Service with a Purpose

I love doing service activities through my chapter: cleaning the score library, helping the marching band execs at the end of the season and getting them ready for the next season in the spring, ushering at the annual Christmas Vespers, and volunteering at USSBA competitions.  But all of these events would get done without our help.  Granted, our involvement makes completing the tasks much easier, but we are not necessarily crucial in accomplishing the goal.  These events are usually once or twice a semester, so they’re good for scheduling purposes and allowing everyone to get their service hours.  They are fun events to do, but I rarely felt a sense of accomplishment after these events.  I like a challenge.

The fall of my senior year, my schedule was really busy.  I was Manager of Lehigh’s Marching 97, which took up a decent chunk of my time each day of the week between rehearsals, meetings, and performances.  I was also working on my senior composition projects, which had weekly checkpoints.  I couldn’t do service projects for the band and meet my requirement because band execs get half credit for service hours for the marching band (which makes sense because it’s their job to do things for the band, but it can be frustrating at times).  My weeknight evenings were all taken up by rehearsals, meetings, and class, which made weeknight activities like score library cleans impossible to fit in my schedule.

So I began waking up at 6:30am to walk half a mile to the local middle school.  They have rehearsal before school under the direction of an alumna of West Chester University (she was a sister at WCU and an honorary brother of Kappa Gamma).  I sat in with the clarinet section with a girl that needed more help.  They played through a march, and I watched the girl’s fingers stay still, maybe fumbling around, but not hitting any of the notes.  I pointed to the music to show her where the group was, but it wasn’t much help.  For the rest of rehearsal, I had her read through the music, telling me note names and showing me fingerings on the clarinet.  A few times I had her clap rhythm for me, but then rehearsal ended.  I asked her to do the same thing on a few of the other songs before the next rehearsal.  I felt frustrated and nervous; would she take practicing seriously? Would she get frustrated and give up music altogether?

For the next rehearsal I printed out a fingering chart and made flashcards with the staff on one side and the letter name on the other.  I also brought my clarinet this time to play along with the group.  I was glad to see that she was excited about the chart and cards as I explained to her how to read the chart and the do the flashcards when she was walking to school or during commercials if she was watching TV.  When we played during rehearsal, I saw her watching my fingers instead of the music, but at least she was imitating and getting some sound out.  I told her to make sure she practiced at home. 

“I know it’s not always fun and can be frustrating,” I said.  “But it’s the only way to get better.  It’s hard work.”  She replied, “But it’s worth it.”

Over the next few weeks, she got faster at telling me the note names of the music they would play in rehearsal, and I could actually hear her play in the ensemble.  The director told me that in sectionals she has become more confident and was actually playing pretty well.  I could see in her face that she was actually happy to be at rehearsal, not apathetic.  She began talking to me more, asking about my band experiences, becoming more interested in music.  I knew that once I was done with the semester (and they didn’t have marching band anymore), she would keep working on getting better and growing as a musician.  This was the first service project that I felt like I truly accomplished something important.  Instilling a love of music is the greatest service of all.

Liz Zeffiro

Kappa Kappa Psi

Lehigh University – Kappa Gamma

NED Historian/Alumni Liaison 2012-2013

One Hundred Days

Today I was informed that one hundred (100) days from now we will all be together at District Convention at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. This is an exciting, scary, and AMAZING realization. I know what you are thinking, "Allison is going to give us a pep talk about traveling and meeting people and attending Convention because it is an eye-opening experience that makes you appreciate the Sisterhood in a new light and can possibly change your life as her Northeast Notes article. So typical." Well, even though I do believe all of those things that is not what I want to write about. I want to share with you all the importance of being present for all the little moments and enjoying your experience in Tau Beta Sigma.

Recently I was asked what I appreciate most about my participation in TBS. Although I could go on endlessly about memories from degree, marching band performances, and traveling to Meetings and Conventions the ones I am most fond of are those that are unplanned and not necessarily "special." These moments could easily go unnoticed when you look at a span of four years, but they are the ones where the Sisterhood, to me, shines the most. For example, accidentally sewing together two different pairs of pants when hemming uniforms, staying up all night making pillows for little Sisters, losing a gas cap of a car on a drive to JMU, going to an apartment because you know someone had a tough day and needs a shoulder to lean on and a person to dance with to feel better, getting overly excited about chocolate, signing and cheering together to close a meeting, and being there for one another through everything.

 There are an endless number of these little moments that contribute to our experience. Take advantage of them. Make it a point to reach out to one another when you or they are having a hard time - your Sisters will be there for you. Make it a point to laugh hard and often. sing, eat, dance, and cry. Make memories that last a lifetime. When it comes time for you to look back on your time as an Active, all of those little moments, the ones that could easily be missed will bring a smile to your face.

I hope that you each in your culminating moment reflect and remember all of the little things and the people who contributed to your time as an Active. Although the big moments are very special and provide time markers to your experience the little moments are the ones that create the experience. There are one hundred days left until Convention and in my time on Council. For you there may be more in your time as an Active or there may be just a few to end this semester. Regardless of the number, make every day count and enjoy the little things - they are the ones that matter most. And go to Convention, it is an experience that you will never forget! (Couldn't help myself..)

Allison Leemann
Tau Beta Sigma - Eta Gamma Life Member #3003
Northeast District President 2012-2013

Member-at-What?

Many things have changed since I decided to run for District Council last semester. I’ve met a ton of new people, I have a broader view of our Fraternity and how it functions on a District and National level, and I’ve gotten a more in-depth view of my own Chapter serving as an ex-officio member of the Executive Board. Yet all these months later, one question seems to stand the test of time:

What exactly does the Member-at-Large do?

As defined by our District Constitution, the primary duties of the Member-at-Large (MAL) are, “encouraging intra-district communication, including correspondence and visitations.”

And, well, that’s about it.

The section goes on to detail some administrative duties such as gathering contact information from the Exec Board members in the NED and handling award applications, but as far as a day-to-day/this-is-why-your-position-exists, “encouraging intra-district communication” is pretty much all the MAL has to go on.

I remember going through the MC process and learning the names and faces of the District officers to pass the week’s quiz, and that was the end of it. The Council was this far-off entity and the District was a vast collection of states, neither of which held much significance in my mind. As MAL, I hope to bridge the gap between the District and the Chapters, to act as a liaison and connect with individuals.

There is so much we can learn from one another. Heads of committees can talk to their counterparts (as many as 42 of them!) at other Chapters to share ideas. This is also a perfect way to learn how other bands across the East Coast function. We can gain further insight into leadership techniques, pick up some new visuals for next season, or learn how to act as a Brother on and off the field.

Our thoughts may be limited and restricted by the status quo. We spend so much time engulfed in the workings of our own Chapters and band programs that we can be lulled into complacency and stick with what works. Because, you know, it just works. But what could we be missing? We have the opportunity to access a massive breadth of experience from Chapters as old as Omicron and as new as Nu Gamma. These Chapters may do things in ways we never considered, and making these connections affords us the opportunity to bring an entirely new dimension to our own Chapters.

I hope that we take advantage of the opportunities presented to us as we begin to truly appreciate what it means to be a National Fraternity. Never hesitate to reach out, you never know what you’ll find.

Seth Sacher
Kappa Kappa Psi- Beta Chi
University of Virginia
NED Member-at-Large 2012-2013

Legacy Leaders: Our Tau Beta Sigma Northeast District History

As we gear up for the second convention season of my first term as the Counselor to the Tau Beta Sigma Northeast District, I can tell you with confidence that serving in this role has been one of the greatest honors a Sister can ask for.  Every day I am posed with great challenges both personally and professionally; the number of hours a counselor spends on her tasks is simply countless.  People sometimes ask me how many emails I get a day or how many Facebook groups I am in and I usually just laugh because there are too many to count – though I do make it a priority to sift through everything on a daily basis and keep up with all of your wonderful happenings.  Serving as the counselor is a lot of work…. like a lot a lot…. and wouldn’t be possible without the kind love and support of everyone else on the team.  As a counselor I work constantly with the District Council, Chapter Councils, Sponsors and Directors of Bands, other Counselors, Governors, National Council, and of course our wonderful National Headquarters Staff.  I get a lot of questions from students asking me for an explanation of what exactly my job entails and I love the reactions as students tell me their aspirations for how they might be able to lead within Tau Beta Sigma.  It absolutely warms my heart to hear students tell me that they aspire to serve on the District Council or even to have my job one day, and I love the stories students tell of how inspired they have been by the really amazing student leaders who have come through our District Council.  Looking back, there are so many people to thank as our legacy leaders- the ones who truly made an impact on our love for this Sisterhood and have inspired us to become better Sisters and better leaders ourselves. 

                                                                                                          

As we set some goals for our District Council this year we placed a great focus on our District History.  I couldn't be happier to say that so much of the history of our district can now be found under the History tab of our website, tbsned.org.  Thank you to TBS NED Alumni Secretary/Historian Billy Ray Poli and TBS NED Webmaster Nick Valinski for accomplishing such a great task.  Our physical history will now be stored in the historical archives of one of our most historically driven chapters – Beta Eta at the University of Maryland, in their infamous Armory.  Another aspect of our challenge of preserving and honoring our history has been to do some research into our legacy leaders – those who have been awarded Honorary Membership into our district, our list of past District Officers, and our past District Counselors.  Again, you can find the list of past officers and counselors on our website.  When looking at our list of Honorary Members however we know that we still have a little more research to do, but one thing surely caught my eye – the people who weren't on the list but whom are probably presumed to be.  I was dumbfounded to know that I was only the second Counselor in TBS NED history to be inducted as an Honorary Member of our district, and I feel almost guilty knowing how many deserving people should share the same honor.  In my digging, I found that the wonderful Mrs. Cathy Miles was the only Counselor before me to share the same honor (I learned that she was inducted along with Lt. Col. Alan Bonner by then-NED President/now-Trustee of the Board Mrs. Melanie LeBlanc Meehan).  So, in thanks, let’s take just a second and review who these people who have served us for countless hours have been:

Ester Shannon, 1949-1952; Henry Romersa, 1962; Ann McMillen Colbert, 1963; Patricia Gillespie of Gamma Kappa, 1964;  Natalie S. Hartzell, 1970-1972; Sue Evans, 1977-1980; Kathy Rodeffer of Beta Eta, 1980-1981; Sue Robash Carr of Delta Delta, 1981-1989; Suzanne Venit Sturgis of Beta Eta, 1989-1991; Cathy Miles of Epsilon Omega, 1991-1997; Nicole Kinsley O’Rourke of Zeta Upsilon, 1997-1998; Melanie LeBlanc Meehan of Delta Delta, 1998-2000; Maisha Davis of Epsilon Omega, 2001-2003; Cathy Miles of Epsilon Omega (again), 2003-2004 and 2005-2006; Kathryn Garrett Kelly of Eta Delta, 2007-2009; Tom Franklin of Gamma Kappa, 2010-2011; Nicole Kemp of Zeta Upsilon, 2011-present.

In thanks to this subset of legacy leaders of the TBS NED, the District Council has voted to extend honorary membership to three more of these wonderful Sisters – all of whom have gone on to serve our Sisterhood at the national level, and all of whom have continued over the years to pour their love to the chapters and members of the Northeast District.  At the Tau Beta Sigma Northeast District Convention, held March 22-23, 2013 at the University of Massachusetts  we will induct past counselors Sue Carr (current chair of TBSAA), Melanie Meehan (currently on the Board of Trustees), and Kathryn Kelly (immediate past TBS NVPSP).  As we get closer we will have extended biographies available for your reading. 

Extending this honorary membership is something that we are so happy to do, and I hope that you will all join in our thanks to them at the convention in March at the University of Massachusetts. [Fun Facts: Melanie was the presiding president at a convention at UMass where she inducted Cathy Miles.  She and Sue are both alumni of Delta Delta at UMass.  Kathryn’s last convention as Counselor was at UMass. What an ironic year for UMass to host convention!] This truly should be a ceremony to go down in history! 

Nicole Kemp

TBS NED Counselor

Tau Beta Sigma-Life Member #2768, Zeta Upsilon 

West Chester University

How it Feels to Be Active (Part 2)

Each semester, there are articles traditionally written by 2 MC classes in our chapter publication, the current class and immediate past class. Well, Delta Delta decided to not take a class last semester (Spring 2012), so my MC class (Fall 2011) was the only class to write an article. In my part of the article, I wrote about how it feels to be active and how travel season helped me grow in the sisterhood. I called myself a “newcomer,” someone that knew the traditions, the history and the symbols, but I knew I still didn’t understand everything. My first semester being active was just as much of a learning experience as my MC semester. I felt like I knew more than I did before. As the semester came to a close, I decided to run for a chapter office.

On April 21, 2012, I took my next step in the sisterhood; I was elected as the Corresponding Secretary. I was still in my first semester active when I was elected, I didn’t know how to feel that a chapter of 25 members were trusting me to hold this office and perform its duties to a very high standard. This moment was a very scary moment, but this was also a very exciting moment. I couldn’t wait to start working with everyone. As summer passed by, I sent email after email over the Delta Delta list-serv about pen-palling and general correspondence information. I was slowly proving to myself that I can hold this office and I can have a lot of fun with it.

This semester started and it was decided that we would take an MC class, this brought me back to the feeling of not knowing everything, I began to question myself “How do I promote Correspondence to the MC’s without looking like a crazy person?” “How do I be a person that the MC’s look up to?” How do I do this….how do I do that…the list continues. But, my biggest question was “What do I call myself?” Am I still a “newcomer”? This is my second semester as an active Sister, but we didn’t have an MC class last spring, so I guess I can call myself “Newcomer 2.0?” I guess.

Throughout this semester, MC’s started asking me correspondence-related and general sisterhood-related questions. (Some of those questions ended with “You’ll know when you’re older”). I knew the answers to most of these questions, but sometimes I would have to say, “ask an older sister.” These moments taught me that I still need time to grow as a sister; I still need time to learn EVERYTHING.

Looking back, I think that I, along with my other Sisters, served as great leaders for the MC’s. My two semesters as a “newcomer” have taught me so much; I have learned how to be an officer, how to utilize the many resources this Sisterhood has, and so much more. I think that the one thing these two semesters taught me is that each semester will be a learning experience. This is a learning experience that I can’t wait to happen. 

Christopher Lukasik

Corresponding Secretary

Tau Beta Sigma-Delta Delta

University of Massachusetts - Amherst