Message From the National
Student Representative
By ALEX RAZZOOK
Greetings from the Nation's Capital, Kappa Chapter in Washington D.C. I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself, my chapter, and my future plans and goals for the office of National Student Representative for 2003-2004. There has been much to do with the new form of government, and the roadmap for progress and accomplishment has never been clearer. Actives and alumni alike are at a unique turning point in our fraternity history, and never before have the benefits of alumni and active involvement been so closely intertwined.
Growing up in West Virginia where life is an order of magnitude slower than the fast-paced city lifestyle tends to allow one to focus on the little things in life. Living in West Virginia emphasizes a strong focus on being a good neighbor, and the integration of many roles in a small community. Catholic University was no easy choice, even though my grandfather graduated CUA's law school 50 years ago this spring. Suffice to say, my graduation with a degree in Biomedical Engineering this coming May, exactly 50 years after my grandfather, leads to many thoughts of destiny and fate.
Steering the ship can get you to places you have been before. Leadership can take you to places you have never been. The office of Student Representative has been constitutionally endowed with the responsibilities of Universal ADG Night and the management of the web page. It has been formally resolved as the "Voice of the Actives" and maintains the vital link between actives and alumni. What does the Student Rep bring in terms of intangibles, and what can he do to unify purpose and direction among the actives and the alumni?
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As the Fraternity enters the digital age, we must ensure that our infrastructure is developed in order to accommodate it. Gone are the fraternal mailings of the past, where communications are by phone or "snail mail." Integration through e-mail and instant messaging programs have momentarily brought the chapters closer together, and yet farther apart. Farther apart is depicted in the essence of an e-mail, which conveys little emotion, and is regarded mostly as an administrative and leisure tool. Closer together is the paradox that combines integration with separation among e-mail and web pages. It is still evident that e-mail is yet another tool to add to our arsenal, but not to substitute for a good old-fashioned chapter visit. Brotherhood is all about showing up, "in person."
My responsibility as National Student Rep is to get to know the chapters, understand the actives, and communicate the input I get from them to the National Council. It is through personal visits that the Student Rep can comprehend the needs of the actives and their chapters. My fundamental priority for the spring semester is to ensure that all chapters make at least one road trip during the candidate process. It is my hope that, when candidates meet candidates at other chapters, special bonds will form. Insuring that friends are made outside of convention and conference has never been so imperative.
In essence, as National Student Rep, the first thing I have learned is that we are all actives together. We must support our alumni chapters and we must reintegrate them as mother chapters to our own, and from that the seeds of success will be sown. I see great things if and only if we all see them, and if we see them together, we know which direction to go. I wish you all the best, and encourage if not challenge the impact you all may have on ADG.
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