Baylor University’s National Pan-Hellenic Council unites seven of the Divine Nine African-American fraternities and sororities on campus.
Chapters of the NPHC include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.
Members of Zeta Phi Beta
Each NPHC Chapter has its own selection process. Informational sessions take place every semester and are a great way for students to meet members of the different organizations. Initiation into the Chapter usually takes place 5 weeks after a member joins.
If a student is interested in joining an NPHC Chapter, he or she should attend the Chapter's events, attend interest meetings, become acquainted with the members of the organization, research information about the Chapter, and get involved on campus.
Members of these Chapters are involved in community service projects, tutoring programs, step shows, and educational programming. They experience a sense of growth and accomplishment that prepares them for a bright, successful future.
To learn more about these organizations, contact Jessica_Obeahon@baylor.edu.
As a freshman in college, a popular thing for both young men and women to do is to consider rushing a fraternity or a sorority. Although the majority of Baylor students chose to refrain from Greek life, involvement in this community proves to be extremely beneficial to one’s overall college experience.
As an active member of the Greek community, individuals are given a number of opportunities to become involved in leadership, academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service.
The Baylor University Greek Community strives to provide members with the necessary assistance to grow into future leaders of America. A few Greek leadership positions include president, vice president, recruitment chair, and secretary. These positions allow young adults to assume responsibilities and develop deeper relationships with those around them.
Member also highly value academic excellence. Studies show that students involved in Greek life feel closer to their university and are more willing to learn and succeed. Over half of Baylor’s Greek organizations maintained a cumulative GPA higher that 3.0. In 2009, Alpha Tau Omega had the highest GPA among the fraternities, while Delta Delta Delta had the highest GPA among the sororities. Tri Delta has held this title for the past 16 years.
All of Baylor’s Greek organizations provide a number of opportunities for members to grow spiritually. Those involved in the Greek community are encouraged to deepen their faith on a daily basis. Chaplains are chosen in each organization to aid members in further developing their bond with Jesus. Also, many service opportunities are provided through chapter activities. These are a great way to grow closer to one’s brothers/sisters, community, and self.
Being a member of a Greek organization has a lasting influence. It has the ability to shape a young adult into a promising leader ready to conquer the world.
The Theta Kappa Chapter of Chi Omega established the Make-A-Wish Foundation as the Chapter’s philanthropy in 2000.Every year, Chi Omega presents its annual Chili Cookoff in order to raise money to help grant a wish of a child living with a life-threatening medical condition.
The Cookoff this year occurred on November 12 in the Bill Danielson Student Center.
On Monday, during Chi O’s weekly Meeting, President Kelsey Riley revealed the total amount collected from the event.The Cookoff itself raised more than $11,000.
Due to the rain, ATO Bed Races were not able to occur.Although this would have collected a large amount of money, $11,000 is still incredible for making a simple batch of chili.Just imagine how much could have been donated with Bed Races included.
With this money, not only will a wish will be granted, but a heart-warming smile will be put on a child’s face who truly deserves it.
W.T. Ellis once said, "it is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air." Recognizing the meaning in this quote, the Kappa Omega Tau Fraternity presents Baylor Christmas on 5th Street from 6-10pm tonight, December 2, in honor of celebrating our Savior.
The main activities include The Annual Christmas Tree Lighting, Christmas Marketplace, Cocoa, Cookies, and Carols, and Baylor on Ice.
The 45th Annual KΩT Christmas Tree Lighting will begin with a concert at 7pm, and the tree in the Burleson Quadrangle will be lit around 8:15pm. The artists performing are Matt Wertz and Phil Wickham. Proceeds will directly benefit the Mocha Club’s education project in Africa.
The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority will be hosting Christmas Marketplace at the Bill Daniel Student Center. It is a great place to purchase a few Christmas gifts and view handmade crafts from retailers all throughout Texas.
Cocoa, Cookies, and Carols will begin promptly at 6:30pm in the Barfield Drawing Room of the Bill Danielson Student Center. The Baylor Religious Hour Choir will be performing popular Christmas carols, accompanied by the vocals of American Idol’s Mandisa. This will be Mandisa’s kickoff concert for her 2010 Christmas Tour. (Fun fact: Mandisa was a Chi O!)
Lastly, Baylor Interfraternity Council is hosting Baylor on Ice at Fountain Mall until 11pm tonight. This ice skating rink will support Santa’s Workshop, which provides toys to underprivileged children in the Waco area. Admission is free with the donation of an unwrapped toy, or skaters may donate $5 to Santa’s Workshop.
Other activities include carriage rides, a petting zoo, a live nativity scene, and pictures with Santa.
So come out tonight and share some Christmas spirit with Baylor students, faculty, and alumni. It will fill you with Holiday cheer and get you ready to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Want to get to know me better? The following are a few links to projects I have created that show my personal background, values and personal qualities. Enjoy!
My Shameless Plug:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-xplFlPMBA
An interview I was asked to do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB3BHWek6ko
My online resume:
http://www.visualcv.com/users/218540-madelinelloyd/cvs/261806
Shorter holidays are always slightly awkward for out of state college students. Being from Chicago, I am only given the chance to go home twice a year. My first homecoming is for Thanksgiving and the second is for Christmas. I don't know if it's a personal thing, but whenever shorter holidays come around I always feel a bit uneasy.
Will a friend invite me to come home with them? If so, is it out of pity or friendship?
Last year I went home with my friend Elizabeth to Baton Rouge, La. This year, however, my sister and I decided to just stay in Waco. Maybe a part of us wants to avoid the intrusive feeling we get from going to other people's houses. Maybe we just want to eat, watch movies, and sleep in our own home.
Whatever the reason, we will be living it up in the Wack this weekend. Come by the Pink Door House on Bagby if you're staying on campus too!
Every forty minutes Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wish of a child living with a life-threatening medical condition. This one granted wish gives strength and hope to those children as well as their family.
Recognizing the good and compassion associated with Make-A-Wish, the Theta Kappa Chapter of Chi Omega at Baylor University established it as the Chapter’s philanthropy in 2000.
Chi O’s President Kelsey Riley stated, “Make-A-Wish Foundation is such a wonderful organization for Chi Omega to support. In interacting with them to grant wishes for children in Waco, I have no doubt that we are making a difference in the community. The granting of a wish may seem so simple, but it makes a world of difference for that child and their family.”
One of Chi Omega’s main events is its annual Chili Cookoff. All proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish.
This year Chili Cookoff will take place at 6:00pm on November 12 at Fountain Mall.
All Baylor students are encouraged to participate. The cost is only $5 at the entrance and this includes unlimited chili!
It is $25 to enter a team into the chili competition and teams can have a max of 5 people. They are given the opportunity to create their own, unique chili recipe.
Recipes over the past years have included an odd assortment of ingredients. Some teams take trying new things to a new level.
“Last year I tried chocolate chili. It was actually really good! The team used chocolate and graham crackers. Needless to say, they won,” said Emily Lloyd, a member of Chi Omega who was a tester for the competition last year.
Other than eating Chili, the public may attend a free concert given by a student band or participate in Bed Races made available by Alpha Tau Omega.
“The Bed Races are my favorite part! I love seeing what teams dress up as, it’s hilarious. It definitely makes for an enjoyable night,” said ATO member Austin Klarich.
This event is a great way for Baylor to give back to the community of Waco. In 2008, Chi Omega raised $12,146.27 through this event. Two wishes were granted to children in the Waco area.
One of these children was Ernesto, a five-year-old boy who wished to go to Disney World. Chi Omega was able to send Ernesto and his family on this great vacation.
The first wish to ever be granted by Make-A-Wish was to Christopher James Greicius, who dreamed of becoming a police officer.
In 1980, 7-year-old Chris was being treated for leukemia. Tommy Austin, a U.S. Customs Officer who knew the boy, wanted to find a way to make his final days joyful. Chris was taken on a ride in a department helicopter and was then sworn in as the first honorary DPS patrolman in state history.
When Chris passed away, his parents’ anguish turned into a hopeful sense of acceptance after seeing how happy their son was during his final days. This led to the development of Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Chi O strongly supports Make-A-Wish and encourages everyone to come out on November 12 for the Cookoff. The goal this year is to raise $15,000 but that all depends on the participation of Baylor’s Student Body.
Make yourself happy by eating unlimited chili and spread that cheer to a child by granting a wish!
The Marine Corps has made three commitments to America. They promise to make Marines, win our Nation’s battles, and develop quality citizens. These commitments alone give great sight into the characters of the Marines themselves. I am proud to say that I know a United States Marine and I believe she personifies every commitment made by the Corporation on a daily basis.
Alex Benda is not only a Marine, but she also represents a “quality citizen” who values persistence, respect, and faithfulness. She has embodied qualities of a Marine ever since she was young.
“I always tried finding ways to test my limits. I think that’s one of the most important things to do in life – test your limits. You never know what you’re fully capable of until you actually put yourself to work,” Benda told me over dinner on Sunday.
Currently a senior at Baylor University, she spent the summer enduring intense training in order to obtain this credible title. Not only did she have to get accustomed to early morning workouts, but also early nights.
“Life as a Marine is just so different,” Benda said with a smile. “It’s not anything like college life. It was definitely a wake up call.”
Although one might think that spending an entire summer in the Marines and then proceeding to start senior level college classes might warrant a break of some sort, Benda has already committed herself to studying for the LSAT. Law school is also in her life plan.
Upon asking Mccall Benda to describe her sister, she replied, “There is no single word to describe Alex. Well rounded is too vague.”
I full-heartedly agree with Mccall. Not many people today have the privilege of saying they are a Marine, a soon to be Law student, a member of Chi Omega, and a member of the Baylor Club Soccer Team.
As captain of Baylor’s club team, Benda is able to give light to her leadership skills. She is also Chi Omega’s Intramural Chair and oversees all of the sorority’s competitions.
“She does an incredible job of motivating the team. We play so well when we’re all together…We’re like a family,” said teammate and fellow Chi O Amy Wofford.
Although I am not on the club team, I am one of Benda’s sorority sisters and I agree with Wofford. We are a family. Maybe not by blood, but by compassion and faith.
In 1883 the Marine Corps adopted Semper Fidelis as its official motto, meaning “Always Faithful.” Benda embodies this statement. She constantly uses her talents for the good of others, whether they are teammates, sorority sisters, or common American citizens. She is not only a role model, but a prime example to all of what hard work and respect can accomplish you in life.
American
television personality and CEO of West Coast Choppers Jesse James, 41, of
Los Angeles, died Friday of a drug overdose.
Ex-wife
Sandra Bullock found James unconscious in his home in L.A. The police say he consumed a heavy
amount of the painkiller Valium minutes after calling Bullock to discuss their
marital problems.
“She wouldn’t talk
about the incident for days, but she’s come to terms with it now,” a close
friend of Bullock told reporters.
“She has been such a strong support system for his daughter
(Sunny). After all the humiliation
he put her through she is still an angel to him.”
In an attempt to
turn his life around after the affair with Michelle “Bombshell” McGee went
public, James attended a rehab facility in Arizona specializing in drug,
alcohol, and sex addictions. He
had been home for one week.
“I talked to him a
few times during that week and I really thought he had changed,” said a friend
of James’. “He told me he wanted to
make things right with Sandra. He
also told me he knew he had lost the best thing that ever happened to him.”
James was
introduced to television in 2000 when the Discovery Channel issued the
documentary Motorcycle Mania. He even had his own stunt show called Jesse James is a Dead Man, which
premiered on Spike TV in 2009. His
celebrity status, however, is accredited to Monster
Garage, a show that required James and his group of mechanics to fix
vehicles within a given time period.
Monster Garage allowed James to meet
Bullock when she requested him to be her ten-year-old godson’s Christmas
present. The pair married in
2005.
In 2010, however,
rumors involving James’ infidelity surfaced. Apparently he had been having an affair with McGee while
Bullock was filming The Blind Side. Bullock filed for divorce on
April 28, 2010. She took care of
Sunny while James entered rehab.
Bullock has taken
full custody of Sunny and they now live in Austin, Texas.
The date for
James’ service has not been publicized but it will take place in L.A.
It might be personal, but I always value a restaurant's history over its appearance or menu. Whether the history is displayed through pictures on the walls or an excerpt of information on the menu, the restaurant has a story and it wants to share this story with its diners.
One such restaurant is Waco's Elite Circle Grill located on 2132 S Valley Mills Dr. Not only does Elite have an excellent variety of dining options, but it also has a credible history. It was originally opened in 1919 and stood as a source of substinence to all people living in the area. Even idols such as Elvis Presley, who was stationed at Fort Hood in the '50s, used to eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches at this exact place. That explains the shirts the waitors wear that say, "Eat with a legend."
Although it has been remodeled since the time of Elvis, Elite still represents a place with delicious food and incredible history. So next time you're in the mood for a grilled meal and a great story, stop in at Elite Circle Grill. Chances are you won't be disappointed.
Many readers are probably wondering what the term "hypermedia" even means. Hypermedia refers to the combined use of graphics, audio, video, plain text and hyperlinks to convey information. One basic example of this is the World Wide Web. It uses plain text, video clips, and audio excerpts to convey information that it deems important. All of these sources work together to display news in a way that we the readers find interesting and engaging.
A click-through is the process of clicking on a web advertisement and going to the advertiser's website. It is also called an ad click or a request. Click-throughs measure the number of times the ads are clicked on instead of how many views they receive.
Many click-throughs occur via Facebook. Facebook does an excellent job of incorporating advertisements related to the user's interests and activities. Every time the user's profile is refreshed new ads are displayed. Many people go to the advertiser's website because the ads are so frequently applicable to their lives. This constant display of advertisements greatly increases the number of click-throughs of many websites.
This decade has been one to value the ideas of progress, improvement, and new technology. Today iPhones and Wii Consoles are all the rage. The problem, however, is that the public gets lost among these technological upgrades.
In order to understand how one can access multiple applications from one single mobile device, one must become familiar with the term "smart phone."
A smart phone is an advanced cell phone that allows the owner to view emails, browse the web, and download applications. Smart phones offer a wider range of connectivity and computing ability than basic mobile phones.
