By LaToya Martin
Calling all HU alumni, friends, and family; it’s
time to eat and socialize for a good cause. The Phi Sigma Pi, Alpha Tau
Chapter Endowment Fund, Inc (“The Fund”) is pleased to announce the 2nd
Annual Family Reunion Sunday Brunch. It’s with much anticipation and
excitement that the brunch is fast approaching as people are making last
minute purchases of brunch attire, tickets, and we certainly can’t
forget those big Sunday morning hats.
You
won’t regret attending this year’s Sunday Brunch. Last year, there
were approximately 100 people in attendance. This year, the Fund has a
goal of at least 130 people. With sponsors like: Ben’s
Chili Bowl (2 gift certificates), NOYO designs (men’s and women’s
t-shirts), the DC Circulator (all day circulator passes for all VIP
guests), 4 Mankind LLC (artwork), Microsoft Student Partners Program
(Zune music passes and Xbox video game), and others, there will be
plenty of opportunities for you to leave with a handful of gifts.
Please don’t forget that there will also be an autographed football
signed by all Washington Redskins team members, jewelry, 10 designer
shirts, Macy’s items valued at $200, and more raffled off at the
brunch. This year’s VIP tickets include: Waterfront reserved seating;
your name featured as a VIP guest on the website, menu cards and
Facebook Fanpage; primary buffet service; two complimentary mimosas; a
VIP gift bag; two free raffle tickets; and discounts for future events.
The VIP gift bag includes: Avon samples, Phi Sigma Pi National office
special donations, and more surprise items.
Will
you be the best dressed or have the best hat? If so, there will also be
prizes for those categories and more. Let's remember that all proceeds
benefit the Phi Sigma Pi, Alpha Tau Chapter Endowment Fund, Inc., which
gives scholarships to high school seniors to attend college. What better
cause could you support on the Howard Homecoming weekend? If you have
any questions or comments, you can contact Erika McDaniel at
fundraising@atendowment.org. We look forward to seeing you there!
By Nyanquoi Yargawan
Every summer, the city of Washington D.C.
employs thousands of youth between the ages of 14 and 21 under the
Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). This year, the District
Department of Transportation (DDOT) hosted about 250 students as interns
under this program, providing them with an opportunity to gain
experience and still be compensated.
On
Thursday, July 29th, four board members of the Fund joined the
participants of DDOT’s SYEP Enrichment Series for a day of presentations
about Funding for College, Financial Fitness, Career Development and
Health and Wellness. Scholarship Chair, Steve Mobley and Treasurer,
Erika McDaniel hosted a 1 ½ hour workshop and discussed topics ranging
from the best ways to search for and acquire financial aid for school to
who and what influences our thoughts about money and our spending
habits. The presentations also focused on financial budgeting and how
having a financial plan now could save them a lot of time, energy, and
stress later in life. “Personally, I found the students to be bright,
engaging, curious and very funny.
They had a lot of great ideas and were eager to learn how they can make their money work for them,” said McDaniel. The
Fund’s board members all found this to be a truly rewarding experience
and look for the scholarship committee to host more workshops to educate
our youth about higher education. “I could tell that each of the
students appreciated our efforts,” remarked Chairman Lloyd Freeman.
Secretary Darby Baham noted that this workshop marked the beginning of
the Fund’s efforts to increase their work beyond the scholarships.
“While the scholarships are a very big focus, the Fund is definitely
looking forward to increasing our impact in the community in many
different areas.”
By Michael Pigford II
The Marketing Committee serves as one of driving
forces of the Fund. The current committee members are Erika McDaniel,
Darby Baham, Jasmine Williams, LaToya Martin, LaTasha Gouraige, Nyanquoi
Yargawon, Kieron Sebastian, Cora Atkinson, and Michael Pigford II. The
committee seeks to ensure that the general public is always aware of
what the Fund is doing, especially through their more recent increase in
social networking ventures on their Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube
pages and the upcoming revamping of the website. Recognizing that not
everyone utilizes the internet 24-7, the Marketing Committee also works
to have formal printed invitations to all of the Fund’s events sent out
to the community and partners of the Fund.
Some
of the recent accomplishments of the committee include creating
business cards for board members and continuing to put out the quarterly
newsletter from the Fund. Marketing Committee member, Kieron Sebastian
has been the graphic designer for the past few years and has worked to
create such items as the elegant and tasteful logos for the Fund’s
Annual Family Reunion Sunday Brunch and the logo for the Fund, in
general. Also, committee member, Cora Atkinson, currently serves as the
Public Relations Coordinator and is working on an amazing media
relations plan for the Fund with new initiatives forthcoming. And new
web-designer, Austin Clements is working to redesign the entire website
to be more user-friendly and up-to-date. The committee looks forward to a
very productive fiscal year and is excited about the many opportunities
to come in the future.
By LaToya Martin
Summer is here and graduation has come. Now is
the time for students to embark upon the college experience and a new
life of academia. The Phi Sigma Pi, Alpha Tau Chapter Endowment Fund,
Inc takes great pleasure in assisting two wonderful students in that
journey with our 2009-2010 scholarships.
Our
first recipient, Ashley Mayo, graduated with honors and in the top 10%
of her class on June 2, 2010 from Benjamin Banneker Academic Senior High
School in Washington, DC. She was enrolled in the International
Baccalaureate Pre-College program at Banneker and maintained a
cumulative 3.8 GPA, an achievement reflected in her placement on the
honor roll and Principal Accommodation's Lists. She was involved in a
myriad of leadership and extra-curricular activities, including serving
as the Vice-President of her high school National Honor Society Chapter
and holding membership in both the Spanish Honor Society and National
Achievers Society. She was also chairperson of the Flute Ensemble,
member of the Tennis Team, and an active participant in the Drama Club.
Ms. Mayo's community involvement is just as impressive. She regularly
volunteers at Gage Eckington Elementary School, the Council of the
District of Columbia, The National Red Cross, The Girl Scouts of America
(where she was named Girl Scout of the Year in 2007), and with The
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church (where she was named Youth of The Year).
Ashley will be attending the University of Pittsburgh in the Fall and
plans to major in Psychology or Physical therapy and ultimately give
back to the community that has given so much to her.
Our
second recipient, Juan Lara, graduated with honors within the
Transportation & Technology Academy from Francis L. Cardozo Senior
High School in Washington, DC. Juan maintained a cumulative 3.6 GPA and
was active in numerous activities including the National Honor Society,
FIRST Robotics, Junior ROTC, and played on both the Basketball and
Baseball teams. Moreover, Juan received numerous awards and recognition
for perfect attendance, being placed on the Honor Roll, and achievement
in mathematics. His community involvement is just as inspiring. He
has volunteered with So Others Might Eat (SOME) and the Neighbors of
Seaton Place, where he interacts with children at the local recreation
center. While volunteering with this organization, he was recognized by
the Director for creating business and community planning projects.
Juan has also completed an internship with the Washington Metro Area
Transit Authority. He will be attending the University of
Maryland-Eastern Shore in the Fall and plans to major in Business
Management, eventually becoming an entrepreneur. Juan believes that "a
college education will prepare him for his ultimate goal - to gain
higher education while inspiring future generations."
Let’s congratulate our recipients and wish them well on their college endeavors.
By Darby Baham and Erika McDaniel
This past March, The Fund hosted its 3rd Annual
Awards Banquet at Howard University. The Fund awarded two scholarships
to Ashley Mayo and Juan Lara and recognized Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes
Norton for her contribution to education in the community by awarding
her the inaugural Excellence in Leadership Award. Prior to the banquet, a
networking mixer was held, allowing the public and members of Phi Sigma
Pi the opportunity to meet and mingle with the scholarship recipients
and Fund Board of Directors. A Chinese-style auction was held during the
mixer, as well as a meet-and-greet with Shayna Rudd, author, dancer and
former Miss Black USA 2009.
Several dignitaries were in attendance
at the banquet, including Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity Inc.’s
President Jonah Goodman and Senior Vice-President Matthew Nicoletta, as
well as DC Councilmember Harry “Tommy” Thomas, Jr.
The
banquet began with an opening song by aspiring singer Ashaya Robinson,
followed by greetings to our guests and the keynote address by
Congresswoman Norton – charging everyone to continue to build on the
foundations of education. Following her speech, the audience was treated
to a full course dinner and a dance selection by Ms. Rudd.
The Fund
would like to thank everyone who attended the banquet and invite you to
attend any of our future events as well. The Fund would also like to
commend outgoing member, Ashley Denson, 2009-2010 Banquet Chair, for an
amazing event!
By Jasmine Williams
The highlight of the Fund is being able to award
scholarships to deserving youths in the Washington DC metropolitan
area. To do so, behind the scenes, The Fund has a Scholarship Committee
that is comprised of eight dedicated individuals who work collectively
to determine who receives the annual scholarships. This committee was
formed in 2009 as a direct result of a reorganization of The Fund’s
board. The primary responsibilities of the committee include, but are
not limited to reviewing the scholarship application and making
revisions as needed; proposing scholarship criteria to the board;
tracking the progress and achievement of past recipients and acting as
the point of contact for all scholarship recipients.
Once
applications are received, an intricate selection process begins to
decide which applicants will receive the scholarships. The committee
seeks out students who are engaged, both inside and outside of the
classroom, involved in their communities, have excellent grades and
receive outstanding recommendations. The decision is a collaborative
effort, as each member of this committee provides unique insight as to
how the scholarship’s recipient embodies the spirit in which The Fund
was founded: scholarship, leadership and fellowship. Applicants are
ranked based on this criterion and the committee then decides who shall
receive the scholarships.
In the immediate future, the Scholarship
committee will continue to be dedicated to The Fund’s board and continue
to make revisions to the application process as needed. There are
several new initiatives in the works as well, as the committee looks to
increase the availability of the scholarships to as many deserving
youths in the Washington DC metropolitan area as possible.
In addition to the Chairman, Steve Mobley, the 2009-2010 committee members were:
Dr. Shannon Gary, Ms. Jettie Norfleet, Ms. Shayla Hart, Ms. Jennifer Maddox, Ms. Rachel Cooper, Mr. Michael Pigford, and Ms. Selena Gonzales Jones
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is now in her
tenth term as Congresswoman for the District of Columbia. She is chair
of the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Emergency Management,
and Public Buildings. Named by President Jimmy Carter as the first
woman to chair the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, she came to
Congress as a national figure who had been a civil rights and feminist
leader, tenured law professor of law, and board member of three Fortune
500 companies. Ms. Norton also had been named one of the 100 most
important American women in one survey and one of the most powerful
women in Washington in another.
By LaTasha Gouirage
On March 26, 2010, the Phi Sigma Pi, Alpha Tau
Chapter Endowment Fund, Inc. (“The Fund”) will hold its 3rd Annual
Awards Banquet at Howard University’s Blackburn Ballroom. This year's
theme, "The Power of a Dream," represents the dream of promoting
excellence in education and service to the African American community.
This theme builds off some of the goals of The Fund by offering High
School students the opportunity to chase their dreams, attend college,
and advance their lives.
Beginning
a new tradition, The Fund will award its inaugural Excellence in
Leadership Award to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. Congresswoman
Norton embodies the ideals of the award, as it seeks to recognize an
individual or organization (public or private sector) providing
exceptional leadership that impacts Howard University and the global
community. Sitting as the sole representative for the entire District of
Columbia in Congress, Congresswoman Norton was selected as the 2010
Excellence in Leadership Award Recipient by the Endowment Fund Board of
Directors for her strong commitment to projects that promote the
advancement of minorities, especially in the area of education.
The
banquet will also feature the awarding of scholarships to two deserving
high school students who have met the requirements set forth by the
scholarship committee, as well as a special appearance by Miss Black
USA, Shayna Rudd and performances by "Group Without A Name," a Howard
University Fine Arts Jazz Ensemble.
The
Fund looks forward to seeing everyone at one of its signature events
this March. To purchase tickets, visit the website at
www.atendowment.org and click the "Awards Banquet" button.
By LaToya Martin and Morgan Grimes
The Fundraising Committee is comprised of
Chairwoman Morgan Grimes, Erika McDaniel, Ashley Denson and Treneisha
Jones. The committee continues to implement innovative ideas for
fundraising, while also growing the Fund’s donor base. One example of
this is the Fund's most successful fundraising event to date--the Family
Reunion Sunday Brunch, spearheaded by Erika McDaniel, the Fund’s
Treasurer. The committee is not just charged with creating and
coordinating events, however; they have also secured at least one major
donation this fiscal year and continue to seek other corporate donations
from interested partners. The committee is also currently working on an
action plan to successfully solicit grant monies and will be making a
recommendation to the Board of Directors in the coming months.
Currently
the Fundraising Committee is partnering with Awards Banquet Chair,
Ashley Denson, to acquire sponsorship for the 3rd Annual Awards Banquet.
Sponsorship can come either through corporate donations, or via
advertisements in the banquet's souvenir booklet. This year, we are
offering a very attractively priced business card advertisement to make
supporting the banquet something everyone can afford.
Chairwoman
Grimes is very excited about the committee’s growing potential. “I am
quite excited to be a part of the Fund's infancy and to help establish a
solid fundraising platform to help the Fund meet its financial goals,”
she said.
By Shara Taylor
The Fund realizes that much of its success
depends on its effectiveness in communicating with supporters by fully
utilizing Web 2.0 tools. Because of this, the Fund has recently created a
presence on social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter, as well as
continuing to utilize the organizational website, to reach a technology
savvy generation that relies heavily on social media to stay connected
to the world.
The
Facebook fanpage allows people to become fans of Phi Sigma Pi, Alpha
Tau Chapter Endowment Fund, Inc., providing them with important updates
without overloading their inboxes. It also provides a more efficient
avenue for sharing information, as Facebook fans and friends can also
post the fan page to their profiles for other Facebook users to view.
Twitter (@atendowment), with its 140-character limit for updates, gives
quick glimpses into upcoming Fund events and activities and provides the
Fund with yet another opportunity for immediate communication. With
plans to launch a revamped website that will provide visitors with an
interactive experience that includes polls, photos, and an online
donation portal, the Fund seeks to continue building on the new media
technology available.
The
Fund is excited to receive feedback regarding ways to improve its new
media presence, keep its supporters engaged, and reach potential donors.
Please contact Erika McDaniel at marketing@atendowment.org to share
your suggestions and join us on Facebook and Twitter!
By Erika McDaniel
An organization’s most valuable asset is its
people. The brand, some would say, follows closely behind. In fact, the
world’s most powerful and popular organizations and people also have
some of the strongest brands – Pepsi, Nike, and Apple are great
examples. And, as evidenced by events in recent memory, a tarnished
brand can be crippling; Toyota and Tiger Woods serve as two prime
examples. The brand communicates the organization’s values and
principles without uttering a word.
Therefore,
it is important for The Fund that we establish a strong brand from the
very beginning. Over the past nine months we have been working to
develop an overall brand for The Fund and implement the brand into all
outgoing communications and Fund materials. Our supporters and donors
may have noticed a number of changes to The Fund’s online, e-mail and
print materials. Some of the most noticeable changes include our new
logo and motto (“Sharing the Book of Knowledge”) and refreshed website.
Other, less visible changes include updated letterhead, scholarship
applications, sponsor information packs and business cards.
Besides
our recent delve into new media on the Internet, The Fund also has a
number of branding initiatives remaining in the pipeline – including a
Wikipedia page and marketing brochures. Although The Fund is relatively
new, the Board of Directors is committed to communicating a clear brand
that allows our donors and supporters to feel confident that we are
committed to ideals of scholarship, leadership, fellowship and, most
importantly, sharing the book of knowledge.
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