EHZ Welcomes 16 New Brothers Into The Bond

On Behalf of the Brothers of Epsilon-Eta, we would like to congratulate the Fall 2008 class of newly initiated brothers. They have proved themselves to me men among men, and they will surely bring great things to our chapter in the future

Brothers Initiated on Friday November 15th, 2008

Matthew John Baxter  EH 1213
I was born and raised in Liberty, NY, a pretty small town about 2 hours southeast of Troy. Throughout school I played soccer and tennis, and those are a couple of my favorite hobbies today. I spent a lot of time hanging out at LXA my freshman year, and a lot of the friends that I made  became brothers there. Over the summer I ended up getting an off campus house with four LXA brothers. At the start of sophomore year, I wasn't really planning on joining a fraternity, but every day it seemed that one  of the brothers that I lived with asked me to go to a rush event. At first I went for a good time and free food, but after a while I got to know more of the brothers there. Before I knew it, I was invited to Montreal and got a bid, and here I am now.

Sean Thomas Coomey  EH 1214
Hello my name is Sean Coomey.  I’m from Bay Shore New York which is on the south shore of long island but I can assure you I don’t have a ridiculous accent.  I love to snowboard in the winter time and hopefully it will cool off up here soon so the mountains will open.  What initially got me interested in the house was how nice and cool all of the brothers are.  When I started to look into the actual fraternity more I realized that this was something I really wanted to be involved in for the rest of my life.

James Michael Cossavella EH 1215
Hauppauge, Long Island, NY
I am graduating in December 2009 with a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering after taking two terms on co-op at Lutron Electronics. Some of my interests include cars, boats, water sports, skiing, electronics, and meeting people/spending time with friends. I joined Lambda Chi Alpha because I realized I want to be part of such a bond which incorporates friendship, service, trust, honor, and the general "high status" which LXA has exhibited for so long. The brothers are unique and genuine, and after experiencing brotherhood week, I now understand all that the fraternity represents. I am proud to finally "associate with the best".

Paul Warren Dilandro  EH 1216
Hello my name is Paul DiLandro, one of the major reasons I joined the house is that I felt that it provided a home away from home. There is a tremendous amount of support and brotherhood associated with the house. Not only is it a nice place to hang out and party but it’s also good for doing community service and getting help with everyday problems. About me well I graduated from Westhampton beach high school. This is located on long island New York. I played football wrestling and lacrosse varsity for three years. I was also involved with boy scouts and am an eagle scout. During the summer I worked construction as an electrician’s apprentice. I also valet parked cars and catered.

Jeff Paul Finkel  EH 1217

Thomas Louis Holland  EH 1218
My name is Tom Holland I am a Design Innovation in Society major, recently switched from Environmental Engineering.  So as you can guess I have concerns about the environment and global issues of today.  I am a part of Sustainability Task Force and Ecologic club here on campus.  I enjoy playing hockey and lacrosse and watching most sports.  I am from Pleasant  Valley new York which is right outside of Poughkeepsie.  I came to RPI no thinking I would go greek but upon going to the rush events I discovered LXA and its members and decided that it was something I wanted to be a part of.  It seemed like a tight bond with a great group of kids who had their priorities straight and something just drew me to it but I still don't really know what it was.

Thomas Clark Jamison  EH 1219
My name is Thomas (TC) Jamison and I am a freshman Aero/MechE major. I'm
all the way from the San Francisco Bay Area. A lot of the brothers were
the first older guys I met on campus. Coming from across the country it's
hard to feel at home back here but the house and the brotherhood was
really the first time I felt at home here with a group of people/friends.
I am also a big time skier & snowboarder and plan to go every weekend if
anyone wants to join in and make a trip up on a weekend with a couple
brothers. I'm looking forward to meeting all these guys I always hear
stories about

John Daniel Kirby  EH 1220

Brian David Orecchio  EH 1221
I'm Brian Orecchio, the twin brother of Paul and I am from Walpole, Massachusetts. I am a Computer Science/Math duel major. I play for the RPI varsity lacrosse team.  I like to play sports, ski, party and hang out.  My friend, Jimmy Hannifin introduced me to LXA and I loved the house.

Paul Edmonde Orecchio  EH 1222
Hello, my name is Paul Orecchio and I am from Walpole, Massachusetts.  I am currently majoring in EE and I play on the RPI lacrosse team.  I love to play sports, snowboard, and have fun.  A buddy of mine from back home is a brother and he introduced me to the house.  I loved it from the beginning and have never looked back since.

Alex Martin Palkovic  EH 1223

David Joseph Penna  EH 1224
David Penna, born and raised in Buffalo, New York and therefore an avid Bills and Sabres fan.  I'm at RPI for a dual major in Aero-Mechanical Engineering.  LXA was an easy choice for me because it seemed in my eyes to be the man among boys as far as fraternities on this campus.  From the  first rush event I felt wanted and at home and my appreciation for all that LXA could offer me and what I could contribute to it only grew as rush and the AM process progressed.  I’m very excited and thankful to be an initiated member and participate of this wonderful brotherhood.

John Philip Trasatti  EH 1225
Hi Brothers. My name is JP Trasatti, EH 1225, from Brookline, New Hampshire. I'm a Class of 2011 chemistry major in the School of Science Accelerated B.S./Ph.D. Program. When I'm not doing school work I enjoy snowboarding in the winter, wakeboarding in the summer, and taking photos. I'm also taking on role of Senior Managing Editor for the campus paper, The Polytechnic. This past summer I worked for RPI's Office of First Year Experience as a Student Orientation Advisor, during this time I had a chance to work with members of the Greek community. This interaction sparked my interest in possibly joining a fratenity. Rushing and becoming a part Lambda Chi Alpha just felt right to me and here I am. Enjoying every moment of the experience and looking forward to those of the future.

Stephen Nicholas Provost EH 1226
I am Stephen Provost from Lawrence Massachusetts dual majoring in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.  I enjoy playing sports, hanging out and just having an overall good time.  I joined LXA because the house is a great group of guys who I enjoy hanging out with.

Gregory Matthew Skiba  EH 1227

Michael Wojciech Skrzypiec EH 1228
My name is Michael Wojciech Skrzypiec. I am a freshman here at RPI pursuing a major in Mechanical and Aeronautical engineering. My hometown is Staten Island, NY. I am an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. I  have a major interest in music and have been a DJ since I was 12. I joined LXA because of the diverse interests and personalities of the brothers. All the brothers were easy to get along with and were open to my interests and ideas. I am very excited to now be a brother in the house and I know my college studies and experiences will be aided by my brotherhood in LXA

In Zeta Alpha Chi
Clapp

Alumni Weekend Announced

Alumni Weekend Will Be March 20-21, 2009

Alumni Banquet March 21st
Captain JP Cruse Ship, Troy, NY

Additional events will be announced soon

in ZAX
Management

2008 FOOD DRIVE A GREAT SUCCESS!!!

Epsilon-Eta Raised 21,669 pounds of food this year!!!

David Drew EH-1172 Wins The Frederick M. Nussbaum ’30 Memorial Award for Outstanding Volunteerism

FROM INSIDE RENSSELAER MAGAZINE:

Two Rensselaer students, Christopher Goldsmith, a native of White Sulphur Springs, N.Y., and David Drew, a native of Freeville, N.Y., have been awarded the Frederick M. Nussbaum ’30 Memorial Award for Outstanding Volunteerism. The award is granted to an outstanding senior in recognition of his or her volunteer activities on the Rensselaer campus or their civic involvement in bettering the local community and its people.

The award was created by Jim Ferguson ’53 and his family in recognition of their father’s volunteer activities on not only the Rensselaer campus but also in the broader community of Troy. For over 50 years, Nussbaum gave thousands of hours of time to others, says the family.

Goldsmith and Drew were each presented with a check for $1,000 by Jim Ferguson ’53 on Oct. 18 during the men’s ice hockey game against Bentley University. Erin Crotty ’92, director of community relations, was also present.

“I was privileged to work with Jim Ferguson and understand how much this award reflects the values of his family,” said Rick Hartt ’70, director of the Rensselaer Union. “The award further reinforces the values that Christopher and David’s family have instilled in them, and illustrates the role that volunteerism and civic engagement plays in Rensselaer’s education.”

Goldsmith, a student majoring in mechanical engineering and a member of the Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, came to Rensselaer as an Eagle Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow, the national honor society for the Boy Scouts of America. He was cited for his “relentless commitment to service of the highest caliber,” and was praised for “his depth and breadth of volunteerism at RPI that has underscored his passion of helping others to make this world a better place, both here at Rensselaer and beyond.”

Over the years, Goldsmith has held several leadership roles within his fraternity. He has also served as chair of the Student Senate Rules and Elections committee. Goldsmith has worked as a volunteer for countless activities, adding up to hundreds of hours given in service to his community, including for Habitat for Humanity, the Regional Food Bank of Northeast New York, Joseph’s House, Relay for Life, Rotary Scout Reservation, and park cleanups, among others.

According to a nominee, Drew, a student majoring in biochemistry and biophysics, has been actively participating in many organizations since the age of 13, and has “strived to be a force in the community.” The nominee noted that “his philanthropic character is one of his most dominant traits.” Prior to attending Rensselaer, Drew was an active member of Students Against Destructive Decisions. He was also part of Serteen, a youth service organization branching out from the Sertoma Organzation. Sertoma, which stands for Service to mannkind, is an international volunteer civic service organization founded in 1912 that provides a variety of community services, depending on the need.

Drew’s first community service experience at Rensselaer was with the Navigating Rensselaer & Beyond program, where he participated in the Habitat for Humanity build. Since then, he has held a number of leadership positions that includes serving as Class of 2009 President. He is a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, serving as external vice president, responsible for the organization’s community service efforts. Drew also created a new philanthropic event in which members of the fraternity and sisters of Alpha Gamma Delta would rock in sponsored rocking chairs for 36 straight hours. The effort raised $1,000 for Unity House of Troy and the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation for Juvenile Diabetes. Currently, he is developing a new plan for the fraternity’s North American food drive, as well as several other community service projects.

EHZ Wins RAA Community Service Award

FROM INSIDE RENSSELAER MAGAZINE:

In a tribute for an outstanding commitment to community service, the Rensselaer Alumni Association (RAA) recognized Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity with its Community Service Award for Greek Life on Oct. 21 during the first intermission of the Rensselaer vs. UMass hockey game.

Members of Lambda Chi Alpha have spent more than 3,500 hours in community service and in philanthropic activities over the past year. Their activities included: organizing a food drive to benefit the Unity House of Troy; participating in volunteer activities at School 14 in Troy, ranging from mentoring students to helping support the school’s “Back to School Night” for parents and students; and coordinating a “rock-a-thon”— 36 hours of continuous rocking in chairs — to raise money for the North American Food Drive, the Unity House of Troy’s Abuse Counseling Program, and the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation for Juvenile Diabetes.

During last year’s one-day local food drive, Lambda Chi Alpha was able to collect approximately 1,300 pounds of food. Their fundraising efforts throughout the year, from events such as Watermelon Bash, where student organizations, Greek and non-Greek alike, compete in a watermelon-themed competition, raised nearly $1,000 for the same cause, an amount equaling a donation of approximately 10,000 pounds of food to the Unity House of Troy in conjunction with the Albany Food Bank in time for Thanksgiving. Over the last 10 years, the fraternity has collected and donated over 110,000 pounds of food to charitable organizations in the local community.

Lambda Chi Alpha members also have volunteered extensively on the Rensselaer campus, participating in the Institute’s annual “Relay for Life” event, and sponsoring multiple Red Cross blood drives. Additionally, the fraternity hosts dinners throughout the year to thank members of the Rensselaer community — including faculty, staff, deans, and even President Jackson and members of her cabinet — who have helped them achieve success both on campus and off.

The Community Service Award for Greek Life includes a plaque and $500 donation made to the charity of the winning organization’s choice. Lambda Chi Alpha has pledged the money to Rebecca Feig, assistant dean in the Office of the First Year Experience at Rensselaer, who will be participating in a half-marathon in January with Team in Training to support leukemia and lymphoma research.

“I can’t express in words how grateful I am to have the support of Lambda Chi Alpha,” said Feig. “Meeting the pledge goal I had set for myself seemed unreachable at times, but now, thanks to this generous gift, it is within reach. I am incredibly appreciative.”

Welcome EHZ Alumni

Brothers,
I would like to welcome everyone to the new EHZ Alumni News Blog. Keep your eyes out for updates, you can even subscribe to receive update notices. Check out the latest watermelon bash and library addition pictures (addition photos will be posted soon)on the new house picasa account. (Also in the slide show to the left)

I would like to send a big thanks to Chris Gineros EH 1077 for providing the idea behind this page.

In ZAX
Clapp