Sisterhood

The Sisterhood Chair is the "Sunshine" of our chapter. The sisterhood committee is designed to acknowledge exceptional examples of sisterhood as well as designating a particular sister, as voted on by her chapter, as "Sunshine of the Week." One is usually named "Sunshine of the Week" because of her generosity and care that she has shown towards a member of the chapter or because of her efforts towards a personal or chapter project. In addition to presenting this award, the sisterhood chair makes sure all upcoming birthdays are recognized.

Sisterhood themed events are held at least once a month so that the members of our chapter have a chance to enjoy each other's company in social situation. No boys are allowed but do from time to time open up our events to other women- inclusiveness, after all is one of our core values.

Last Thursday, the Phi Sigs gathered for a "Spooky" Halloween themed sisterhood. Sisters decorated pumpkins and exchanged their favorite trick or treat candy with each other. Upcoming sisterhoods will most likely have a festive holiday feel in accordance with the holiday season!

A big thank you goes out to Michelle McCoy, Revathi Chandra, and Kaitlyn McNaney hosting the event at their on campus apartment.

An even bigger thank you goes out to Stephanie Layne! Stephanie has served as our Sisterhood Chair for almost a full year now. She has gone above and beyond her call of duty making sure that the sun is always shining in Phi Sigma Sigma. Sisterhood Chair is not the only position Stephanie holds in the chapter; she also serves on the Executive Board as our Scholarship Chair. Whether she's planning awesome sisterhoods or making sure that sisters get recognized for their hard work, she is always smiling and always taking the time to make everyone happy. She truly embodies what it means to be a sister and a Phi Sigma Sigma.

You are the best, Steph! Thank you!

Picture: (Top) Sisterhood and Scholarship Chair, Stephanie Layne; (Bottom) Sisters decorate pumpkins at the "Spooky Sisterhood."

Why So Much About Homecoming?

Recently, there has been a lot of blogging about Phi Sig's participation in the Homecoming 2009 festivities. Why is that? Sister, Katie Dix has served as the Homecoming chair for the past two years (2008 and 2009) and was happy to include her fellow Phi Sigs in the process. Whether it was hosting the Talent Show, burning mixed CDs for events, serving thousands of chicken wings at the tailgate, setting up tables and chairs, or just showing up for to support her- the Gamma Pi's found some way to contribute to the cause.

Katie is not the the only sister involved on campus though. Every member of the chapter is required to participate in at least two activities outside of Phi Sigma Sigma. Phi Sigs participate in a variety of campus activities including SGA, Service Learning, Crew, Admissions Ambassadors, Dance Team and many more! The Phi Sigs really know how to make their presence made on their campus and in the community.

Picture: Phi Sigs gather in the Student Events Board office to assemble Homecoming Promotions.

UMBC Talent Show

On Friday, October 16, Jen Kent and Katie Dix hosted the UMBC Homecoming Talent Show.

It was hard to capture a great picture of the two on stage but they did an amazing job! Way to go, ladies!

Extra, Extra! Read All About It!

Our new Gamma Pi, Lia Roper is a new staff writer for The Retriever Weekly, UMBC's campus newspaper. Be on the look-out for her articles every Tuesday! Congratulations, Lia- we are so proud of you!

Greek Challenge

On October 7, Phi Sig participated in the UMBC
Athletic Greek Challenge. All Greek chapters were asked to participate and were judged on chapter attendance, attire (black and gold/ Greek letters) and spirit during the UMBC Men's Soccer game.

The Phi Sigs gathered in Lot #17 prior to the game to make banners, blow up balloons and decorate their cars. Heather Jones' car was even transformed into a retriever- complete with a giant red tongue and wagging tail.

Quite a few sisters had to leave for class once the game started but the chapter still managed to grasp 2nd place in the challenge! Congratulations, ladies!

Pictures: (Top) Stephanie Layne and Kaitlyn McNaney take a break from blowing up balloons to pose for a picture; (Middle) Sisters gather in Lot #17 prior to the soccer game(Bottom) Kelsey Williamson,Lia Roper and Katie Gauvin paint a banner for the the game.

Midnight Madness!

On Friday, October 16, the Phi Sigs headed to the UMBC RAC to participate in Midnight Madness!

While most our sisters were in the cheering in the stands, some of our members played a more active role in the program. Katie Dix and Jen Kent took the stage to announce the winners of the Homecoming Talent Show and New Member, Olga Etkina, performed with the UMBC Dance Team. Way to go, Phi Sig!

Picture: (Top) Sapphire Sisters, Sam Bryant and Casey Little in the fan section; (Bottom) New Member, Olga Etkina, with the UMBC dance team. Olga is the third from the top left.

Congratulations, Christine!

Christine Stryzak, Gamma Pi's current Archon and member of the UMBC Equestrian Team, competed in her first horse show on Sunday, October 4 at Goucher College. She competed in the Walk Trot Division and received third place! She will be competing with the UMBC Team in three more shows in the next coming weeks and is looking forward to updating everyone on hers and the rest of the team's progress. Congratulations, Christine!

Kidney Walk

On October 3, Phi Sigma Sigma traveled to Georgetown to participate in the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Walk. Together, the chapter raised almost $2000 and is still accepting donations! The chapter would like to thank all of our friends and family that supported us in this effort- we couldn't have done it without you!

Welcome Aboard!

Gamma Pi would like to welcome the following women as New Members of Phi Sigma Sigma:

Sophie Cazarez

Olga Etkina

Katie Gauvin

Neha Kapoor

Kathrine Komowal

Casey Little

Andrea Murphy

Congratulations, ladies! We wish you the best of luck (and tons of fun) during your New Member process!

Welcome, Lia!

The Gamma Pi chapter has an amazing new sister- Lia Roper! Lia transferred to UMBC from Stevenson University, where she was a dedicated sister of Phi Sigma Sigma. She is a biology major, is very outgoing, and loves to dance!

She has already proven to be a great asset to the Gamma Pi chapter- contributing in meetings and providing support for our sisterhood. It feels like she's always been here, and we are very excited that she is part of our chapter.

Congratulations, Lia, and welcome!

Recruitment

Fall Recruitment starts on Monday, September 21st. Come out and meet the lovely ladies of Phi Sigma Sigma!


PHA Orientation
Monday 9/21
6-8pm
Commons Skylight Room


Philanthropy Night
Tuesday 9/22
6-8pm
Commons 327


Sisterhood Makes Us Stronger
Wednesday 9/23
5-7pm
Commons 328


Learn to Kickbox
Thursday 9/24
5:30-7pm
UC 310
Please wear athletic appropriate wear.


Pancake Dinner
Friday 9/25
5-7pm
Patapsco Basement
Pajama pants are more than acceptable at this event!


Outdoor Games
Saturday 9/26
1-2:30pm
Rock Garden


Red, White, and Blue Picnic (Invite Only)
Sunday 9/27
12-2pm
Location TBA


Pref Night (Invite Only)
Tuesday 9/29
7pm
Location TBA

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Michelle McCoy (our Recruitment Chair) at mmccoy1@umbc.edu.

Welcome Week!

Welcome Week 2009 was a success thanks to several members of Phi Sigma Sigma.

Whether they served as Welcome Week Leaders (or Woolies), volunteered through SGA or the Shriver Center, or planned the events with Student Events Board- many sisters of Phi Sigma Sigma found a way to welcome the incoming freshman and transfer class!

Pictures: (Top) Michelle McCoy-center- sings her heart out with some other Woolies during Karaoke.
(Middle) Katie Dix prepares cotton candy for Big Crazy Fun Night.
(Bottom) Gina Sim shows off her moves at Playfair.

Leadership Through Service

On August 25, five sisters of Phi Sigma Sigma traveled to Camp Letts to participate in the annual SGA/ SEB Retreat.

Among the campus' leaders were the following sisters:

Revathi Chandra
Student Government Association

Hannah Dier
Student Government Association

Katie Dix
Student Events Board, Vice President

Rachana Haliyur
Student Government Association

Jen Kent
Student Government Association Executive Vice President

Picture: Sisters Revathi Chandra, Rachana Halyur and Jennifer Kent pose with the rest of the SGA. Hannah Dier could not make the picture, she left retreat early to assist with Freshman Orientation.

Phi Sigs Spotted in the New UMBC Video!

As the Number One Up and Coming University according to Newsweek magazine, UMBC has spent a lot of time documenting our school's history and promoting the campus to prospective students.

Phi Sigma Sigma's Rock-A-Thon was featured in one of the most recent publications set forth by the university. Check it out at around the 5:30 on the youtube version of the video.

Also, if you look closely you can spot sisters Jen Kent and Michelle McCoy in other parts of the video!

Check it out!

Kidney Walk

Since 1971, the Phi Sigma Sigma Fondation has generated funds for the National Kidney Foundation and has more recently sent members to the NKF Transplant Games. The Gamma Pi chapter, at UMBC, has helped contribute to the cause by holding a Rock-A-Thon every semester. Rock-A-Thon is a 26-hour event in which members from our sorority rock in rocking chairs to to raise money- just as dialysis patients rock to stimulate blood flow to their kidneys.

On October 3, 2009 we will be walking a 5K through Georgetown with the National Kidney Foundation. This is a our second time participating in the Kidney Walk.

Why are we Walking?

- Chronic kidney disease is a public health problem affecting 26 million Americans

- One in nine American adults have kidney disease and most don’t know it

- 92,000 people are waiting for organ transplants

- 17 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant

We are asking you to consider supporting our fundraising efforts with a donation. Your tax-deductible gift can be made online by simply clicking on the link here or at the bottom of this message. Any amount, great or small, helps in the fight.

Please help us reach our fundraising goal. This is an exciting opportunity for us to work together to help people understand the need for early detection of kidney disease, to raise funds for research and to help patients and their families. Thank you for your love and support.

Click here to view the team page for Phi Sigma Sigma- Gamma Pi

OPA!

Sisters, Hannah Dier, Tasha Ammenheuser, and Maria Satyshur are currently serving as Orientation Peer Advisors (aka OPAs)!

Feel free to introduce yourself this summer during Freshman and Transfer Orientation!

Photo: Tasha Ammenheuser and Maria Satyshur

Congratulations, Graduating Seniors!

Congratulations to our graduating seniors!

Melissa Bernero
Janelle Bettis
Kate Nunely
Sam Sadtler
Amanda Schwenk


We are so proud of you and wish you the best of luck!

Greek Life Awards Banquet

On May 9, 2009 Phi Sigma Sigma was honored at the UMBC Greek Life Awards Banquet.

Gamma Pi was acknowledged by PHA with the Superior Sisterhood award. During our summer and winter retreats we set sisterhood on our priority list and it feels good to know that others have noticed the amount of care and consideration Phi Sigs have put into the sisterhood we are creating.

Gamma Pi was also awarded the Philanthropy Award- having raised more money for our philanthropic efforts that any other Greek Life organization on campus. Our efforts this year included the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Walk, Race for Autism for the Howard County Autism Society, and Rock-A-Thon and Basket Bingo for the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation.

Phi Sigma Sigma was also nominated by the university for the Group Commitment to Service Award.

Picture: Gamma Pi's on the way to the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Walk. From left to right (first row) Sam Sadtler, Michal Levitas, Kathleen Englebretson, (second row) Hannah Dier, Liz Pickett, Christine Stryzak, Jennifer Kent, (back row) Julia Smearman, Jenna Green, Leanne Lenhart, Kate Nunely, and Katie Dix.

Congratulations, Jennifer Kent!

On May 8, 2009 Jennifer Kent was inaugurated as Vice President of the Student Government Association for the 2009-2010 school year.

Jennifer and her presidential running mate, Yasmin Karimian are the first all female presidential ticket (in UMBC history) to be elected.

In addition to her involvement with the Student Government Association, Jennifer serves on Gamma Pi's executive board as our Sisterhood Development Chair (SDC) and is the current Social Chair.

Congratulations, Jennifer Kent- you embody what it means to be a Phi Sig!

Mother Pinning

"All that I am and all that I will be, I owe to my mother."

Mother Pinning is an official ritual of Phi Sigma Sigma Fraternity, during which we recognize and honor the important women in our lives- our mothers. This ritual is intended to be an intimate expression of the values of our sisterhood, which we hope our mothers take great pride in sharing
with us.

On April 25th, sixteen Gamma Pi mothers were invited to participate in our Annual Mother Pinning. Each mother witnessed some of the traditions of the fraternity and received an official Phi Sigma Sigma mother pin, featuring the crest of the Fraternity and a long stemmed rose, the flower of Phi Sigma Sigma.

Thanks again to all of the mothers that participated. It was amazing to share Phi Sigma Sigma with you and allow you to enter the pyramid of our sisterhood. It was an emotional experience for us that will remain in our memories forever.

Silent Auction

Phi Sigma Sigma will be volunteering at the 4th Annual Pieces of the Puzzle Gala on Saturday, April 25th. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Howard County Autism Society (Gamma Pi's local philanthropy).

The evening will be filled with wonderful food and drink, music and dancing, and a live and silent auction. The event runs from 7-midnight and will be held at the Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville. Tickets for this year’s event are $ 100 .

You may purchase tickets by signing up below, or by mailing a check to: Howard County Autism Society, 10280 Old Columbia Road, Suite 215, Columbia, MD 21046.

For more information, please contact Ginny Bickell at gala@howard-autism.org or 410-290-3466.

Picture: Scenes from last year's Gala. Second down on the far right features sisters Katie Dix, Liz Walters and Hannah Dier.

Orioles Magic

On Friday, April 10, Phi Sigma Sigma joined the brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon to root on the Orioles at Camden Yards.

For more information about our socials, please contact our social chair, Jennifer Kent at jkent1@umbc.edu

Picture: (Back, From left to right) Sisters Gina Fitzmaurice, Kate Nunley, Michelle McCoy, Kelsey Williamson,and Liz Johnson;(Front, From left to right) Melissa Bernero, Stephanie Layne, Lauren Kim, Revathi Chandra, and Hannah Dier.

30th Anniversary Formal

On April 4th, Gamma Pi traveled to Martin's West to celebrate their 30th Anniversary with a Sapphire Ball.

Thank you to our alumni- Kerry Hickerson, Renato Melillo, Alexa Urrita-Comas, Judy Smith, and Jenna Green- for joining us.



Pictures: (From Top to Bottom ) Stephanie Layne, Spring 2009 Miss Phi Sig, getting ready before the Ball; Gamma Pi lines up for a chapter picture; Members of the Polka Dot lineage before dinner; Gina Fitzmaurice and Christine Stryzak on the dance floor.

BINGO!

On April 22nd, Phi Sigma Sigma will be holding Longaberger Basket Bingo at The Lodge in Catonsville. Proceeds benefit the National Kidney Foundation and the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation.

Doors open at 6 pm. Games start at 7 pm.

In addition to bingo, there will be multiple raffles including a 50/50. Food will be available for purchase. Tickets are $15 but will be $18 at the door.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact stryzak1@umbc.edu.

Happy Birthday, Gamma Pi

On March 31, the Gamma Pi chapter celebrated their 30th Anniversary at UMBC.

The chapter was founded in 1979 making Phi Sigma Sigma the oldest Greek Life organization on UMBC's campus.

On this day we celebrate both our national and local founders, our core values and the standards of womanhood that they have set forth for us.

Happy Birthday, Gamma Pi. Here's to 30 years of exceptional excellence and the many more to come.

Picture: Jennifer Kent blows a kiss to national founder and first Grand Archon, Fay Chertkoff.

Phi Sig Rocks Out for Charity

On March 24 and 25, the ladies of Phi Sigma Sigma held their bi-annual Rock-A-Thon- rocking nonstop for 25 hours to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation.

Why the rocking chairs? Patients going through dialysis, a treatment for kidney failure, are encouraged to rock in rocking chairs to promote blood flow throughout their bodies.

The National Kidney Foundation was adopted by the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation in 1971, when kidney disease was the number one killer of women.

Rock-A-Thon is one of the many efforts Phi Sigma Sigma participates in in order to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation. Earlier this year, the Gamma Pi chapter participated in the National Kidney Walk, raising almost $3000.

Thank you to everyone that donated during Rock-A-Thon. We appreciate all of your support.

Picture: Katie Dix and Tash Ammenheuser rocking outside of the Commons from 2 am- 4am.

Initiation

Initiation was held on March 28 for our Beta Pi class!

Congratulations to our new sisters:

Revathi Chandra
Rachana Haliyur
Danielle Lafleur
Lauren Kim
Kaitlyn McNaney
Stephanie Pully
Gina Sim




We would like to thank our Headquarters for hosting us this year. It was amazing to experience our ritual in Suite 202, surrounded by memorabilia dating back to 1913.

Race for Autism

On March 7, 2009 Phi Sigma Sigma held its annual Race for Autism.

Over 50 human participants- and a few canine friends- enjoyed the beautiful weather as they raced a "barely 5K" around the UMBC loop.

The ladies of Phi Sig would like to thank everyone who participated in the Race or donated during our bake sale- especially our friends, family members and alumni. Thank you to our fellow Greeks in Phi Mu, Lambda Chi Alpha, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Pi Kappa Phi that supported us throughout the process.

Throughout the week, almost $700 was raised to support the efforts of the Howard County Autism Society, a member of the Autism Society of America.

For more information about Autism and how your donation will be used, please visit the following websites:
www.autismspeaks.org
www.autism-society.org




"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."- William James

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog!

In hopes of keeping you updated on all of our chapter's activities, the Gamma Pi chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma has designed this blog.

We encourage you to check frequently for the latest chapter news, announcements and highlights.

For more information about our chapter, please visit our website.