Petition to the Supreme Council and Grand Chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma From the University of New Orleans Colony of Delta Beta Fall 2016
Statement of Petition To: The Supreme Council and Grand Chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma From: The University of New Orleans Colony of Delta Beta We, the members of the University of New Orleans Colony of the Delta Beta Chapter, do hereby petition the national fraternity for the establishment of a permanent collegiate chapter at the University of New Orleans. With this request, we accept all responsibilities associated with this honor and commit to upholding the Three Objects of Alpha Chi Sigma. We have labored to see this dream fulfilled since the initiation of Alpha class in the Fall of 2013. We have endeavored to embody the Three Objects through social events and community outreach striving to become an embedded part of the Chemistry Department, the University of New Orleans, and the communities in and around the city. We have joyfully performed chemistry demos, barbequed, tutored, mentored, and shared joy, but we have also fallen short of our goals, improperly managed our time, been selfish, and shared sadness. These experiences, good and bad, have brought us closer and helped us grow. They have made us better as a group. We have been able to share in the successes and support each other in those times when we have fallen short of perfection. We have been welcomed and warmly received by the faculty and staff of the university. Our advisor, Dr. Matthew Tarr, has demonstrated qualities that I hope we can all embody. He has been patient, offered guidance, and been generous with his time. The brothers here are all very grateful to our parent chapter, Delta Beta, and Dan Znidersic and Matt Schnippert, who have served us well as District Counselors. With their help, we have made it this far, and we are looking forward to standing, proudly as a chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma. Yours in the double bond, The Brothers of the University of New Orleans Colony
ΑΧΣ At the University of New Orleans The University of New Orleans Pre-colony, through the Delta Beta Chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity, at Alcorn State University, was conceived from the notion of a Chemistry Instructor, Sean Hickey and the Chemistry Club. In the Fall of 2013, a chemistry post baccalaureate, Grayson Pool, initiated contact with Alpha Chi Sigma and organized the formation of a Pre-Colony on UNO s campus. In August 2013, Mr. Pool submitted a petition to the Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity to officially form a Precolony on UNO s campus. On November 25, 2013, the 9 members of Alpha Class of the Pre-colony of the Delta Beta Chapter were inducted in a pinning ceremony at UNO by brothers who traveled from Alcorn State University. The Alpha Class was initiated at Alcorn State University on January 11, 2014. With this initiation, the first wave of officers for the Pre-Colony at the University of New Orleans consisted of: Master Alchemist Grayson Pool Vice Master Alchemist Sarah Gauthier Reporter Shaniqua Hayes Recorder Treva Brown Treasurer Benjamin Wilkins In Spring 2014, 5 members of Beta Class of the UNO Pre-colony were inducted on February 18, 2014, by the brothers of UNO. The Beta Class then traveled to Alcorn State University for Initiation in conjunction with Alcorn State University pledges. The Initiation Ceremony was conducted on April 11, 2014 at Alcorn State University by brothers from both Alcorn and UNO. Spring elections were held and the following officers were installed for the 2014-2015 school year: Master Alchemist Grayson Pool Vice Master Alchemist Sarah Gauthier Reporter Evan Melancon Recorder Treva Brown Treasurer Adrianna Lochner Following in Fall 2014, the University of New Orleans was recognized as an official Colony of AXΣ. The Gamma Class with 7 members was inducted that same semester on September 17, 2014, by the UNO members. The first Initiation Ceremony at UNO was then held on November 15, 2014, whereby the Gamma Class was initiated into the Brotherhood by UNO members and the South Central District Counselor (SCDC), Daniel Znidersic.
Spring 2015 brought the Delta Class of 6 members, inducted on January 27, 2015. The Delta Class of UNO was initiated into the Fraternity on March 21, 2015 alongside pledges of Delta Beta. Brothers traveled from Alcorn University as well to partake in the Initiation Ceremony with the UNO members, under the supervision of the SCDC. At the close of the semester, a new set of officers stepped in: Master Alchemist Sarah Gauthier Vice Master Alchemist Astrid Manuel Reporter Adrianna Lochner Recorder Elliot Alexander Treasurer Treva Brown Master of Ceremonies Bradly Duhon Alumni Secretary Grayson Pool Pledge Secretary Evan Meancon Webmaster Manuel Morejon-Toledo Outreach Coordinator Mark Granier Fundraising Coordinator Jonathon Long Epsilon class of Fall 2015 consisted of 9 pledges who were inducted on September 4 and 9, 2015. The Initiation Ceremony was held at the UNO Chemistry Building on Saturday, November 14, 2015. Of the original 9 pledges, 6 were fully initiated into Brotherhood. During this Initiation Ceremony, the Colony initiated its first Faculty Member, Dr. Matthew Tarr, officially becoming our Chapter Advisor. It was in the Spring of 2015 that the Colony of Delta Beta at the University of New Orleans faced its most difficult trial. The Master Alchemist, Sarah Gauthier, found employment outside of the university and stepped down, handing the mantle to Astrid Manuel, the Vice Master Alchemist. Astrid soon became severely ill, causing her to relocate closer to her family. Without an MA or VMA, the semester continued on listlessly with Alpha Chi Sigma at UNO lacking direction. The brothers of the University of New Orleans Colony participated in several outreach and social events on their own during this semester, but no recruiting or initiation took place, making this the first and only semester where no new members were added to the ranks of the Colony of Delta Beta at the University of New Orleans. Elections were held, and a new group of leaders emerged. The first council of officers not containing any members of Alpha class was set to guide the UNO Colony through the 2016-2017 academic year and into Chapter status. The new officers are: Master Alchemist Bradly Duhon Vice Master Alchemist Nichole Pianovich
Reporter/Recorder Mina Hibino Treasurer Terrel Shields Master of Ceremonies Kaylin Kilgore Alumni Secretary Alejandro Molina Pledge Secretary Jonathon Long Webmaster Amina Batiste Outreach Coordinator Nam Ly Fundraiser Coordinator Elliot Alexander This leads us to the Fall of 2016. The 13 pledges of Zeta class were inducted on October 20 th 2016, and will be initiated on November 19 th.
Initiation Classes Alpha (Jan. 2014): Allison R. Lesage Benjamin P. Wilkins Charles B. Furlan Grayson Pool Ryan J. McKinnie Sarah P. Gauthier Shaniqua A. Hayes Shaun A. Eschmann Treva T. Brown Beta (Spring 2014): Adrianna K. Lochner Astrid M. Manuel Bradly J. Duhon Clare Davis-Wheeler Evan J. Melancon Gamma (Fall 2014): Jonathan A. Long Jr. Manuel Morejon-Toledo Mark W. Granier Patrick P. Apipanyakul Shantel Charles Terrell J. Shields Jr. Delta (Spring 2015): Amina J. Batiste
Elliot C. Alexander Jr. Kelle M. Landix Nichole Pianovich Shrederick C. King Jr. Thao T. Nguyen Epsilon (Fall 2015): Alejandro Molina Alexis Sumas Juan Carlos Mogollon Kaylin Kilgore Dr. Matthew Tarr Mina Hibino Nam Ly Tasneam Darweesh Thanh Nguyen Zeta (Fall 2016): Amanda Barbish Andrew Brocato Ariel Hernandez Bianca Canizares Brooke Diehl Jacey Culliford Jessica Hannan Kandice Lassaire Katherine Humpal Kristen Latour Morris Bonton III
Samantha Schwartz Vincent Margiotta
Activities Super Science Saturday (in celebration of National Chemistry Week) In conjunction with the Children s Museum of New Orleans, members of the UNO colony go to the museum and perform chemistry demos. This event takes place every October. Chemistry Department Barbeque Members of Alpha Chi Sigma assist the Department of Chemistry biannually in putting on a Barbeque open to all students, faculty, and staff of the university. Chemistry Department Halloween Party Members of Alpha Chi Sigma assist the Department of Chemistry annually in putting on a party to celebrate Halloween open to all students, faculty, and staff of the university. Chemistry Demo s near the Library In conjunction with the Graduate Chemical Society, composed of the graduate students in the Chemistry Department, Alpha Chi Sigma members perform demos near the UNO library. This is usually done every semester. First Object Get Togethers In the time off from classes, between semesters, the brothers organize an event to further the first object of the fraternity. Events in the past have included tubing on a river, rock climbing, and movie nights. Bake Sale During exam week, members of the UNO Colony sell coffee and homemade baked goods as a fund raiser. Science Fair Judging Local K-12 schools often ask students enrolled in the College of Sciences to volunteer as judges for their science fairs. Brothers in the UNO Colony are always eager to help whenever called on. Zumbathon (Raising money for the Suzan G. Komen Foundation) In addition to several brothers participating in this event, one of our brothers, Treva Brown, is a Zumba instructor and hosts the event.
Department of Chemistry 102 Chemical Sciences Building 2000 Lakeshore Drive New Orleans, LA 70148-2820 (504) 280-6311 Fax: (504) 280-6860 October 17, 2016 University of New Orleans Alpha Chi Sigma 6296 Rucker Road, Suite B Indianapolis, IN 46220 Dear Alpha Chi Sigma: As advisor for the University of New Orleans Pre-Colony, through the Delta Beta Chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity, I am writing to support the pre-colony s petition for colony status. The UNO Pre-Colony was conceived from the notion of a Chemistry Instructor, Sean Hickey and the Chemistry Club In the Fall of 2013, a chemistry post baccalaureate, Grayson Pool, initiated contact with Alpha Chi Sigma and organized the formation of a chapter on UNO s campus. In August 2013, Mr. Pool submitted a petition to the Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity to officially form a Pre-colony on UNO s campus. On November 25, 2013, the 9 members of Alpha Class of the Pre-colony of the Delta Beta Chapter were inducted in a pinning ceremony at UNO by brothers who traveled from Alcorn State University. The Alpha Class was initiated at Alcorn State University on January 11, 2014. In Spring 2014, 5 members of Beta Class of the UNO Pre-colony were inducted on February 18, 2014, by the brothers of UNO. The Beta Class then traveled to Alcorn State University for Initiation in conjunction with Alcorn State University pledges. The Initiation Ceremony was conducted on April 11, 2014 at Alcorn State University by brothers from both Alcorn and UNO. Following in Fall 2014, the University of New Orleans was recognized as an official Colony of AXΣ. The Gamma Class, with 7 members, was inducted that same semester on September 17, 2014 by the UNO members. The first Initiation Ceremony at UNO was then held on November 15, 2014, whereby the Gamma Class was initiated into the Brotherhood by UNO members and the South Central District Counselor (SCDC), Daniel Znidersic. Spring 2015 brought the Delta Class of 6 members, and these pledges were inducted on January 27, 2015. The Delta Class of UNO was initiated into the Fraternity on March 21, 2015, along with the pledges of Delta Beta. Brothers traveled from Alcorn University as well to partake in the Initiation Ceremony with the UNO members under the supervision of the SCDC. On Nov. 14, 2015, 9 members were inducted at UNO as the Epsilon Class. The Colony at UNO has been very active. On average there have been 2-3 outreach events and 2-4 social events per semester. The AXΣ members have contributed substantially to the culture of the UNO Department of Chemistry, and a continued strong role of this organization will certainly serve to strengthen the department. Through the years, the UNO Department of Chemistry has had an intermittent Undergraduate Chemistry Club. More recently, the Graduate Chemical Society has been active for about 8 years. While the Graduate Chemical Society remains consistent, the Undergraduate Chemistry Club is currently inactive. Even with the Graduate Chemical Society in place, the AXΣ!A Member of the University of Louisiana System Committed to Equal Opportunity
Department of Chemistry 102 Chemical Sciences Building 2000 Lakeshore Drive New Orleans, LA 70148-2820 (504) 280-6311 Fax: (504) 280-6860 University of New Orleans Colony has provided considerable support and organization of departmental functions, both internally and regarding outreach events with local K-12 schools. Without such support, many of these programs would not have occurred. Consequently, the UNO Department of Chemistry would be well served into the future by obtaining an independent AXΣ chapter. Through several years and changes in leadership, the UNO Colony has remained active and cohesive. As current advisor, former department chair, and professor of 21 years, I enthusiastically support the petition for Chapter status. Sincerely, Matthew A. Tarr Eurofins Professor in Analytical Chemistry!A Member of the University of Louisiana System Committed to Equal Opportunity
Department of Chemistry 102 Chemical Sciences Building 2000 Lakeshore Drive New Orleans, LA 70148 (504) 280-6311 Fax: (504) 280-6860 University of New Orleans October 20, 2016 Alpha Chi Sigma 6296 Rucker Road, Suite B Indianapolis, IN 46220 Dear Alpha Chi Sigma: I am writing to strongly support the petition for a new chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma Chapter at the University of New Orleans. The current pre-colony at UNO has been very active with the Department of Chemistry. Pre-colony members have been very active in supporting internal departmental events as well as off-campus community outreach events. These students have become the face of the department and have given this department much recognition campus-wide as well as in K-12 institutions around the greater New Orleans area. Overall, I have been very impressed by the student leadership of this organization. The current president, Bradley Duhon is very enthusiastic and has led a successful recruiting campaign that has greatly expanded the number of participants. This will undoubtedly translate to a larger footprint on campus life at UNO. In addition, the faculty advisor, Professor Matthew Tarr has done an outstanding job in guiding these students and is very committed to the success of the UNO Chapter. In summary, I enthusiastically support the formation of a new of chapter Alpha Chi Sigma at the University of New Orleans. As Chair, I will do everything in my power to provide the necessary resources and encouragement for this new chapter to flourish. I am confident that a new chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma at the University of New Orleans will be proud addition to the Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity. Sincerely, Mark L. Trudell UNO Distinguished Professor and Chair A Member of the University of Louisiana System Committed to Equal Opportunity
Alpha Chi Sigma 6296 Rucker Road, Suite B Indianapolis, IN 46220 Dear Alpha Chi Sigma: I am writing to strongly support the UNO pre-colony petition to become an Alpha Chi Sigma Chapter. The colony at UNO has been very active and, as the Dean of Sciences, I applaud their internal and external outreach activities. As an urban research university with a large commuter population, this chapter will help to build important social relations in the UNO community and with our external partners. These students can play a key role in K-12 outreach and to inform these students about the outstanding opportunities in Chemistry and STEM. Lastly, Dr. Matt Tarr has served as an outstanding advisor for our students and he is very committed to the success of the UNO Chapter. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Steven G. Johnson Dean, College of Sciences 2000 Lakeshore Dr. 1100 Science Building New Orleans, Louisiana 70148 Tel (504) 280-6303 Fax (504) 280-7483 sciences@uno.edu www.uno.edu/cos A Member of the University of Louisiana System