Unleash your creativity to stand out among the crowd - Phi Chi Theta

FROM THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT - GARY HODGEEach Founders’ Day, we take a few moments to honor and rememberour founders to pay tribute to those who came before us andto thank them for giving us our great fraternity. It also gives us anopportunity to reconnect with our past and remember the truepurpose of Phi Chi Theta. In today’s modern world, we can at timesbecome lost in the clutter. We can become too focused on progressor the next best thing and lose sight of why we are here. Please takea moment this Founders’ Day to remember and reconnect with ourpast. Remember why you joined Phi Chi Theta in the first place. Thiswill help us to remain true to our purpose as we chart our course forthe future.As we celebrate Founders’ Day, also take a moment to remember allof our members who have served and supported our fraternity andhave advanced our cause. Remember the members who helped toform, grow and support your local chapters. Everyone plays a rolein our success as an organization. In particular, I would like youto remember Dr. Kay Durden. Kay was life member and a formerNational President. She passed away on November 30, 2010, after acourageous battle with cancer.Kay was an active advisor to our Beta Chi for many years. She wasinvolved at both on a local and national level. Although she was notan initiated member, her involvement was so outstanding that shewas initiated by Beta Chi on May 25, 1964, by a special resolution ofthe National Executive Council that created a one-time exception tothe bylaws membership requirement. As an initiated member, Kaythen went on to serve in many positions at the national level includingtwo terms as National President from 1995 to 1998 and againfrom 1998 to 2000. Most importantly, she helped govern our Fraternityduring very tumultuous times.In the summer of 1989, there was a resolution pending to dissolvePhi Chi Theta. We had fallen on hard times, membership numberswere decreasing and there was a general lack of interest in continuingon as an organization. Lucky for us, a number of alumnistepped up to lead Phi Chi Theta into a new era. Kay was one ofthese alumni. She was instrumental in re-establishing Phi Chi Thetaas a successful organization. For these efforts, I consider Kay a “newfounder” of Phi Chi Theta. To commemorate her years of service anddedication to Phi Chi Theta, the Phi Chi Theta Educational Foundationhas established a scholarship in Kay’s name. Kay greatly enjoyedand understood her responsibilities as an educator. A scholarship inher name is a fitting way to honor her life and memory. Please considerdonating to this scholarship. The Foundation plans to awardthe first Dr. Kay Durden Memorial Scholarship at the 2012 NationalChapter meeting in Rochester, NY.The IRISFall 2011© 2011 Phi Chi Theta. First published1963.EDITORDavid Casey, Houston AlumniE: dwcasey13@hotmail.comC: 713.560.9721ARTICLE SUBMISSIONSSend articles and photos via email todwcasey13@hotmail.com Photographsmust be in jpeg fomat.Submission DeadlinesFall- October 15Spring - March 1PHI CHI THETA HEADQUARTERS1508 E. Beltline Road, #104Carrollton, TX 75006Tel: (972) 245-7202E: ExecutiveDirector@ phichitheta.orgEXECUTIVE COUNCILGary Hodge, National PresidentAbby Lieberman, VP of Internal AffairsMary Ellen Lewis, VP of ExpansionBrandon McArthur, Central RegionalDirectorMonica Connor, Western RegionalDirectorBill Schutte, Southern Regional DirectorMelissa Hall, Eastern Regional DirectorPOLICY BOARDBetsy Brasher, Policy Board ChairGary Hodge, National PresidentEric Lui, Policy Board MemberSaundra Finley, Executive DirectorDavid Casey, National IRIS EditorFOUNDATION BOARD OFDIRECTORSFrances Spencer, PresidentAnnette Stewart, SecretaryMary Ellen Lewis, Treasurer andScholarship ChairMissy Bolin, Assistant TreasurerGary Hodge, Phi Chi Theta PresidentWhitney Davison, Chair of 50/50,Calling CampaignDavid DurhamPeter Miller, Editor of eEdNewsAndrew NohDo You Want toLeave a PositiveImpact on Phi ChiTheta?In January, Phi Chi Theta launchedthe National Mentoring Program.This is the first official year of thePhi Chi Theta National MentoringProgram and within our first yearwe had 55 alumni and 119 activessign up. We were able to match 72actives with alumni this year acrossvarious industries such as consulting,real estate, human resources,healthcare, and aviation. Part ofour commitment as members is topromote the cause of higher businesseducation and training for allindividuals and in order to bestachieve this standard, the NationalMentoring Program has establisheda mentor and mentee relationshipbetween alumni and actives. Activesand alumni get the chance to learnfrom each other and build relationshipsthroughout the 12 week program.We are fortunate to have suchsuccessful alumni who can providesome insight on what its like towork for companies such as McKinsey& Company, Deloitte, Ernstand Young, Cisco Systems, J.P. Morgan,Morgan Stanley, Accenture,and many more. Throughout the 12week program alumni and activesare given weekly topics that they canuse as guidelines to discuss certainaspects ranging from resume critiquesto understanding each othersdemographics and interests. Thegoal of our program is to build lastingrelationships through learningand communication during these12 weeks. We have over 10 differentuniversities participating and wehope this number will continue togrow as the mentoring program allowsPCT network to become closerby connecting alumni and activesthroughout the nation. If you haveany more questions, please feel freeto reach out to us!fraternity | newsPhi Chi ThetaFoundationWelcomes NewPresidentThe Phi Chi Theta foundation haselected Frances Spencer as President.As one of her first acts as president,Spencer thanked Greg Holden,Immediate Past President for hislong-standing service to the foundation.She stated, “I would be remissif I did not start off my term of officewith a ‘Thank You’ to Greg Holden”She mentioned given the recent and4 5