sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

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SIGMA ALPHA DELTA FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD

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Page 1: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

SIGMA ALPHA DELTA FALL 2012 NEWSLETTER

BE THE

CHANGE YOU WANT TO

SEE IN THE

WORLD

Page 2: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

CONGRATULATIONS, FALL 2012 INDUCTEES!

Inside this issue:

Executive Board 3

Executive Board State-

ments

4

Semester Events 11

Volunteer Events 13

Alumni Biography 15

Freestyles 16

Page 3: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

SIGMA ALPHA DELTA EXECUTIVE BOARD FALL 2012

EUGENE FRENKEL PRESIDENT

HONG PAN VICE PRESIDENT

WEIWEI SHI TREASURER

MICHAEL ARNOLD SECRETARY

KEVIN JOHNSON CHAIR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

JENNY LUU CHAIR OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

MAKSIM AVRAKH DIRECTOR OF CORP. COMMUNICATIONS

KATHRYN MERCADO CHAIR OF EVENTS

JOSEPH MILANO CHAIR OF MARKETING

VINOD KUMAR CHAIR OF VOLUNTEERING

ALBERT MATTHEW CHAIR OF WEB & I.T.

DENNIS CHANG CONSULTANT

XHINA GOXHERI CONSULTANT

Page 3

Page 4: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

Page 4

I would like to dedicate a third of this statement to my amazing E-Board and V-Board, without whom

we all would be nothing. A third is dedicated to the tireless prospective members this semester, who have made it the greatest experience. The final third is dedicated to how I have changed, in the hopes that someone

will learn something.

E-Board, you have been some of the greatest and hardworking people I have ever met. We had a

rocky start, but yet, managed to surpass all expectations set on us. This has been a great semester and we

worked together like clockwork. Any problem was solved instantly and we all understood that we are in this together. Thank you for being there; it has been an adventure being your presidential eggplant. To the V-Board,

thank you for taking on your positions. I know it can be a thankless job sometimes, but this semester, you have been the most active and dedicated members that I have ever seen. You went above and beyond for the organ-

ization and helped us make this into a special semester. Together, we created a free and social atmosphere, which was one of the goals. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you for the following semester, and

making this organization absolutely superb.

Prospective members, this semester has been a great journey. I met all of you when you were just

starting out. A few of you were a bit scared and weren’t sure what you were getting into. It is nice to see that so many of you have found your stride and are confident. From the laughs we have shared at all of the meet-

ings and events, it has been a humbling experience. Many of you took on leadership roles within your commit-tee, and others created your own unique niche. It would not have been the same without all of you. I will defi-

nitely remember this semester for years to come, and my hope is that you guys continue on in Sigma. It is a

great experience; just wait until you become a board member! I sincerely hope to work with every single one of you in the following semester and to see you around. I hope that you not only come to events and meetings,

but take on leadership roles, for that is the greatest calling.

Our motto this semester is, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Although it was a motto

that none of us had to say, we lived by it. We wanted to change and improve upon so many things. Each of our

meetings circled around the simple question: what can we do differently?

As Chairperson of the Alumni Relations Committee in Spring 2012, I was finally in charge of my own committee. I learned the greatest responsibility, which was to be a leader. With great people at my back, we

redesigned the entire committee and created a new culture for it. I am proud to say that my friend, and for-mer Vice Chair, still continues it with great success. That semester taught me that improvements can always

be made and one should never be afraid of change. During my time in the E-Board, I found many things I want-

ed to improve upon. So my path was set; I would be the next President of Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society.

Being president changed the game for me. The organization has more than 500 inducted members,

1400 alumni, and 120 prospective members. I met with different faculty members in Baruch, club leaders, prospective members, inducted members, alumni, E-Board members, while having to study for tests and work

on the side; needless to say, I was definitely overwhelmed. I learned how to manage my time wisely and when to say no. I learned how to keep things in perspective and keep moving forward, never letting it overwhelm me.

I learned to keep a positive attitude in front of everyone, or people lose faith. It was the single greatest experi-ence of my life and one I would never trade. My grades were terrible in the beginning and I missed a few meet-

ings but I learned how to schedule everything, so now that the semester is ending, I have saved my grades and relationships. These are the experiences I take with me for the rest of my life, for it is useful everywhere. I

learned this while Vice Chair, and Chair as well. It is definitely a great experience and one that is vital for eve-

ryone to try.

These are the things I pass on to the future generations. Get involved, manage your time wisely,

keep things in perspective, keep moving forward, always do better, leave time for yourself, and have great people at your back. May your experiences prove to be better and more educational than mine; I hope to see

you become the leaders that I know all of you can be!

A STATEMENT FROM EUGENE FRENKEL PRESIDENT

“During my time in the E-

Board, I found many things I

wanted to improve upon. So

my path was set; I would be

the next President of Sigma

Alpha Delta Honor Society.”

Page 5: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

Page 5

This is my fifth semester in Sigma Alpha Delta. I have seen so many Sigma members

come, go, take leadership positions within Sigma, take leadership positions outside of Sigma,

and also move on with their careers. The questions of why haven’t I moved on always circles

my mind. Is it the friendships that I have made, is it the skills that I have obtained, or is it the

hardship that I have overcome? All of these reasons are true and Sigma is a major factor to

the Hong people see today.

Friendship:

Every semester brings new Executive Board members and new prospective mem-

bers to Sigma. Meeting them is my joy and seeing their growth within the semester is my

honor. It is great to see how close this semester’s Executive Board members are. We always

can joke around, play Chinese poker in the club room, and there is always cake for each

Board member’s birthday. Meeting the prospective members is one of my greatest motiva-

tors semester after semester and this semester has been no different; seeing passionate,

diligent, and potential leaders working to be a Sigma members pushes me to want to stay and

do the best for them and for Sigma.

Skills:

Two learned skills that I cherish are leadership skills and adaption skills in regards

to people. To be a good leader, you must motivate your people. Being a good leader does not

mean getting the work done, but having your team willingly and full heartedly help you. You

must motivate everyone and not demotivate anyone. There must be mutual respect for both

parties’ work; once the respect from one party diminishes, it will be nearly impossible to gain

that respect back.

Sigma is as diverse as Baruch College itself. Thus, you learn to be a certain way with

certain people. Always remember that there is a time and place for everything. There are

different approaches to the same problem with different people. Sometimes, you must be

assertive, while others times, you must give choices. However, even with changing attitudes,

you must not lose yourself. People say, “Power changes a person.” I say, “You always have a

choice, people grow from experiences, and it is up to you to be the person that you want to

be”.

Hardship:

Hardships or challenges become experiences which become growths in your life. Don’t

tell me that you are giving up and don’t tell me that you regret a decision; don’t tell me that

this is all you can do. Keep moving forward. Thank you, Sigma, for all the memories and expe-

riences that I will always bring with me.

A STATEMENT FROM HONG PAN VICE PRESIDENT

“Seeing passionate, diligent,

and potential leaders

working to be a Sigma

members pushes me to want

to stay and do the best for

them and for Sigma.”

Page 6: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

“As an E-Board member, I saw

the hard work that everybody

put into making sure everything

ran as smoothly possible. This

just confirmed the saying that

one doesn’t know what is really

going on until he or she gets

involved.”

Page 6

As a prospective a year earlier, I was enjoying the benefits of all Sigma events and somehow be-

lieved that E-Board members don’t do much. They were joking with each other during general meetings and joking basically every time I saw them. What could be so hard about being an E-Board member? I ran for

treasurer during the last semester of my college career. With work, Sigma and only two classes, I thought to

myself, “This is going to be a semester for me to relax.” However, I was wrong.

Who knew that a simple four year college club would be this intense? With every general meeting,

information-session, bake sale, on-campus event, volunteer event, and co-sponsorship event, there were many emails, brain storms, votes, discussions, and cooperation going on behind the scenes. Every detail need-

ed attention and a final decision. As an E-Board member, I saw the hard work that everybody put into making sure everything ran as smoothly possible. This just confirmed the saying that one doesn’t know what is really

going on until he or she gets involved.

Although I could easily say that this is ranked as my most stressful semester, I could just as easily

say that this was my most memorable and enjoyable semester. During this semester, I got to know my assis-tant treasurer, the best cook, and best assistant ever, Travis Wong. I got to interact with all of the E-Board

members and enjoyed every conversation with them. I gained three mentees and also got to know many of the prospective members. I thank everyone who came out to help me during bake sales and the Game Night Fund-

raising Event.

I learned a lot this semester. The first bake sale gave me a lesson about business: profit margin is

the key to how much money one makes. The three appeals for Sigma events taught me that one never knows

what they will receive unless they ask, and also pay attention to deadlines. Above these lessons, I would like to thank everyone who believed in me and gave me this opportunity to serve Sigma. Life has its ups and downs.

This semester has definitely been one of my ups. Thank you.

A STATEMENT FROM WEIWEI SHI TREASURER

Joining Sigma Alpha Delta has introduced me to a vibrant side of campus life at Baruch College. So

naturally, I was compelled to take an Executive Board position after being inducted last May. I am thankful to have had the pleasure of working closely with a group of unique personalities all

motivated by a common goal. Since early June, all of the E-Board members have collaborated in hopes of making Fall 2012 the best possible semester for our prospective members. We met every week over the sum-

mer to plan events for the Fall, organize ourselves, and most importantly, have fun getting to know one anoth-

er. When September arrived, our work load increased, with the combination of class work and E-Board

duties. My responsibilities included taking notes at meetings and updating databases. Despite this, my E-Board afforded me the opportunities to voice my opinion on matters at hand, co-spearhead the Oxford Debate, and

take an active role in on-campus events. My role on the Executive Board has also exposed me to different perspectives from Baruch’s best

and brightest students. I have met so many students, both inducted and prospective, from a plethora of ma-jors who are all driven to work hard and do well both in school and life. Having been surrounded by excellent

people who inspired me to do better was perhaps, the most rewarding attribute of being on the Sigma Alpha Delta Executive Board.

The quality of the network you begin in college is as telling as any exam grade about the time and dedication you put into the things that matter in life. I’m grateful for the friendships that I’ve forged and my

experiences in general as a board member.

To the newly inducted Fall 2012 members: If you have the opportunity to run for an Executive Board position, I would highly recommend you to. And if you choose not to, simply joining Sigma gives you the oppor-

tunity to meet a host of fun and hardworking individuals, so stay involved! Congratulations for all that you have done thus far, and good luck in your future endeavors!

A STATEMENT FROM MICHAEL ARNOLD SECRETARY “Having been surrounded by

excellent people who inspired

me to do better was perhaps,

the most rewarding attribute of

being on the Sigma Alpha Delta

Executive Board”

Page 7: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

“To be honest, I wanted to give

them everything I had at my

disposal, but instead, my pro-

spective members gave me

more through their dedication,

resilience and, most important-

ly, their friendship.”

Page 7

As I reminisce on my first information session, I remember being eager to contribute to an honor

society as incredible and distinguished as ours. As a prospective, I was immediately thrown into a leadership position as Director of Biographies, and sought to discover more about the illustrious list of alumni that had

been part of Sigma. As a result, I learned from many and only dreamed of giving back to the organization. I had that opportunity this semester as Chairperson of Alumni Relations. With the help of my trusted, and exception-

al vice chairs, Silvia Pan, Robert Gozdz, and Moshe Israilov, we set out on a mission.

The goal, on paper, was utterly simple – to create a team that would continue the legacy of the Alumni Committee by serving as the society’s liaison to the past and the future. However, as the semester

went on, I realized that we were not building a team - we were growing a family. I saw, before my own eyes, the growth of future leaders, with a more heightened eagerness to absorb everything that Sigma Alpha Delta

had to offer them. To be honest, I wanted to give them everything I had at my disposal, but instead, my pro-

spective members gave me more through their dedication, resilience and, most importantly, their friendship.

As I look back at my time as a prospective, the one thing I am grateful for the most is the family atmosphere that Sigma had provided. It had, essentially, provided me a home away from home (without the

bed, food, and television of course). With that being said, I welcome all of this semester’s inductees to our exalted society. I hope that you make the most out of the benefits and relationships that you will experience

from being a member. It is nothing but an honor to be your chair, mentor, and friend, to such an amazing group of individuals. As we venture past your rigorous requirements, I look forward to you all playing a more

integral role in what truly is your honor society.

A STATEMENT FROM KEVIN JOHNSON CHAIR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

As Chair of Career Development, I want to encourage you to be bold by following your heart. I found

that it is easy to act polished if you understand the structure of the job application process. It is easy to ob-tain networking skills and answer tricky interview questions, but it is fairly difficult to figure out what makes

you happy. It seems simple, but it is not. Be bold and take a minute to tap into your soul. Try to figure out your brand. You have to know your

strengths, weaknesses, and passion in order to show off your unique colors. Keep in mind that we are all dif-

ferent, and there is a career path fit for you. Don’t go on an interview for the heck of finding a job. Don’t chase after someone else’s dream. Don’t be ashamed of your dreams. If you want to be a guidance counselor and aid

students throughout their academic career, so be it. If you want to be a writer and transport your readers to another world, so be it. If you want to be a banker and deal with mind blowing transactions, so be it.

I hear that if you are passionate about something, you are willing to do it for free. Throughout this semester, I spent a lot of time preparing and presenting workshops, certifying resumes, and meeting with

member’s one on one. Unlike a paid job, this position does not offer any monetary incentive. The opportunity to share professional development advice is enough to motivate me. I enjoy every moment, and I am proud to say

that I love my job. We are all so worried about finding that practical job and absorbing techniques to get ahead. I’m not

saying that it is not important, but keep in mind that time is limited. If you want to gather experience early, in terms of professional experience or extracurricular activities, don’t waste time by taking a job you won’t en-

joy. However, choose wisely and build on experiences that make you happy to discover or strengthen your

interests. Spend some time thinking about what you want, because your best investment is you. Won’t you be bold?

A STATEMENT FROM JENNY LUU CHAIR OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

“The opportunity to share pro-

fessional development advice is

enough to motivate me. I enjoy

every moment, and I am proud

to say that I love my job.”

Page 8: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

“My advice for people is that for

someone to understand you, you

must understand yourself first.

Once you get that done, speak-

ing to others will become second

nature.“

Page 8

Family. Sigma Alpha Delta is more than an honor society. It’s more than another organization on

campus. The moment I saw Sigma on campus as a freshman, I wanted to be a part of the unity and excitement it exemplified. The friendships you form here go far beyond the walls of Baruch. Both professional as well as

social, the people that Sigma nurtures are some of the friendliest, successful, and outgoing individuals you will

ever meet. After being a part of Sigma for over a year, I could truly say that I found a new family for life.

This semester I started the Department of Corporate Communications, which is based around get-

ting Sigma corporate partnerships. It aims to secure speakers, internships, opportunities, and training for our Sigma members. I had the wonderful pleasure of interviewing many individuals who will be joining me at cor-

porate events to test out how good they are with recruiters. I wanted large firms to call Sigma directly when they have opportunities opening up because we have those bright students that they are looking for. There is

no need to look anywhere else when Sigma has the best people that Baruch has to offer. My members have learned that crucial elevator pitch after we went over what points they should be stressing to recruiters. We

have gone over strategies about how to deal with different recruiters as well as ways to close the deal with them. Corporate Communications is a fundamental skill that must be developed because no matter the area of

expertise you want to go into, you must always be able to speak to people. My advice for people is that for someone to understand you, you must understand yourself first. Once you get that done, speaking to others

will become second nature.

The future of Sigma is bright. There are no limits to the accomplishments the individuals we cur-

rently have, as well as you, the incoming prospective members, can bring to our organization. Just look at me,

for example. I started my own department. If I made such a change in Sigma, then you definitely can do even more. As Ronald Regan once said, “There is no such thing as limits to growth, because there are no limits to

the human capacity for intelligence, imagination and wonder.”

A STATEMENT FROM MAKSIM AVRAKH CHAIR OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

As a sophomore, this is only my second semester in Sigma, and I did not think that Sigma would

have as big of an impact on my life. Last semester, I was not as active of a prospective as I should have or could have been. Going for a leadership position, I did not have my heart in it, but a push from my chairperson

encouraged me to, at least, try. Winning, I sold my soul to an honor society. I was all of a sudden engulfed into this familial and loving environment that Sigma is all about. Over the summer, we met almost every week,

sometimes more than once. We had socials to get to know each other, and I even had to work before the se-

mester began on our Summer Barbecue and Six Flags Outing. Being a chairperson is actually a lot of work, but

when you love the organization, you develop a passion, and the lines between work and play blur.

As a chairperson, I had my own committee. On the other hand, as a perfectionist, running events, I liked things to be planned out perfectly. Thus, in the beginning, I definitely took a lot of weight on my own. I had

a difficult time delegating and trusting even my vice chairs with responsibilities at times. I would always have panic attacks and be in freak-out mode before events. However, now, I feel like this is where I have grown the

most.

Trust is definitely, to me, one of the key characteristics to a good leader. In my election speech, I

always mentioned how good leaders lead other leaders. In the beginning of the semester, I was not living up to what I promised at elections. Now, with the success of events, I have learned that a leader or a chairperson is

only as good as his or her committee. I was lucky enough to start out with a pool of such talented prospective members, and with a little guidance, they have picked up and sailed their way to induction. They fuel my pas-

sion towards my committee.

A STATEMENT FROM KATHRYN MERCADO CHAIR OF EVENTS

“In the beginning of the semes-

ter, I was not living up to what I

promised at elections. Now, with

the success of events, I have

learned that a leader or a chair-

person is only as good as his or

her committee.”

Page 9: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

“You guys have become such close

friends of mine and I want to thank

you for making my experience on

this executive board as enjoyable

as possible. I have learned so much

from each one of you and your

professionalism and dedication in

handling our many tasks is admira-

ble.“

Page 9

In an effort to avoid sounding redundant, the best way to characterize my experience in my respec-

tive position is by stating that it was humbling and life changing, to say the least. I want to begin by acknowl-edging that the executive board I have had the privilege of directly working with could not have been a more

professional and caring group of individuals had I chosen each one personally. I can say with confidence that the relationships I have developed through Sigma will last long after my involvement with the organization, and

even my academic career. You guys have become such close friends of mine and I want to thank you for mak-

ing my experience on this executive board as enjoyable as possible. I have learned so much from each one of

you and your professionalism and dedication in handling our many tasks is admirable.

In addition to the executive board members of Sigma, I had the opportunity to work with a group of talented and dedicated colleagues who made up the Public Relations and Marketing Committee. Your flyers,

promoting, brochures and work on this newsletter are greatly appreciated and I am honored to be inducting

all of you into Sigma Alpha Delta.

My advice for all of you is to stay involved with this organization and all that it has to offer to our college and our community. With the addition of all your intelligent and creative minds, I am certain that Sigma

will continue to grow and remain influential. Attaining a leadership position in any organization is an education-al and worthwhile experience, and I want to encourage anyone that is considering it to take the next step. I feel

that my position in Sigma has helped me to excel in areas that I was never fully confident in, and gave me the opportunity to get an inside look at all the different components that go into running an organization. This

honor society has so much to offer, and I look forward to seeing how the incoming members will continue the

prestigious legacy of Sigma Alpha Delta.

A STATEMENT FROM JOSEPH MILANO CHAIR OF MARKETING

Starting off as a transfer student in Fall 2011, I only knew one other person – a friend from back home.

He urged me to join Sigma and one other club. At first my heart was set on another honor society. Due to my Soph-

omore status, however, I was not eligible to join the other club. A little disheartened, I reluctantly signed up to join Sigma. Little did I know at the time, joining Sigma would turn out to be one of the best decisions I would make in my

college career. When I joined Sigma, I had very high expectations. Expectations that now I realize were unreasonable.

Without effort on my part, I expected Sigma do this and that for me. As I began my journey as a prospective, I was

not happy. I did not take part in those “expectations” that I thought Sigma would bring me. Slowly there on, my desire and ambition for Sigma began to die. I just cared about getting inducted, with methodically planning out to do

the bare minimum to get inducted. I know this does not sound inspirational, or good for that matter, but hear me out. Once inducted, I looked back and thought that other organizations would fulfill those expectations that Sigma

“failed” to deliver me.

In the spring of 2012, I set out to join several student-led organizations. After joining them, I realized that they could not live up to Sigma. Even though I did not enjoy Sigma that much as a prospective, I did however, enjoy

the friendships and memories I made. The other organizations did not provide the social platform that Sigma pro-vides. With the semester almost over, I looked back and realized that Sigma was where I belonged. I now knew what

I had not known before, the more you put into Sigma, the more it will give back to you. Missing and wanting to give

back to Sigma, I decided to run for Chairperson of the Volunteer Committee. As Volunteer Chair, I made a whole host of new friends and great memories, friends that I am very

grateful to have, and will hold on to for the rest of my life. Along with these friends, came the amazing and at times,

awe-inspiring memories – memories that are so magnificent and exquisite, words cannot and will not do justice. When Nikita Singh (Chairperson of Marketing, Spring 2012) and I were prospective members, I used to playfully

mock her for believing in and thinking highly of Sigma. As it turns out, I was wrong to do that. Nikita, you were right. Sigma is a superb origination that one must and should be grateful for. This is what Sigma is all about; it gives you a

platform to realize your ambitions and desires, but it is up to the person to put in the effort. People have many

reasons to join Sigma; mine was to make new friends and partake in the college experience. I am pleased and grateful to say Sigma has gone above and beyond in helping me realize these goals. Thank you, Sigma, for the

friends and memories!

A STATEMENT FROM VINOD KUMAR CHAIR OF VOLUNTEERING

As Volunteer Chair, I made a whole

host of new friends and great

memories, friends that I am very

grateful to have, and will hold on to

for the rest of my life. Along with

these friends, came the amazing

and at times, awe-inspiring memo-

ries – memories that are so mag-

nificent and exquisite, words can-

not and will not do justice.

Page 10: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

“In the span of just a few months, I

have discovered so much about

myself and my potential. Not only

have I learned how to manage a

group of people and sharpen my

decision-making skills, but I’ve also

gained insight into my character

and recognized areas for improve-

ment.“

Page 10

There’s something breathtaking about personal growth. When you can proudly declare that you’re a

better person today than you were several months ago, you know that you’ve been doing something right. Had

it not been for my experiences on Sigma Alpha Delta’s Executive Board, I would have undoubtedly been more

ignorant of my own capabilities. In the span of just a few months, I have discovered so much about myself and

my potential. Not only have I learned how to manage a group of people and sharpen my decision-making skills,

but I’ve also gained insight into my character and recognized areas for improvement. Though I still have a long

road ahead of me, I’m glad that I started my journey as a leader with Sigma Alpha Delta.

Despite Sigma Alpha Delta’s powerful influence on my personal development, I would be doing the

organization an injustice if I neglected to mention the people that make Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society so

great. My peers—whether they are fellow members of the board, inducted old-timers, or hopeful prospective

members—have become more than just colleagues in an on-campus organization. I am honored that I can call

them my friends. The community that Sigma has provided me with never fails to make me smile; indeed, it’s

rare that I enter our club room and leave without wearing a goofy grin. Naturally, academic excellence and

professionalism may be found in every Sigma member. However, as valuable as such traits are, I’m glad that

we can still have a bit of fun while maintaining high standards.

As we look ahead to the Spring semester and beyond, I encourage each and every prospective

member to consider running for a position. Perhaps you want to join Sigma Alpha Delta merely for the sake of

a line on your resume. Admittedly, that was my original intention too. But as I started to expose myself to

Sigma’s mission and the people who execute it, my plans began to change. Finally, thanks to the encourage-

ment of the president who inducted me, I chose to run for Chair of Web & I.T. and I haven’t looked back. After

all, why not grab an opportunity to develop yourself and make some lifelong friends? I can guarantee that you

won’t regret it. I know I certainly have not.

A STATEMENT FROM ALBERT MATTHEW CHAIR OF WEB & I.T

Page 11: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

Being in a college with more than 18,000 students,

finding career and academic advice can seem like a daunting

task. However, with a large amount of students comes a

large alumni base, which can be perfect for finding that valuable

piece of advice that can steer

your career in the right way. On Friday October 19th, I

attended Sigma Alpha Delta’s Mentorship event in NVC 1-107

from 6:00PM to 8:30PM. Sigma

Alpha Delta inducted mem-

bers, alumni and profes-sionals were able to mentor

prospective members of Sigma Alpha Delta. This

network event offered many

opportunities for prospec-tive members to get some

advice and guidance in their career exploration.

Sigma Alpha Delta is an honor society exclusive to Baruch

College, which currently has 450 members. Coordinated by Jenny

Luu, Kevin Johnson and Maksim Avrakh, this event allowed students

to interact with mentors in rota-tions so they could have a variety to

choose from. Every rotation was

around 10 minutes, which was a good amount of time to meet some-

one new. At the end of the event, students were able to select three

possible mentors. After being

paired with a mentor, students were able to meet or email for

guidance or advice. Conservations were not

just held down to academics and

career options, but also hobbies and interests, creating a more

lax environment. Everyone was trying to get to know each other

on a personal level. It was a great opportunity for prospec-

tive members to get to know people in their specific commit-

tee as well. Personally, I learned a

great deal about study abroad as well as internship opportunities.

As a business major, I was in-

formed that the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences

offers a program where they let students know about internships

regardless of schools. As a Mar-

Page 11

SPEED MENTORSHIP EVENT by Frank Corazza

keting major, I was thrilled to hear that because internship

searching is such a vital part of the college process.

One of my peers who attended the event, Thais An-

drade, a sophomore at Baruch College, found the event very

enjoyable saying, “It was a great networking event and I got to

learn a lot about certain classes and some personal success

stories that were quite inspir-

ing.” Attending this mentor-

ship was a great experience for every prospective member be-

cause they were able to connect with their fellow Sigma peers,

while gaining valuable infor-mation from alumni.

Put a representative from

the National Rifle Association and an advocate for gun control together in

the same panel and you come out with an extremely lively and explosive

event. Sigma Alpha Delta hosted the

Oxford Debate on Gun Control on September 20, 2012 in the Multipur-

pose Room 1-107 in order to present viewpoints of both sides of the gun

control debate. Throughout the two hours of the discussion, questions

such as, “What steps do you think should be taken against the current

gun laws?” were asked and answered with some fiery responses. While both

sides raised important points about how the current gun control laws in

effect in the US are riddled with loop-

holes, they also made a powerful

OXFORD DEBATE ON GUN CONTROL by Elvian Cali

impact on the minds of the Baruch students in attendance.

The questions that came in the Q&A section that followed could

have been enough to blow a person away. Gun control may just occasionally

pass through someone’s mind but, for these students, it was shown that this

was an important issue in the many parts of New York that they live in.

From a personal standpoint, the entire debate really hit home as I live in an

area that is high in firearm-related

crimes. And it is true how many people get hurt because of the loopholes in

gun control laws that are designed to protect the people. Many of those ques-

tions asked were started in almost identical words… “I live in an area

where there is almost constant fear of

people walking around with maybe a grudge and we all know that access to a

gun—legal or illegal—is just entirely too easy.”

An event such as this, simply has to become recurring, due to the im-

portance of the issue that is becoming more and more deadly, as technology is

advancing so quickly. A special thanks goes out to the spearheads that put to-

gether this event; Jenny Luu, Albert Mat-thew, and Maksim Avrakh for organizing

such an informative and successful event.

Thanks to the co-sponsors, Accounting Society, Pakistani Student Organization

(PSA), Solutions Across Borders, ASCEND, Lambda Nu Sigma, Delta Sigma Pi, Bolly-

wood Jalwa, Transfer Student Organiza-tion (TSO), and Lexicon for all the help and

amazing photography.

EVENTS

Page 12: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

I think that we can all

thank Eugene Frenkel for that lovely email he sent out to all of

us, indicating that we must go to

the last two on-campus events (for those of us who did not

attend the earlier events). This is probably the reason a large

portion of prospective members attended the mist-term stress

relief event on the 8th of Novem-ber. All of us procrastinators

were lucky, that one of the final

events was such an interesting event to attend. It consisted of

free food and drinks, a self-defense class, Zumba, archery

and other games. I would've liked to participate in the ar-

chery class, but I didn't see where it was, so I attended the

self-defense class. This event

took place in the auxiliary gym,

and was cosponsored by Women in Business, Absolute Adrenaline,

and P.A.W.S.

The self-defense class

was a unique experience where

people met each other in a situa-tion where they were allowed to

choke, push, and kick them amongst other things. I was

surprised as to how inviting the environment was, considering

the uncomfortable situation. We were taught basic moves on how

to jab, punch, kick, and block off hits. Then we went on to the

weird stuff where we had to partner up. I'm genuinely proud

to say that an awkward person

like me was able to make it through the entire work-

shop. Once we had a partner, we

were given a hypothetical situa-tion, and given moves that would

help us get out of it. A couple of the scenarios we enacted were

being attached from the back on

the train platform or being choked. Our instructors ex-

plained to us what most people naturally do, why it is wrong, and

what we should do instead. Then we would act out the scene with

our partner, to learn the moves in case we ever found ourselves

Page 12

STRESS RELIEF by Eda Deniz

in such a situation.

The entire group

looked like they were enjoying themselves, and so was I. I was

able to meet some wonderful prospective members, all the

while learning how to kick some of them. Would these moves

actually work? They probably would if you are strong

enough. Would I remember the protocol if I am attacked? I hope

I do not have to find out knowing

that my memory tends to fail me on a daily basis. I'd like to be-

lieve that Sigma helped me take my first step in pursuing the life

of a ninja.

Cafeteria food. Usually, when we

think of such a thing, we go back in time when all our veggies

would smell, our chicken was dry, and the only thing on our tray we

were likely to eat were the tater

tots. Looking at the food in our cafeteria now, the change is

massive (we also pay a lot more for it). We can thank one of the

chefs of our school’s cafeteria, Christopher Stragisher. He was

the chef in charge of the event, Cooking with Style where he

taught us how to make smooth-ies, hummus, and salads with

homemade vinaigrette. As a “Foodie,” I knew this was the co-

sponsored event that I had to

attend.

When entering the

room that the event was held in, the food was already set up for

us to take, with recipes for us to

read along with. After taking our plateful of food, we took a seat and

saw Chef Christopher Stragisher demonstrate how he made all the

food we were eating. Talking us

through every step, the crowd was able to question anything about the

recipe, such as, the ingredients that were involved and the variations to

the recipe. Upon completion of what the chef was making, he would

then serve what he made. Genius!

Rather than solely speak-

ing about what he was making, Chef Stragisher worked quite efficiently

with plenty of time to spare. He made use of that time to talk to us

about other things that we may

want to think about when cook-ing. He spoke of his preference of

ingredients, making it a point to us that we try and shop for local pro-

duce to support local farming,

and that we get fresher ingredi-ents. He explained his views on

organic food, and while he was not completely in favor of it,

explained to us that if we wanted

to learn more, we were more than welcome to get more infor-

mation at the Health and Well-ness Center. He explained what

ingredients we can use canned, and when it would be much bet-

ter to get the fresh version, keeping in mind that we are

college students on a strict time and monetary budget. When

making salads, he said it is im-portant to not have water in it,

because then your dressing will

get watered down. He recom-mended we use hydroponic bibb

lettuce, where you do not need to wash the lettuce, and he made

reference to Julia Child when

COOKING WITH STYLE by Eda Deniz speaking of this.

This was a great

event for everyone who at-tended; we learned how to

make quick little fixes in our spare time. Chef Stragisher

also finished about half an hour earlier than planned,

which left plenty of time for those who genuinely wanted

to learn more, were able to. So the next time you buy

something from our school

cafeteria, appreciate the chefs we have working for us

such as Chef Stragisher, who have put a new spin on school

food. Now our entire diet will no longer consist of tater

tots.

Page 13: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

chose to leave instead of fin-ishing their walk. This was

definitely not due to our lack of cheering, considering our

voices ended up hoarse, and our hands raw from the ex-

tended period of clapping. For those who finished, I commend

you for going out of your way, opposite of the train.

Page 13

The Light the Night

Walk, presented by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, may be

something you have heard of or seen images of on Facebook,

Twitter, and other social net-

working sites. Personally, I want-ed to go last year because I saw

a picture of the lit up balloons and thought it looked cool (great

reason, I know). Luckily, as a prospective member to Sigma

Alpha Delta, I was given the op-portunity to volunteer at this

year’s walk, took it, and in corre-spondence, was able to learn

about how amazing this event actually was.

The event had a goal

of raising $100 for each person that walked and all of the pro-

ceeds would go towards blood

cancer research, and also to support struggling families, who

have been diagnosed. When signing in, we were given a bal-

loon with a specific color (white

for survivors, red for support-ers, and gold for those who had

lost somebody), and the balloon had a light on the inside that

blinked, so that the crowd would illuminate the coast from Bas-

ketball City along the FDR Drive. Numerous groups

were involved. There were cor-porate sponsors such as, Pfizer,

volunteers from NBC and JP Morgan, and coverage from Fox

5 News, and inducted and pro-

spective members of Sigma Alpha Delta. As volunteers, we

were assigned to cheer the

walkers on to keep going and finish what they had signed up to

do. Prospective member Valen-tina Barbero said, “It was a fun

experience and we met other

prospective members!” Valenti-na and I got the group to literally

“Woot Woot” the crowd over. What was unfortunate

was that many of the walkers only went to the halfway point,

which was where we were cheering them on, and they

CBS, and more, have generously

donated great amounts of money towards this wonderful program.

It also considers parental in-volvement, which is a vital sup-

port system for a student during

his or her time in school. As a volunteer, I helped

set up all the computers and keyboards in different class-

rooms for the families to work on. I was able to work one on one

with these families by teaching them how to set up their com-

puter and use the Digital Learn-ing Program. The students and

parents were extremely excited to start learning the different

games the program provided. I

believe this was an excellent event because not only were the

students very engaged, but they were excited to learn and coop-

erate with their parents. After

On Saturday October

20th, my peers and I volunteered for CFY’s event, Computers for

Youth Family Learning Workshop, at P.S. 171 on 19 East 103rd Street

in Manhattan. CFY partners with

more than 100 high poverty public schools and provides

parents, students, and teachers with computers containing their

Digital Learning Program. This program allows

students from grades K-12 to bring what they learn in the

classroom to their home while engaging their parents as well.

There have been numerous re-search studies that show the

positive impact this program has

had on student’s participation within the classroom and at

home. Many companies and or-ganizations such as, Kellogg

Foundation, Verizon Foundation,

learning the basics of the com-

puter, we helped them pack up and head home with their new

Dell desktop. Since many schools are incorporating technology

into curriculums, it is very im-

portant for every student to have a computer accessible at

their home. One of my peers who

volunteered with me was Alina Nesterenko, a sophomore at

LIGHT THE NIGHT by Eda Deniz

COMPUTERS FOR YOUTH by Frank Corazza Baruch College, who said, “This was a great volunteer experi-

ence because I know that these computers are going to help

many students do much better in school and I am happy that I was

a part of such a great program.” Volunteering for CFY was

an incredible experience be-cause I know my work is going to

have a positive impact on a stu-dent’s future.

VOLUNTEER EVENTS

Page 14: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 14

The Food Network New York City

Wine and Food Festival present-

ed by FOOD & WINE has been a

highly noted festival where fa-

mous TV personalities, and world

renowned chefs come to social-

ize, enjoy music, and of course

FOOD! Although it is clearly

stated in the Volunteer Letter for

Sigma Alpha Delta that you may

consume neither food nor wine, I

was hoping to get a glimpse

and/or taste regardless of what

we were told. Being a foodie

myself, it seemed like THE ut-

most rewarding volunteer expe-

rience that I could encounter-

kidding obviously.

Walking towards the location, I

was expecting to work with kids,

and help educate them about a

healthier diet, which seemed like

a productive way to spend my

Sunday morning. Instead we

ended up helping set up for a

later dinner in the evening, which

was understandable as volun-

teers don’t usually get to pick

their own responsibilities. We

helped set up drinks, tables and

chairs for the evening, and while

I didn’t get to meet Jeff Mauro or

Paula Deen, we were able to help

participate in a vital event to the

WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL by Eda Deniz

A THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

Dear Volunteers from Sigma Alpha Delta,

Thank you so much for your support of Volunteers of America’s Brightening Birthdays program! We be-

lieve that all children, regardless of their living situation, deserve to celebrate their birthdays joyfully, surrounded

by people who care about them.

Over the past two years, your volunteers have created four wonderful birthday parties for the children of

Regent Family Residence, a large homeless shelter for families. These parties are complete with three beautifully

wrapped gifts and a crown for each birthday child, arts and crafts projects, juice boxes, party games, pizza, and a

birthday cake with every birthday child’s name.

The parties truly make a difference for the children in our shelters, encouraging the joy and laughter that

are so crucial for their development and providing wonderful memories for the children and their parents. Thank

you so much for the wonderful energy you brought to these parties, as well as for the great party supplies you

picked out and donated to help make the parties possible!

Very best,

Kristin Kelly-Jangraw

food culture in NYC. Our purpose

there was questionable- one woman

asked us to clean the refrigerator

that the staff eats from, but meeting

my fellow prospective members was

genuinely the highlight of the event.

We all worked together even for the

simplest of tasks whether we had to

carry hundreds of chairs from point

A to point B, or place drinks in desig-

nated areas.

Most prospective members were

quiet since we did not actually know

each other yet, but we worked to-

gether as a group, and made an

otherwise unpleasant event, enjoya-

ble.

Page 15: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Yaphet Murphy is currently a freelance public relations and marketing professional in New York City, represent-

ing arts, culture and literary clients. After graduating from NYC’s very own prestigious Stuyvesant High School, he took some time off to explore different interests and find his

true passion. During this time, he expanded his horizons, working as a taxi driver and entered in the Federal Job Core program in carpentry. At the age of 24, he decided he wanted to pursue a degree in horticulture at Bronx Community College. Yaphet attributes his writing and leadership skills to his

time as editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper, The Communicator.

In 2005, Yaphet enrolled in Baruch College as a Marketing Management major, while interning at the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce in the Public Relations and Communications department. After a recommendation from the President of the Chamber, he accepted an internship offer as an

account manager with CJC Strategists, a cutting edge communications agency. Considering the firm’s relatively small size, Yaphet was responsible for handling various tasks including technology, media, and PR while continuing to perform his duties as a student and maintain a respectable GPA.

As he became more involved with Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society at Baruch College, Yaphet decided his time was best spent focusing his attention as a marketing officer and quickly rose through the

ranks, becoming Vice President in his third semester, and President by his fourth. He was very pleased with how Sigma ran as an organization and wanted to build upon its already esteemed reputation. His contribu-

tions to Sigma included recruiting IT talent to help develop the website and revamp its logo, as well as, attracting more liberal arts majors to the organization in order to diversify the organization.

He believes his involvement with Sigma Alpha Delta has helped him develop many of his personal and professional qualities. “It really pushes you to get out of your comfort zone - things that you may have

been afraid to do otherwise [like] public speaking, promoting and coordinate events, working with a group

to bring out the best of peoples’ talents,” said Murphy. Murphy graduated from Baruch College in 2010, but is still very much involved in Sigma events,

and is currently mentoring a prospective member. He believes Baruch College offers students a unique and affordable education. However, he would like to see more pathways available for liberal arts students, spe-

cifically building a stronger connection between the various departments and the STARR Career Develop-ment Center.

After graduation, Murphy was ready to implement his Marketing degree to his eventual career. He observed a knowledge gap that existed between small start-ups and large marketing firms and their inability to work around a small budget and

limited resources. He decided his time was best spent as a freelance marketing strategist to help small businesses avoid this pitfall. Yaphet consults small businesses on to best position their product or service to optimize their success. In this capacity, he executes all aspects of marketing from new

product formation to online marketing and customer relationship management.

He enjoys his work due to its level of independence and tasteful variety of projects. His previous experience includes helping American Socie-ty Public Administration (ASPA), a non-profit organization, revamp their website to attract new members and potential donors. He helped with the social

media marketing of the organization’s documentary film, Herb and Dorothy. He also served as a publicity agent for the independent film, Vodka Rocks! Yaphet said the film “serves as a countercultural critique of corporate branding.”

When Yaphet is not pursing his marketing dreams, he enjoys writing about film, advertising, literature, and fine arts.

A BIOGRAPHY OF AN ALUMNUS, YAPHET MURPHY

Page 15

BIOGRAPHIES

Page 16: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

Page 16

Being part of Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society has changed my experience at Baruch. I first learned

about this Honor Society through a close friend, who received the email and invited me to the informal event. I came to the event and was impressed by the organization, its mission, its members, and the friendly inductees.

After this impressive meeting with the Sigma Alpha Delta, I was thrilled to apply and join this Society.

This semester I was lucky enough to be able to join and become active in three committees. I joined

the Events Management Committee, Volunteer Committee, and Corporate Communications Committee. I had

fun and was able to learn many things from the chairpersons of all three committees, Kathryn Mercado (Events), Vinod (Volunteer) and Maksim (Corporate Communications). The enthusiasm that the chairs delivered

to each committee and the society was empowering and influenced me to be more active in the honor society.

The first event I attended was the Fair Maker Event in Queens. I enjoyed showing people how to recy-

cle their items and was also able to taste some delicious Paella, even though it started raining at around

2:00PM.

The President and Dean’s Reception was also a great experience for me because I was able to pre-sent one of the Deans and had the chance to meet marketing Professor Gloria Thomas, who is also the director

of the new Zicklin School of Business Honors Program. I expressed my interest in the program to her during

the event and I believe that the networking opportunity helped me when applying.

After meeting with and learning about his accomplishments, I was really inspired by Maksim, the Chairperson of Corporate Communications. He started this committee this semester and was accomplishing

many of the goals. He helped me to prepare for mock interviewing and gave me tips prior to my OCR interviews

in December. It gave me a strong boost prior to going in to the interview.

Overall, Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society has given me many opportunities. The society has encour-

aged me to become a leader inside and outside of school. It has also allowed me to be able to build friendships with people who I may not interact with on a daily basis. I can say that being part of the Sigma Alpha Delta

power struggle in life, yet the

best thing could just be to step back for a minute and take a look

at the big picture. There’s too much

anger, panic, and grief in the

world to internalize everything. A stroll in the park or just a nice

night out can make all the differ-ence. Being wound up way too

tight does almost nothing but bad things. Some things just

never change but sometimes, the best thing to do is just kick

back and take a deep breath. Expect the unexpected and eve-

rything works out for the best. Freestyle gives you the most

room for interpretation, but it

also gives you the most control.

We want to dominate

in everything and anything possi-ble. It can be school, work, fami-

ly, and money. You name it. Eve-ryone wants it just because they

can. But not everyone can get it.

We can fight and fight until we’re blue in the face, but do we ever

stop and think it’s possible to not enjoy life even if we are mas-

sively successful? Just think about it for a minute. The person

who doesn’t have to worry about money and has the white picket

fence stereotype family could be more miserable than the person

working two jobs to make ends meet. But is it to see their chil-

dren grow up and move on?

There’s always going to be a

You can write your own path to

the happy ending you choose. Remember the Wizard

of Oz’s famous line, “Follow the yellow brick road!” I interpret it

as being able to make your own

path with all the twists and turns that life throws at you and still

manage to find a silver lining in the clouds. Every day, something

is bound to happen; it’s up to you to take advantage of what you

love and make yourself stand out and shine. It could be in a full

black suit or a bright and short party dress, as long as you keep

true to what you love. Dominate in a good way. Let it be because

you want something and not

A SIGMA EXPERIENCE BY ELHADJI SENE

FIGHT FOR THE FINISH A FREESTYLE BY ELVIAN CALI because you have to do some-thing.

FREESTYLES

Page 17: Sigma alpha delta newsletter fall 2012

THE PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM

One Bernard Baruch Way

Newman Vertical Campus, Room 3-226

New York, NY 10010

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.SigmaBaruch.org

Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society

OUR MISSION

The Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society seeks to provide continu-

ous support for its members in their pursuit of academic excel-

lence, valuable communitarian contributions and sustainable

networking opportunities, all with a focus on diversity and for

the betterment of present and future generations.

ABOUT US

We are the oldest and most accomplished honor society at Ba-

ruch College, having meaningfully served the college and the

community for over 80 years. Our society is exclusive to Baruch

and is not part of a national organization. As such, our current

and former members have a very close relationship to this or-

ganization. The society is run by students who want to make a

difference in the community and improve the quality of life at

our college. Concurrently, they make lasting friendships with

fellow honor students and develop essential leadership skills.

Raimond Bousribal Editor-in-Chief

Elvian Cali Executive Board Associate

Frank Corazza Alumni Relations Associate

Eda Deniz Events Associate