For those who have not heard the sad news yet, the Delta Chi Johnstown Chapter has lost a much respected Brother yesterday. Brian Kirk Gindlesperger was born on July 30, 1983 and has left us June 3, 2012.
Brian joined the Fraternity in the Fall of 2009 along with Mike Dishong, Cody Grech, Ben Karas, Tyler Fraer and Keith Phillips in the Zi Delta-II pledge class and became Gamma Tau-23. While pledging Brian was the Pledge Class President and used this experience to serve on the E-Board as the ‘A’ from 2010 to 2011. He recently graduated from UPJ in the Spring of 2012 with a Business Degree in Marketing. Brian has also joined another Fraternity before arriving at UPJ, the Marine Corps, and while in active duty had served two tours during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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Trevor Monk, Staff Writer
March 28, 2012 Filed under Sports Greek students have been geared up to compete in the annual UPJ Greek Week. This week marks a tradition of competition among fraternities and sororities. The week’s events highlight a number of events. Events include foosball, corn hole and comical skits to conclude the week. Each fraternity and sorority accumulates points from each event throughout the week with a trophy awarded to the winners. The past two years Kappa Delta Rho has been victorious among fraternities. Kappa Delta Rho president Caleb Chiappetta said he feels confident in his brothers’ ability to compete this year and said they’re ready to take it for a third year in a row. Christian Woo of Sigma Tau Gamma (editors correction) said event standards are set by the International Fraternal Conference, for which he is a campus representative. As for his fraternity, Woo said members are taking the week’s competition seriously. “This week is taken very seriously by all fraternities on campus.” Shawn Hemphill, assistant director of Student Life, said the week is as a way for students to take stress off before finals. The competition started on Sunday with the major events — basketball, volleyball and dodgeball in the Wellness Center. Monday’s major event was Student Union window-painting and, Wednesday, the Greeks are to compete in foosball at 8 p.m. at Delta Chi fraternity house. The week will conclude Sunday with skits and an award ceremony at 3 p.m. in the Student Union. Trophies are to be awarded to the fraternity and sorority that receive the most points throughout the week. There is to be a spirit award given to the organization members who show the most team spirit, togetherness and support. The events are open to the public and students have been encouraged to spectate. - See more at: http://www.upj-advocate.com/sports/2012/03/28/greeks-battle-in-weeklong-tradition/#sthash.VcETUgVS.dpuf Andy Hsiao Chung, Staff Writer
March 21, 2012 Filed under News Light in the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center dimmed Thursday as the 29th Annual Mr. UPJ competition commenced. Several young Alpha Gamma Delta sisters in black dresses – who were posing for a photo – quickly found their seats. The balcony audience bellowed jauntily while their bottom-floor counterparts sought to compete by returning their challenge. Alpha Gamma Delta sister Katie Sullivan ascended the stage, welcomed the audience and opened the event. The Mr. UPJ competition, she said, had four stages: a formal wear, a sportswear and a talent competition – closing with contestant interviews. The 12 contestants walked out from behind the colossal crimson curtains in sport coats, ties and dress pants. During the sportswear competition, Randall Penn, a Pitt-Johnstown business major, donned a rugby uniform, requested volunteers and occupied the stage to demonstrate rugby practice drills. Kevin McDonald, a UPJ golf team member, and Delta Chi, simulated what goes on in a professional golfing tournament, and got into a humorous brawl with his caddy. The talent competition became a small-scale music festival, where all of the contestants’ performances involved music. Matt Hansen, an engineering major, plucked a series of excerpts from classic rock favorites into a medley, while Bill Rush, a communication major, recreated a scene from “The Party Rock Anthem” music video with several dancers. Corey Strittmatter, who passersby may have occasionally spotted singing and playing guitar at Maple Hall, also performed a song on stage. Aside from flamboyant acts and attire, Alpha Gamma Delta reminded audience members that the money raised was to go to juvenile diabetes. Meanwhile, many volunteers working in the lobby counted masses of coins of all kinds in preparation for Penny Wars. “Penny Wars is for our Spirit Award,” said Alpha Gamma sister Samantha Keast as another pile of coins was poured out of a contestant’s voting jar to be counted. “Pennies are positive (points), while the silver (coins) and dollars are negative (points). “The money that we have raised here goes to our philanthropy, which is juvenile diabetes. So, even if you do not win the Spirit Award, it is always a good thing to donate because it all goes to charity.” The Mr. UPJ selection process commenced as an Alpha Gamma sister announced something unprecedented in the competition’s history; a voter tie for the runner-up position between Rush and Joey Morway. It was agreed the runner-up was to be decided by another contestant interview round, which secured Rush’s victory. An abrupt silence and tension filled the room as an Alpha Gamma sister announced this year’s Mr. UPJ winner was McDonald. George Zanic, Mr. UPJ 2011, was invited to crown this year’s winner as he deftly placed a crown on McDonald’s head. “My favorite part of this competition,” said McDonald, “was probably the fact that you can just get on stage and express yourself – and have some fun… I think the most important thing of all is that we do this for a good cause. “My big brother Brian Gindlesperger (Delta Chi) won Mr. UPJ two years ago, and my good friend George Zanic won it last year. “You know, all that hard works pays off. I just thank all the girls for helping me with my dance and sticking with me.” - See more at: http://www.upj-advocate.com/news/2012/03/21/dancing-dudes-duel-in-pageant/#sthash.kaPP1Ymp.dpuf Kaitlyne Krinock, Contributing Writer
February 22, 2012 Filed under Features Those involved in Pitt-Johnstown Greek organizations balance their time between fun and studying; making sure to meet their minimum grade-point-averages requirement. Pitt-Johnstown sophomore Natalie Kinderman, a Kappa Zeta sorority member said that being Greek motivates her to have a higher GPA. “Being involved in a sorority helps me prioritize and utilize my time. If any sister is having trouble with school, we all try to motivate each other by going to the library and having study groups,” said Kinderman. Pitt-Johnstown’s Greek system comprises five fraternities and four sororities governed by the Interfraternity Council for (fraternities) and the Panhellenic Council (sororities). National requirements for Greek members’ academic standing are higher than Pitt-Johnstown’s. Each organization’s officers monitor GPAs; however, Shaun Hemphill, the Student Life assistant director, works with all Pitt-Johnstown Greek organizations. “We are all working collectively to strengthen the community both academically and servicewise and hold each other accountable,” said Hemphill. At Pitt-Johnstown, Greek organizations are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 but the organizations’ national levels require the minimum GPA to be 2.25. Each Greek organization’s officers have their own ways of making sure that individually, and as a whole, they maintain good academic standing. Pitt–Johnstown senior Mike Dishong, a Delta Chi member and Interfraternity Council president, said the partying reputation for Greeks has been reduced somewhat. “Things are a lot better compared to back in the day. Now we limit drinking to only on the weekends,” said Dishong. Making sure studying is done during the week is how most members manage to keep their GPA above minimum requirements. Pitt-Johnstown senior Lauren Hendricks, a Phi Sigma Sigma sorority member, said it is important to remember why people attend college and said time-management is important. “Relieving stress is a major factor in keeping good grades, but you have to know the time to do it. My sorority taught me how to use my time wisely so I can have fun but get good grades, too,” said Hendricks. Pitt-Johnstown’s sorority with the highest cumulative GPA is Kappa Zeta, with 3.04. The fraternity with the highest cumulative GPA is Delta Chi, with 2.8. The importance of individuals’ GPAs is stressed before joining any Greek organization. To become a member of sorority or fraternity, Pitt-Johnstown requires each individual to have a GPA of at least 2.25. - See more at: http://www.upj-advocate.com/features/2012/02/22/academic-standards-not-a-problem-for-greeks-2/#sthash.X3IPEAP6.dpuf Posted: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 12:04 pm Jack E. Freeman, who held a series of high-level administrative positions at the University of Pittsburgh between 1967 and 1990—including service as president of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown from 1971 to 1974—passed away Jan. 24 at the age of 80 following a brief illness.
Under Freeman's administration, UPJ established five academic divisions – education, engineering technology, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences – and began offering its first four-year degrees. His tenure at UPJ also saw the formation of the faculty senate, the first academic convocation, and groundbreaking for the Engineering and Science Building. Additionally, UPJ held its first homecoming celebration, introduced the Mountain Cat as the official school mascot, and added wrestling as a third intercollegiate sport.
Freeman earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Baylor University prior to joining the Air Force in 1954. He was appointed as an assistant professor of political science at the Air Force Academy in 1959. From 1964 to 1967, Captain Freeman worked at the Pentagon for United States Air Force Chief of Staff General Curtis Lemay and later for the Assistant to the Deputy Undersecretary USAF for International Affairs. Jerry Cochran, executive vice chancellor and general counsel for the university, said both Mr. Freeman and Posvar served in the Air Force, and their experience in the military had an impact on younger executives like him. Freeman resigned his commission in the U.S. Air Force in 1967 to accept a position at the University’s Pittsburgh campus, where he joined then-Chancellor Wesley W. Posvar, who was a longtime friend of Freeman’s and his mentor at the Air Force Academy. "Dr. Posvar was his mentor at the Air Force Academy," Cochran said. "Leaders are born," said Cochran. "Both Freeman and Posvar were Air Force officers, and this commitment to the military enhanced their quality of leadership. "I had the highest level of respect for Jack Freeman, who taught us the ropes in our new undertakings," he added. "I often sit in my office and think of Jack and what he meant not only to me, but to the university." Freeman served as executive assistant to Posvar and secretary to the Pitt Board of Trustees. He became Pitt-Johnstown’s second president in 1971 and presided of the transition from Phi Delta Psi to Delta Chi. In 1974, Freeman returned to the Pittsburgh campus as vice chancellor for planning and budget. In 1977, he earned his PhD at Pitt in higher education administration, and he was named senior vice chancellor for administration two years later. He became executive vice president for the university in 1986.. He resigned in 1990 after Posvar announced his plans to retire. After leaving Pitt, Freeman held administrative positions at Penn and Cornell, and worked as a higher education management consultant until his retirement in 2006. Following his Pitt career, Freeman served as executive vice president at Temple University, at the University of Pennsylvania, and at Cornell University, and he worked as a higher education management consultant until his retirement in 2006. Under Freeman’s administration, Pitt-Johnstown established five academic divisions (education, engineering technology, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences) and began offering its first four-year degrees. He also established its faculty senate, held its first academic convocation, and broke ground for its Engineering and Science Building. Freeman’s tenure at Pitt-Johnstown also saw the university’s first Homecoming celebration and the addition of wrestling as a third intercollegiate sport. Freeman is survived by his wife of 60 years, Betty Hawling Freeman; sons Jack R. Freeman, David M. Freeman, Mark R. Freeman; daughter Melissa Emanuele; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his elder brother, Bob Freeman. The family is being served by the Hall Funeral Home, Purcellville, Va Read More: Tribune Democrat & University of Pittsburgh Fraternity Bowl 2011 - The annual full contact football game between Delta Chi and Acacia. Final Score: ΔX - 20 Acacia - 6 Brandon Zeris, Copy Editor
September 28, 2011 Filed under Features Pitt-Johnstown’s Homecoming Weekend gave students multiple ways to celebrate. The weekend kicked off with a carnival Friday and Saturday in the Biddle Hall parking lot. Rides included a Ferris wheel, a giant slide and a carousel. At least one student, Cory Strittmatter, welcomed the carnival. “The carnival is a good thing, it doesn’t get much more legit than that,” he said. “You could go have a kegger in the woods, but this is a (relatively) dry campus, so you take what you can get.” Sherri Rae, Director of Student Life, said that the carnival was better than a concert. “A lot of people who are here for Homecoming are looking to visit with friends and socialize more than dedicate several hours to a concert in the Sports Center,” she said. People who would rather have a concert may get their wish in the future. “We may revisit the concert idea, especially if we could do a smaller, more casual setting, like a lawn show or tent, but we wanted to give the carnival rides one more try as well since we have a larger variety of rides coming this year that may have more appeal.” Friday’s events concluded with a fireworks show choreographed to music provided by Zambelli Fireworks, which has been featured on the Discovery Channel show Mythbusters. The Homecoming parade began at 11 a.m. Saturday where the theme, “Broadway,” was apparent. With a perceived lack of student involvement in choosing the theme, Rae said students, faculty and staff were able to make suggestions about the theme. “We took those suggestions this summer and did a survey via Facebook, for current students, and the LinkedIn alumni group to vote on the possible choices.” She added, “We had 115 people respond to the survey, and it was a close call: the second choice was ‘superheroes,’ so we’ll add that second choice as an option next year again.” Rae said a campus- wide vote, much like the one used to select Homecoming Queen, remains a possibility for the future. The parade traveled from Richland Cinemas to Blackington Hall, where floats were on display. The first place float award went to the American Society of Civil Engineers with their “South Pacific” theme. Shortly after, Pitt-Johnstown President Jem Spectar named Lauren Dziagwa, a senior civil engineering technology major, the 2011 Homecoming Queen. She was sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers. ASCE girls have made winning Homecoming Queen a regular occurrence and Dziagwa wanted to continue the streak. “It feels good. Our girls won the last two years, so I felt like it was my job to win,” she said. Natalie Aikens, a senior biology major, sponsored by Pitt-Johnstown Cheerleaders, was named first runner-up. Leah Sporio, a senior humanities major, sponsored by Delta Chi and the Black Action Society was named second runner-up. Later, Dave Willey, Delta Chi, held a show in which he used laws of physics and humor to wow the crowd for an hour with his stunts. Willey has showcased his talents on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno among other television shows. His final stunt yielded a loud applause from the crowd. Willey, who laid on a bed of nails, had a smaller platform of nails resting on his stomach with a cinder block on top. His assistant crushed the block with a sledgehammer, doing no harm to Willey. Afterwards, the Pitt-Johnstown Zoo was on display in the Cambria Room. A leopard, scorpion and a king toad were shown, among other animals. The weekend wrapped up with a birthday party for former Pitt-Johnstown Dean of Student Life, Lowell Shaffer. - See more at: http://www.upj-advocate.com/features/2011/09/28/homecoming-a-medley-of-happenings/#sthash.pJ02rKsp.dpuf A UPJ instructor will hit the national airwaves over the weekend. David Willey, who teaches physics, (and a Delta Chi brother) was featured in a multi-segment science show on the National Geographic Channel. Beyond Bizarre and Indestructible premiered back-to-back Sunday night. The show will be repeated at 8 and 11 p.m. Wednesday, December 9, and at 1 p.m. Sunday, December 13.
In July 1998, Mr. Willey earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for distance fire walking.
Article originally posted on ABC23 WATM.
David Willey, Delta Chi, physics instructor at the Johnstown campus, has received the 2005-2006 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award was presented at the UPJ commencement ceremony on May 6.
According to UPJ President Albert Etheridge, “Dave approaches his teaching with an uncommon passion for the students to learn and for them to understand the principles of physics. He instills students with an unfulfilled desire to know more and to understand more.” Willey’s student evaluations are filled with praise for his teaching, Etheridge added. “He challenges his students to craft their scientific inquiries carefully, to think critically and to formulate nontraditional approaches to problem solving. Through open dialogue and an insistence for excellence, he consistently prepares students to think and solve problems in different ways.” Willey might be best known as a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” Etheridge said. “He has wowed audiences with his demonstrations of physics. Through his appearances on ‘The Tonight Show,’ Dave is reaching millions with his message of the importance of science and its application in everyday life. His devotion to physics and, more importantly, his ability to inculcate students with a love and appreciation for science has won the admiration of colleagues from across the region and beyond. As a teacher, colleague and role model, [Dave] is regarded as intellectually spirited, challenging and enthusiastic.” Willey earned his B.S. from Aston University, U.K., a certificate in education from Birmingham University, U.K., and an M.S. from Ohio State University. He joined the Pitt-Johnstown faculty in 1975. In 1990 he received the Dr. Ed Vizzini Teacher of the Year award. via University Times |
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