Spring Weekend finally arrived and SCOPE brought some new entertainment to the University of New Haven for 2013. On Friday, May 3, OnCue, Hot Chelle Rae, and Meek Mill came to the Charger Gymnasium to perform at the annual Spring Concert. The DJ booths on stage really got people’s attention, and when the artists came out to play, the light show was fantastic.

Meek Mill performed for UNH’s Spring Weekend. (PHOTO BY MEGHAN MAKOWSKI)

First up was OnCue, a rapper from Connecticut. He came on stage with great energy and got the crowd excited for the show. He debuted some new material he had been keeping from his fan base and really gave it his all. The crowd’s favorite song was “Cereal,” which talked about living in poverty and only having money for cereal to eat.

Hot Chelle Rae, a pop rock band from Nashville, Tenn., came out with a bang and got people moving. It was a good break from the rapping atmosphere that the Spring Concert was centered on this year. They brought a different audience with them and mixed up the crowd. They sang some of their biggest hits, “Tonight, Tonight” and “I Like It Like That.”

When Meek Mill, a hip hop artist from Philadelphia came on, the crowd went wild. Decked out in his chains, he got everyone jumping, dancing and singing along. He sang a few of his hit songs like “Amen,” “I’m a Boss” and “House Party,” and then decided to have his DJs work the crowd as he did his own renditions of a few other popular songs like “Good Kush and Alcohol” by Lil Wayne and “Bugatti” by Ace Hood ft. Future and Rick Ross.

Genuinely pleased by the energy from our school, he kept showing a smile and having fans recite the words to songs.

Each artist performed for different amounts of time. Headliner Meek Mill performed for only half an hour while Hot Chelle Rae and OnCue spent more time on stage. Although students were disappointed with the short length of the concert, they were still captivated by the performances and by each artist.

Overall, the Spring Concert was a huge success and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Cannot wait to see what UNH and SCOPE have planned for next year’s Spring Weekend.

A horrible windstorm dislocated the foundation of the Echlin Fire Science Barn this past winter, leaving it to a condemned fate.

The original Echlin Barn was recently torn down so that construction on a new academic building could begin. (Photo provided by Samantha Mathewson)

The “red barn,” located on Prudden Street, north of Echlin Hall, faced structural damage and started to sway more than one foot on both sides after a storm.

The burn rooms, an essential component of the previous barn and Fire Science program at the University of New Haven, were temporarily moved to A&E Glass. This was to ensure they were kept safe and able to be used this semester. They will be moved back when the new building is built.

UNH recently received site plan approval from the City of West Haven’s Planning and Zoning Commission to construct a new academic building on the site of the “red barn.”

“Instead of putting money into an old building, we can build new, and comply with new building codes and the ADA,” said Louis C. Annino Jr., Associate Vice President for Facilities for the UNH.

Construction began Tuesday, April 30, with removal of the barn. The new, one story building will be approximately 5,000 square feet and will house two academic classrooms that will seat 30-40 students, a large computer lab, as well as the three burn rooms. The computer lab will house a new program, “Math Zone,” that the university is bringing to its campus this fall.

Annino explained that this decision was finally able to be made after capital planning, which is the process of budgeting resources for the future. The university’s investment decisions were made based on the needs of the campus. “We had the space and we needed the barn replaced, so it was an opportunity to turn something bad into something good,” said Annino. “We are now able to fix the barn and house the burn rooms on campus again, in addition to the Math Zone program.”

For Fire Science and Arson Investigation professor Bruce Varga, teaching got a little bit more difficult when the barn could no longer be used. Previously having the barn right behind Echlin, it was not what he was used to, and he said that he felt like the walk or car ride four blocks to A&E Glass was a little time consuming. “Most of the students simply walked to A&E Glass for lab. The benefit to having the rooms in the new location was heat and a bathroom, things that were not available in the barn. It was a tighter fit in the bay at A&E but not a big deal,” he said.

However, Varga said he was really impressed with how the situation was handled. “I give credit to the police officer who first noticed that the barn was swaying and in turn activated a response,” he said. “The barn was shored-up using front and back supports as well as wrapping it in plywood to stabilize it. I’ve heard of barn wobble, but this was dramatic. The movement of the three burn rooms to their new home four blocks away went extremely well. There were a number of things in the rooms that could have been broken in transport, but the whole transfer took place without a problem.”

Forrest Edelman, a junior in the fire science program at UNH, was finally able to enroll in a fire science lab that utilized the burn rooms this semester, but almost lost his chance. “The school did the best with what they had to work with. They were put in an unpredictable situation and we can’t fault them for that,” said Edelman. He added he thought the procedure of moving the burn rooms wasn’t perfect but it could have been worse. “At A&E, the space available for the burn rooms was very tight, and the walk over early in the morning wasn’t ideal. But at least the condemning of the barn didn’t alter our class work, and we could still finish all the requirements on time.”

Wayne Sanford, a professor in the fire science department, further explained that the new building is on track for hosting students in the fall. Given the circumstances of the hurricane and the “sharp eyes” of one of the UNH patrol officers, everyone can be thankful no one was injured.

“I am quite excited about the project. While it is sad to see the barn come down, the change is positive for our nationally recognized fire investigation program. We owe a lot to the Levy family for getting the barn converted to an arson lab, and hurricane Sandy for moving the lab to the next level,” said Sanford. “At the end of the day the new fire investigation and arson labs will be able to be used year round. A great step forward over the barn.”

Varga also said he was looking forward to having the new building, and that having all the additional space and necessities all in one building is convenient.

“This [the new barn] will make conditions much more agreeable than the below freezing temps we were dealing with in our January graduate class. I am going to miss the barn, however. It was one of a kind.”

The Charger Bulletin, the official student newspaper of the University of New Haven, was awarded a Second Place Award by the American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) for receiving top scores in the Scholastic Review and Contest.

Photo provided by Liana Teixeira.

The annual review and contest for scholastic yearbooks, magazines and newspapers compares student publications to other high schools, colleges and universities around the nation. Judges base their scores on page design, story layout, graphics, headlining, style, advertising and photography, among other criteria.

Charger Bulletin received top scores in content coverage, and was praised for offering original material to further student interest in the University. Additionally, the Bulletin received a perfect score in providing community awareness and articles on national/international issues as they apply directly to the student body.

The Bulletin underwent significant design and layout changes during the 2012-2013 academic year, including a complete remodel of the front page and an increased focus on local and campus news. This meant covering events sponsored by RSOs, as well as relevant local news and campus-wide issues. This initiative encouraged more organizations and UNH students to reach out to the Bulletin, whether it be to promote an event, or simply voice their opinions in a Letter to the Editor. To the staff writers and photographers, this award has become a symbol of their dedication to the paper.

“This award speaks to the time and effort that each staff member puts into the Bulletin,” said Isaak Kifle, staff writer. “And it makes me proud to see all of the work that we do recognized with such a distinctive honor.”

Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Field was overwhelmed with joy when she received the ASPA’s notification congratulating the Bulletin on their second place win. “This year, the Charger Bulletin has been blessed with a dedicated staff,” she said. “I am so pleased that their hard work has been recognized with this distinguished award.”

Every semester at UNH, the Honors Program features four film screenings which make up the “Honors Film Series.” The films are chosen by UNH Professor Wes Davis. This semester he has shown The Defiant Ones, Seconds, and Running With Scissors. This past Thursday, this semester’s film series was concluded with a showing of Milk.

Milk tells the story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician elected to public office. The film focused on his rise to fame and the events that led to his assassination. Directed by openly gay director Gus Van Sant, this movie was nominated for eight Oscar Nominations, including Best Picture, Director, and Original Score. The film won two for Sean Penn as Best Lead Actor and Dustin Lance Black for Best Original Screenplay.

The film is beautifully told and supported by how authentic it feels: the acting is superb from everyone, there isn’t a weak link. In addition, Van Sant’s direction mixes almost documentary-style filming with classic style; it feels like a feature film and a news broadcast from the period at the same time.

Sean Penn is perfect as Harvey Milk, portraying this great man as still a flawed, fragile human. The role feels a lot like Daniel Day Lewis’ portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. Josh Brolin is also fantastic, though he is a hateable character. However, though he ends up committing a horrible crime, his character is very ambiguous in his morality and the actions he chooses.

The Honors Film Series is a well put together, enjoyable evening. It’s a chance to get together, watch a movie and enjoy free food. Professor Davis is practically a walking movie database and knows everything there is to know about movies. Students are highly encouraged to attend these events when made available each year.

Mental illness is common in the United States—according to the National Institute of Mental Health, about one in four adults in the U.S. suffer from a mental disorder—yet not many people truly understand it.

With mental illness comes all types of the negative stigmas; the Snap-it Performers, a group of seven individuals in recovery from serious mental illnesses and substance abuse, came to the University of New Haven Monday, April 22, to dispel these stereotypes surrounding mental disorders.

The Snap-it Program, fueled by the Connecticut Mental Health Center Foundation and brought to UNH through the undergraduate Psychology Club and the graduate Community Psychology Club, performs at colleges and high schools in an attempt to educate students who want to go into the psychology field and work with people with mental disabilities.

Originally, the program was aimed toward care providers, but these people were already in the field, and Elizabeth Flanagan, Assistant Professor for the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, said the performers felt that they weren’t making an impression on their audience because they were already set in their ways.

“The performers wanted to catch students before they started working professionally,” Flanagan said. “They wanted to leave an impression with them of people with mental illness that would eventually help their careers. This will lead to improved health care for people with mental illness and addiction.”

The individuals of the Snap-It Program—called Performers—spent eight weeks taking pictures that describe who they are: these pictures tell the story of where they came from, their recovery and what is important to them now.

These pictures, and the program as a whole essentially, are meant to show the audience that even though a person has a mental illness, they can still lead normal lives.

“We are human beings first,” Cynthia Hunter, one of the Performers, said. “This disease can affect anyone and you shouldn’t laugh at other people with this problem because it could always happen to you.”

Hunter was 13 when she was diagnosed with schizophrenia, but used drugs as a way to deal with it rather than seeking proper medical attention. Hunter was brought up in a family where admitting you had a problem was not acceptable and would bring shame upon the family.

“I’m not ashamed anymore, because if I was, I wouldn’t be here talking about it,” Hunter said in her presentation. Hunter went through many years of substance abuse and even served jail time.

Every performer has overcome their substance abuse and is now working toward leading normal lives.

“The message the Snap-it Program sends is an important one,” Isaak Kifle, Sergeant-of-Arms of the undergraduate Psychology Club, said. “It helps to clear up all of the stigmas and stereotypes surrounding mental illness.”

On Thursday, April 25, Bill Duesing visited the university to discuss how food ties into the environmental cause. His presentation caused an individual to really think about what is in their diet, and how it can not only affect their own health, but the health of the planet.

Bill Duesing discusses environmental issues and energy at Earth Week event. (Photo by Patricia Oprea)

“Pay attention to the whole system,” Bill suggests. “Ask where things come from, where they go, and what happens in-between.” Duesing additionally spoke about energy and how it can be wasted; however, matter is always recycled.

Duesing has been working as an organic farmer, author and environmental artist for over 40 years. His efforts have been towards promoting local food sufficiency and organic agriculture. Duesing is also founding president of the CT Northeast Organic Farming Association and promotes environmental awareness through speeches, writing, work in the community and the media.

There is no smoke screen over his presentation at UNH. Duesing touched upon many aspects of our food system that often go unnoticed.

Monsanto is a big topic for Duesing. This American agricultural biotechnical company has done much more harm than good in the American food industry. Duesing discussed the toxic herbicides that this billion-dollar company has produced, such as “Agent Orange” and “PCB.” Agent Orange was used during the Vietnam War as part of the United States military’s chemical warfare program. It destroyed farmers’ crops in the countryside and forced mass migration to urban areas. PCBs were marketed by Monsanto from 1930 to 1977, and caused widespread pollution around the world. Many of Monsanto’s chemicals have been banned around the world. Some were banned in France due to bee die-offs. “We [Americans] are setting a bad example and everyone is following it,” declared Duesing.

In terms of the environment in U.S. politics, things have not been going so well either. Duesing mentioned how Ronald Reagan shut down energy conservation and organic agriculture efforts when he was elected into office. Reagan also removed the solar panels that a previous president had installed upon the roof.

Duesing’s presentation also included some alarming charts, facts and figures. As of 1988, we had only 5.1 billion people on the planet, but they were using 100 percent of the Earth’s capacity.

“Our food system is based off of 90 million acres of genetically modified plants,” said Duesing. He mentions how corn products and soybeans aren’t real food for animals, but were created for animal’s consumption because manufacturing is so cheap. Many decisions are made in the food industry with solely profit in mind. There is a desire to get the cheapest product without bringing its quality into consideration. Widespread unhealthy preservatives were introduced about 60 years ago in America, as society kept on the path towards modernization. People did not have the time to cook, so they needed fast, on-the-go products that had a later expiration date.

When discussing meat, Duesing spoke from the viewpoint of being a vegetarian. He said that it is a proven fact that a diet of grains and legumes can adequately supply humans with their daily recommended intake of protein. Most animals used for meat are kept in CAFOs, or confined animal feeding locations. These animals sit in their own waste, eat food not intended for their health and growth, and often never see the light of day. “Beef can be comprised of cows from different countries,” remarked Duesing.

He concluded the presentation with these words, “At stake is not only the health of our bodies, but the health of the Earth.”

Since being founded at the end of November, the Undergraduate Student Government Association’s Sustainability Committee has taken full advantage of their existence, and last week was no exception.

With the work of co-chairs Josh Howard and Patricia Oprea, students were given the option to attend educational and entertaining events with a goal of raising environmental awareness.

On Monday, April 22 (Earth Day itself), the Committee invited the “Green Living Guy” to speak about issues facing our environment. Seth Leitman has worked on nine green living guides during his career so far, both as an author or editor.

He worked for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority as Project Manager for the Clean Fuel Bus Program. This funded over $100 million to the incremental cost of alternative fueled vehicle buses. In 2000, Leitman worked for the New York Power Authority, founding the NYPA/TH!NK Clean Commute Program which leased 100 electric vehicles in the metropolitan area.

His area of expertise is energy efficiency and the field of engineering. However, Leitman studied political science and communications in college, and received his master’s in public administration.

Leitman discussed how certain technologies and vehicles used can become more environmentally friendly. “More than half of the oil we use is imported,” he said. This means that its high cost is unavoidable, as Americans are dependent on other countries for this type of energy. The transportation to constantly bring oil across the world is not doing anything for the already high pollution rate in the environment either.

Then, of course, when gas is consumed by a car, more waste is being dispersed into the air. Electric cars seem to be Leitman’s favorite subject, as he raved about their hidden benefits. One of the most obvious benefits is that electric cars have no air pollution.

Leitman spoke of how much energy is wasted when people are not aware that their houses are under-insulated. On top of that, California and Connecticut have the most expensive energy costs. “It’s all economics,” he said. Surprisingly, Leitman also said that the number one place of pollutants is in your own house.

During a question and answer session, one student asks why environmentally friendly products and methods are so expensive if they are better. “Cheaper products are just bad for you,” Leitman said. If you want more quality and efficiency, one has to be willing to pay the price. Many people, especially in terms of food, prioritize quantity and cheap costs over quality. Leitman briefly discussed how genetically-modified foods are becoming a big issue.

After his presentation, Leitman left students with one tip: “when a storm is coming, go fill up the gas tank.” Prices are noticeably higher after a storm because many gas stations may be closed, so the one that is open will overcharge because there is only one place people can go.

Although the audience in Dodds for this event was small, their interaction was anything but minimal. As Leitman said, “If you can make a strong impact on only a few people, that is enough.”

Gadiva-Alaza-Williams took the stage by storm to win the judges over and be crowned Misster UNH 2013.

Drag kings and queens took the stage for UNH Pride’s Misster UNH annual pageant show.

Drag kings and queens took the stage Wednesday, April 17, for UNH Pride’s Misster UNH annual pageant show.

Doors opened at 8:30 p.m. and the show started at 9 p.m. The six contestants took their turn introducing themselves to the audience, as well as judges Dean Frederic Baker, FYSC director Felicia Edwards, and Dante Gennaro from AIDS project New Haven.

Secretary of UNH Pride Amber Crow, along with vice president Katie Rice, were the MCs of the night. UNH’s 5-6-7-8 dance team and pep band cosponsored the event.

Each contestant introduced himself or herself with a show name. First contestant, 21-year old Adam Carpentier, PIRO president, called himself “Miss Kimmy.” Miguel Tan, 23, called himself “Anna-List.” Christopher Senerchia, 18, called himself “Amanda-Play-With,” while Anthony Nelson, 22, called himself “Sasha Ferocious.” Tagewattie Dasrat, called herself “T-Bags,” and Donovan Linder called himself “Gadiva-Alaza-Williams.”

The second part of the pageant was a lip synching contest where contestants came out on stage and performed to their choice of music. Carpentier came out dancing to “Candy Man,” and ended his performance with a cartwheel off stage. Next was Tan who performed the Whitney Houston classic “How Will I Know,” followed by Senerchia who sang to “Like a Boy.” Next was a Beyoncé-inspired performance to “Who Run the World” by Nelson. Dasrat followed with another powerfully inspiring song “Empire State of Mind.” Finally, Linder got up close and personal with the audience as he sang and danced to a remix.

After the lip synching contest, there was a brief intermission. Baker got up on stage to draw raffle tickets and announce the winners for the door prize giveaways. The prizes included five $25 gift cards to Dunkin’ Donuts, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or McDonalds. UNH’s 5-6-7-8 dance team and James Zap also performed. Zap sang and played acoustic guitar to four songs, including Ed Sheeran’s “Drunk,” the Friends theme song “I’ll Be There for You,” (to which the audience stepped in as Zap’s background, singing and clapping along), Maroon 5’s “Sunday Morning,” and a Zap original about his love/hate relationship with UNH.

The final part of the pageant was formal wear, where contestants came out in gowns or fancy clothing and were asked questions by each judge. Each member was asked why he or she wanted to be Misster UNH. Carpentier, in a sea foam green elegant dress responded, “I entered in Misster UNH because it’s a cause I believe in. HIV and AIDS speaks close to me. I do it for everyone living with or who have suffered from it.”

Nelson responded to the question with a heart-wrenching personal story about his uncle who was diagnosed with HIV. His uncle was the only homosexual figure that Nelson had in his life, which he idolized. His uncle was diagnosed when Nelson was five and died by the time Nelson turned 10. He spoke on behalf of the homosexual community, which is greatly affected by HIV and advocated that something needed to be done. Each contestant stated they supported the cause and enforced their belief that people need to be more educated about the HIV and AIDS issue.

However, when asked, Tan responded that he competed in the pageant for a different reason. “I represent the women who don’t shave their legs or wear makeup because they are beautiful without it,” he said.

While the judges collaborated to tally their scores, the theme baskets were given away. There was a chance to win a movie basket, a beach basket or a sex basket valued at $69. Raffle tickets were sold at the show up until the drawing for the baskets started. The tickets were sold for fifty cents each, three for $1, or an arms length for $5. All the proceeds from the event were donated to AIDS Project New Haven. Donations were also collected throughout the week in Bartels. Gennaro thanked the audience members, all the donators and the competitors for the support of AIDS Project New Haven.

The first title awarded was Miss Congeniality, which was given to Nelson for raising the most money. Next, Senerchia was announced first runner up, and finally Linder was crowned Misster UNH.

“I embody everything that represents Misster UNH: commitment, community and character,” said Linder.

By Elizabeth Field and Isaak Kifle

The University of New Haven offers over 100 degree programs as well as many state-of-the-art facilities, programs and initiatives that make it a national leader in experiential education. With everything that UNH has and offers, it’s not surprising that a lot of money is needed in order to effectively run the university. This is reflected in tuition rates, which often make it difficult for students with financial difficulties to attend. Fortunately, UNH offers significant financial aid to its students, and this is largely due to the spirit of giving that is so prevalent among generous alumni and others affiliated with the university.

Students and faculty attend the 30th Annual Scholarship Ball (photo provided by Isaak Kifle).

While the university offers a variety of opportunities to give back, its primary scholarship fundraising initiative is the annual Alumni Scholarship Ball. This event, which includes both a live and silent auction, raises a significant amount of money every year which funds student scholarships. This year, the 30th Annual Alumni Scholarship Ball took place on Saturday, April 20, 2013, in the Beckerman Recreation Center. Over the course of a week leading up to the event, the Rec Center was transformed into a grand ballroom, and the event itself was heavily attended by alumni, community partners, senior administrators and students.

Dr. Michael Morris, Professor of Psychology, served as the MC (Master of Ceremonies) for the event and UNH President Steven Kaplan provided the keynote address. The event’s festivities included the honoring of Head Football Coach Peter Rossomando who had previously been named Liberty Mutual’s Coach of the Year, as well as the awarding of three Distinguished Alumni Awards and the President’s Award. This year’s Distinguished Alumni Awardees, presented by President Kaplan and Alumni Association President Michael Ambrose, included Don Fertman ’76 B.S., Arthur Steier ’89 E.M.B.A. and Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal ’94 B.S. The recipient of the President’s Award this year was William L. Bucknall Jr. ’63 A.S., ’65 B.S.

The live auction, presided over by Barry Cherwin of Cherwin and Cherwin Auctioneers, included two different vacation packages, tickets to football and baseball games, a lobster dinner at Jeffrey’s Fusion Restaurant and, lastly, two chances to bid on a 10-course Chinese dinner prepared by Dr. Henry C. Lee and his wife. Each live auction item was sold for thousands of dollars and, combined with the silent auction and major gifts; over $650,000 was raised that night. Generous donations increased this year by over $150,000. After the end of the festivities and the closing of the auction, attendees had the opportunity to dance the night away with music provided by a live band. The alumni scholarship ball was a great success and will be a great benefit to the students that receive financial aid through the funds raised.

The University of New Haven’s own Kenneth Hall of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity is one of this year’s North-American Interfraternity Conference’s recipient of the 2013 Undergraduate Award of Distinction.

Kenneth Hall (left) receives national award of distinction.

Every year, the NIC honors five undergraduate fraternity men with this award. The award was presented to the five recipients at the NIC Annual Meeting on April 14, 2013, in St. Louis, MO.

“This national award is a very big accomplishment for the chapter, the University of New Haven, and myself. I wouldn’t have even been considered for this award without the efforts of my brothers, and I owe them a lot for my personal, professional, and fraternal developments,” said Hall. “The award also shows a lot about the growth of the University of New Haven, the improvement of its Greek life, and the work of student leaders and administration.”

The NIC is the governing body for 75 of the largest fraternities in the world, so the Award of Distinction acknowledges the top undergraduate leaders out of all fraternities. There are over 500,000 chapters located on more than 800 campuses in U.S. and Canada, totaling 350,000 undergraduate members.

The Undergraduate Award of Distinction seeks to recognize a fraternity man who has found in his experience an outlet for developing as both a leader and a better man. “We are pleased to announce that Kenneth Hall of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity at the University of New Haven is one of this year’s recipients,” according to the press release from the NIC.

Hall found out that he won the award while talking on the phone with a member of SAE’s national office about something unrelated. “Since UNH doesn’t have the same governing body for our Greek life (it’s in the process of changing), I wasn’t even aware these awards existed. The Executive Director and a few members of SAE’s national office submitted my name, and I didn’t even know I was in the running. I became only the third member of SAE to ever win the award, which is incredible considering the great leaders in our fraternity,” said Hall.

Hall has excelled during his time at the University of New Haven. He is committed to academic excellence having completed a double major and double minor with a cumulative 3.92 GPA. Hall previously received “The True Gentlemen Award” in August. He is an active volunteer for Give2TheTroops, and has actively supported fellow chapters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon in the region in learning what it means to be a fraternity man.

Hall was the Recruitment Chairman for two semesters when he organized all of the recruitment events in and out of Rush Week. He was the founder of UNH’s SAE toy drive event for Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, which he improved from a small social event into an incredible event that raises hundreds of toys for kids in need.

Hall also organized the Swimsuit Sprint, which, with over 1,000 in attendance, was one of the biggest events in UNH history. It raised over 800 pounds of clothes for families in need, and the concert got great student feedback. “The Swimsuit Sprint was one of the biggest undertakings I’ve had as an undergrad; it was a lot of work and a lot of headaches,” said Hall.

Hall finished serving as SAE’s two-term President in December, so this semester he essentially helped out by advising SAE officers and helping out with the pledge process. “Our chapter is having a great semester, and it is incredible to see how many guys have stepped up to make it possible,” said Hall.

The international fraternity’s executive director wrote in the press release, “He is the epitome of a brother who lives our creed every day by his interactions with not only his brothers but with all members of the university and interfraternal community.”

A fellow nominator says, “He has truly raised the bar in regards to leadership and brotherhood; his selfless actions are contagious.”

According to the press release, NIC President and CEO Pete Smithhisler commended all of this year’s award recipients saying, “The Awards of Distinction allow the NIC to recognize outstanding achievement and to publicize best practices among its members. This year, we had many qualified nominations and we are proud to honor these individuals and chapters for their accomplishments.”

“This is one of the highest awards that an undergrad could get,” said Shelissa Newball, Assistant Director of Student Activities at UNH. “It’s a really big deal.”

“I look forward to finally graduating this May after five years with two majors and two minors. I currently have my own practice in financial services doing basic financial planning for Northwestern Mutual, and plan on finishing up some more licenses over the summer to broaden my repertoire,” said Hall. “I’m also applying to some ‘reach jobs’ right now and keeping my fingers crossed, but I’d probably continue with my financial services work as well to help my friends out in that area.”

Founded in 1909, the North-American Interfraternity Conference is the trade association representing 75 international and national men’s fraternities. Through advocacy, collaboration and education, the NIC works to ensure that fraternities can operate in an environment conducive to their success.

Other recipients of the Award of Distinction include Joshua Beekman of Sigma Phi Epsilon at the University of Toledo, Michael Eberhard of Pi Kappa Alpha at California State University-Fresno, Nathan McDaniel of Pi Kappa Phi at Texas State University, and Scott Turk of Theta Chi at Missouri State University. The University of New Haven is the smallest university to ever have an undergraduate receive the award.

“As you can see, having someone from UNH on that list is pretty ridiculous,” said Hall.