NGLA to the MAX!

What is an IFC Supposed to do? Good question, I didnt know either...until today!

Advocate, Educate, and Collaborate, are the best answers that I found today.  

Now the only problem is, as I mentioned yesterday in my blog, to get everyone to "get it" and buy into the messages we are trying to promote about Fraternities.

Today and yesterday were the two most empowering days of my life thus far. I can not even fatholm the amount of support, similar problematic areas within our communities, and the passion that has engulfed this (INTENSE) Marriot Hotel and Convention Center.

The fact that almost 800 student leaders could have and hold valuable and very meaningful conversations with one another (complete strangers might I add) was something I had never experienced before. The only reason this was even possible was becuase we all share the same life long bond, we are Greek! At our cores, we all strive for the same things: Service, Leadership development, Friendship (brother/sisterhood), and Scholarship.

These 4 pillars (we call them The 4 Pillars of Greek Life for those who may be wondering) bonded us all, not only today, but forever. It made us all able and totally willing to open up and talk about the pressing issues our campus communities and chapters are facing. These pillars, the ones that all greeks stand for, have united us here at NGLA, but more importanly, have united Greeks all over the US and Canada.

I have never in my life (not even the day after my initiation) felt so proud and "Phired Up" about being a Greek. Becoming a Sigma Pi, becoming a leader in my college community, and becoming self aware, as any good leader should strive to become, have truly re-defined my core personal values. Before college, even before high school, I had no idea what core personal values were. Now, I strive to not only better myself, but my fellow brothers and my fellow greeks each and every day!

I make concious efforts to hold doors open for women, be a role model for my community members, treat them all with unbiased and non judgemental respect, as well, I put others before myself in order to help them become better. What other organization can pride themselves in doing these things? The answer is quite simple, no one! Only Greeks do this, and we do it well. 

Any one here can vouch for this: Greek Life, done right, is the best thing around. It is the best and sometimes only way that young men and women can be molded into aspiring leaders, upcoming scholars, and most importantly respected, well rounded individuals.

I have learnt a tremendous amount, not only about myself, but my brothers, our chapter, IFC, my fellow BSC Bears here with me, bananagrams, hazing prevention, the bystander effect, conflict management, personal development, passion, recruitment, recruitment done effectively, and about the north american greek community as a whole. Thank you BSC Faculty and Staff and NGLA 2010 for believing in Greek Life. I would not be who I am today with out it!

We are all leaders in our own way, and it is our jobs to educate, collaborate, and advocate the power of Fraternity and what is right and wrong.

Our ideals, our legacies, and our commitment to the betterment of ourselves and our campus communities have made us rise to the top of the student leadership totem pole. It is now our job to keep educating ourselves and those around us of the power of Greek Life.

I will end this blog with 1 final quote that stood out to me the most in my time here at NGLA:

"Dont put the letters on your chest, put them in your heart" that way you will never loose sight of where you are going and how you can get where you want to be in life.

Goodnight NGLA, see you all back at BSC, we will all be psyched and pumped to start a new greek revolution. A revolution of students who hold each other accountable, stand up for what is right, and continue to give back in more and more ways to our communities. Please, stay tuned for so much more goodwill from your BSC Greeks!

~Max