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Chapter Plans Several Activities to Close Out Year
March 24, 2004--With talks in the works of reaching the five-star level next year in Phi Theta Kappa's Five Star Chapter Development Program, Alpha Sigma is planning several events to get the ball rolling early.
First, the chapter plans on co-hosting a prom dress drive with Cayuga Community College in which both OCC students and members of the community will be asked to donate their old prom dresses, which will then be sold for $10 a piece to those wishing to go to their prom but unable to afford the high costs of a dress. The money raised from this will be donated to the Hospice of Central New York.
Dresses and accessories can be dropped off through March 31 in the Counseling Center daily until 3 p.m. The Counseling Center is located in the bottom floor (lobby) of the Academic One building on the west side of OCC's main campus.
In addition, the chapter will once again be participating in Phi Theta Kappa's "Project Graduation," in which chapter members will collect food and books for charities prior to OCC's May commencement ceremony. The idea behind the event is that children's reading and food banks supplies are at their lowest in June.
For information on how to participate, e-mail the chapter at AlphaSigmaZeta@mailcity.com or call Dianne Fancher, Alpha Sigma Zeta advisor, at (315) 498-2490.
Alpha Sigma Zeta Reaches Unprecedented Level
March 11, 2004--After a decade of roughly stagnant existence, Alpha Sigma Zeta, Onondaga Community College's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year colleges, has witnessed record growth over the past two years in its activities on campus. This growth was highlighted this past weekend at the 18th Annual Phi Theta Kappa New York Regional Conference in Corning, New York. On Sunday, March 7, Alpha Sigma Zeta was recognized for reaching the three-star level in the Phi Theta Kappa Five Star Chapter Development Program. Last year, the chapter reached the two-star level, which was the highest for the chapter at that point. Alpha Sigma Zeta was founded in 1990.
According to Phi Theta Kappa, the Five Star Program is designed to provide chapters a step-by-step guide to increasing their activities each year. Among other things, this year Alpha Sigma Zeta created a chapter website and newsletter and sponsored or participated in over a dozen different events, most of which focused on the Phi Theta Kappa International Service Program, "Conquering Cancer." These events included:
- Implementing the chapter's first-ever "Rock-a-thon," which raised $180.55 for the American Cancer Society. The chapter invited musicians from around OCC's campus to play music in the school cafeteria while chapter members sold pizza and soda outside. The chapter also held a 50-50 raffle and distributed dozens of health-related informational pamphlets. The winner of the raffle, OCC student Peter Shaack, donated his winnings back to the Cancer Society.
- Organizing a "Yellow Ribbon Campaign," in which chapter members created and sold yellow ribbons for $1 throughout campus and at a local grocery store. The $700 raised was donated to Fort Drum's "Climb to Glory Fund," which pays for services and activities for families of deployed soldiers.
- Holding seminars on various topics within the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Study Program, "Dimensions of Health: Choices in the Maze." Topics for this included America's health care system, the legalization of marijuana, and youth violence. The seminars, which were held in the OCC Whitney Building's main lecture hall, involved taking a live satellite feed from a panel discussion across the country that included experts on each respective topic. Viewers phoned and e-mailed questions to the panels during the discussions.
- Participating in Phi Theta Kappa's "Project Graduation," where Alpha Sigma Zeta members collected over 50 books and several boxes of canned food outside of OCC's spring 2003 commencement ceremony. The goods were donated to a local church and an area food bank, respectively. The chapter plans on taking part in the event again this coming May.
In addition to Project Graduation, later this semester the chapter plans on co-hosting a prom dress drive, in which both OCC students and members of the community will be asked to donate their old prom dresses, which will then be sold for $10 a piece to those wishing to go to their prom but unable to afford the high costs of a dress. The money raised from this will be donated to the Hospice of Central New York.
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Alpha Sigma Zeta Elects Two New Officers
Alpha Sigma Zeta, Onondaga Community College's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year colleges, recently inducted two new officers to serve through the end of the current academic year. The officers were selected at the chapter's January meeting.
Melissa Wood, a math/science major in her final semester at OCC, was elected the chapter's secretary after then-secretary Marlaina Cogan left to work an internship this semester. After graduation, Wood will be pursuing a nursing degree.
Holly Schill, a criminal justice major in her final semester at OCC, was elected the chapter's first-ever historian. She will be in charge of chronicling Alpha Sigma Zeta's activities this year. Each chapter seeking to reach the three-star level of Phi Theta Kappa's Five Star Chapter Development Program, which Alpha Sigma Zeta aims to do, must fulfill this requirement.
The three-star level would be the highest level that Alpha Sigma Zeta has reached in its history. Awards for the Five Star Program will be given out at the Phi Theta Kappa New York Region conference in Corning, New York on March 5-7.
Alpha Sigma Zeta will be holding elections in April for its officers in the 2004-2005 academic year. The chapter's other incumbent officers are President Amber Moriarty, Vice President Tom Dannan, and Treasurer Stacey Lawn. The chapter's head advisors are Dianne Fancher, OCC's director of academic affairs, and Yvonne Fish-Kalland, an OCC English professor.
ASZ Co-Sponsors "OCC Talks" on Breast Cancer Awareness & Prevention
On February 4, 2004, Alpha Sigma Zeta, in conjunction with the Onondaga Community College Office of Student Life, hosted a seminar on breast cancer awareness as part of the college's ongoing "OCC Talks" series. The event was helped during College Hour in the Gordon Student Center on OCC's main campus.
Kathy Lahey and Patricia Higgins were guest speakers at the event. Lahey is the executive director of the CNY Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Higgins is OCC's interim vice president of student services and a breast cancer survivor.
First-Ever
'Rock-a-thon' Raises $180.55 for Cancer
Alpha Sigma Zeta, Onondaga Community College's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year colleges, held its first-ever "Rock-a-thon" cancer benefit on Monday, November 17.
Groups of students performed during lunchtime in the Gordon Student Center cafeteria while chapter volunteers sold pizza and soda in the lobby.
In addition, the chapter held a 50-50 drawing in which the winner, OCC student Peter Shaack, wrote on his ticket to donate his winnings--which were roughly $40--to the American Cancer Society.
The American Cancer Society received all the profits from the event, a total of $180.55.
Chapter President Amber Moriarty, who helped direct the event, was pleased with the turnout. "We were happy with how well things went, especially considering it was the first time, to my knowledge, that the chapter had ever put something on like this."
Alpha Sigma Zeta received help from Little Caesars on Salina Street in the Valley, which provided the pizzas at a discount, and from the American Cancer Society, which provided informational pamphlets that were handed out during the event.
For pictures from the event, click here.
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Chapter Re-shows Youth
Violence Panel Discussion
On Wednesday, February 11, Alpha Sigma Zeta presented a re-showing of the earlier Phi Theta Kappa satellite seminar, "The Young and the Ruthless--Youth Violence and Public Health." The seminar, which was shown in Whitney 101 during college hour, featured Dr. James Alan Fox, a reknown criminology expert who is often featured on nationally-recognized media programs. Dr. Fox gave a monologue on youth violence in schools and fielded questions from TV viewers and audience members.
In his talk, Dr. Fox dispelled many myths surrounding "check-list" prevention tactics and the school safety methods. For more on Dr. Fox, visit http://www.jfox.neu.edu/.
The seminar was originally shown on November 4.
| Smokeout table in Academic One lobby |
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ASZ Helps With Great American Smokeout
Alpha Sigma Zeta recently took part the American Cancer Society's 27th annual "Great American Smokeout" on November 20. The American Cancer Society initiated the event in an effort to get smokers to quit smoking for just a day, in hopes that they will quit forever.
Alpha Sigma Zeta hung posters around the main campus throughout the week and set up a table in the lobby of the Academic One building, providing informational pamphlets, "Commit to Quit" support kits, and free chewing gum to people trying to quit smoking.
Chapter members Karin Howe, Kim Moore, Stacy Lawn, Tom Dannan, and Amber Moriarty volunteered for the event.
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| ASZ Vice President Tom Dannan sits at the table |
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New Members Help Out at Downtown's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
Several members of Alpha Sigma Zeta helped out at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Downtown Syracuse on October 19. The members, Netta Blakes, Holly Schill, Karin Howe, Melissa Wood, Tom Dannan, and Amber Moriarty, volunteered as route marshals, directing and encouraging walkers along the course.
The walk was a large success, drawing over 4,500 walkers. According to Jane Klucsik, the American Cancer Society's area director of corporate relations, the event not only met its goal of $225,000, but exceeded it by $63,000. "In spite of the weather people certainly rallied around the cause," said Klucsik, "Thanks so much for your help."
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Alpha Sigma Zeta 'Reaching for the Stars'
After reaching the highest star level in its history, two stars, Alpha Sigma Zeta has decided to do one better this year, and will pursue the three star level of Phi Theta Kappa's Five Star Development Program.
According to PTK's website, the program is designed to "provide every chapter a step-by-step guide to optimizing the benefits and programs offered by Phi Theta Kappa."
A new requirement for chapters working towards the three star level (or higher) is to chronicle their activities for historical purposes. Suggestions handed down by PTK are to maintain a notebook of chapter newsletters, compile a yearbook, and/or to keep a file of Hallmark Award Entries.
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Alpha Sigma Zeta * c/o OCC Academic Affairs Office * Academic One Building, Room 288 * 4941 Onondaga Road * Syracuse, NY 13215
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