campaigns : Campaign Archive

Volume 2, Issue 8

New Miss Black and Gold Takes Her “Reign” Among the Alphas

James Perry

The Kappa Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. held their 22^nd annual Miss Black and Gold Pageant Thursday evening in Tucker Theater. The pageant, which has been popular since the 90’s, is a lasting tradition that has become a highly anticipated event among MTSU students and faculty. The competition is a product of the men of Alpha’s tradition and desire to show respect to and showcase the talents of African American women in a collegiate class.

The theme for this year’s pageant was the “The Egyptian Goddesses of the Golden Reign”. The contestants were Sha'Niece Cooper, Tiffany Gray, LaSheena Allgood, Carla Fields, Dione Johnson, Natalie Ellis, LaKita Haywood, Julia Martin and Bianca Lambert.

This years winner, Dione Johnson, received a trophy, sash and tiara along with a scholarship sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha and is being sent to represent the Kappa Xi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. in the Miss Black and Gold District Competition. The first runner-up award went to Julia Martin and LaSheena Allgood received the award for second runner-up. Johnson also won the award for most talented with her singing display of an operatic flair.

The Pageant coordinator for this year was brother Trenton Poynter.

“I feel that this year’s pageant was one of the most successful that my chapter has sponsored," Poynter said. "The lovely contestants did an outstanding job in representing brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and most of all they rightly portrayed the African American females of MTSU with their talent and beauty.”

This year's pageant featured the Black National Anthem by Natalie Wathow followed by a dance performance showcasing the contestants, choreographed by Victoria Howard. Other performances in the pageant included a selection from the MTSU Gospel Choir, singer Dorian Lee, and a dance from the now former Miss Black and Gold Lashan Matthews. The event filled Tucker Theater Hall and was estimated to have an attendance of over 500 people. This night was hosted by Brother Jeremy Simpson and Shayna Steward.

Dione Johnson will be representing Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. as she competes in the Miss Black and Gold which will be held here in Murfreesboro at the fraternity’s district convention November 17^th- 18^th.This years contestants and winners are especially significant because it marks Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s Centennial year.

Recently crowned Miss Black and Gold, Dione Johnson, and LaShan Mathews, Miss Black and Gold last year

Members of Alpha Chi Omega handing out Purple Ribbons outside of the KUC

Alpha Chi Omega Sponsors Domestic Violence Awareness Week

Laurie Lynn

Alpha Chi Omega worked with the June Anderson Women’s Center in order to celebrate Domestic Violence Awareness Week, October 16-20. During this week, Alpha Chi Omega held events to show their support for Domestic Violence Awareness.

One of the events included a display on the KUC knoll where they gave away purple ribbons to students that wanted to show their support for domestic violence awareness. A major part of the display included black wooden silhouettes and purple wooden ribbons. The silhouettes were representations of men and women who had been victims of domestic violence. Each silhouette included the personal story of the victim while the purple wooden ribbons were signed by students to show their stand against domestic violence.

After the last day of the display, Alpha Chi Omega gave one of the signed purple wooden ribbons to the June Anderson Women’s Center. In addition to the display, Alpha Chi Omega gave the local Domestic Violence Shelter of Rutherford County $1200.00 from a fundraiser.

Finally, in order to show support to the people who work so hard to prevent domestic violence in Rutherford County, Alpha Chi held a barbeque dinner for the staff at the Domestic Violence Shelter, June Anderson Women’s Center, and the Murfreesboro City and County Police. All of these activities, along with support from the campus and community, led to a successful Domestic Violence Awareness Week for MTSU.

Step Show Next Week!

Kortney Simmons

Homecoming is right around the corner and with it comes the highly anticipated National Pan-Hellenic Council annual Homecoming Step Show. On Friday November 3, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. in the Murphy Center NPHC Greeks will battle it out to see who truly has the best steppers.

This year’s show will be hosted by the one and only AG of Nashville’s hottest hip-hop and R & B station 101.1 The Beat and will be sponsored by local businesses in the community. Along with the great show there will also be Greek paraphernalia vendors set up on the track level to get you the hottest new Greek gear.

Advance tickets are available for only $10 and can be purchased at the Murphy Center Box Office. Tickets will also be sold the day of the event at the door for only $15. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. so get there early to get a good see because this is a show you don’t want to miss! If you thought last year was good wait until you see this year's show.

Bitter rivals will meet up again to keep their title or reclaim what is rightfully theirs. Come watch as the Exquisite Eta Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., the Devastating Divas of Delta Sigma Theta, the Marvelous Mu Theta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta and the Sigma Gamma Rho’s battle it out to see who has what it takes to be the NPHC Step Show Champs. But this isn’t just a ladies show, the Khaotic Kappa Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, will come head to head with the Kaptivating Men of Kappa Alpha Psi, and the Infamous Iota Mu Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma to defend their title as step show champions.

The winning fraternity and sorority will each receive $1000, the two second place winners will receive $500 each and the overall winner will receive an additional $500. With prizes this big you know there is going to some stiff competition which will make for a very entertaining show!

Step Show

November 3, 2006

Starts at 7pm

$10 in advance

$15 day of the show

Members of Kappa Alpha Order planting shrubs and bushes for the Serenity Garden

Kappa Alpha Helps Hospital Build an Oasis

Ashley DeSabetino

In urban areas especially surrounding hospitals, a persisting problem is the lack of green space. Members of Kappa Alpha Order donated their time to build a serenity garden at Baptist Hospital. For the time Kappa Alpha spent working the hospital donated three thousand dollars to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The chapter labored together to plant 330 bushes and mulched a 6,442-square-foot area.

The garden consists of pathways, cul-de-sacs for privacy and a stream that travels through the center of the garden. Oversized chairs will be placed in the garden, and quotes from scripture will be displayed throughout. The garden was planned to give patients a place to relax. “Since all of the area surrounding the hospital is very urbanized this will give patients a peacefully get away,” said Patrick Cockburn a member of Kappa Alpha. The garden will also be used for special events.

Dr. Sidney McPhee was personally contacted by the President of Baptist Hospital and informed of the generous work effort made by Kappa Alpha. The members of KA represented MTSU in a positive way and their contributions will continue to touch lives in the future.

Greek New Member Educator Roundtables Focus on Retention, Hazing Prevention

In an effort to combat hazing and promote new member retention, the Office of Greek life has hosted a series of roundtable discussions for new member educators of MTSU’s Greek organizations in the last several weeks.

The roundtables, which began during National Hazing Prevention Week, have allowed the new member educators to share strategies that they employ in helping new members manage their time, promote scholastic achievement, and reduce opportunities for hazing to occur. The new member educators have also been provided with a number of resources to assist them in the development of effective new member education programs.

“MTSU does not have a recruitment problem,” said Gentry McCreary, Director of Greek Life. “Our problems lie in the fact that we do a very poor job retaining our members, both new and old. The goal of these roundtables has been to bring these issues to the forefront and to equip our new member educators with strategies to boost retention of new members.”

Each new member educator has worked to develop a master calendar of all programs in which new members are expected to participate, as well as a syllabus of things that are covered during the new member period. In addition, new member educators were presented with a list of 12 outcomes of a positive new member program, and asked how their program lined up with each of those 12 goals.

“This has been very helpful for me,” said Jonathan Bryan, new member educator for Sigma Pi. “I’ve heard a lot of great ideas from other organizations about how we can improve our new member program.”