New York Metropolitan Area Alumni Chapter
New York Metro Area Alumni Chapter (NYMAAC) (Founded 12 May 2001) is located in New York City. The Chapter was founded by Alexandra Spirer (Beta Epsilon), Dana Cabral (Alpha Iota), Keri Dinan D’Esposito (Alpha Iota), and Leonardo Zoppa (Alpha Psi). Before the removal of regions from the National Constitution, NYMAAC was a member of the East Region.
Contents
- 1 History
- 1.1 Colony Status to Charter
- 1.2 First Executive Board and Grand Chapter Delegate
- 1.3 2004-2006 Member Influx
- 1.4 2007-2008 Creation of Annual Events
- 1.5 2009-2010 The Year of Four Presidents
- 1.6 2010-2012 A Return to New Jersey
- 1.7 2012-2015 Activity on a National Scale
- 1.8 2015-2019 Continued National Involvement and Participation in HOBY
- 1.9 2019-2021 PANDEMIC!
- 1.10 Current Chapter
- 2 Leadership
- 3 Current and Past Chapter Events & Activities
- 4 Collegiate Outreach and Support
- 5 Notable Members
- 6 Chapter Honors and Awards
- 7 Further Resources
History
Colony Status to Charter
Although chartered in 2001, NYMAAC's story begins in the summer of 1999 when Alexandra Spirer (Beta Epsilon), Dana Cabral (Alpha Iota), Keri Dinan D’Esposito (Alpha Iota), and Leonardo Zoppa (Alpha Psi) came together to form a Phi Sigma Pi alumni group in New York City. An alumni colony was formed, and a year later on 12 May 2001 it became the chapter now known as NYMAAC. The colony phase for alumni chapters was replaced by the advent of Alumni Associations a few years later. As such, NYMAAC is the only alumni chapter to go through the colony process. Alexandra Spirer received our chapter charter at the 2001 National Convention in St. Louis.
First Executive Board and Grand Chapter Delegate
- Alexandra Spirer, President
- Leonardo Zoppa, Vice President
- Keri Dinan D’Esposito, Secretary
- Dana Cabral, Treasurer
Alexandra Spirer also served as our Grand Chapter Delegate for the first several years of our existence.
2004-2006 Member Influx
Shortly after our first year, the three NJ-based founders drifted away from the chapter, leaving NY-based Alexandra Spirer as the sole executive board member. In 2004-2005, NYMAAC experienced an influx of members from the Beta Epsilon chapter, including Allison Park, Jeremy Chin-Shepard (né Shepard), Andrew Berman, Kimberly Smith (née Van Dyke), and Lindsay Becker (née Famula). All of these new members joined the executive board in turn, and in 2008 we held executive board elections for the first time since 2001. Then Vice President of Alumni Development Jonah Goodman was also living in New York at this time, and acted as an adviser to the executive board. This period of rejuvenation culminated in NYMAAC winning a Most Successful Recruitment award at the 2006 Alumni Convention in San Juan.
2007-2008 Creation of Annual Events
In 2007, NYMAAC was involved in the creation of an inter-chapter alumni event in Atlantic City which would ultimately evolve to become NEATO. Alexandra Spirer of NYMAAC, Ayana Wood and John Finnegan of DVAC, and Jeff Lawton of Capital Alumni Chapter wanted to fill the void left by National Convention, which had been held in the fall but in 2007 was combined with the Grand Chapter Conference, held in the summer. Since then, representatives from each of the northeastern alumni chapters have planned the annual fall event, which was held in Atlantic City every year until 2013 when it was hosted by NYMAAC in New York, and then took on the name Tri-Chapter Alumni Weekend (for it had previously just been called "Atlantic City"). After that it rotated between Atlantic City and the home cities of the alumni chapters, which grew to include Baltimore in 2015 when BMAAC was chartered, and the name of the event changed to NEATO.
NYMAAC followed up that first in 2008 with our first-ever Scavenger Hunt. This event became an annual recruitment event and inter-chapter weekend for NYMAAC. Our first one was managed by then board member Juli McLaurin. It began in Union Square and took participants to various points of interest in Midtown before ending with celebratory cupcakes at the Magnolia on the UWS. Juli also planned our second Scavenger Hunt, also starting at 14th Street but taking us down as far as the bull on Wall Street. The Scavenger Hunt continued to be our landmark recruitment event of the year through 2013, by which point our Ice Cream Social had also become an annual recruitment favorite. Being the busy New Yorkers we are, the NYMAAC e-board jumped at the chance to outsource the planning of a complex event such a scavenger hunt, and in 2014 it was replaced (on our calendars but not in our hearts) by our now annual Brrr Crawl.
2009-2010 The Year of Four Presidents
After eight years of leading NYMAAC as president, Alexandra Spirer stepped down from the role and Andrew Berman was elected in 2009. Three months into his term, Andrew took a position on the National Staff and had to step down, triggering an emergency election in which Stella Maher became our third president. At the end of her term, Stella resumed her role as Recruitment Coordinator (which she'd been serving concurrently with president), and Kate McConnell was elected president. This effectively completed a year-long changing of the guard, as Kate continued in the role of president for five of the next six years (Jonathan Chin-Shepard served 2013-2014). In 2016, Kate was elected to National Council as Vice President of Alumni Development, and Sarah Viviani was elected NYMAAC's seventh president.
2010-2012 A Return to New Jersey
Beginning around 2010, New Jersey-based alumni began taking an interest in NYMAAC. After reactivating in 2006, Alpha Theta Chapter at Rutgers University had begun producing alumni, and those alumni wanted to get involved. NYMAAC attended Alpha Theta chapter's Capture the Flag event in 2009/2010, where we met future NYMAAC e-board member and Grand Chapter Alternate Hillary Nicoll. Alpha Theta alumni Elizabeth Walsh (who would also go on to join e-board and represent us as Grand Chapter Alternate, and also join the National Staff, before moving to Philly and becoming DVAC's president) and Michael Covin (also a future NYMAAC e-board member and National Staff member) also became involved at this time. Unable to ignore New Jersey any longer (JUST KIDDING) we began holding New Jersey Happy Hours several times a year in various locations throughout northern New Jersey. Our first few took place in nearby Hudson County (Hoboken, Jersey City), but then expanded deeper into the state. NJ Happy Hours bolstered our ranks even further, introducing many New Jersey alumni to NYMAAC.
2012-2015 Activity on a National Scale
In our second decade of existence, NYMAAC amped up our involvement on local, regional, and national levels. From 2011-2016, NYMAAC attended the East Region Conference and planned and participated in its Alumni Panel. In addition to sending a Regional Delegate to ERC planning meetings, our chapter also has many members who served as Regional Volunteers, helping to coach and guide conference planning committees. Of course, several of our members have also served on Council through the years. At a chapter level, NYMAAC spearheaded two nationwide programs for collegiate Brothers: the Undergraduate Video Contest and our Video Bro-Downs. These and other programs have contributed to NYMAAC winning the first ever Outstanding Alumni Chapter award in 2012. NYMAAC has maintained this level of achievement and continued our "Pursuit of Awesome" up through today, winning the award every year since its inception with the exception of 2015, when the award went to the Capital Alumni Chapter, and 2020, when there was no awards ceremony due to the pandemic. In 2017, NYMAAC shared the award with Capital.
2015-2019 Continued National Involvement and Participation in HOBY
NYMAAC member and former Vice President of Philanthropy Development Patrick Herron led the effort to choose a new National Philanthropy after the 2014 Grand Chapter voted to dissociate Phi Sigma Pi from Teach for America. NYMAAC members served on the committee to choose a new philanthropy, and when HOBY was chosen, we were ready to explore the opportunities for alumni involvement. Since 2015, NYMAAC members have volunteered as facilitators at HOBY NY and NJ seminars and attended CLEWS, and hosted and attended HOBY fundraising efforts in NYC. Our efforts have garnered us certificates of appreciation from HOBY, and in 2019, the first Josh and Britt Marder Excellence in National Philanthropy Award given to an alumni chapter.
Also in this period, two of our members were elected to National Council (Kate McConnell and Sarah Viviani, each leaving the role of NYMAAC president in 2016 and 2018 respectively) and Hillary Nicoll joined the Phi Sigma Pi Foundation board. Our members continue to attend National Convention each year, help plan NEATO, and serve on National Committees.
2019-2021 PANDEMIC!
2019 brought the entire world to an abrupt halt with the arrival of the COVID-19 Global Pandemic, hitting New York in March of 2019. As NYMAAC retreated to their homes, Chapter operations had to drastically shift to keep up with this rapidly changing world. NYMAAC responded to this challenge by coming together as Brothers providing consistent support in an incredibly challenging time. Events were moved online as we learned to love digital communications platforms like Zoom and Kast. Favorite events moved online like Page and Popcorn movie nights hosted through streaming platforms and the 2021 Brrr Crawl becoming a drink-along Zoom tour around the world based on the countries at Epcot. NYMAAC also got creative with new events tailored to this virtually world like cooking classes led by Hillary Nicoll and a new Instagram Live series of short conversations geared towards Undergraduate Chapters called AMA: Ask My Alumni.
2020 also saw a national racial reckoning, sparked by the death of George Floyd. In response, NYMAAC rededicated themselves to creating a more equitable Chapter. While there is always more work to be done to make NYMAAC and our world more just, NYMAAC developed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan as well as crafted a public statement of this commitment and support. This plan includes a monthly service and outreach focus dedicated to a different topic or group each month on our Facebook Page, minimum bi-monthly DEI events, and a greater focus on bringing a DEI lens to all our regular programming.
Current Chapter
As of August 2022, 116 Brothers are currently signed up for our member Google Group and 1,379 receive our regional alumni emails. 417 Brothers are members of our Facebook group and we have 45 people in our Meetup group. In the 2021-2022 membership year, 18 NYMAAC members attended NYMAAC events, and many more visiting alumni, collegiate members, and guests attended, adding up to a total event attendance of 384.
Leadership
Executive Board 2021-2022
- Kathryn Lieber, President
- Andrew Berman, Member-At-Large in charge of Communications (VP of 🥨osity)
- Hillary Nicoll, Member-At-Large in charge of Events (Event Pirate)
- Gretchen Mengeringhausen, Member-At-Large in charge of whatever she feels like
Past Executive Board Members
- Alexandra Spirer, President (2001-2009), Social Coordinator (2009-2010, 2011-2013), Service Coordinator (2010-2011), Historian (2015-2017)
- Kimberly Van Dyke, Member-at-Large (2005-2007)
- Allison Park, Communications Coordinator (2005-2008)
- Jeremy Chin-Shepard, Service Coordinator (2005-2008, 2013-2014, 2018-2019), Communications Coordinator (2012-2013)
- Juli McLaurin, Social Coordinator (2007-2008)
- Lindsay Famula, Communications Coordinator (2007-2008), Secretary (2008-2009)
- Helen Lee, Social Coordinator (2008-2009)
- Jessica P'an, Service Coordinator (2008-2010)
- Stella Maher, Recruitment Coordinator (2008-2009, 2010-2011), President (2009-2010)
- Kate McConnell, Communications Coordinator (2009-2010), President (2010-2013,2014-2016)
- Andy Strassler, Communications Coordinator (2010-2011)
- Becca Visgaitis, Social Coordinator (2010-2011)
- Ally Hirschkowitz, Secretary (2010-2012)
- Elizabeth Walsh, Communications Coordinator (2011-2012)
- Rebecca Torres, Recruitment Coordinator (2011-2012)
- Marissa Gernett, Service Coordinator (2012-2013, 2015-2016), Social Coordinator (2014-2015)
- Jonathan Chin-Shepard, President (2013-2014), Secretary (2014-2015), Social Coordinator (2016-2017)
- Sue Hall, Communications Coordinator (2013-2015)
- Courtney Pike, Service Coordinator (2014-2015, 2017-2018)
- Michael Covin, ICR Coordinator (2014-2015), Social Coordinator (2015-2016), Recruitment Coordinator (2016-2017)
- Chelsea Julius, Secretary (2016-2018)
- Sarah Viviani, Communications Coordinator (2015-2016), President (2016-2018)
- Shari Spaeth, Secretary (2018-2019)
- Susan Findley, Social Coordinator (2019-2020), Publicity Coordinator (2020-2021)
- Amanda Parker, Service Coordinator (2019-2020), Community Liaison (2020-2021)
- Jessica Cohen, Secretary (2020-2022)
| NYMAAC Executive Board: The Pandemic Years (2020-) | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | |||||||||||||
| Andrew Berman | Communications Coordinator | Member-At-Large in charge of Communications (VP of 🥨osity) | TBD | |||||||||||||
| Jessica Cohen | Secretary | Member-At-Large in charge of Membership & Records (Governess-At-Large) | ||||||||||||||
| Kathryn Lieber | President | |||||||||||||||
| Gretchen Mengeringhausen | TBD | |||||||||||||||
| Hillary Nicoll | Events Coordinator | Member-At-Large in charge of Events (Event Pirate) | TBD | |||||||||||||
| Amanda Parker | Community Liaison | |||||||||||||||
Current and Past Chapter Events & Activities
Happy Hour/Dinner
Each month, NYMAAC hosts either a happy hour or a chapter dinner at a restaurant or bar in the metro area (usually in Manhattan, but occasionally in outer boroughs and NJ), or, since March 2020, virtually via Zoom. Dinners are sit-down events and happy hours are casual bar meetups.
Brothers Who Brunch
Here's to the Brothers who Brunch! Pre-pandemic, these were on the first Sunday of every month, usually at noon.
New Jersey Happy Hour
In an effort to reach out to the New Jersey Brothers, NYMAAC also hosts Happy Hours located in NJ every 3-6 months depending on interest.
- May 2016: Garden State Ale House in New Brunswick, Middlesex County
- In celebration of Alpha Theta Chapter's graduating class of 2016
- January 2016: Kilkenny House in Cranford, Union County
- July 2015: The Office in Ridgewood, Bergen County
- March 2015: Cuban Pete's in Montclair, Essex County
- January 2015: World of Beer in New Brunswick, Middlesex County
- March 2014: LITM in Jersey City, Hudson County
- August 2013: East of Elm in Morristown, Morris County
- April 2013: Biggie's Clam Bar in Hoboken, Hudson County
- February 2012: Dubliners in Hoboken, Hudson County
The Page and Popcorn
The Page and Popcorn is our popular book and movie club (read the book then see the movie) that typically meets every other month.
Past selections have been:
- March 2024: Eileen, by Ottessa Moshfegh (pub. 2015, movie 2023)
- January 2024: The Color Purple, by Alice Walker (pub, 1982, movie musical 2023, extra credit for original movie, 1985)
- November 2023: Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann (pub. 2017, movie 2023)
- September 2023: Are You There God? It's Me Margaret, by Judy Blume [pub. 1970, movie 2023)
- January 2023: Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens [pub. 2018, movie 2022)
- Hybrid event hosted by Andrew Berman and conducted online via Amazon Party and Zoom
- October 2022: Under the Banner of Heaven, by Jon Krakauer [pub. 2003, TV series 2022)
- Hybrid event hosted by Kathryn Lieber and conducted online via Hulu Party and Zoom
- April 2022: The Tender Bar, by J. R. Moehringer (pub. 2005, movie 2022)
- Hybrid event hosted by Andrew Berman and conducted online via Amazon Party and Zoom
- February 2022: Passing, by Nella Larsen (pub. 1929, movie 2021)
- Our first hybrid event, hosted by Andrew Berman and using Teleparty for the virtual part, with group discussions via Zoom before and after
- November 2021: Dune, by Frank Herbert (pub. 1965, movies 1984, 2021)
- Watched the 1984 via Kast and the 2021 version in the theater
- August 2021: White Tiger, by Aravind Adiga (pub. 2008, movie 2021)
- Via Teleparty
- February 2021: Motherless Brooklyn, by Jonathan Lethem (pub. 1999, movie 2019)
- Via Kast app
- December 2020: Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett (pub. 2001, movie 2018)
- Not an official P&P selection, but wanted to record it here because two Brothers read the book and then watched the movie together on Amazon Party
- October 2020: The Witches, by Roald Dahl (pub. 1982, movies 1990, 2020)
- Used Teleparty for the 1990 version and Kast app for the 2020 version
- August 2020: The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas (pub. 2017, movie 2018)
- Virtual using Netflix Party (now called Teleparty)
- March 2020: Where'd You Go, Bernadette?, by Maria Semple (pub. 2012, movie 2019)
- Our first virtual P&P event, using the Kast app
- January 2020: Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott (pub. 1868-1869, movie 2019)
- September 2019: The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt (pub. 2013, movie 2019)
- May 2019: How to Talk to Girls at Parties, short story by Neil Gaiman (pub. 2006, movie 2017)
- Canceled due to low interest
- January 2019: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows (pub. 2008, movie 2018)
- October 2018: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot (pub. 2010, movie 2017)
- May 2018: The Martian, by Andy Weir (pub. 2014, movie 2015)
- April 2018: Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline (pub. 2011, movie 2018)
- Unofficial P&P selection (three NYMAAC members who'd all read the book already just decided to go see the movie together)
- March 2018: A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle (pub. 1962, movie 2018)
- March 2017: The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan (pub. 1989, movie 1993)
- October 2016: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs (pub. 2011, movie 2016)
- Canceled due to we just had brunch instead
- July 2016: American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis (pub. 1991, movie 2000)
- January 2016: Kill the Messenger, by Nick Schou (pub. 2006, movie 2014)
- Canceled due to low interest
- August 2015: The Fantastic Mr. Fox, by Roald Dahl (pub. 1968, movie 2009)
- Canceled due to low interest, inspired by Riverside Park outdoor movie series
- May 2015: Far From the Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy (pub. 1874, movie 2015)
- Canceled due to low interest
- March 2015: Children of Men, by P.D. James (pub. 1992, movie 2006)
- January 2015: The Giver, by Lois Lowry (pub. 1993, movie 2014)
- July 2014: The Princess Bride, by William Goldman (pub. 1973, movie 1987)
- Inspired by the Movies Under the Stars series on the Riverside Park piers which chose it for one of their summer screenings.
- March 2014: The Human Stain, by Philip Roth (pub. 2000, movie 2003)
- Event canceled due to scheduling conflicts and not rescheduled due to low interest
- November 2013: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, play by Tom Stoppard (first performed 1966, movie 1990)
- July 2013: Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy (pub. 1873, movie 2012)
- May 2013: The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald (pub. 1925, movie 2013)
- April 2013: A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving (pub. 1989, movie "Simon Birch" 1998)
- November 2012: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky (pub. 1999, movie 2012)
- Movie had left theaters by our scheduled meet-up date, rescheduled for January
- March 2012: The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde (pub. 1890, movie 2009)
- January 2012: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer (pub. 2005, movie 2011)
- Canceled due to low interest
- November 2011: Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro (pub. 2005, movie 2009)
- September 2011: The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood (pub. 1985, movie 1990)
- May 2011: Water For Elephants, by Sara Gruen (pub. 2006, movie 2011)
- March 2011: The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan (pub. 2005, movie 2010)
- January 2011: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Steig Larsson (pub. 2005, movie 2009)
- The Hollywood movie starring Daniel Craig wasn't out yet, so we watched the Swedish film
- August 2010: Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert (pub. 2006, movie 2010)
- April 2010: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll (pub. 1865, movies 1985 and 2010)
- From the many adaptations, we chose two: a 1985 star-studded made-for-TV production which we watched at a Brother's apartment, and the then current Tim Burton version in the theater.
- February 2010: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee (pub. 1960, movie 1962)
- January 2010: The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold (pub. 2002, movie 2009)
- November 2009: Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak (pub. 1963, movie 2009)
- We all read this book together a la a children's storytime, and then went together to the theater to see the movie.
- August 2009: The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger (pub. 2003, movie 2009)
- August 2009: Julie & Julia, by Julie Powell (pub. 2005, movie 2009)
- June 2009: Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel García Márquez (pub. 1985, movie 2007)
- September 2008: Blindness, by José Saramago (pub. 1995, movie 2008)
- The movie had left theaters by our scheduled meet-up date, so we saw "W" instead and rescheduled the event for March.
- May 2008: Bringing Down the House, by Ben Mezrich (pub. 2002, movie "21" 2008)
- Canceled due to low interest.
- March 2008: The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory (pub. 2001, movie 2008)
- January 2008: The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini (pub. 2003, movie 2008)
- December 2007: The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman (pub. 1995, movie 2007)
- September 2007: Stardust, by Neil Gaiman (pub. 1998, movie 2007)
- September 2007: Atonement, by Ian McEwan (pub. 2001, movie 2007)
- In a Page & Popcorn GOTCHA! moment, we changed our minds and went with Stardust instead. One Brother didn't get the memo and read Atonement, and holds a grudge to this day.
- July 2007: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J. K. Rowling (pub. 2003, movie 2007)
- Not an official selection, since we assumed most people had already read it, we just set a date to all go see the movie together.
- June 2007: Breakfast at Tiffany's, by Truman Capote (pub. 1956, movie 1961)
- March 2007: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt (pub. 1994, movie 1997)
- January 2007: The Manchurian Candidate, by Richard Condon (pub. 1959, movies 1962 and 2004)
- We watched both the original with Angela Lansbury and the recent adaptation with Liev Schreiber. P&P double feature.
- November 2006: Running with Scissors, by Augusten Burroughs (pub. 2002, movie 2006)
- Our first official selection
- June 2006: Thank You For Smoking, by Christopher Buckley (pub. 1994, movie 2006)
- This was the book that inspired the book club. Two Brothers read the book and saw the movie together, and thus P&P was born.
If you have any future book/movie suggestions or are interested in joining us, please contact us (nymaac-owner@googlegroups.com).
Brrr Crawl
We hold a New York City historical walking tour/bar crawl each winter. Our first few Brrr Crawls were designed and led by friend of the family Jeff Johnson (no, not that Jeff Johnson), who would a custom walking tour for a particular neighborhood in NYC, sprinkled with bars so we can warm up and get a drink. Since 2019, NYMAAC's executive board has planned and executed the Brrr Crawl.
Past Brrr Crawl neighborhoods:
- 2023: Lower East Side
- 2022: The Village (West to East)
- 2021: The entire planet (virtual Brrr Crawl inspired by Epcot's World Showcase)
- 2020: UES/Roosevelt Island/LIC
- 2019: FiDi/Downtown
- 2018: Harlem
- 2017: Brooklyn Heights
- 2016: City Hall
- 2015: Chelsea
- 2014: West Village
- 2013: East Village
Annual Scavenger Hunt
Starting around 2007, NYMAAC held a scavenger hunt in a different neighborhood of NYC each year. This had the dual purpose of introducing new members to the city and also getting us to work together in groups and get to know each other. The Brrr Crawl ultimately replaced the Scavenger Hunt as the latter's popularity waned.
E-board Meetings
The NYMAAC E-Board meets monthly at our members' offices, and lately on Zoom, to discuss upcoming events, development, and recruitment. Have some ideas? Share them! Everyone is welcome to attend, or shoot us an email and let us know your thoughts.
Birthday Dinner
Each May, we celebrate the anniversary of NYMAAC's founding, usually with a festive dinner. In recent years, this event has also been a forum for member recognition. Brothers Alex Spirer, Patrick Herron, and Kathryn Lieber received their Chapter Service Keys at our 2012, 2016, and 2021 Birthday Dinners respectively. We also inducted our first honorary member, Jonah Nigh, at our 2016 dinner. Lastly, we often give out fun awards like "Most Spirited Member" aka non-eboard member who attended the most events in a given year.
Holiday Dinner
NYMAAC hosts a holiday dinner for its members in the month of December. In the early years this took place at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Harlem, but our current favorites are the Amsterdam Ale House/Third Avenue Ale House and Lorelei Beer Garden. Members can choose to participate in a white elephant gift exchange and a donation drive benefiting local charity Room to Grow (roomtogrow.org).
Undergraduate Involvement
As part of the Region Formerly Known as East, NYMAAC stays as involved as possible in local undergraduate chapters. We attended the East Region Conference every year, usually planning and serving on the alumni panel. We also attend chapter events, Inductions, and formals at our nearby collegiate chapters as often as we can. In 2016, when NYMAAC hosted its first-ever Induction ceremony to bring an honorary Brother into the Fraternity, Alpha Theta and Gamma Xi chapters and DVAC chipped in by loaning us their Ritual materials.
HOBY Involvement
Since the adoption of HOBY as our National Philanthropy in 2015, NYMAAC has been at the forefront of Phi Sigma Pi involvement in it. We routinely receive national recognition at National Convention for our involvement in HOBY, culminating in our winning the Josh and Britt Marder Excellence in National Philanthropy Award in 2019. Here are the ways we've gotten involved:
- Volunteering as facilitators at HOBY NY and NJ annual seminars
- Volunteering at CLEWs
- Attending HOBY-sponsored happy hour fundraisers in NYC
- Holding trivia-night benefits for HOBY
- Fundraising from among our members with buy-a-rounds at NYMAAC happy hours and other events
Elections
In accordance with the National Constitution, NYMAAC holds annual elections for all Executive Board positions. Elections are held in June and electees take office on July 1st, in alignment with the Phi Sigma Pi fiscal year.
NYMAAC connects with our local collegiate chapters regularly with email communication, chapter visits at their events, and hosting collegiate Brothers at our own events. Several NYMAAC members are alumni advisors for their home collegiate chapters, and NYMAAC members have attended regional conferences and Leadership Academy.
Collegiate Outreach and Support
AMA: Ask My Alumni on Instagram Live
Starting in 2020, NYMAAC created a new way to reach out to Collegiate Chapters: an Instagram Live series of short interviews on topics relevant to the young alumni experience. Kathryn Lieber or Andrew Berman would interview NYMAAC Members, and friends of NYMAAC, about their area of expertise and encouraged viewers to chime in live with their questions. This ongoing series is way for NYMAAC to connect with Collegiate Members and showcase the wealth of talent and information to be found in the Phi Sigma Pi Alumni network.
- AMA HOBY with Hillary
- AMA Alumnihood with Andrew
- AMA Graduate School with Dr. Jess
- AMA Career Development with Jasmine Briggs
- AMA Life After College with Samantha Dietz
- AMA Non-Profits with Kate McConnell
- AMA National Council with Sarah Viviani
- AMA Starting a Chapter with Kathryn Lieber
Undergraduate Music Video Contest
From 2013-2016, NYMAAC held a music video contest in which collegiate chapters created and submitted a music video for the chance to win a full quad registration to National Convention. The prize was financed by an alumni donation drive targeted specifically for the contest. The contest was the brainchild of Patrick Herron and was initially spearheaded by then NYMAAC President Kate McConnell.
- 2013: Are We Not Entertained? Winner: Gamma Tau. Video: If You Wannabe My Brother
- 2014: Show Us Your Awesome Winner: Epsilon Alpha. Video: Show NYMAAC Our Awesome
- 2015: Random Acts of Awesome Winner: Gamma Pi. Video: PSP Philanthropy
- 2016: Show Us Your Phi Sigma Pi Winner: Beta Alpha. Video: Bros for Life
Video Bro-Down
Also spearheaded by Kate McConnell, the Video Bro-Downs were virtual video conversation between undergrads and alumni on topics of interest to undergrads where alumni can offer advice. Undergrads submitted topics via comments on our YouTube videos, FB, Twitter, or however they wanted, and NYMAAC set up video chats with alumni panels consisting of Brothers from around the country.
- It Gets Awesomer
- What Events Do Alumni Come Back For?
- What Has Brotherhood Done for You?
Notable Members
Current Members
- founding member, NYMAAC president (2001-2009), recipient of NYMAAC's first ever Chapter Service Key (2012), Phi Sigma Pi Foundation Board Member (2009-2011)
- Producer of official Phi Sigma Pi Fraternity Songs recording (2002), NYMAAC president (2013-2014)
- Vice President of Membership Development (2004-2010), Vice President of Philanthropy Development (2014-2018), 2012 Rolla F. Wood Graduate Scholarship recipient, 2012 Distinguished Service Key recipient, 2016 NYMAAC CSK
- Director of Publications and Alumni Relations (2009-2011), NYMAAC president (2009), NYMAAC CSK
- Vice President of Alumni Development (2016-2018), Vice President of Development (2018-2020), NYMAAC president 2010-2016 (minus a year in there), founded Pursuit of Awesome (2012-present), Regional Volunteer (2014-2015, PMRC), NYMAAC CSK
- NYMAAC's first honorary member, Board Member of the Phi Sigma Pi Foundation (2017-2020)
- Vice President of Development (2018-2020), NYMAAC president 2016-2018
- Phi Sigma Pi Foundation board member (2018-2023)
- Co-founder of GBAC (2017), founding alumni advisor of Zeta Alpha (2010), NYMAAC president 2018-2022, NYMAAC CSK
Past Members
- Jonah Goodman, Delta Alpha, Distinguished Service Key Recipient (2017)
- National President (2007-2014); Vice President of Alumni Development (2004-2007)
- Senior Vice President (2000-2002), Vice President of Alumni Development (1996-1998); Distinguished Service Key Recipient (1999)
- Vice President of Finance (2004-2010); National President (2000-2002), National Secretary (1998-2000); Distinguished Service Key Recipient (2002); Phi Sigma Pi Foundation board member
- Vice President of Alumni Development (2010-2014), Vice President of Finance (2014-2018)
- Phi Sigma Pi Foundation Board Member (2011-2014, President 2012-2014), NYMAAC president (2009-2010)
- Region Consultant (2012-2014), Phi Sigma Pi Foundation Board Member (2014-2017)
- Founder of Metrolina Alumni Chapter, Volunteer of the Year (2019)
Grand Chapter Delegates
- 2023: Andrew Berman (Delegate), Hillary Nicoll and Kathryn Lieber (Alternates)
- 2022: Andrew Berman (Delegate), Hillary Nicoll and Kathryn Lieber (Alternates)
- 2021: Andrew Berman (Delegate)
- 2019: Kathryn Lieber (Delegate), Andrew Berman (Alternate), Hillary Nicoll (NAA Alternate #1)
- 2018: Hillary Nicoll (Delegate), Sarah Viviani (Alternate)
- 2017: Sarah Viviani (Delegate), Hillary Nicoll (Alternate)
- 2016: Sarah Viviani (Delegate), Hillary Nicoll (Alternate), Kate McConnell (NAA Delegate #2)
- 2015: Andrew Berman (Delegate), Sarah Viviani (Alternate), Kate McConnell (NAA Alternate #1)
- 2014: Andrew Berman (Delegate), Hillary Nicoll (Alternate), Kate McConnell (NAA Delegate #1)
- 2013: Andrew Berman (Delegate), Hillary Nicoll (Alternate), Kate McConnell (NAA Delegate #1)
- 2012: Andrew Berman (Delegate), Patrick Herron (NAA Delegate #2), Kate McConnell (NAA Alternate #2)
- 2011: Kate McConnell (Delegate), Elizabeth Walsh (Alternate), Stella Maher (NAA Delegate #2)
- 2010: Stella Maher (Delegate), Sarah Cantwell (Alternate)
- 2009: Alex Spirer (Delegate)
- 2008: Andrew Berman (Delegate), Stella Maher (Alternate)
- 2007: Jason Walters (Delegate), Jeff Samuels (Alternate)
- 2001-2006: Mostly Alexandra Spirer (Delegate)
Chapter Service Keys
- Alex Spirer (May 10, 2012)
- Kate McConnell (December 10, 2013)
- Andrew Berman (December 10, 2013)
- Patrick Herron (May 22, 2016)
- Sarah Viviani (February 9, 2019)
- Hillary Nicoll (February 9, 2019)
- Kathryn Lieber (May 11, 2021)
Honorary Member
On May 22nd, 2016, NYMAAC inducted its first honorary member, Jonah Nigh. Jonah is the husband of NYMAAC member Patrick Herron, and had previously demonstrated (and continues to demonstrate) his dedication to Phi Sigma Pi by attending and hosting events, providing support, and going out of his way to meet new members and make them feel welcome. Jonah lives the tripod on a daily basis, and we are thrilled to call him Brother. NYMAAC welcomed Jonah into the Fraternity and into our chapter in the first-ever induction ceremony held by NYMAAC, borrowing Ritual materials from undergraduate chapters in the East Region and Philadelphia Metropolitan Region. The induction ceremony was held on the same day as NYMAAC's 15th Founders Day celebration, during which we also awarded Patrick our chapter's 4th Chapter Service Key.
Chapter Honors and Awards
- Most members attending 2006 Alumni Convention, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Most Successful Recruitment at 2006 Alumni Convention, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Excellence in Technology and Communication, 2008 Alumni Convention, Las Vegas
- Outstanding Alumni Chapter 2012-2014, 2016, 2017 (with Capital Alumni Chapter), 2018, 2019, 2021-2023
- HOBY Certificate of Appreciation 2016, 2019
- Josh and Britt Marder Excellence in National Philanthropy Award 2019
Further Resources
NYMAAC’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement
The New York Metro Area Alumni Chapter (NYMAAC) of Phi Sigma Pi mirrors our National organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to cultivating an egalitarian community of scholars from varied experiences and backgrounds. NYMAAC seeks to accurately represent our community of alumni by lifting up individual voices and elevating leaders through the lens of inclusivity across cultures, races, generations, religions, spiritualities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and physical and mental abilities.
What Diversity, Equity & Inclusion means to us
We are an inclusive organization dedicated to promoting lifelong learning, inspiring Members to lead, and cultivating lasting fraternal bonds, while always conducting our lives with honor. Living a life of honor implicitly means we are guided by integrity and conviction. As Members of NYMAAC, we are committed to shaping a more just and equitable society by denouncing discriminatory policies, practices and actions, and rejecting prejudice against any identity groups. Our Membership is proudly open to and inclusive of Members of the Phi Sigma Pi community from all races, religions, spiritualities, abilities, and gender identities.
Why Diversity, Equity & Inclusion matters to us
We are a community founded on the ideals of scholarship, leadership and fellowship. NYMAAC seeks to foster the curiosity, creativity, and capabilities of ALL our Members and to support their individual growth and personal and professional development. We strive to create an inclusive community that celebrates differences and welcomes varied perspectives. NYMAAC is the sum of its parts: we value the collective sum of our Members’ individual differences, experiences, background, forms of self-expression, and talents.
How we approach Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
From recruitment efforts to programming, we are guided by principles of equity and inclusion to cultivate a rich and diverse Membership base. We welcome the uniqueness of YOU that only you can bring to the table: education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, age, religion, disability, and religious or spiritual beliefs. As part of our regular programming and outreach, NYMAAC hosts a series of events highlighting varied perspectives, experiences and cultures. Events such as our Page & Popcorn series, Happy Hours with a Purpose, and Leadership in Action webinars are intentionally curated to highlight issues of racism, social justice, decolonization, allyship and more. We are not experts on diversity, equity or inclusion, but as scholars, we are perpetually in pursuit of knowledge and understanding. NYMAAC is committed to supporting and uplifting our Members in finding ways to contribute, reflect, and act towards a more just and equitable world we all deserve to live in, and we invite you to join us.
Links
- Join our Meetup group!
- NYMAAC Google Group
- NYMAAC Facebook Group
- NYMAAC Blog
- Follow us on Twitter!
- Follow us on Instagram!
