SPRING 2012

theAXΣ Sigma Chapter, University of California, Berkeley

BEARWhen I became a brother of Alpha Chi Sigma, I never fathomed the idea of being the Master Alchemist. I would like to thank the members for giving me the opportunity to lead the fraternity. It was a great honor, and a rewarding position. Being Master Alchemist seemed simple at first, but that was deceiving and I began to really admire the past MAs. As an International student, speaking English was the first of many challenges that came with the postion. Our VMA, Erika, and MCs, Miguel and Harvey, helped me out greatly. I am truly thankful to have brothers who were patient, supportive, and understanding.This semester we created a new committee--the expansion commitee--which was dedicated to facilitate the establishment of the Stanford colony. In the beginning we had many obstacles to overcome, but Roxana, the Expansion chair, devoted much of her time to ensure the success of the expansion. Another challenge that came along was placing emphasis on professionalism. The professional committee worked really hard to achieve this goal. This semester the professional committee hosted many successful events. Advertising AXE to the campus has always been quite difficult

but events such as the Grad Night Info session, Wine & Cheese, etc., allowed us to publicize AXE. Another goal of the semester was to lessen the miscommunication between the chapter and the house. From what I have seen from this semester, I know that our new MA, Dianne, and also our new officers and members will do a great job to decrease any miscommunication, and they will work together to maintain a good relationship. Lastly, but most importantly, I would like to thank my brothers for all the support you guys have given me throughtout the smester. This was my last semester in Berkeley, and my last semester in the States, and you guys made my experience unforgettable. I will never forget my AXE experience. I know that wherever I go, I have my brothers that I can always count on. With our strong brotherhood, I know that we can l confidentally say that we are brothers of an amazing fraternity, Alpha Chi Sigma at Univeristy of California, Berkeley.

C=CShinhyung Sabrina Park

Table of Contents

Stanford: A New Colony 2

Officers & Comm. Chairs 4

Rush 6

Meet the Sp’ 12 pledges 8

Tahoe 10

Letter from the Editor 12

Alpha Chi Sigma presents51st Biennial Conclave

July 24-29, 2012at the University of

Iowa

STANFORD

2| SPRING 2012

[A NEW COLONY]

This semester a new chair position was added to the bylaws – Expansion Committee Chair. This chair person is responsible for acting as pledge master for and liason be-tween the Sigma Chapter and any precolony or colony for which it may be acting as a sponsor. The Sigma Chapter is currently sponsoring the Alpha Alpha precolony at Stan-ford University in Palo Alto, CA where we had five pledges. All of them showed dedication and commitment to restarting their chapter as did their chapter advisor Charlie Cox. They achieved recognition as a campus organization and can now seek funding from the school. Weekly pledge meetings were held at Stanford during which pledges were exposed to as routine a pledge process in the Sigma Chapter as possible. They completed weekly quizzes, were assigned “bigs,” participated in activites like Wyvern, Trust Walk and Jeopardy, and created their own pledge paddle. Each pledge also completed a project and event and acquired member signatures over the semester. Many trips were made between both schools to promote fra-ternal bonding. While the logistics of the semester were a bit challenging I think that it worked out well and that our five new Alpha Alpha precolony members are well equipped to aid future pledge into membership and further their chap-ter as members. Congratulations to Jenny Koenig, Caitlin Ortega, JC Lopez, Aaron Thayer, and Omar Yaghi!!!

C=CRoxana Farjadi

FOUNDERSof

ALPHA ALPHA CHAPTER

SPRING 2012 |3

Name: Jenny KoenigMajor: Chemistry with Biology minor and Dance minorYear: JuniorBerkeley Big: Aster TangFavorite Pledge event: WyvernI like Chemistry because Under-standing the fundamental basis for life!

Name: Omar YaghiMajor: Biological ChemistryYear: SophomoreBerkeley Big: Harvey ChuiFavorite Pledge Event: WyvernI like Chemistry because it provides me with a deeper level of understanding and ap-preciation for the world that I live in.

Name: JC LopezMajor: BiologyYear: JuniorMinor: ChemistryBerkeley Big: Shuai JiangI like chemistry because I feel the human body is just one big giant chemical reaction.

Name: Caitlin OrtegaMajor: ChemistryYear: JuniorBerkeley Big: Evan LockwoodI like Chemistry because it is is the science of change--I love to study the transforma-tions of matter!

This semester, as co-banquet chair, I helped to put together and orga-nize the annual spring banquet, open to all active and inactive members, and alumni. It took a lot of time and effort, but in the end I was so excited to put on a successful banquet that everyone could enjoy.

C=CDianne Srinilta

COMMITEE CHAIRS

As investment manager I make sure that all accounts related to Alpha Chi Sigma are kept in order and kept track of. These mostly include scholarship accounts and long-term accounts rel-evant to Alpha Chi Sigma. As co-historian i help take pictures at AXE events, update the history book, and help give the history of AXE presentation for history night.

C=C,Bryton

[SPRING 2012]

&OFFICERS

Hopes ran high as the fundraising season started. They quickly dwindled, however, when I re-alized I was neither creative nor talented. In the end we had a doughnut sale (after a rained out first attempt) and a Periodic Table Cupcake Sale. Next fundraising idea: insulin. The best/worst part of the doughnut sale was getting punked by a squirrel. I can honestly say that I had never been afraid of a squirrel before that fateful Friday. This critter really wanted a doughnut and I naively thought that charging him would make him run away in search of a nice acorn. Much to my surprise, my rodent adversary stood his ground. Confused by his lack of fear, I stopped. Being a strategic mastermind, the squirrel actually charged me! We went back and forth for some time before I convinced him it was time to leave. It was a harrow-ing experience, but I made it through unharmed and without losing a doughnut to that bushy-tailed bully.

C=CStephen Jones

4| SPRING 2012

By Alpha Chi Sigma definitions, the primary responsibility of the reporter is to maintain rela-tions between the local chapter and the national organization. In all honesty, being as it was my first semester as a full-fledged brother of Alpha Chi Sigma, I originally sought the reporter position as it seemed there weren’t that many responsibilities. Although that was in part true, what was more surprising was the fact that the position helped me learn the dynamics of the fraternity both on a local and national level. A bonus was that it allowed me to interact, in part with both brothers and pledges in having to report various information regarding the Sigma Chapter and to understand what is required of the fraternity. All in all, it is a position that, in the end, could not have been better for me to become more active as a brother. Now, as I stand to pass on the position to my new brother, Ryan Hu, I hope that the position serves him as well as it has served me, now proud to call myself a brother of Alpha Chi Sigma.

C=CKevin Wang

I was the recorder and editor/publicist last semester. Besides maintaining all the mailing lists and Facebook groups, I remodeled the chapter’s website at http://axs.berkeley.edu as the editor/publicist. As recorder, I’ve been taking minutes at all the general and excomm meetings.C=C Sunnie Mao

Master Alchemist: Sabrina ParkVice Master Alchemist: Erika DockstaderPledge Master: Willie NicklasTreasurer: Stephen JonesMaster of Ceremonies: Miguel Garcia, Harvey ChuiReporter: Kevin WangRecorder: Sunnie MaoAlumni Secretary: Corissa ChangHistorians: Bryton Dias, Cameron WoodEditor/Publicist: Sunnie MaoInvestment Manager: Bryton Dias

Professional: Sam GidanianBanquet: Pedro Palting, Dianne Srinilta, Corissa ChangFundraising: Stephen JonesSocial: Cameron WoodTutoring: Kevin WangBylaws: Josh HeczkoRush: Erika DockstaderExpansion: Roxana Farjadi

As bylaws chair, I put in writing any amendments passed by our chapter. Since none were passed, I’ve had a very uneventful semester.

C=CJosh Heczko

Officers Committee Chairs

SPRING 2012 |5

The highlight of my experience as treasurer was renewing the business license. If you are interested in seeing the most aggravating place in Berkeley, look no further than the City of Berkeley Customer Service Center. I spent the better part of an afternoon getting different answers from the same people regarding the likelihood of us ever being able to renew our business license for football parking. In the end it all seemed to work out. The only down side is that this experience dealing with the inefficiencies of big government has turned me into a Republican.

C=CStephen Jones

For all members of the Sigma Chapter, tutoring has always been a difficult committee to inspire motivation in, especially as it hasn’t had a great track record. Although I can’t say things were much different this semester, my primary goals this semester were to establish a regular schedule to at least give a purpose to having a tutoring committee. Although I wasn’t able to be there much as I had hoped as a result of my research schedule, it as least seemed like some inroads had been made in attendance. On multiple occasions, even if it was sometimes just the new pledges, there was at least some attendance to the tutoring sessions, just enough, in my opinion, to say that tutoring hasn’t fallen to the wayside entirely as it has in previous semesters.Despite the numerous resources provided by Berkeley, tutoring, as I saw, can be a way to pro-mote the name and interest in our fraternity and a hopeful remark has been that members have had good ideas and improvements to be implemented in future semesters. My hope is that tutoring can one day become a staple and more exciting committee to be in, so as to pass on the knowledge we, as older students and members have, to the younger classes.

C=CKevin Wang

Rushing is a must becuase not only are the events super fun, but you also get to meet awesome people! If you find chemistry to be fascinating, come out and rush! During this week we have many events including the Game Day Potluck, bowling, icecream social, house tours, barbeques, and the list keeps on going! Many brothers have agreed that Rushing Alpha Chi Sigma was one of their best weeks in Berkeley and pledging was one of the best decisions they made at Cal.

RUSHING[AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE]

8| SPRING 2012

SPRING 2012 |9

Meet the Pledges[MEET THE PLEDGES]

Name: Ryan HuMajor: Chemical EngineeringYear: 2ndBig: Bryton DiasFavorite Pledge Event: Tech-Talks

Name: Sam LoudenMajor: Chemical BiologyYear: 2ndBig: Victoria PostigoFavorite pledge event: Trust Walk

Name: Nolan WangMajor: ChemYear: 3rdBig: Mandy WongFavorite event: Sam’s event-Studying at Milano

Name: Stan YooMajor: Chemical EngineeringYear: 2ndBig: Cameron WoodFavorite event: Wyver

Name: Ziyan FengMajor: Chemical BiologyYear: 4thFavorite event: Michael’s pledge event- Settlers of CatanBig: Josh Heczko

Name: Jae ShinMajor: Chemical EngineeringYear: 2ndBig: Pedro PaltingFavorite Pledge Event: Wyvern & Trust Walk

6| SPRING 2012

As pledgemaster, I had the wonderful yet difficult task of guiding our large pledge class (9 pledges!) through Sleepover, Wyvern, Trust Walk and all of the other wonderful events this semester. My pledges met all their challenges and overcame all their obstacles with a cheery demeanor and sense of humor.

Perhaps the best part of my time as pledgemaster was the opportu-nity to see one of my pledges come forward and volunteer to take up the duties as pledgemaster for next semester. I had a wonderful time with my pledges, and I look forward to them being full brothers next semester.

C=C,Willie Nicklas

PledgeMaster

SPRING 2012 |7

Name: Jesse ChangMajor: Chemical BioYear: 2ndBig: Dianne SriniltaFavorite event: Making Dumplings

Name: Michael NechayevMajor: ChemistryYear: 2ndFavorite event: WyvernBig: Kihong Lee

Name: George ZhangMajor: Chemical EngineeringYear: 2ndBig: David YiuFavorite event: Sleepover & Wyvern

TAHOE[SKIS & SLOPES]

10| SPRING 2012

This year the Sigma Chapter went on ski trip to Reno during the weekend of Friday March 9 - Sunday March 12. We took 3 drivers and their cars from Berkeley and met at the La Quinta in Reno which we stayed at for 2 nights. There were 12 members and 1 pledge sharing 3 rooms. We skied and snow boarded at Boreal Ski Resort on Sat and Sunday and then drove back home after skiing on Sunday.

On the first day the weather was very nice and sunny. It was almost too hot for people. We all had a great time learning and going down the hill. For many people this was only their first or second time trying to snowboard or ski. These people tended to stay on the smaller slopes and had fun learning/falling together. Another smaller group was more experienced and went up to the higher parts of the mountain together. After skiing on Sat we all went out for dinner at Olive Garden. Afterward people had planned on going into the city to see the casinos and such, but once we finished dinner mostly everyone realized they were tired from the day of skiing. So we instead just went back to the hotel and hung out until it was time to sleep. The next day it was surprisingly very snowy. People had to buy tires and a group of about 4 people went home early due to the cold weather. The rest of us decided to stick it out for the second day and got to experience skiing in fresh powder. Overall I would say the trip was a great success and everyone seemed to have a great time.

C=CCameron Wood

SPRING 2012 |11

Letter from the Editor[ALUMNI SECRETARY]

NAMEADDRESS

Alpha Chi Sigma2627 Virginia St.Berkeley, CA 94709

I had a wonderful year serving as the alumni secretary of Alpha Chi Sigma. The hardest part of the job was compiling the numerous amount of photos as well as collecting the articles from the members. Although publishing the newsletter each semester was quite stressful, I found it extremeley rewarding. Each page took vast amounts of blood, sweat, and tears, so I hope you guys really enjoy this edition! :) I hope you guys have a relaxing summer! :)

C=CCorissa Chang