Kappa Kommunicator
Contents
Alumni Secretary
Vice President of Service
Vice President of Membership
President
Parlametarian
Hello Brothers of Zeta Mu
Hello! I am going to start from the top, my name is Chris Kimmey and I am the current Alumni Sectary. I became a brother on November 12, 2006 and I’m in the class of Alpha Rho. My Big Brother is Geoff Osman and my Big sister is Matt Mysliwiec. I am a junior in the Music Education program. My main instrument is clarinet and I also marched in Kutztown University Marching Unit on Baritone. I am also a member of many other groups offered on campus.
Our chapter this year is small but very productive. We have been taking steps to prepare for a spring class, next spring, since the beginning of the semester. We also had a great visit from our Chapter Field Representative, Phil Ruben. Our chapter did well in all categories. Our marching band was very successful this year. The band had fun and we were very happy with our sound this year.
The semester is quickly ending. All the brothers are working hard to complete all the needs of classes. Have a Great Holiday and I’ll see everyone next year!!!!
Chris Kimmey
Alumni Secretary
J. Birney Crum Group Service
Another semester has flown right by us, and so has another semester of service.
This semester has been full of service for the Zeta Mu chapter whether it’s been service projects with the music department, the community, or with other outside organizations. This November our chapter along with the chapters at Lehigh and Shippensburg University did service at an USSBA finals competition at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown, PA.
This is the second year that the Zeta Mu chapter has helped at this competition, and every year we come away with the same feeling. That service has been done to help the competition move along more smooth, and that we accomplished this service done with other brothers from other chapters!
Other service projects of this caliber are in the process for next semester and our chapter is very excited to accomplish those as well.
Joe Scheller
Vice President of Service
East Stroudsburg: Journey to Brotherhood
What’s it like being a big brother to a little? It’s a responsibility to look over them, and guide them toward the pathway of brotherhood; to mold them into the kind of person that the chapter would want them to be. It’s a task that only the strong can complete, making sure their soon to be successor doesn’t falter by the wayside, but rather becomes a strong brother, and eventually goes on to take over where you will inevitably leave off.
But what do you do when it’s not just one, or even two little’s to watch over, but rather 15 of them, and they live miles away? This was the challenge posed to the Zeta Mu chapter in March of this year. Before we knew it, we had our advisor and were on our way to put them through first degree. Initially, we all were confused, especially since there is a big difference between a membership candidate and a colonist. Colonists have a lot more responsibilities than an MC does, as they have to develop the traditions and materials needed for becoming a chapter. Upon first view of the list, I remember thinking to myself “How in the world are they going to get this done?” but the East Stroudsburg Colony had done nothing but cease to amaze me. They had driven on and finished what they needed to get accomplished to be ready for Second Degree last month.
Once again, the Zeta Mu chapter was called upon to visit East Stroudsburg, but this time to take them on their next step toward brotherhood. We started exchanging conversations back and forth between advisors and national officers, and before we knew it, we finally had a date down. On October 27th, the chapter got together and got in their cars and made the drive. As we were heading up, I became more and more nervous. I couldn’t believe that they had gotten this far this fast. Could East Stroudsburg be done within the next month? Could Zeta Mu have put through our 3rd little chapter just before we had our own 35th anniversary? Only time will tell at this point.
We all arrived to the campus, and found ourselves back at the same familiar building we had done their first degree at. When First degree took place, it happened in their tiny band room, and with second degree needing a slightly larger space, I asked their President what they could find that was available. Fortunately, their performance hall, which was just down the hall from the band room, was available that night for our use. The room was massive; beautiful wood covered the floors and walls, with drop down lighting that provided the perfect atmosphere. After gazing at the room for a moment, we began setting up.
As set ups were taking place, brothers from many other chapters had shown up from all over the Northeast; Boston, Lock Haven, U Mass, West Chester, and Towson to name a few. I was honestly surprised by how far some of them drove, especially for how late it was, though I shouldn’t have been (cause the NED is amazing). After a bit of bonding and social time, it was time for everything to get underway.
The first order of business was to put one of the newest colonists to jump into the colony through first degree. Upon speaking with our Advisor Marco, and Marie Burleigh, we decided to let the colonists see the degree from the other side. First, the colony was brought in and sat down with the rest of the brothers, and then we went underway with first degree. Once we were finished, the colonists left, and we began setting up for second.
Once second was finished, East Stroudsburg and the rest of the brothers met in their band room for a workshop from Northeast District President Jessica McAlarney. She discussed the importance of an MEP, and provided examples of things that needed to be included and were done within her own chapter. The other brothers who had sat in on this workshop also provided their own commentary from their experiences, providing ESU with a broad array of different programs from each chapter. When everything was finished, it was clear to see that the road ahead of them was still long, but with the help of the brothers of the Northeast District, would prove to be eased along their way.
At the conclusion of the workshop, we decided to head out and have some more bonding time over dinner. After calling Perkins and confusing them with the mob of brothers at midnight, with some of the brothers getting lost on the way there (most from our own chapter) we sat down and had a very entertaining and delicious dinner. When all was said and done, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.
As it stands now, East Stroudsburg is still a hardworking and dedicated colony. They have quite a few tasks laid down at their feet, but with the progress that they have made so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if we were getting the call to install them as a chapter within the coming months. The journey thus far has been long, both for me as the Liaison between ESU and Zeta Mu and for the chapter as a whole, but it has been educational at the same time. With each step the colony makes, with every task they complete, the chapter is reminded what it means to be a big brother, and make a friend for the rest of your lives.
Eric M. Larsen
Vice President of Membership
From the President
This year, Zeta Mu had its first CFR visit since 2003. Unfortunately for Phil, our crazy schedules kept him busy all afternoon and part of the evening with officer meetings back-to-back. Naturally, he was a good sport about all of this, and the meetings went otherwise smoothly. After the meeting with the chapter, we gave him a reprieve and treated him to dinner at the Uno Chicago Grill to share food, brotherhood, and some very long jokes.
In the end, Phil’s visit was fun and educational. The meetings provided a wealth of information that the chapter is eager to put into practice. Some ideas have already been implemented like our new and improved meeting agendas. Thanks to Phil, Zeta Mu’s meetings are running smoother than ever! We look forward to applying all of our new ideas to current practices, especially for greater service and a stronger brotherhood.
“Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
–John F. Kennedy
Angela Blizman
President
Where Does the Time Go?
I don’t know how interested everyone will be in knowing how my senior year is going but I thought I would put it out there in hopes that people can relate.
This is my fourth and final year at Kutztown University. I’ve been told by alumni that the reality of finishing college didn’t hit them until late in their final semester. Well, I’m halfway through the fall semester with another to go and there have been days when graduation felt soo close I could taste it. I guess like anything else it is a bittersweet realization. “Hey! I’m finally done with classes, homework, school and 8ams!” and then I think to myself, “Well…everyday for the rest of my working life will be an eight hour 8am.”
I mean, really- graduating college means the end of the most exciting, diverse and ever-changing years of my life. Once I graduate college, I am looking back on 20 some amazing years of learning and growing. At first glance ahead of me, I’m staring down a 50 year stretch of working 8-5pm days behind a computer with no recess between semesters or on holidays. How exciting can that be?
I am going to miss being a student and all the on-campus perks that come with it. I will miss all the life that comes with thousands of college-age kids on the DMZ, in the dining halls and passing on the sidewalks to class…heck, I’ll even miss the half-edible food, ridiculousness that is housing and 4am fire alarms. For all the torment these things have brought in the past 4 years, that is what made college seem more like college. I don’t even regret getting packed like a sardine into a double room in Bonner with 2 other girls. It was all a part of the experience and even though I have had countless days that seemed like they would never end, I am grateful for every one because it has made me into the person I am today. All those long, Sunday night business meetings, countless ensemble set-ups and service projects, long nights of music performances and 6 hours of homework to follow. And sure, that is only something anyone would say on the brink of graduation. But ahead of me, I have the rest of my life- a career to work at and perfect, a love to spend the rest of my life with, a family to have and raise…there’s soo much ahead of me. I keep thinking of how much I will miss college once I graduate, but how can I stay soo nostalgic with soo much to look forward to? And as cheesy as it sounds, I will always have my friends, my life-long brothers and sisters.
Lisa M. Wei
Parlamentarian