Three students from the University, Kyle Coapman ’13 of Delta Upsilon Fraternity, Harini Morisetty ’13 (T5) of Delta Phi Omega Sorority, and Kelly Scull ’14, Sigma Delta Tau Sorority, were recipients of the Greek Leaders of Distinction Award. This award recognizes students who exemplify the ideals of their fraternity or sorority within their daily lives. Nominees were judged on several criteria, including leadership, scholastic and academic achievement, character as displayed through fraternity or sorority membership, and service to the University, to the individual’s organization, and to the fraternity and sorority community at large.

Sigma Phi Epsilon also was recognized with the Amy Vojta Impact Award for Philanthropy & Service; which recognizes programming and initiatives that made an impact on a chapter. The fraternity was honored for their work planning and organizing the 19th Ward Spelling Bee.

The annual event is a partnership between Sigma Phi Epsilon, the 19th Ward Community Association, Rochester City School District, Rochester Area Community Foundation, and University of Rochester Admissions Office. Throughout the academic year students in grades three through seven receive spelling bee support in their respective schools and attend monthly sessions where members of Sigma Phi Epsilon tutor them in preparation for the preliminary and the final rounds. Students’ hard work culminates with the final round, held in the spring. Prior to the competition students and their parents also have the opportunity to explore the River Campus and engage with members of the University community.

“By bringing students to our school and showing them what they are capable of, we believe that we intrinsically motivate them to learn and reach their full potential,” wrote Jonathan Macoskey ’15, Sigma Phi Epsilon president, in a letter nominating the fraternity for the award. “We hope that as these students near the end of high school, this event’s impact will be visible; encouraging the pursuit of higher education at a young age will hopefully aid in increasing high school graduation rates in the city of Rochester.”

Winners for each grade level receive a $500 scholarship given upon high school graduation and intent to attend college.

University of Rochester award recipients included Lucas Piazza ’12 of Delta Upsilon Fraternity and Anna Richlin ’12 of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, who received the Student Greek Leaders of Distinction Award. This award recognizes students who exemplify the ideals of their fraternity or sorority within their daily lives. The individuals were judged on several criteria, including leadership, scholastic and academic achievement, character as displayed through fraternity or sorority membership, and service to the University, to the individual’s organization, and to the fraternity and sorority community at large.

The Rochester fraternity and sorority community was also recognized with the Amy Vojta Impact Award; which was presented to groups that created an original program with an impact on the community. The Rochester community received the award in the area of multicultural initiatives and programming for the Greek-or-Treat event.

The community collaborated with a nearby city elementary school, bringing more than to the University campus to trick or treat on Halloween. Every fraternity/sorority (31 in total) purchased two bags of candy for the children and worked with the fraternities on the Fraternity Quad to provide the children with an opportunity to go trick-or-treating, engage in fun activities, and enjoy snacks and beverages.

According to Neftali Morales ’12, president of the Multicultural Greek Council, planning the Greek-or-Treat had several benefits, including building relationships with the elementary school. “This was key because of our interest to repeat this event for years to come,” Morales explained in a letter nominating Rochester for the award.

Morales also noted that the event created an opportunity for collaboration and conversation among the fraternities and sororities on campus. “The organizations were able to share what they offered on campus and these conversations led to a number of different co-sponsorships on the chapter-to-chapter level,” he said.

Article written by Audrey Kusasira, an intern in University Communications who is pursuing a Master’s of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at the School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Photo courtesy of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.

John DiSarro, assistant director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs at Rochester, was awarded the 2011 Essentials Award for an article he wrote for AFA’s monthly e-newsletter, Essentials. DiSarro’s article, titled Using Restorative Circles to Resolve a Fraternal Crisis, was included in the June 2011 issue and explored the lessons learned from incorporating alternative dispute resolution processes in FSA’s judicial procedures. The Essentials Award recognizes authors who have written thought-provoking pieces that present relevant and practical ideas to AFA members. DiSarro’s article was selected from a pool of more than 50.

DiSarro, a native of Bethlehem, Pa., joined Fraternity and Sorority Affairs in 2007 as a graduate assistant while he pursued a master’s degree in education leadership and higher education student affairs from the University’s Warner School of Education. DiSarro, who is a member of Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, graduated summa cum laude from the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Tara Leigh Sands, the Expectations for Excellence graduate assistant in FSA, received the AFA’s Marlin Bradley Ally Scholarship, which covered the registration costs associated with attending the conference.

Sands, a native of New Jersey, joined FSA in 2008 after completing a degree at Western Carolina University. At Western Carolina, she served as a Greek Assistant Resident Director, supervising and training a team of student house managers and managing the Greek Village Budget. She also was a graduate advisor for the College Panhellenic Council, where she coordinated formal recruitment efforts and served on the Greek Life Advisory Committee. Sands, who joined Gamma Phi Beta sorority as an alumnae initiate in fall 2009, is currently pursuing a degree from the Warner School.

Additionally, Monica Miranda Smalls, director of FSA at Rochester and AFA’s outgoing president, ended her term by presenting the inaugural Monica L. Miranda Smalls Scholarship. Similar to the Marlin Bradley Ally Scholarship, this award is given to a young professional or graduate student and offsets the cost of attending the organization’s annual conference. It is the first scholarship created that gives preference to members of culturally-based fraternities and sororities in an effort to increase access for underrepresented members of AFA.

Smalls, who was inducted as AFA’s president in 2010, is a member of two other professional organizations, the NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). She has been actively involved with her sorority, Omega Phi Beta, for 18 years and served as the inaugural chair of the Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2009. Smalls also is enrolled in the educational leadership program at the Warner School of Education.

Founded in 1976, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors provides support and professional development for its 1,700 members by fostering partnerships across higher education and offering innovative resources and services to those involved in advising fraternities and sororities.

Article written by Melissa Greco Lopes, editor of The Buzz and student life publicist in University Communications. Photos courtesy of Monica Miranda Smalls, Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.

Welcome to Movember, a 30-day time period when men put down their razors and grow out their moustaches, while raising awareness of the health issues many men face, most specifically, cancer.

To date, members of DKE have raised more than $800, which will benefit Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the national partners of the U.S. chapter.

According to Movember’s website, the organization launched in Melbourne, Australia in 2003. Since its inception, more than a 1.1 million people have  joined the movement, raising more than $174 M USD to date.

For updates on DKE’s progress, check out their website or follow them on twitter (@DKEBetaPhi).

Before and After Photos - Spencer Miller

Before and After Photos - Erik Van Houten

Before and After Photos - Brok Kloeber

Before and After Photos - Travis Block

Story and photo courtesy of Mt. Hope Family Center

University of Rochester award recipients include Drew Alessi ’11, of Chi Phi Fraternity, Katarina Gardner ’11, of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, and Luis Soto ’11, of Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, who each received the Student Greek Leaders of Distinction Award. This award recognizes students who exemplify the ideals of their fraternity or sorority within their daily lives. The individuals were judged on several criteria including leadership, scholastic and academic achievement, character as displayed through fraternity or sorority membership, and service to the University, to the individual’s organization, and to the Fraternity and Sorority community at large.

Two Rochester Greek organizations also were recognized with the Amy Vojta Impact Award, which is presented to groups that created an original program with an impact on the community. Chi Phi Fraternity won the Multi-Cultural Initiative Programming award for its Ise Lyfe Program, during which renowned spoken word artist Ise Lyfe performed for the Rochester community in honor of Black History Month. The entire fraternity and sorority community was honored with the Public Relations Award for “Greek Glow Out,” an event during Orientation 2010. The program introduced freshmen to the fraternity and sorority community through a carnival-style event on the Fraternity Quad.

Sigma Phi Epsilon was awarded an honorable mention in the Chapter Development and Leadership category for its Epsilon Challenge, a program that encourages initiated brothers to develop leadership skills.

John DiSarro, assistant director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs at Rochester, attended the conference with members of the Interfraternity Council Executive Board. He congratulated the recipients, saying, “These awards reflect the commitment of our entire fraternity and sorority community to strengthen campus life at the University of Rochester and provide outstanding leadership development for its members.”

Monica Miranda Smalls, the director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, was honored with the Philippi Award at the conference. Given to a fraternity and sorority affairs professional who has been nominated by an undergraduate, the Philippi Award acknowledges the role Smalls plays in the daily operation of campus life, programs that she has enacted throughout her tenure, and the relationship that Smalls has cultivated with the students in the community.

“Many of our undergraduate student leaders exemplify the true purpose of fraternal organizations,” said Smalls, who was recently elected president of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors. “It’s nice to see others recognize and reward them for the good work they are doing to enhance the overall student and community experience at the University.”