News

  • DECEMBER NEWS
     
    As finals approach and the workload for each of us increases, we are even more aware of the bond we share as a chapter of AKΛ. Every year we come together in the spirit of the holidays and brotherhood to create a feast worthy of the men of Alpha Kappa Lambda and their dates. On Saturday, December 5th, we held our Annual Alpha Kappa Lambda Christmas Dinner as an event for each of us to have one last evening together before we venture to our respective libraries in preparation for our finals. All of the AKΛ members were in attendance for our feast this year, which featured the vast array of culinary skills of our very own Active Members in the creation of a Turkey, two Holiday Hams, a Turducken (which was also amazingly stuffed with 5 pounds of a sausage/bacon stuffing in AKL tradition), Fish, a Sweet Potato Dish, a Green Bean Casserole, Dinner Rolls, Cranberry, and a fine assortment of holiday deserts baked by our mothers and adoring sorority friends. As Actives, New Members, and dates ate and listened to holiday music, we presented our house’s Sweetheart Trophy to our new sweetheart, Nicole Maschoff, of the Delta Gamma sorority.
     
    Our last house meeting before break will be Monday, December 7th. Due to finals the scheduled social event with the Delta Zeta’s will be moved to early next semester at a date, time and location to be decided. Study groups for each major will see increased activity and meeting times for the next two weeks so each person gets plenty of time to prepare for finals.
     
    After the end of finals we will start to plan a winter break get together for both New Years Eve and the first week of January. All times and locations are TBA.

     

    --
    Matthew Van Egeren
    President - Alpha Kappa Lambda
    Senior - History
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • THE MOVE TO TEMPORARY LODGING

     

    The men of Gamma are wrapping up another eventful year.  Activities this past semester include numerous philanthropy and service events, including a Habitat for Humanity spring break trip by some of our members.  Active members also supported the “Hand Wall”, benefiting Alpha Kappa Lambda’s “These Hands Don’t Hurt” campaign, which raises support and awareness for women who are victims of domestic violence.  We also hosted our annual active/alumni golf outing in April.  Special thanks to Jim Tarabori ’70, who shared career advice with Active Members.

    In anticipation of the remodeling scheduled to start this fall, the men have found alternative group housing for the fall that will allow them to replicate the AKΛ experience. The “temporary” home for Gamma will be at 606 W. Ohio St. in Urbana, just a few doors down from Delta Zeta and Beta Sigma Psi. In recent years, the house was used by Alpha Chi Sigma, and decades ago, was the home for the Theta Upsilon sorority. The house has space for approximately 25-30 men, and will allow the chapter to offer traditional meal service and study areas as well as traditional social and brotherhood events. The house offers proximity to the Pennsylvania and Florida Avenue Residence halls, which are typically underserved by the Greek system, and offers explosive recruitment opportunities in the fall.

     

    By Tom Seewald, Active President