Vault: Racial Divide between Greek organizations.

I spent the first semester of my junior year reporting on Greek life at CMU. One thing I noticed was that when events were publicized as all Greek events, they generally were divided: Panhellenic and Inter-Fraternity Councils were seen as one and National Pan-Hellenic Council was seen as its own separate entity. I wondered if the councils were aware of what was going on and I was granted permission to write the story for CM Life. What started as one turned into two, the second story involves non-traditional members of these fraternities and sororities (Black women pledging traditionally White sororities and White men pledging traditionally Black fraternities). Due to reasons beyond my control, the story never got a chance to run, but I wanted to post it because it was one month of my life, for something I really became interested in.

Central Michigan University's Greek system may be looked at as one community by the general public but there are visible differences between some organizations.

The Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council are three councils under the Greek umbrella,  according to Kappa Alpha Psi member Julius Bryant there is a separation between the councils.
 "There is a divide and it is visible," the Lansing senior said. "We do two completely different things and serve two different purposes."

The National Pan-Hellenic Council is made up of nine historically African-American fraternities and sororities.
The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council are traditionally White organizations.
According to NPHC president and Alpha Phi Alpha member, Shell Brummell, the reason there is a divide is because people are scared to step out of their comfort zones.
"The biggest reason for the divide is race," Brummell said. "It's not racism, it all has to do with comfort levels."
Delta Chi vice president Devin Jones said that it is hard for members of his organization to break out of their shell, and not just with other Greeks.

Vault: The Unusual Greeks

Part two to the series I worked on about race and Greeks. This one introduces Sean Novak, a White male who is a member of a NPHC fraternity and Jorie Simpson, a Black woman in a traditionally White sorority.

Look closely at members of Greek organizations at Central Michigan University and some will appear not to be like the others.

Some students stepped outside their own comfort zones to join Greek organizations based on what they provided for them, not what was expected of them.

Sean Novak, the Assistant Director of Minority Student Services, became a member of Phi Beta Sigma a historically African-American fraternity while he was an undergraduate at CMU.

Novak, who is a Caucasian male, joined the fraternity because he felt most connected to the other members.
"At the time when I started to give it some serious thought I had already been heavily involved with organizations that were predominately African American," Novak said. "I didn't allow the fact that the organization was historically Black to deter me no more than a person of color would joining a historically white fraternity."
 Jorie Simpson, an African-American woman, said when she first arrived at CMU she thought she was going to be a part of a NPHC sorority but changed her mind after finding out about Alpha Sigma Alpha.

Column: 2010 Census

I have been interested in column writing for quite some time, but I never knew what I wanted to talk about. When I received the 2010 Census form, I was upset that the word 'Negro' was used by the Bureau to describe African-Americans and took matters into my own hands on my form and posted a photo that was viewed by over 300 people. I was asked to write this column about what I did and how I felt. I am proud of the outcome of it and received more support than I thought I would get.

*I did re-fill out my Census, if you were wondering. I realized I was doing the same thing I claimed the government had done.
"'Negro' offensive, should be removed from Census" published in Central Michigan Life April 9, 2010:

The photo that started it all.

Cracker.

That is what I scribbled next to ‘White’ on my 2010 Census.

I stared at my Census for several minutes trying to take in the fact that the government looked at me as nothing more than a (well-educated) Negro.

I was angry, hurt and disappointed and debated if I wanted to fulfill my American obligation and be counted for another ten years.

What is a Negro?

News: 2008 Northern Illinois Shooting

I was a freshman in college when I joined Central Michigan Life. During second semester, I was asked to localize the Northern Illinois University shooting. It was my first cover piece for CM Life and the first large story I only had one day to gather information and contact sources.

'Close to home' published in Central Michigan Life on February 18, 2008.
 

Last week’s Northern Illinois University tragedy hit home for Stan Shingles.

Nineteen years ago, the director of University Recreational Services taught at NIU, and he still has friends who work there. Five students were killed Thursday in a lecture hall shooting.

Shingles said it frightens people at CMU because the NIU shooting, as well as the April 16 shooting at Virginia Tech that left 32 students dead, both occurred in rural towns.

“What’s alarming to all of us is that Blacksburg, Va., and DeKalb, Ill., are very much like Mount Pleasant,” Shingles said. “They’re rural college towns, so we all have this perception of being safe because they’re not urban centered – but what happened at Virginia Tech and at Northern Illinois can happen at Central Michigan.”

At approximately 3 p.m. Thursday, Stephen Kazmierczak opened fire with a shotgun and two handguns during a Geology lecture in NIU’s Cole Hall, shooting 22 students before killing himself.