Sweet Happenings from Your Sweetheart – Issue Four
Happy Valentine's Day, Eta Iota!
Another Great Recruitment for the Books!
This week marked another successful recruitment for the Brothers at Eta Iota. Between tailgating for ERAU's biggest basketball game of the year, mini-golfing, go-karting, bowling, and touring the house, the chapter had 5 guys accept bids and get pledged in on Tuesday, February 8th! Alumnus Derek Pizzo gave a wonderful speech at the Spaghetti Dinner that excited attendees about pledging Sigma Chi. As the brothers prepare with Magister Jim Baldyga for the Gamma Xi pledge class, they're also gearing up for this year's Tri-Province Leadership Conference, hosted at Embry-Riddle February 25-27th.
Meet the Tri-Province Co-Chair — Jeramiah Poff
From Sewell, New Jersey, Jeramiah was initiated Fall 2009, nicknamed "Syl-la-balls" (for telling everyone to slow down during an icebreaker). An Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, he studies Aeronautics with minors in Human Factors and Communications. He's Tri-Province Co-Chair (with Tim Englehardt and Roger Moody), Assistant Quaestor, and Fundraising Chair, having previously served as Social Chair, Public Relations Chair, Assistant Magister for two pledge classes, and Assistant Derby Days Chair. He was instrumental in Sigma Chi's win in Alpha Xi Delta's Penny Wars competition. He enjoys live music, a good story, and mountain climbing.
Meet an Assistant Magister — Pedro Pinero
From Los Lunas, New Mexico, Pedro is a U.S. Army veteran (AH-64 Apache Longbow mechanic). He came to ERAU in 2009, pledged Gamma Lambda as the 761st initiate ("Titanic"), and studies Business Administration with a Management focus. He's served as Risk Manager and is currently Greek Standards Board Representative and an Assistant Magister.
Meet a Graduating Senior — John Waybright
From Houston, Texas, John was in the Gamma Eta pledge class, the 732nd initiate ("Kleenex"), and has held Music Chair, Birthday Chair, and Annotator. He studies Aeronautical Science with a Business minor, and is a CFI, CFII, and MEI. He enjoys DJing at Sigma Chi events.
Meet the Public Relations Chair — Jonny Jacobs
From Tallahassee, Florida, Jonny was in the Gamma Nu pledge class (Fall 2010), the 777th initiate ("Pixie Shot"). He serves as Public Relations Chair and Network Chair, enjoys dirt-biking and skim-boarding, and is double-majoring in Aerospace Engineering and Software Engineering with a Business Administration minor.
Graham Jones, Eta Iota '05, shared a quote from his father, Milton R. Jones, on how times have changed since he was notified of his own pledging by pay phone, collect call — after Graham's news arrived by text message: "In contrast, your Grandfather's letter traveled part of the way by wagon, part by train, and part by horseback."
Where Are They Now? — Valentine's Day Special: Past Sweethearts
Maggie von Stein (Sweetheart 2002-2003) met Brent von Stein in 2001 and married him December 16, 2005, with Brothers and Sweethearts there to celebrate. She was an International Sweetheart Finalist in 2005 and attended the Fraternity's 150th Birthday in Cincinnati. Since graduating, she's lived in San Luis Obispo, California, working in the television industry, currently as a Project Manager for LEVEL Studios, a digital marketing agency.
Bridget Cox (Sweetheart 2009 and 2010) treasures the spontaneous moments — a slip-and-slide into the pool on a random summer Wednesday, brothers breaking into song, congratulating new pledges in the backyard. Since graduating in 2009 she's been pursuing her MBA at ERAU (graduating that May) and works in Orlando as an Operations Analyst for Signature Flight Support.
Heather Owen (Sweetheart 2007) treasures a commandeered "Heather Ln." street sign, gifted by Brothers Daniel Lee and Jared Schulz. She graduated ERAU in Fall 2008 with a B.S. in Communications (minors in International Relations, U.S.-Asian Relations, and Homeland Security), completed a Spring 2010 internship with the U.S. Department of State in Munich, Germany, and was finishing a Master's in Aeronautics (Safety Systems focus) before moving to Montreal for a research assistantship with the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Jennifer Morrow Moates (Sweetheart 1989-1990, Big Brother Jaime Mercado, Big Sister Brooke Hosler) is Founder/Principal of Moving Ideas, Inc., a design/branding firm in Huntersville, NC. She married Brian Moates in 2002 and has three children. On Eta Iota: "Rarely have I met a better, more diverse and dynamic group of people than the brothers and little sisters of Sigma Chi Eta Iota chapter."
Legacy Sigs Update
Following up on the last issue's call for legacy Sigs: Rob Papandrea noted Russ Bucklew and Rich Winters are legacy Sigs. Mike Wyble shared that his son Jordan Michael Wyble was initiated on HI's 39th Birthday (3/6/2010, Rollbook #403) at Clarkson University's ZI chapter, with Mike honored to pin his own son's badge — Jordan planned to attend Eta Iota's 40th Birthday. Mike also noted Vinnie Parrinello has a Sig son from USC. Graham Jones ('05) has several Sig family members: his father Milton R. Jones (Gamma Nu, USC '67), grandfather Emerson P. Jones (Beta Lambda, Duke '31), and uncle Harry L. Graham (Zeta, Washington and Lee '61).
Norman Shield Award & Shirts
You can still donate to the Norman Shield Award — send cash/checks to me or Quaestor Chuck Kwon. Sigma Chi shirt orders (benefiting the Children's Miracle Network) are due by March 1st for pickup at 40th.
Happy Valentine's Day to all the Eta Iota Sigs!
Farewell until then... Love, Your 2011 Sweetheart
Original document
The full designed newsletter, with photos, is preserved below.