brothers Abroad FRIENDSHIP. KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE. MORALITY. EXCELLENCE. 8