Alpha Eta Chapter
Alpha Eta Chapter
(Founded 12 November 1989) is located at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. The Chapter was founded by Richard Freed. Alpha Eta is a member of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Region. The Chapter has been honored with numerous national awards, including five Top Ten Chapter awards, five Top in East Region awards, and four Joseph Torchia Outstanding Chapter Awards.
Contents
Chapter History
Founding
Alpha Eta was founded by Richard Freed on November 12th, 1989. He was also a founder of the Delta Chi Chapter at Lehigh University.
Chapter Leadership
Past Chapter Presidents
- Lena Julle, (1989-90)
- Dave Ryan, (1990-91)
- Matt Yancisin, (1991-93)
- Diane Leather, (1993-94)
- Michael Sicuranza, AH 156 (1994-95)
- Anthony Semaio, (1995-96)
- Stephanie DeMarco, (1996-97)
- William Curtis, AH 219 (1997-98)
- Evan Rosen, AH 237 (1998-99)
- David Petrucci, Jr., AH 262 (1999-2000)
- Ed Vergano, (2000-01)
- Laura Vella Geynisman, AH 334 (2001-02)
- Megan Dalfovo,(2002-03)
- Kevin Eanes, (2003-04)
- Michael Smith, AH 407 (2004-05)
- Zach Schafer, (2005-06)
- Brian Brady (2006-07)
- Emily Hueber (2007-08)
- Zach Wendel (2008)
- Lauren Vascellaro (2009)
- Matthew McClure (2010)
- Emily Fenn (2011)
- Kristen Barnett (2012)
- Bobby Andersen (2013)
- Lorene McCoy (2014)
The Active Chapter
The current active chapter has just over 50 Active Brothers.
The Executive Committee
Alpha Eta's Executive Committee is composed of five elected members. These members are elected each fall to serve for the following calendar year, and all members having voting privileges.
2014 Alpha Eta Chapter Executive Committee
- President: Lorene McCoy
- Vice President: Julie Ly
- Treasurer: Dave Lerman
- Secretary: Amy Lalime
- Parliamentarian: Jess Velez/Joe Massaro
Main Article: List of Alpha Eta Executive Committees
The Executive Board
Alpha Eta's Executive Board is constructed differently from many other Chapters. The Vice-President is the Chair of the Executive Board, which is composed of elected officers not on the Executive Committee, elected Co-Chairs of Standing Committees, and appointed Chairs and Co-Chairs of Ad-Hoc Committees.
Main Article: List of Alpha Eta Chapter Executive Boards
Initiate Classes
Alpha Eta selects one initiate class each semester after holding four Information Sessions and a four Rush nights. The sizes of Alpha Eta's Initiate classes vary from semester to semester. The smallest initiate classes, Epsilon and Alpha Pi, each had six members while the largest class, Beta, had twenty eight.
For more information on individual Initiate Classes, please refer to the link below.
Main Article: List of Alpha Eta Chapter Initiate Classes
Chapter Events & Activities
Hope Bowl
The Hope Bowl is an annual coed flag-football tournament held by Alpha Eta. At the first annual Hope Bowl in 1996, it was decided that the event would benefit AIDS Delaware. Founded in 1984, AIDS Delaware is the state’s largest and oldest AIDS service organization. It works for health in the human family by providing social and support services to clients and their families as well as prevention and education programs to halt the spread of HIV and other STDs. It also advocates for compassionate public policy.
In 2010, the chapter decided that the money raised by the Hope Bowl should benefit our national philanthropy, Teach for America. In 2011, Alpha Eta was honored by our National Organization for raising the most funds for TFA in a single philanthropic event; in 2012, we were placed on National’s “TFA Honor Roll” for our support of the organization.
In 2013, Hope Bowl’s mission changed again, this time to benefit the B+ Foundation by donating to UDance. UDance is a 12 hour dance marathon on UD’s campus that supports the B+ Foundation. B+ works to provide financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer and fund childhood cancer research. You can learn more by visiting their website at www.bepositive.com
As Hope Bowl approaches its twentieth anniversary, the annual tournament has continued to grow and thrive. Hope Bowl has raised thousands of dollars and has drawn hundreds of University of Delaware students, Phi Sigma Pi Brothers from other chapters and Alumni to support our philanthropic efforts.
Kick the Silence
Kick the Silence (KTS) is a campus-wide kickball tournament hosted by the Alpha Eta Chapter during the spring semester. KTS began as a fundraising initiative in support of CHILD, Inc., an organization that helps families deal with domestic violence. However, in 2013 it was decided that the chapter needed to balance our UDance contribution in the fall semester (from Hope Bowl) with a large fundraiser for our National Philanthropy in the spring semester. KTS was selected to address this need and the kickball tournament now benefits Teach for America. Teach for America (TFA) works to treat educational inequality by training recent college graduates to become certified teachers and connects them with schools in need. To learn more about TFA and how to apply, you can visit their website at www.teachforamerica.org.
Former Chapter Events
Tripod 21
Tripod 21 was a annual regional leadership conference organized by Alpha Eta Chapter started before Regional Conferences were standard events across Phi Sigma Pi. The event was designed for other Phi Sigma Pi chapters in the area to converge and discuss common problems and issues and arrive at solutions. The first Tripod 21 event was held in March 1998 continued nearly every year through 2004 before being discontinued.
Notable Alumni
- National Secretary (2002-2004)
Chapter Honors and Awards
National Awards
Alpha Eta has been recognized for excellence with many national awards. The awards and the years they were received are listed below.
- C.H. McClure Single Service Award
- 1997, 2002
- Top Ten Chapter Award
- 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
- Joseph Torchia Outstanding Chapter Award
- 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009
- Dr. Eldo L. Hendricks Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Programming
- 1999, 2003
- Outstanding Initiate Program Award
- 2004, 2010
- Best in (East) Region Award
- 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- Charles W. Chance Alumni Award
- 2006, 2007
- Chapter Most Able to Overcome Adversity Award
- 2008
- Steven A. DiGuiseppe Administrative Award
- 2008
- Outstanding Fundraiser Award
- 1999
- Most Funds Raised (Teach For America month contest)
- 2011
University Awards
- 2000 University of Delaware Outstanding Volunteer Organization of the Year
- 2011 University of Delaware Special Interest Chapter of the Year