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Fraternity and Sorority Life Blog

Fraternity and Sorority Life #BearGrads

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Remember that old cliche they would tell you as you were choosing a sorority or fraternity that ultimately would alter your life. It went something like this… “it’s not four years, it’s for life.” Well that cliche may not have been so cliche at all. As many members from our Fraternity and Sorority Life prepare for life post-graduation, we asked some to reflect upon their time with us here at Missouri State.

“Being a part of FSL has had a huge impact not only on developing the person I am today but shaping the person I want to be. Being constantly surrounded by genuine individuals that are truly seeking the best out of each day has kept me not only motivated but given me aspirations that I did not even know that I had. This experience reinforced the values that I already had but most importantly gave me new ones that I didn’t know that I had and gave me the foundation for my college career. This experience constantly drives me to be a better person and help not only the FSL community but the one around me too.”

-Katie Holsapple, Alpha Delta Pi, Speech-Language Pathology Major

 

“My FSL experience has, without a doubt, changed my college experience for the better. It’s so reassuring to have a group of men who hold me accountable and encourage me to be the best version of myself every single day. By being a member of this community, I’ve gotten better grades and built relationships that will continue to last beyond my time here at Missouri State. I’ve strengthened my leadership capabilities, developed skills, and experienced uncommon opportunities through my involvement in Pi Kapp.”

-Noah Hendel, Pi Kappa Phi, Marketing: Advertising and Promotions Major

 

“Joining FSL allowed me to believe in myself throughout the past 4 years and give me a support system to make it through some of the tough moments of college. Without FSL, I would not have made as many connections as I have made or joined many of the organizations that I did. I was lucky enough to join FSL and fall even more in love with Missouri State.”

-Brittany Boyer, Delta Zeta, Biology Major

So graduates, as you are tossing your caps, we are tipping ours to you! Thank you for paving the way and each leaving your own special marks on your chapters, our community, and this campus. It is because of you all that our community continues to thrive and grow. We wish you all the best of luck in your future… and don’t forget you always have a home here in Springfield, Missouri. Go bears! 

 

Fraternity and Sorority Life Awards

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Each year, Fraternity and Sorority Life has the opportunity to award chapters and individual members for their achievements over the past year. Judges from Missouri State University and college and universities across the country review each award application to determine the recipient. The following chapters, students, and advisors received awards for 2017. Congratulations to you all!

Chapter Awards                                          

Outstanding Academic Achievement – Xi Omicron Iota

Outstanding Academic Achievement – Pi Kappa Phi

Outstanding Community Relations and Philanthropic Work – Sigma Kappa

Outstanding Community Relations and Philanthropic Work – Phi Gamma Delta

Outstanding Chapter Leadership and Management – Alpha Sigma Alpha    

Outstanding Chapter Leadership and Management – Gamma Phi Beta

Outstanding Chapter Leadership and Management – Sigma Chi

Outstanding Membership Development – Sigma Kappa

Outstanding Membership Development – Pi Kappa Phi

Outstanding Risk Management and Social Responsibility – Alpha Sigma Alpha

Outstanding Risk Management and Social Responsibility – Pi Kappa Phi

Outstanding University Relations – Delta Zeta

Outstanding University Relations – Pi Kappa Phi

Outstanding University Relations – Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

 

Chapter of the Year

Chapter of the Year – Delta Zeta

Chapter of the Year – Pi Kappa Phi

 

Individual Awards                                      

Man of the Year  – Connor Aller, Pi Kappa Phi 

Woman of the Year – Lauren VanNess, Gamma Phi Beta  

Outstanding Interfraternity Council President – Blake Kobel, Phi Gamma Delta 

Outstanding Panhellenic Association President – Kayla Eggering, Alpha Sigma Alpha 

Outstanding Campus Leadership – Brandon McCoy, Theta Chi   

Outstanding Fraternity Freshman – Hayden Hollingsworth, Pi Kappa Phi 

Outstanding Fraternity Sophomore – Luke Mac, Pi Kappa Phi 

Outstanding Fraternity Junior – Zach Cull, Pi Kappa Phi

Outstanding Fraternity Senior – Drew Geer, Pi Kappa Phi 

Outstanding Sorority Freshman – Madelyn Cooper, Alpha Sigma Alpha  

Outstanding Sorority Sophomore – Haley Swanigan, Alpha Sigma Alpha

Outstanding Sorority Junior – Caitlin Schaefer, Alpha Delta Pi 

Outstanding Sorority Senior – Rachel Prather, Alpha Chi Omega 

Outstanding Community Engagement – Connor McClew, Phi Gamma Delta 

Living Your Values  – Ali McClean, Alpha Sigma Alpha

Outstanding Faculty/Staff Advisor – Jimi Sode, Pi Kappa Phi   

Outstanding Alumni Advisor – Carol Fritts, Sigma Sigma Sigma  

 

FSL Programming Report Awards                                               

2017 Highest Interfraternity Council GPA – Lambda Chi Alpha 

2017 Highest National Pan-Hellenic Council GPA – Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

2017 Highest Panhellenic Association GPA – Alpha Delta Pi

2017 Highest Interfraternity Council New Member GPA – Sigma Chi

2017 Highest National Pan-Hellenic Council New Member GPA – Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

2017 Highest Panhellenic Association New Member GPA – Xi Omicron Iota

2017 Most Improved Interfraternity Council GPA – Delta Sigma Phi

2017 Most Improved National Pan-Hellenic Council GPA – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

2017 Most Improved Panhellenic Association GPA – Gamma Phi Beta

2017 Most Interfraternity Council Community Service Hours – Pi Kappa Phi

2017 Most National Pan-Hellenic Council Community Service Hours – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

2017 Most Panhellenic Association Community Service Hours – Alpha Delta Pi

2017 Most Interfraternity Council Philanthropic Donations – Sigma Phi Epsilon

2017 Most National Pan-Hellenic Council Philanthropic Donations – Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

2017 Most Panhellenic Association Philanthropic Donations – Sigma Kappa

       

 

Fraternity and Sorority Life Completes Greek Week 2018

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Greek Week took place April 2-April 7, 2018. A committee of fourteen students organized a week of events. The events included an educational speaker, mystery intramural sports, the VIP awards banquet, Greek God and Goddess, and Greek Jam. The week was a great opportunity for our 3,200+ students to come together and celebrate their community. During the week, the FSL community donated over 8,000 items to the Springfield community

2018 Greek Week Committee
Dane Haugen & Danielle Beeler Greek God and Goddess Winners

Summer Reid, Greek Week Public Relations Chair shared, “Greek Week is important because it fosters relationships and team building. It also is a good opportunity for community engagement, as a variety of the events are focused on giving back to the Springfield community.”

Jacob Lagenfeld, Competitive Events Chair, says, “[Greek Week] helps bring people together and form lasting memories from their college experience. It is one of the most important weeks for FSL organizations as it is a culmination of months of hard work and planning.”

 

Most of the committee and FSL community shares that their favorite thing about Greek Week is Greek Jam. During this event, 50 members from every team competes in a large, eight minute dance number, choreographed by members from the chapter. It showcases each team’s individual theme and the remarkable talent our FSL members have.

 

2018 Greek Week Winner: Team 7-Sigma Kappa and Sigma Phi Epsilon

Team 7 GW Winners

Congratulations to all the awesome teams for their hard work this week!

 

2018 NPHC Yard Show

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On March 21st, members of Missouri State’s National Pan-Hellenic Council came together for their annual yard show. “A yard show is a display of the NPHC or multicultural greek letter organizations steps and strolls on a college campus,” says NPHC President, Walter Kayesse. Walter adds, “Yard shows are great displays of the state of the chapters and how active they are on the campus. It could also be seen in a competitive fashion to see who “runs the yard.””

Brittany Buchannon of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc reflects on the importance of the yard show, “the yard show was many things for me. It is number one, a bonding experience for chapters and their entire council. It gives us the opportunity to come together and do something we love and represent our [organizations]. We get to cheer each other on and just have a good time.”

Walter shares, “The yard show is a symbol of Black Greek Unity on campus and an opportunity to show MSU what Phi Beta Sigma is all about. The yard show is something my chapter takes very seriously. We make sure to practice long and hard for each and every one.”

Yard shows continue to be a special part of the NPHC background; it is where NPHC can continue to show off new things that they are working on and also present traditional crowd favorites that the audience may know. For the Fraternity and Sorority Life community, this is a time where we as a whole get to enjoy the background and hard work of the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

 

What is UIFI and Why You Should Apply!

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What is UIFI?

The Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute, otherwise known as UIFI, is a five day institute held in Bloomington, Indiana on Indiana University’s campus where students from all over the United States come to learn with and from peers who belong to various organizations and councils. Through exploration of critical issues in thought-provoking activities, the program is intended to help you identify the leader you want to be and where you can make the most impact in your chapter, council or community.

Brandon McCoy of Theta Chi, reflects on his experience this past summer at UIFI, “My favorite part of UIFI was getting to work with a variety of students and FSL professionals to create a tangible plan of action for our chapters and communities. We didn’t just discuss problems; we brainstormed solutions and created step-by-step plans to tackle the challenges we identified.”

Megan Asbury of Alpha Chi Omega says, “My favorite part of UIFI was getting to meet and interact with fraternity men and sorority women from all over the United States. During UIFI, you get put into a small group with approximately seven other individuals from different councils and schools. You spend so much time with them throughout the session and get to share goals and bounce ideas off of one another. I still talk to the individuals in my small group on a regular basis. I got to make friends out of some extremely inspiring individuals. Since UIFI, one girl in my group now serves as the Texas State Panhellenic President, a guy in my group is now in charge of underwriting his fraternity’s petition to charter, and another is serving as the IFC President at University of Nebraska-Omaha. It’s awesome to see these people succeed in their communities.”

Brandon McCoy shares, “The biggest takeaway for me was an exercise where the fraternity and sorority system as a whole was examined and put on trial. Students had to present benefits and consequences of the system, and it was eye-opening to experience the debate that college and state decision-makers have been going through for years. It was motivating to make our experience in FSL as positive as it can be, and share that with others to sell the value of having fraternities and sororities on campus. It’s up to our actions if we want to see fraternities and sororities to continue to exist on college campuses.”

 

Megan shares, “My biggest takeaway was learning how to turn our “big R” (ritual ceremonies) into a “little r” (living the lesson of my ritual in my everyday life). An overall theme of UIFI is centered around using our values, which typically align with our organizations, to live out our lives authentically. Leaving UIFI, I felt inspired to teach this lesson to my chapter. Additionally, we were taught to discover the purpose of leadership: not what we do (chapter meetings, recruitment, etc), but the why behind these activities (sisterhood, professional development, networking, personal growth, etc).”

Why Should You Apply?

Brandon shares, “UIFI is a great learning experience that I would encourage others to attend. It’s an uplifting environment of others who deeply care about fraternity and sorority life. I now have friends I keep in contact with from around the country who I can go to for advice about my chapter and our campus.” 

Megan shares, “If you are a collegiate leader or aspire to be one, I encourage you to attend UIFI. You get to examine not only your leadership abilities, but your role in Fraternity and Sorority Life as a whole. You dig deep into issues our communities are faced with, while learning how to combat the stigma that we as sorority/fraternity members are often confronted by.”

How to Apply:

Register online!

Missouri State FSL is offering a scholarship for UIFI for the 2018 summer. You can find it online here, on the right side of the page under Applications. If you have any questions, contact the FSL Advisor, Kate Roessler at KRoessler@missouristate.edu.

Make sure to check out and see if your national organization offers scholarships to help ease or pay for the cost of attending!