On May 6, 2012, Kyle Neyer and Tony Williamson, both Men of Alpha Chi Rho and founders of the Alpha Phi Beta chapter at the University of Cincinnati, competed in the 4x800 Meter Relay of the Big East Championships at The University of South Florida. Former President Kyle Neyer led off this relay with a great leg, handing off the baton right in the mix for the lead. Tony Williamson ran a great leg as well, running an all-time personal record to hand off the baton for a 3rd place standing.With a strong finish, their anchor held on to this position for a 3rd place overall ranking and a time of 7:30.09! This time is the second fastest in UC History and ranks this relay team in the top 20 in the NCAA. Additioinally, their ranking is the highest UC has ever placed in the 4x800 Meter Relay! Kyle and Tony will both be back next year to continue showing their leadership skills and to help lead their team to even greater accomplishments!
Kyle Neyer and Tony Williamson (both far right) stand on the podium with fellow teammates
Kyle Neyer (Far Left) and Tony Williamson (Far Right) pose with fellow teammates while wearing their 3rd place medals.
On Wednesday, May 16, UC’s Panhellenic Community participated in the first Panhellenic Sponsored Awareness Day. Women wore blue and Panhealthy stickers in support of National Women’s health week. During the week women tweeted at GoGreekUofCincy with the hashtag, “panhealthy,” about healthy choices that they made. At the end of the week all of the tweets were counted and Kappa Delta was chosen as the panhealthiest chapter.
Jody McGraw and Kathleen Hurley, women of Gamma Phi Beta, wearing blue during the Student Government Senate meeting.
The women of Kappa Kappa Gamma sporting their blues at their chapter meeting.
The Panhealthiest chapter on campus, Kappa Delta, working on their fitness!
Erin Bepler
Chi Omega
First Year
McMicken - Biology
Maddy Richards, Panhellenic Delegate for Chi Omega wrote, “Erin Bepler has embraced every ideal that membership in Chi Omega asks. Her positive attitude and impact on others has allowed her to thrive in her academics, sorority and in the community. The vision for her future began in high school, with her focus toward a biology career. Community involvement is also important for her personal development. Beyond all of her campus and Chi O activities, Erin is out in the community. She has volunteered for the Cincinnati Zoo for the last four years, been involved with Lainfair Retirement Community where she meets with her “adopted” grandma every week, donates blood whenever possible, and recently became a volunteer at the Animal Adoption Foundation. She also, is involved in G.O.L.D (Guiding Our Life Decisions), where she is an executive board member and helped set up Life Mass and Red Ribbon Week. Additionally, with G.O.L.D she has participated in three Marches for Life in Washington D.C and recently went on her fourth March for Life with another organization. Finally, she is part of Rotaract, a service organization at UC, where she participates in different community service events. Her ability to maintain a 3.20 GPA shows that her time management is incredible and she is passionate about helping others. Erin IS everything a Chi Omega woman should be.”
Congratulations Erin! And thank you to our other nominees:
Gamma Phi Beta – Ellie Hildebrandt
Kappa Alpha Theta – Christina Beer
Kappa Delta – Rachel Stolyar
Kappa Kappa Gamma – Sarah Clem
Pi Beta Phi – Alyssa Newman
Theta Phi Alpha – Sarah Carpenter
Please look forward to the continued recognition of the Rho Lambda Woman of the Month next fall!
Jennifer Bukovec
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Second Year
DAAP – Interior Design
Liz Stoner, President of Kappa Kappa Gamma wrote “Jenifer’s contributions truly have no borders. She contributes her time and efforts on all levels from the Greek community to countries abroad. In her chapter she served on the Nominating Committee to form the 2012 chapter council. She is also a part of the recruitment team and Greek Intervarsity. In the DAAP college she takes part in IIDA (International Interior Design Association) and AIAS (American Institute of Architecture Students). She received the esteemed Professor’s Choice Award in her 2012 Winter Studio while being on the Dean’s list during all quarter’s at UC. On the University level Jenifer is a Cincinnatus Scholar and takes part in UC Nightwalk, and Younglife Capernaum. Jenifer rounds off her contributions abroad as a Volunteer for Village of Hope, Uganda. Jenifer sets exemplary standards for herself and her fellow Kappa sisters. She raises them to new heights as she broadens what it means to be a woman of Kappa Kappa Gamma and a student of the University of Cincinnati.
Congratulations Jennifer! And thank you to our other nominees:
Chi Omega – Alison Ahlers
Gamma Phi Beta – Lauren Biel
Kappa Alpha Theta – Danielle Soriano
Kappa Delta – Rachel Stolyar
Pi Beta Phi – Lindsay Larkey
Theta Phi Alpha – Shannon Reilly
Please look forward to reading about our April woman of the month who excels in philanthropy and service!
On April 10th, 2012, Bearcats throughout campus went barefoot for a day. The event on the University of Cincinnati’s campus was organized by Kaitlin Dauner, a senior in Kappa Alpha Theta, to raise awareness for TOMS shoes and their mission to provide children across the global with shoes. Many Greek Bearcats went without their shoes for the day, even attending chapter meetings barefoot! We look forward to seeing many more barefoot chapters and barefoot Bearcats next year!
The men of Beta Theta Pi baring their toes at meeting!
Barefoot Kappa Alpha Theta’s kiting in McMicken Commons!
The gentlemen of Sigma Alpha Epsilon going without shoes so kids around the world won’t have to!
Barefeet at the Pi Beta Phi chapter meeting
The fellows in Alpha Chi Rho baring their toes for TOMS one day without shoes!
Twenty Kolodzik Business Scholars spent their Spring Breaks studying abroad in Paris and Brussels. Visiting corporations such as Unilever and Rosy Blue, as well as government offices including the US Embassy and the European Union, these students had the opportunity of a lifetime. Among the group of students, over two-thirds are involved in Greek Life. Spreading Greek love around the world, these students wore their letters with pride. While site seeing, many students posed in front of national monuments sporting their Greek letters and symbols.
“We were ambassadors of the University of Cincinnati, the Kolodzik Business Scholars, UC Greek Life, and our individual chapters. This was an invaluable learning experience and networking opportunity for all of us. I don’t think anyone would have traded these ten days for a week on the beach.”
On March 6th, 2012 the women of Rho Lambda hosted their annual Sorority Boys Pageant in the DAAP Auditorium. Sorority Boys is an annual St. Patrick’s Day themed competition in which fraternity men dress up as women, perform a one minute talent, answer a random question and then are auctioned off with a gift card to a local restaurant. Each year the unique event brings in quite a crowd for an evening of mockery and fun. All of the proceeds benefit the Rho Lambda Scholarship Fund which is used to award scholarships to outstanding first year Greek women each spring quarter.
This year the event was hosted by MC and Student Body Vice President Michael Linger and the evening concluded with the crowning of this year’s “Emerald Maiden” – the gentlemen who is auctioned for the most money, Phil Dinovo of Beta Theta Pi. The event this year brought in over 400 people and raised over $1,230 which will be used to grant one $500 and two $250 scholarships this spring. The women of Rho Lambda would like to thank all who attended for their support and encourage all freshman females to apply for the scholarships coming soon!
Greg Trybula of Sigma Phi Epsilon and Gage Wooley of Sigma Alpha Epsilon perform their one minute talent
Phil Dinovo of Beta Theta Pi is crowned the “Emerald Maiden” by MC Michael Linger
The word “retarded” (or retard) has long since strayed from its original meaning. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as: slow or limited in intellectual or emotional development or academic progress. However, more commonplace is the use of “retarded/retard” in reference to someone or something thought of as stupid. The use of the r-word in this context only furthers stereotypes that people with disabilities are less valued members of society.
Nationally, members of Pi Kappa Phi are involved with their own Philanthropy, Push America. Push America was founded in 1977 and remains the exclusive philanthropy of Pi Kappa Phi with the purpose of instilling lifelong service in our fraternity members and serving people with disabilities. For more information visit the Push America Website.
Push America encourages undergraduate chapters to “have and continue to establish volunteer relationships with local facilities that serve people with disabilities in conjunction with fundraising on campus and in their local communities for the programs of Push America.”
On March 8th, members of UC’s Pi Kappa Phi chapter set up tables in TUC and Calhoun encouraging people not to use the r-word. Spread the Word to End the Word is an ongoing effort by Special Olympics and Best Buddies to raise the consciousness of society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the word “retard(ed)” and encourage people to pledge to stop using the R-word.
Over 528 students and faculty signed the pledge, which reads: The word ‘retard(ed)’ hurts millions of people with disabilites, their families and friends. I pledge to help promote the new R-word: Respect! If you weren’t able to sign to take the pledge, but would like to, click here.
Pi Kappa Phi also volunteers locally with people with disabilities through Starfire and Breathe Respites. Starfire’s mission “enables individuals with disabilities to become active and vital members of the community. Since 1993, Starfire has offered innovative programs that address the emerging needs of teens and adults with disabilities.” To learn more, click here. Breathe Respites is a respite event for children with special needs and their parents. To learn more, click here.
If you’d like to follow the efforts of the R-Word Campaign, you can find them on Facebook and Twitter.
On behalf of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Cincinnati, THANK YOU to the gentlemen of Pi Kappa Phi, not only on our campus, but nationwide. Your commitment to respecting people, no matter their abilities, is one worthy of admiration.
Today, March 1st, marks the 144th anniversary of the founding of Pi Kappa Alpha. On a Sunday evening, 144 years ago, PIKE’s six founders (Robertson Howard, Julian Edward Wood, James Benjamin Sclater Jr., Frederick Southgate Taylore, Little Waller Tazewell (Bradford), and William Alexander) met at 47 West Range at the University of Virginia and founded the Alpha Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha.
The essence of the Founders’ vision for Pi Kappa Alpha can be found in its Preamble:
“For the establishment of friendship on a firmer and more lasting basis; for the promotion of brotherly love and kind feeling; for the mutual benefit and advancement of the interests of those with whom we sympathize and deem worthy of our regard; We have resolved to form a fraternity, believing that, thus we can most successfully accomplish our object.”
Pi Kappa Alpha was charted at the University of Cincinnati in 1910, as the Alpha Xi chapter.
From 1914-1950 Pi Kappa Alpha lived at 2437 Clifton Avenue. (shown top in 1923) That building has since been razed and is now the site of Mac’s Pizza Pub parking lot.
In 1950, the Pikes purchased the oldBoss Cox house at 3400 Brookline Avenue (shown middle in 1950). The fraternity sold the house in 2007 and it is now owned by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County with plans to convert it to a branch library. In 2007, the chapter built a new house at 2711 Stratford Avenue (shown bottom in 2011).
Images from Go Greek: Fraternity and Sorority Life.
