Minnesota Greek Alumni Partnership

IFC & PHC Retreat

On January 16^th Lorna Fox and Paul DeBettignies were invited to address the newly elected chapter presidents and council officers. Lorna and Paul updated them on MGAP and it’s activities of the past year and what is planned for the spring semester.

Of interest to the students was the job search seminar, professional networking, and the new recruitment plan.

MGAP will continue to attend the monthly chapter presidents meetings held by Chad Ellsworth, Student Activities Advisor for Greek Affairs.

Greek Graduation Rates

A study was done this fall on the graduation rates of the Greek community in comparison to the university as a whole. The freshmen class of 1998, 1999 and 2000 were used.

The four-year graduation rate was an average 4.77% higher for the Greek community.

The five-year graduation rate was an average 9.83% higher for the Greek community.

Partnership Board Recruitment Committee

In September the Partnership Board, formerly Greek Action Council, formed a committee at the request of the IFC to work on the fraternity recruitment process.

Members of the committee were:

Chad Ellsworth, Greek Advisor

Lech Literski, IFC VP Recruitment, Beta Theta Pi

Carol Warren, MGAP VP Collegiate Relations, Pi Beta Phi

Doug Carlson, MIAA President, Sigma Chi

Chair, Paul DeBettignies, MGAP Exec VP University Relations, Delta Kappa Epsilon

In their meetings they found that changes can and should be made to the pr/marketing materials used for IFC and Panhellenic recruitment.

In recent years, many positive changes have been made by the council recruitment teams with the mailers, brochures, and the web site. Every year the materials have been better than the last but much time and money has gone into them with out getting the desired results. Recruitment numbers have been generally flat for the community and our percentage of the university community is still quite small.

The committee contacted Innova of Ames, Iowa who has worked with 40+ Greek communities on their pr/marketing materials and recruitment in general. Innova offered to meet with the committee right before Thanksgiving. Following that meeting a proposal for a communications audit was sent to the committee for review.

Chad Ellsworth and Paul DeBettignies gave a presentation on the proposal at the December Chapter Presidents Meeting. There was overwhelming support by the women and men to spend the money needed to perform the communications audit. The main conclusion drawn from the presidents was that we need to know what we have done, what we need to do and how to implement a program to have a more successful recruitment program.

The IFC Exec Board and the Panhellenic Council separately voted to fund the audit.

Members of the councils, chapters and alumni attended two half-day sessions with Innova the last week in December. The audit was to be presented at the end of January ’06 along with a proposal of services from Innova.

15th Ave Lighting

The lighting project along 15^th Ave from 4^th Street to Como has been completed. Many thanks to the Panhellenic Council for taking the lead on this project. Kat Baugher and others from the council and chapters attended meetings, posted flyers, knocked door to door with petitions and created the U Light Up the Night Block Party.

Here is a link to a story on the UMNnews web site, http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/Let_there_be_light.html.

Rho Lambda

The following women have been initiated into the Minnesota chapter of Rho Lambda, the National Sorority Leadership Recognition Society. More information can be found at www.rholambda.org.

1. Erin Andrejat, Alpha Chi Omega

2. Lauren Anderson, Alpha Chi Omega, (VICE PRESIDENT)

3. Aeriel Anderson, Alpha Omicron Pi

4. Lindsay Andrews, Kappa Alpha Theta

5. Natalie Arnole, Kappa Alpha Theta

6. Andrea Bader, Alpha Gamma Delta

7. Bethany Barnes, Pi Beta Phi

8. Lauren Bisanz, Kappa Kappa Gamma

9. Trista Brazier, Gamma Phi Beta

10. Leah Brus, Kappa Alpha Theta

11. Lara Cahan, Kappa Kappa Gamma

12. Jamie Carlton, Alpha Phi

13. Anne Christensen, Alpha Chi Omega

14. Callie Cox, Gamma Phi Beta

15. Sukie Crawford, Alpha Chi Omega, (SECRETARY)

16. Melissa Cudzilo, Gamma Phi Beta

17. Allison Evans, Alpha Phi

18. Michele French, Kappa Kappa Gamma

19. Rebecca Graham, Alpha Phi

20. Sarah Hambor, Kappa Alpha Theta

21. Kelly Hansen, Alpha Gamma Delta

22. Stephanie Johnson, Alpha Omicron Pi

23. Kristen Kanz, Delta Gamma

24. Caroline Klohs, Pi Beta Phi

25. Natalie Kotzian, Alpha Phi

26. Kate Larson, Alpha Gamma Delta

27. Becky Leach, Delta Gamma

28. Katherine Manuel, Pi Beta Phi

29. Holly Matson, Alpha Omicron Pi, (TREASURER)

30. Lauren McFarlane, Alpha Phi

31. Janna Miller, Alpha Omicron Pi

32. Jennifer Modell, Delta Gamma

33. Kimberly Neighbors, Kappa Alpha Theta

34. Kelly O'Connell, Kappa Kappa Gamma

35. Chantal Omdahl, Kappa Kappa Gamma

36. Katie Pabst, Gamma Phi Beta

37. Amy Peckman, Kappa Kappa Gamma

38. Amy Pierce, Kappa Alpha Theta

39. Mercedes Porter, Kappa Kappa Gamma

40. Jennifer Pozner, Alpha Omicron Pi

41. Gina Pulford, Alpha Chi Omega

42. Katherine Sauter, Pi Beta Phi

43. Molly Schultz, Kappa Kappa Gamma

44. Danielle Seymour, Kappa Alpha Theta

45. Heidi Skallet, Delta Gamma

46. Jessica St. Arnold, Alpha Omicron Pi, (PRESIDENT)

47. Jacqueline Stark, Alpha Gamma Delta

48. Sarah Stodola, Kappa Alpha Theta

49. Maggie Sullivan, Delta Gamma

50. Taylor Swartz, Alpha Gamma Delta

51. Brit Terry, Alpha Phi

52. Michelle Theilmann, Alpha Omicron Pi

53. Tori Trobak, Alpha Chi Omega

54. Ellen Victor, Pi Beta Phi

55. Jessica Weaver, Kappa Alpha Theta

56. Danielle Wermager, Alpha Gamma Delta

57. Andrea Williams, Pi Beta Phi

58. Anna Yunker, Delta Gamma

59. Allison Ziegler, Delta Gamma

Job Search Seminar

One of the requests by the undergraduate councils and chapters has been help in professional networking, specifically job/internship resources. Last year a job board was created on the MGAP web site, http://umngreekalumni.com/greeks/Jobs+/default.aspx.

In December 30+ students signed up for a job search seminar presented by Paul DeBettignies an IT Headhunter by trade titled, "I have a killer resume, now what? Tips on being your own Headhunter". The Minnesota Daily had this article regarding the seminar, http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/12/08/66525.

The seminar will be provided again in February.

New Member Seminar

MGAP was in attendance at the New Member Seminar on November 5^th. The morning began with Vice Provost Jerry Rinehart introducing himself to the new members and speaking about the Partnership Statement and the importance of the Greek community to the University of Minnesota.

Break out sessions were:

-Risk management

-Academics

-Public relations

-Greek opportunities

-Panel of Greek student leaders

-Alumni resources

We spoke about the four areas of MGAP, university relations, alumni relations, housing and collegiate relations. Much time was spent on recruitment, job and internship resources and the upcoming job search seminar.

News (Articles and TV), Fall Semester

The following are news stories from the fall semester. Click this link to the MGAP web site to see the stories, http://umngreekalumni.com/greeks/News/default.aspx.

-Greeks gather for good grades, prizes, Minnesota Daily, December 12 2005

-Greeks Geek Out At 'Study-A-Thon', WCCO TV, December 11 2005

-'U' Students Compete in Study Arena, WCCO TV, December 11 2005

-Greek community offers help in job hunt, Minnesota Daily, December 8 2005

-Helping catch a suspect lands students accolades for heroism, Minnesota Daily, December 5 2005

-Sigma Nu gathers to help charity, Minnesota Daily, November 7 2005

-Students fight for neighborhood voice, Minnesota Daily, October 26 2005

-Greeks organize events to raise money for charity, Minnesota Daily, October 24 2005

-Differences persist in busts of greek, nongreek parties, Minnesota Daily, October 12 2005

-Greek Village plans still on the table, Minnesota Daily, October 12 2005

-U area groups request neighborhood designation, Minnesota Daily, October 12 2005

-Are the lights out and is the music over for partying students?, Minnesota Daily, October 6 2005

-U fraternity brothers welcome New Orleans student transfers, Minnesota Daily, September 23 2005

-Vikings foe: The Saints march on, Star Tribune, September 23 2005

-Greeks pomp their rides for homecoming parade, Minnesota Daily, September 22 2005

-U Students Help Tulane Frat Brothers, WCCO TV, September 16 2005

Job/Internship Database

Coinciding with the start of the ’05-’06 school year MGAP has updated the Job/Internship page on our web site, www.umngreekalumni.com. An email will be sent out to area employers in the next week notifying them of the free job posting service.

Jobs/internships are split into three categories, Students, ’05-’06 Graduates, and Alumni.

If you or your company are hiring please consider posting your positions with us. Send the posting(s) to Paul DeBettignies, MGAP Secretary, at paul@umngreekalumni.com.

2nd Annual Block Party

September 1 from 6 pm – 9 pm is the 2^nd Annual U Light Up the Night block party held in the Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood. This year two blocks, 11^th to 13^th Aves, on 5^th Street will be blocked off from traffic.

This event has two purposes; the first is to be a welcome back to students in the neighborhood and to increase interaction between the students and other residents of the neighborhood.

The second purpose is to support the effort of increasing overhead lighting in the area. Currently a proposal is before the City Council for lighting on 15^th Ave from 5^th Street to Como Ave.

The Panhellenic Council has been leading this effort for almost two years.

The next step in the process is an August 23^rd public hearing of the Transportation and Public Works Committee. The meeting starts at 9:30 am and this item is #2 on the agenda. The meeting is held in the Council Chamber, Room 317 Minneapolis City Hall.

For more information on this project please click these links to the City of Minneapolis web site:

15^th Ave Lighting Project

Letters of Support

Commitment Letters

Map

If you, your student group, or business would like to be a sponsor of the Block Party please click this attachment. Download u_light_sponsor_packages1.doc

For more information on this event can contact Kat Baugher, VP PHC, baug0013@umn.edu.