Cross & Crescent

Ian Bergstrom (2012), Damon Pee (2010), Sean Brolly (2011), and Tim Gargalianos (2011)took the plunge into the icy water at The 6th Annual Polar Bear Jump, benefiting the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank at Portage Lakes State Park on February 21, 2009, in New Franklin Village, Ohio.

The chapter held a chartering ceremony on February 21, 2009.

The chapter welcomed Danny Byrne, Mike Findley, Kenton Kammer, Larry Larison, and Tyler Ryan into the brotherhood during an Associate Member Ceremony held on February 22, 2009.

Ben Koch (2010) won the People’s Choice Award at the Bradley University’s “So You Think You Can Dance” competition benefiting Easter Seals.

The chapter added 29 new associate members, the highest of any fraternity on campus.

Chapter brothers worked alongside Kappa Alpha Theta and Kappa Kappa Gamma sororities on two different community projects: one for the Humane Society and the other for a Valentine’s Day party for underprivileged children.

Through the newly established “Green Team,” chapter brothers placed recycling receptacles throughout the house and held an information session to inform brothers how to properly recycle and to conserve electricity.

Chapter brothers helped the Wheeler Mission by serving food to the hungry and homeless.

The chapter held its annual Scholarship and Faculty Appreciation dinner on February 27, 2009, to acknowledge the many faculty members who enhance our daily experiences here at Butler University.

Chapter members participated in Meet the Clubs Day, giving students the opportunity to meet new people, start networks, and express themselves to the campus and surrounding community. Chapter brothers, led by chapter President Neil Sanchez (2009), were out to promote Lambda Chi Alpha and help build a positive image towards student life.

The re-colonization of the UCLA chapter included the recruitment of 29 new associate members and the installation of chapter officers.

The re-colonization of the chapter included the recruitment of 26 new associate members and the installation of chapter officers.

Located at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, the new colony recruited 26 new associate members and installed its chapter officers. Rodney Roosevelt (Eastern Illinois 1988), who teaches at the university, will serve as the colony’s chapter adviser.

The chapter was awarded four campus awards during the annual Greek Awards Ceremony, including those for Chapter Standards and Accountability, Scholarship, Service, and the University of Denver Chapter Award of Achievement. Other awards included Most Athletic, Friendliest Chapter, and Best Dressed.

Criswell Fiordalis (2010)was elected IFC president. He previously served as IFC vice president of judicial affairs and risk management. In this position he worked hard to help the Greek system at Denver be more proactive in addressing issues campus wide. In addition to this position, he also serves as the Greek Affairs representative to the AUSA Student Senate and has served his chapter as risk manager since his freshmen year.

The chapter launched its new website.

Dirk Bennett (2010), representing Eastern Illinois’ IFC, presented a session on “Defining the Standard of Excellence in Every Community” at the Mid-American Greek Council Association annual conference in St. Louis.

Chapter brothers participated in the Adopt a Highway Program again this semester, cleaning up a long stretch of Clyde Morris Blvd. from International Speedway Blvd. to Mason Avenue. They perform this community service twice a semester.

Chapter brothers continue to dominate intramurals, winning three fraternity championships last fall.

Chapter campus involvement remains strong as more than 20 brothers participated in FASET and numerous brothers involved with IFC.

Spring recruitment was outstanding, thanks to the strong leadership of Recruitment Chairman Richard Browning (2011). The chapter added six new associate members, one of the largest of recent spring classes.

Chapter officers held a successful retreat in Athens, Georgia, with commitments made to hard work and to reach the chapter’s goals.

The colony added 11 new associate members, the largest new member group on campus this semester.

Lambda Chi Alpha is back on the University of Idaho campus for the first time since 2005. ELCs are on campus and are in the process of recruiting 20-30 associate members.

The chapter has obtained a new chapter house with six bedrooms, five baths, and 2,600 square feet. They become the first national Greek organization on campus to receive a chapter house. The chapter was colonized on February 9, 2004, and chartered on February 12, 2005.

Chapter brothers held “House Mom Kidnap,” a spring community event, on February 23, 2009. As the name suggests, 13 house mothers from Greek houses on the Kansas campus were “kidnapped” and held in the chapter house in exchange for canned goods which were then donated to area charities. The house mothers enjoyed an evening of hors d’oeuvres and wine while socializing with their counterparts from other houses.

The chapter initiated 13 new active members on February 20, 2009, for the chapter’s 2009 spring class. Congratulations to initiated brothers Ian Alsup (2012), Eric Carabetta (2012), Jiancarlo Direnzo (2010), Hunter Hess (2012), Christopher Huggard (2012), James Goff (2011), Christopher Klockau (2011), Dylan Long (2012), Andrew McCracken (2010), Scott Maynard (2012), Adam Mertz (2012), Patrick Morton (2012), and Stephen Thomson (2012).

“Step Up Your Game” was the theme of the fall 2008 semester for the chapter brothers. The brothers started off the semester with a very successful recruitment by doubling their associate member class from the previous year. In late September, the brothers hosted their 11th annual Watermelon Bust and, with the help of the sororities on campus, raised approximately $9,000 for various charities.

The colony was invited to serenade the members of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and their new member class of over 50 women. The group of a little over 20 brothers, 16 associate members, and five soon-to-be associate members upheld the honor of Lambda Chi Alpha with traditional songs of the fraternity for crescent girls.

An Associate Member Ceremony was held for eight new associate members on January 24, 2009, in the Kumler Chapel on the Western Campus of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

The colony finished seventh out of 25 fraternities on campus with a GPA of 3.15, beating the all-men’s, all-unaffiliated men, all-unaffiliated women’s, and all-campus averages.

David Sandlin (2010) was named IFC vice president of administration and David Williams (2011) was named the IFC vice president of programming.

The chapter earned the highest GPA of any Greek group on campus for the fall 2008 semester, the only fraternity to exceed the average undergraduate GPA.

Michael Buckley (2010) was elected IFC executive vice president.

Blake Griffiths (2012) was elected IFC vice president of communications.

Nicholas Schaefer (2010) was elected IFC vice president of recruitment.

On January 31, brothers spent a Saturday volunteering at a local homeless shelter.

The chapter has implemented a Professor of the Month Award to spotlight University of North Texas faculty members who go above and beyond the qualifications of their job. Winners will be awarded a $50 gift card to Pourhouse Sports Grill in Denton and a certificate of appreciation. With the third-highest fraternity GPA last year, the chapter prides itself on its academic achievements.

Todd Steelman (2010) is a third generation chapter brother. Both his father, Dayton Steelman (1959), and his grandfather, Buck Steelman (1928), were members of the chapter at Oklahoma State University. When his grandfather attended the university in 1928, it was known as Oklahoma A&M College; when his father attended in 1959, he was an active member of Lambda Chi when the school name was officially changed to Oklahoma State University. Todd Steelman followed his father and grandfather and joined the chapter in the fall of 2006.

Hosted by Oregon State University chapter brothers, more than 100 brothers from six chapters attended the Pacific Northwest Conclave from February 21-22, 2009. The first of 14 regional events, the conclave was organized by Oregon State Chapter Adviser and Master Steward Dave Leathers (Cal State-Fresno 1982) and Oregon State Chapter Treasurer Collin Turner (Oregon State). Chapters attending the event included University of California-Davis, University of Nevada, University of Oregon, Oregon State University, University of Washington, and Washington State University. Grand High Beta Beta Drew Hunter (Denver 1980) was the special guest and keynote speaker. Conclave award included: GPA, Washington with with 3.1 GPA; Recruitment, Oregon State with 23 new associate members; Retention, Oregon with 100 percent; Man-Miles, Nevada-Reno with more than 12,000 miles.

More than 50 brothers attended the recent Centennial Celebration reception held in late January 2009 at Hotel Contessa in downtown San Antonio. Grand High Beta Drew Hunter (Denver 1980) was the featured speaker. A post reception event was held at Pat O’Brien’s restaurant owned by Cory Neal (Angelo State 1991).

In January 2009 chapter brothers raised approximately 500 pounds of food for the North American Food Drive by doing a bag drop.

Chapter brothers also participated in the Relay For Life event, a fundraiser for the fight against cancer.

The chapter has adopted Main Street in Vermilion, South Dakota, to the delight of local business owners. This is similar to adopt-a-highway but is in a higher traffic area that needs weekly cleaning.

Jackson Seemayer (2009)was elected IFC vice president of Risk Awareness and Nolan Ryan (2011)was recently elected IFC vice president of Community Relations. Dave Shoulberg (2012)was elected to an IFC cabinet position.

Ryan and Seemayer attended the Mid-American Greek Council Association seminar in St. Louis, Missouri.

Chapter brothers held “Brothers-Warming-Others,” part of their winter recruitment initiative. Brothers stood out in the sub-zero Canadian weather to hand out free hot chocolate and cookies to brighten everyone’s day.

Chapter brothers helped raise nearly $1,000 to help support the Whitman County Humane Society.

The chapter achieved the highest overall GPA among all fraternities on campus and highest new member GPA among all of Greek Life for the fall 2008 semester.