Friday, January 29, 2010

Northeast Regional AOII Weekend

Many of you are aware of a special event that is being planned for AOIIs living in the northeast on April 17th and 18th of 2010. This event is optional for members to participate in but promises to be a great opportunity to meet other AOIIs in the region and to participate in some personal and professional development workshops. Alumnae and collegiate women are invited to attend.

Saturday morning will include a networking education session and an AOII Foundation ambassador presentation. Lunch will take place at the Wagener College student center followed by a leadership development education session and a marketing education session. Saturday night women are invited to join us for dinner. Sunday morning there will be a ritual education session and closing activity. The event will begin at 10: 30 am on Saturday morning and end by noon on Sunday.

Women are invited to attend the entire weekend or part of the weekend. A registration form must be returned by March 1st for both part time or full time registration. The registration fee for full time registration is $30 and includes lunch and dinner on Saturday.

A block of hotel rooms has been reserved for out of town attendees at the Radisson Carteret in Carteret, NJ (732) 541-2005. Reservations must be made by March 1st and rooms are available at a rate of $89/night for 2 double beds and include breakfast at the hotel. There is one other additional cost for the weekend; there is an $8 toll to get to Wagner College from the hotel.

For additional questions contact taulambdaalum@gmail.com.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Memory Lane: THREE THINGS I remember...

To all you "facebookers" out there, you will appreciate this... we recently found a group "What I remember about Shippensburg..." and we thought it would be fun to start our own (for our eyes only!) as we look forward to returning for our reunion. If you are on facebook, be sure to join the group... it's a fun trip down memory lane!

Here's what you do: add a "comment" and name three of your favorite things from your SHIP/AOII experience!

We'll start it out:
MY 3 FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM SHIP...
1. "Wally on a bagel" and french fries for lunch at the CUB (in the Raider Room with the 'carpet on the walls' decor!!!)
2. Bonfires at Phi Sig (seriously, how many couches did they have in that house.. it seems every party they threw in a couch in the bonfire... I can't imagine a couch would be cheaper than firewood!!!)
3. The first AOII "HOUSE" and Apt G on King Street, above the Gym.

Please share yours!!!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

SONGBIRD

We would like to start planning ahead for our reunion and compile some play lists for the weekend... so please give us your suggestions of your 'favs'... What songs would you like to hear? What songs remind you of SHIP? What were the AOII favorites? Please add your suggestions! (Although we won't find the "Loving Cup" on iTunes... that's one we'll just all have to sing together!!!)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

COUNTDOWN to the big event

We've been talking about our "ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND" for some time.. and as April approaches, we are finalizing the details... for those making plans now, here's a tentative agenda:

FRIDAY APRIL 23rd: Meet at Black Horse Tavern (Shippen Place Hotel) for Happy Hour... probably 7 pm to 9 pm, serving light appetizers (about $10/person plus cash bar).

SATURDAY APRIL 24th: Ceremony for our 25th Anniversary (around 11 am?) followed by luncheon at AOII house... Happy Hour... dinner/banquet at Conference Center on campus. Cost for dinner will be approximately $40/person.

BOOK YOUR ROOMS NOW: Shippen Place Hotel call (717) 532-4141, rooms have been blocked off for "AOII" at $79/night.

Please continue to check back for updates, if you plan to attend please respond with a comment (we're trying to get an idea of number attending) and if you have any suggestions let us know...

Monday, January 25, 2010

Benefits of a SORORITY

By Mary Jekielek Insprucker, click to read full article:Chicago Tribune:

Sororities aren't just for college students
Chicago-area groups help women make friends in a new town...
Research has shown that friendships such as those found in sororities help participants improve self-esteem and coping skills, even kick the smoking habit, experts say.

For their part, sorority sisters say they have found their relationships to nourish spiritual, mental and physical growth. The dynamic diversity in ages, experience and interests help enrich their lives, they say. The organizations offer other outlets as well, including the chance for networking, career development and philanthropy.

"There is a body of research that shows social support to be a major factor in lessening the effects of stress, especially in the current economic situation," said Charles Johnston, co-chairman of Harper College's psychology department. "The support allows one to better meet the demands of the situation."

Great find, Heather!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

A Little History... SU Greek Life

Timeline
1959 The Raider Room opens. Phi Sigma Epsilon begins to bring a cannon to football games.

1960 "IFC" first appears in the yearbook.

1961 Sigma Pi wins first place in the fraternity division for floats at Homecoming.

1962 Sigma Tau Gamma wins first place in homecoming.

1964 Phi Sigma Epsilon wins first place at homecoming.

1971 Sigma Pi sponsors powder puff football.

1974 Delta Rho plays Alpha Sigma in the Turkey Bowl, which is still an annual tradition today. Theta Kappa sponsors a sexy legs contest.

1977-78 Sigma Tau Gamma is the intramural champ. Phi Sigma Epsilon has the highest GPA among fraternities, and Lambda Zeta Pi wins first place at homecoming.

1981 A Greek Council forms, taking representatives from IFC, ISC, and NPHC.

1984 "Greek Week" appears in the yearbook for the first time.

1987 TKE and Alpha Omicron Pi win Greek Week.

1989 ACACIA Housing Corporation Builds first new fraternity house ever at Shippensburg
Theta Chi loses recognition on campus and then charter
Lambda Chi Alpha and TKE become involved in one of largest fights in college history at 72 College Park

1991 Tau Kappa Epsilon loses recognition on campus.
Sigma Tau Gamma loses charter over hazing incident

1994 Greek Week kicks off with a Greek Clean.

1995 Rumors of a Greek Row Begin circulation among Greeks
Sigma Tau Gamma loses house- TKE takes it over
The Phi Sigma Kappa Farm is destroyed by a tornado- landlord fights with brothers and throws them out

1996 Greek Row construction begins…
Sigma Tau Gamma gets first house on "Greek Row"- subsequently gets charter back

1997 Kappa Sigma gets 2nd house on Greek Row

1998 In the Spring, Delta Zeta, Sigma Delta lose recognition on campus.
In the Fall, Theta Kappa loses recognition on campus.
Phi Sigma Kappa and Chi Gamma Iota get 3rd and 4th houses on Greek Row

1999 In the Spring, Sigma Delta regains campus recognition.
In the Fall, Delta Zeta regains campus recognition, and Chi Gamma Iota loses its recognition on campus.
Kappa Sigma also gets their charter revoked.
The Infamous Sig Pi Mansion closes its Doors
Sigma Tau Gamma loses House- subsequently destroys it, Delta Zeta moves in

2000 Phi Sigma Kappa loses their charter; Sigma Tau Gamma also loses their charter
Chi Gamma Iota member and two others accused of execution style murder of SU student
Kappa Sigma loses their house, Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority moves in

2001 TKE manages to take over a sorority house on Greek Row

2004 Kappa Sigma and Sigma Tau Gamma Recolonize on campus
Delta Upsilon Underground Chapter gets evicted from house on Greek Row
Lambda Chi Alpha and LCAP purchase the Acacia House at 101 Brookside Avenue from local Acacia Alumnus.

2005 Pi Kappa Phi loses their charter; Alpha Chi Rho also loses their charter
Lambda Chi Alpha places first in Homecoming Float Competition with Alpha Omicron Pi

2008 Lambda Chi Alpha Undergrads destroy house in August
Lambda Chi Alpha International HQ unanimously votes to close Shippensburg Chapter due to vandalism, large debts and lack of chapter accoutability

2009 TKE destroys house on Greek Row, and is evicted
Alpha Omicron Pi celebrates 25 years at Ship...
GREEK LIFE AT SHIPPENSBURG CELEBRATES 50 YEARS!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Greek Life at SU

Found this on Lamda Chi's website and thought it was interesting...

History of Greek Life at Shippensburg University
Early in 1959, when Shippensburg University was named Shippensburg State College (SSC), our first Greek organization was born. It was a National Fraternity named Phi Sigma Epsilon. Later that year, two more National Fraternities were founded, Sigma Tau Gamma and Tau Kappa Epsilon. Also in that same year, the first sorority was founded, the local organization Alpha Sigma. In 1960, another Men's Fraternity, Sigma Pi, officially became a part of SSC's Greek Community.

Not until five years later did SSC welcome its second and third sororities. Both Theta Kappa and Zeta Beta were local women's organizations that became part of SSC in 1965. The very next year, 1966, SSC welcomed its fourth National Men's Fraternity, Acacia. In 1968, as Theta Chi began at SSC, so did two other local women's organizations Delta Rho and Sigma Delta. The last organization to become a part of the SSC Greek Community in the 1960's was Kappa Sigma, a National Men's Fraternity.

The next decade saw much growth in the Greek Community as it welcomed 7 more organizations to Shippensburg's campus. In 1971, Shippensburg's first National Sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau, was founded. Also in 1971, another local sorority, Lambda Tau was founded. In 1972, Delta Zeta came to Shippensburg as the second National Sorority. In 1973, the first historically African-American men's organization was found here at Shippensburg in the local group of Alpha Beta Omega. In 1976, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, INC. was founded, and in 1977, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, INC. began. Both groups are historically African-American women's organizations. In 1977 another first happened on campus, two organizations merged to make one. Zeta Beta and Lambda Tau merged to make one local group and renamed themselves Lambda Zeta Pi.

The 1980's began by recognizing the first national historically African-American men's organization, Kappa Alpha Psi, which was founded at Shippensburg in 1981. In 1982 Lambda Chi Alpha, a National Fraternity, was founded. In 1984, Shippensburg State College became Shippensburg University, and it welcomed two more national organizations as the members of Lambda Zeta Pi helped form Alpha Omicron Pi, a National Women's Fraternity, and Pi Lambda Phi, a National Fraternity, found a home here as well. In 1985 Phi Sigma Epsilon underwent a national merger with another National Fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa. All Chapters of Phi Sigma Epsilon took the name of Phi Sigma Kappa including, the chapter here at Shippensburg. In 1986, three more organizations were founded on this campus; Pi Kappa Phi, a National Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, an historically African-American Fraternity, and Kappa Tau Epsilon, a local women's organization. In 1987, the National Women's Fraternity Phi Sigma Sigma began its chapter here. Theta Chi also closed it's doors in the 80's.

The 1990's did not see as much growth as the other decades; however, six organizations were founded during this time. In 1991, Alpha Chi Rho, a National Men's Fraternity was founded, and Chi Gamma Iota began as a local men's organization. For the second time in Shippensburg's Greek Community, 1991 saw two local organizations merge to form a third, Alpha Phi, a National Women's Fraternity. In 1995, Delta Upsilon was founded, followed in 1997 by Alpha Phi Alpha, a historically African-American Fraternity. The last addition to our campus was Phi Delta Theta, in 1999. The nineties also saw the closing of Sigma Tau Gamma, Phi Sigma Kappa, Chi Gamma Iota, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Kappa Sigma. The fraternities that began the next decade strong were Lambda Chi Alpha, ACACIA, Phi Delt, and Pi Kappa Phi. These four were aided by superior housing and strong membership.

2004 saw the return of Sigma Tau Gamma as well as Kappa Sigma to campus, but the real change occurred when Lambda Chi Alpha along with their national fraternity purchases the Acacia House at 101 Brookside Avenue. This marked a huge change in the Greek system at the college.

Between 2005 and 2006, Pi Kappa Phi permanently closed their doors as well as Delta Upsilon and Alpha Chi Rho "Crow". At the end of 2006 the fraternites recognized by the IFC were Lambda Chi Alpha, TKE, Sigma Tau Gamma, Pi Lambda Phi, Kappa Sigma and Phi Delta Theta.

2009 marked the 50th anniversary of Greek Life at Shippensburg University

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

New Website - Ship AOII

From the outside looking in, you can never understand it,
From the inside looking out, you can never explain it.


Check out the TAU LAMBDA website!!!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Ship Happenings - Alumni Association

Please Touch Museum @ Memorial Hall Fairmount Park
Date: Sunday, January 31, 2010
Admit Time: 12:00 noon
Location: 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia
Cost: $15.00
Your Alumni Host: Jen Tofts ‘96
Bring the children and join us in Memorial Hall. The Please Touch Museum at Memorial Hall provides play experiences for everyone in a variety of exhibit zones. Cost includes a ticket for the fully restored 1908 carousal.
Please RSVP by: January 13, 2010.


Alumni Social & Guest Bartender Night @ The Field House, Philadelphia
Date: Thursday, March 25, 2010
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: 1150 Filbert St., Philadelphia
Cost: $10.00/person
Your Guest Bartenders: Jody Harpster ‘74M, Executive Vice President External Affairs; Tony Winter ’76, Interim Dean, College of Business.
Join us at The Field House for our Alumni & Friends Social and Guest Bartender Night. From Shippensburg, Dr. Jody Harpster '74M and Dr. Tony Winter ’76 will be guest bartending. Come on out for a fun social evening and support Shippensburg while enjoying the company of friends and fellow alumni. Slippery Rock University alumni will be joining us as well! Hors d'oeuvres and door prizes throughout the night. Cash bar available with special drink prices of $3 beers, $4 wines, and $5 mixed drinks. Help us prepare and let us know you'll be there - RSVP to alumni@ship.edu or phone (717) 477-1218 by March 17.
**Parking is available at Elite Parking on 11th & Filbert at a rate of $6.00 for guests. Bring your ticket to the social for validation.
Please RSVP by: March 17, 2010. Cover charge payable in advance or at the door. Help us prepare - RSVP's appreciated.


To pay by credit card, please call 717-477-1218. Checks payable to SUAA/SU Foundation. Mail to: Shippensburg University, Rife Alumni House, 1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg, PA 17257

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Our AOII Founders

Which founder can you most identify with?

Helen St. Clair Mullan
A true scholare with a keen mind, Helen was destined to become a great lawyer. She was the organizational genius of the group and gave AOII its Constitution and Bylaws. As AOII's third National President, she installed many of the early chapters and promoted expansion. As the mother of two daughters, she was also prominent in New York education, serving on the Board of Education and as a Trustee of Barnard College. She was also a gifted musician.

Stella George Stern Perry
Stella was well-known for her literary talents. She was the first president of Alpha Chapter, the first National President of AOII and was elected historian of AOII for life. Artistic, dramatic and idealistic, she gave AOII's ritual simplicity and tolerance. Her work was well done as AOII's ritual is unchanged since 1897.

Elizabeth Heywood Wyman
Bess, as she was usually called, was outstanding in education, social welfare, and as a writer. Bess was the 13th National President of AOII. Prior to that she spent five years as AOII's first Registrar and established the Central Office. She was always helping others, her quiet confident manner came from an inner strength. She gave AOII sympathetic understanding, kindness, gentleness, and conscientious leadership.

Jessie Wallace Hughan
Jessie distinguished herself as a teacher and writer. She was a gallant crusader for any cause she felt was just. She was a true philanthropist and a dynamic leader. Jessie gave AOII depth and sincerity.

Happy Founders' Day!