As the 2016-2017 school year comes to a close, Kean University takes a step back to evaluate the success of the school year. Thriving departments are housed all over Kean University, but this year in particular, the Greek life of Kean University has an outstanding repertoire of achievement from this year. This success was recognized at the annual Greek Awards Banquet.
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Incorporated broke ground on the house that the organization is building in Newark, N.J, in February of 2016. The house is close to being finished and the Greek community anticipates its completion.
Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority captured the Amy Vojta Impact Award for Public Relations at the Northeast Greek Leadership Association (NGLA) Conference in February of 2016 due to the organization’s ground-breaking and moving video “Love Yourself.” The sorority made this video as part of its campaign against Anorexia Nervosa and Associative Disorders (ANAD).
Lambda Theta Alpha took home the VP award for their contribution to student life for their program “Aspire High.”
Lastly, Greek Senate pulled off an extremely successful Kean Dance Marathon (KDM) on Friday, April 15, 2016. KDM raised over $38,000, a good $8,000 over the intended goal for the event. All the proceeds from KDM went to the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, N.J.
It’s safe to say that Greek life made a notable impact within the Kean University this past year. The achievements these past two semesters were acknowledged on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, at 5 p.m. at the Greek Awards Banquet. The banquet was held at Galloping Hill Caterers in Union, N.J and was meant to recognize the outstanding members of Greek life and the Greek Senate of Kean University.
The banquet began with a charismatic opening statement from Alex Louis, the Assistant Director of Center for Leadership and Service. Speeches from Janice Murray-Laury, the Vice President of Student Affairs; Scott Snowden, the Director for the Center for Leadership and Service; and Whitney Wanton, the President of Greek Senate.
The awards and recognition presented at the banquet are as follows. The winners of the Greek Olympics were presented with trophies at the banquet. Of the sororities on campus, third place went to Nu Delta Chi, second place went to Delta Phi Epsilon and first place went to Theta Phi Alpha. From the competing fraternities, Sigma Theta Chi got third place, second place went to Nu Sigma Phi and Sigma Beta Tau took first place!
The organizations involved in the Five Star Program received awards for places fist through third. Of the sororities, third place went to Lambda Theta Alpha, second place was given to Sigma Beta Chi, and first place was awarded to Delta Phi Epsilon. Sigma Theta Chi took third place for the fraternities, second place was Nu Sigma Phi, and first t place went to Nu Delta Pi. The Five Star Program is an evaluative program that each Greek organization undergoes each year.
“Being a Five Star organization is an honor as well as a hard earned achievement.” said CJ Garifalos, sophomore criminal justice major and President of Nu Sigma Phi. “It shows the determination each and every member of Nu Sigma Phi has towards serving our community as well as being unified with the great Greek organizations at Kean University.”
The Vice President (VP) Academic Achievement Awards went to Andrea M. Arbizu from Delta Phi Epsilon and Patrick J. Misale from Nu Sigma Phi. The VP Contribution to Student Life Award was given to Lambda Theta Alpha.
The Greek Senate Academic Achievement Award was given to Delta Phi Epsilon for the sororities and Gamma Psi Epsilon for fraternities. The Greek Senate Brother/Sister of the Year Award went to Whitney Wanton from Chi Upsilon Sigma and Terrence Somesla-McCornell from Nu Delta Pi. The Greek Senate New Member of the Year awards went to Brett Coleman from Nu Delta Pi, and Rosaly Santana from Lambda Theta Alpha.
The Advisor of the Year Award went to Sheila Philbert from Chi Upsilon Sigma. The Greek Senate Service Project of the Year went to Nu Delta Pi for its project entitled “See You Tomorrow.” The Greek Senate Most Completed Service Hours Awards went to Delta Phi Epsilon for sororities and Nu Sigma Phi for fraternities.
The Most Improved Chapter Award was presented to Lambda Delta Chi, and lastly, the Executive Board Member of the Year went to Somesla-McCornell.
At the conclusion of an extremely prosperous year for the Greek Senate and Greek organizations, special thanks has been extended to various offices and organizations around campus. These organizations include the Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Task Force (ATOD), the Center for Leadership and Service (CLS), the Department of Campus Safety and Police, Facilities and Campus Planning and the Greek Affairs Staff, among others.
As the semester wraps up, the Greek community looks back on a successful year with tons of memories made. Congratulations to all the award winners from the Greek Awards Banquet, and Kean University looks forward to the Greek presence on campus once again come the start of the fall semester.
