Morehead State University - Raconteur Yearbook (Morehead, KY)

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98 rotherhood means many different things to different people. To an only child, impressions of brothers and sisters are shaped by observing sibling relationships around them, or even by television families. A certain brotherhood is established when a college student decides to go Greek and pledge a fraternity or sorority. For an only Child this may be the only sort of sibling relationship they experience. Fraternity life is one of the greatest things an only child can get into, com- mented Sigma Alpha Epsilon member John Michael Yagodich, a South Williamson se- nior majoring in finance. llIt is just like being a part of a real famin which is what a fraternity should symbolize. However, not everyone shares Yagodich's viewpoint. Junior Drew Crafton, who is a Sigma Nu member and also an only child, commented, 'IFraternity brothers are not really that close. They are really good friends, of course, but they're not family Families spend so much time living and growing together, but you're only with fraternity brothers for three or four years. Tau Kappa Epsilon member, Steve Yates, had yet another opinion on the subject. l'When I was pledging there were a few guysI really looked up to, like a big brother. Most of my fraternity brothers are brothers in a different way, but I'm as close to some of them as I would be to a natural brother. Yates is a biology major from Cleveland, OH. Perhaps it is the desire for a real brother that prompts a guy to join a fraternity. l'Fra- ternity life gives me something I've never had. A brother is someone you can depend on that can depend on you also. It's nice to have someone to help you out, remarked Kappa Alpha Psi member, Greg Mitchell. Mitchell, who is from Cincinnati, OH, is a sophomore majoring in finance. Crafton disagreed. Its ideals were what I admired most about Sigmu Nu, he said. When I joined they had held the academic trophy for five years. Regardless of the reason for joining mem- bers often find that they share a common bond once they are established in the orga- nization. We all had to go through certain require- ments to join T.K.E., said Yates. Everyone had to go through the same kind of per- sonal quest. We are closer than just friends because of this. Mitchell added, The best part of Kappa Alpha Psi is the brotherhood. All of us strive toward the same goal, so we have the same frame of mind about what we want to accomplish. Our goal is achievement in ev- ery part of life. We each want to be the best person we can be. Brotherhood is a part of each fraternity in a lot of different ways. To an only child it may mean having someone to spend time with. Growing up I became extremely adept at tossing a frisbee to myself and throwing a baseball up against the wall, joked Yagodich. llMy fraternity brothers and sis- ters are a lot like a real family It's nice to have someone to do things with. Although he also likes the companion- ship of his fraternity brothers, Crafton does not feel that he had missed anything by growing up alone. Sometimes I think I would have grown up differently if I had had brothers and sisters, but I like being the only one. I had no one at home who I was forced to com- pete with. My competition came with school activities, said Crafton, a National Merit finalist and Honors program mem- bers. When asked what they like about being an only Child, the responses varied. Top- ping the list of good points was the atten- tion that they got from their parents. Also included among the responses was the fact that they did not have to wear hand-me- downs. Everyone asked was in agreement about the negative aspects, however. Loneliness and boredom were the two most frequent responses. I always missed having a brother or sis- ter, said Mitchell. 'IGrowing up it was just my mother and me. Joining a fraternity is like having a family adopt you. Curiosity was another bad point about being an only child. I imagine I always wondered what it would be like to have a younger brother. I imagined someone like a pledge who is a little brother in the fraternity, said Yates. It would be great to have someone I could influence and help out as he was growing up, like a pledge as he grows up in the fraternity. Yates called joining T.K.E. a good change. I was looking for something, and I think I found it in the fraternity It has helped me to cope With campus life better. In addition to giving me something to do, T.KE. has given me a lot to be proud of, he said. Sigma Nu has given me a place where I feel like I belong, said Crafton. l'Although it is not like my own home, the fraternity house belong's to me as much as anyone else. Sigma Nu has also given me a group of friends that I can do things with. The camaraderie in a fraternity makes it better than having siblings, according to Yagodich. - My fraternity brothers are probably closer than a large family would be, he said. We don't have as much conflict, and there is practically no fighting. Best of all, there is no one to run and tell on you to mom and dad or to borrow your things!

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They give much, they receive much iiEveryone is so genuine. Sigma Sigma Sigma is not a sorority where each member has to wear the same type of clothing or wear their hair the same way. Tri Sigma stresses individuality, said Brenda Futrell, a junior biology and psychology major from Louisville. The Gamma Psi chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma was established at the University on May 24, 1969, with 41 charter members. The Sigma,s devotion to their philanthropy, the Robbie Page Memorial, has won them two national awards from the Sigma Sigma Sigma national office for their fundraising efforts. The Robbie Page Memorial helps hospital- ized children through play therapy. To fund their philanthropy, the Tri Sigmas sponsor several campus activities. uOne of our favorites is the Big Man on Campus? said Jennifer Andrews, a junior agriculture science major from Russell. iiOr- ganizations select an individual to sponsor and we set up a booth in the Adron Doran University Center for voting. Votes are cast with money? itPennies are a positive votef, explained Futrell, president of Sigma Sigma Sigma. iiBut silver money takes away votes? Robert Urey of the Theta Chi fraternity was fall 1 987ls Big Man on Campus. He was awarded a plaque from Tri-Sigma at the Morehead State vs. 222 Murray football game. We will also raise money through road- blocks, which well be holding in April: said Andrews. The sorority plans to have two road blocks in Morehead and one in Ashland. The Tri-Sigmas like to have their fun as well. iiWe try to have mixers with as many fraternities as possible, said Futrell. A pajama mixer was held with the Theta Chis during which members of the two orga- nizations wore their pajamas to a University basketball game. A co-rush party with the Sigma Nu fraternity entitled, iiHooray for Hollywoodf, was also held. Everyone dressed up like their favorite Hollywood star. It was the first time we had ever been involved in a co-rush party and it was a complete successf, said Futrell. Future events for Sigma Sigma Sigma in- clude a iiBon Voyage-After Spring Break, party with Sigma Nu and a Founders Day celebration in May, when alumni members will be invited to return to the University. The 31 members of Sigma Sigma Sigma feel that they are a family of unique individuals. iiThrough Sigma, we have learned what faith, giving, love and caring are all about, said Futrell. iiWe,re proud and strong and live by our motto: tWe who give much, receive muchf . - By: Melody Cooper ACIJA

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Fraternity life is for only child, John Michael Yagodich, a senior from South Williamson, OH. Yagodich refers to it as a real family. PHOTO BY: Tim Conn To Mitchell, however, there is a certain A 555' ? N When Drew Cfaftmf, $0.15 that mm of mm but only to ::;2::gc::?t;:2:a::332:2:231333331 make the organization more like a family. OH. PHOTO BY: Tim C O n , With my brothers in Kappa Alpha Psi it is okay to say anything. There is some nagging and arguing, just like a real family but it makes us closer, he said. There is a great deal of caring and sup- port within a fraternity, concluded Yagodich. Regardless of whether or not it is like a real family, it is definitely a very special group. . Fraternity Life 99