Trevor Monk, Staff Writer
March 28, 2012 
Filed under Sports

Greek students have been geared up to compete in the annual UPJ Greek Week.

This week marks a tradition of competition among fraternities and sororities. The week’s events highlight a number of events.

Events include foosball, corn hole and comical skits to conclude the week.

Each fraternity and sorority accumulates points from each event throughout the week with a trophy awarded to the winners.

The past two years Kappa Delta Rho has been victorious among fraternities.

Kappa Delta Rho president Caleb Chiappetta said he feels confident in his brothers’ ability to compete this year and said they’re ready to take it for a third year in a row.

Christian Woo of Sigma Tau Gamma (editors correction) said event standards are set by the International Fraternal Conference, for which he is a campus representative.

As for his fraternity, Woo said members are taking the week’s competition seriously.

“This week is taken very seriously by all fraternities on campus.”

Shawn Hemphill, assistant director of Student Life, said the week is as a way for students to take stress off before finals.

The competition started on Sunday with the major events — basketball, volleyball and dodgeball in the Wellness Center. Monday’s major event was Student Union window-painting and, Wednesday, the Greeks are to compete in foosball at 8 p.m. at Delta Chi fraternity house.

The week will conclude Sunday with skits and an award ceremony at 3 p.m. in the Student Union.

Trophies are to be awarded to the fraternity and sorority that receive the most points throughout the week.

There is to be a spirit award given to the organization members who show the most team spirit, togetherness and support.

The events are open to the public and students have been encouraged to spectate.

- See more at: http://www.upj-advocate.com/sports/2012/03/28/greeks-battle-in-weeklong-tradition/#sthash.VcETUgVS.dpuf

Andy Hsiao Chung, Staff Writer
March 21, 2012 
Filed under News

Light in the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center dimmed Thursday as the 29th Annual Mr. UPJ competition commenced. Several young Alpha Gamma Delta sisters in black dresses – who were posing for a photo – quickly found their seats.

The balcony audience bellowed jauntily while their bottom-floor counterparts sought to compete by returning their challenge.

Alpha Gamma Delta sister Katie Sullivan ascended the stage, welcomed the audience and opened the event.

The Mr. UPJ competition, she said, had four stages: a formal wear, a sportswear and a talent competition – closing with contestant interviews.

The 12 contestants walked out from behind the colossal crimson curtains in sport coats, ties and dress pants.

During the sportswear competition, Randall Penn, a Pitt-Johnstown business major, donned a rugby uniform, requested volunteers and occupied the stage to demonstrate rugby practice drills.

Kevin McDonald, a UPJ golf team member, simulated what goes on in a professional golfing tournament, and got into a humorous brawl with his caddy.

The talent competition became a small-scale music festival, where all of the contestants’ performances involved music.

Matt Hansen, an engineering major, plucked a series of excerpts from classic rock favorites into a medley, while Bill Rush, a communication major, recreated a scene from “The Party Rock Anthem” music video with several dancers.

Corey Strittmatter, who passersby may have occasionally spotted singing and playing guitar at Maple Hall, also performed a song on stage.

Aside from flamboyant acts and attire, Alpha Gamma Delta reminded audience members that the money raised was to go to  juvenile diabetes.

Meanwhile, many volunteers working in the lobby counted masses of coins of all kinds in preparation for Penny Wars.

“Penny Wars is for our Spirit Award,” said Alpha Gamma sister Samantha Keast as another pile of coins was poured out of a contestant’s voting jar to be counted.

“Pennies are positive (points), while the silver (coins) and dollars are negative (points).

“The money that we have raised here goes to our philanthropy, which is juvenile diabetes. So, even if you do not win the Spirit Award, it is always a good thing to donate because it all goes to charity.”

The Mr. UPJ selection process commenced as an Alpha Gamma sister announced something unprecedented in the competition’s history; a voter tie for the runner-up position between Rush and Joey Morway.

It was agreed the runner-up was to be decided by another contestant interview round, which secured Rush’s victory.

An abrupt silence and tension filled the room as an Alpha Gamma sister announced this year’s Mr. UPJ winner was McDonald.

George Zanic, Mr. UPJ 2011, was invited to crown this year’s winner as he deftly placed a crown on McDonald’s head.

“My favorite part of this competition,” said McDonald, “was probably the fact that you can just get on stage and express yourself – and have some fun… I think the most important thing of all is that we do this for a good cause.

“My big brother Brian Gindlesperger (Delta Chi) won Mr. UPJ two years ago, and my good friend George Zanic won it last year.

“You know, all that hard works pays off. I just thank all the girls for helping me with my dance and sticking with me.”

- See more at: http://www.upj-advocate.com/news/2012/03/21/dancing-dudes-duel-in-pageant/#sthash.kaPP1Ymp.dpuf

For the second consecutive year, Pitt-Johnstown has been named a Top 100 Organization for 2011 by Pennsylvania Business Central.

The publication recognizes organizations with record performance or award-winning efforts.

Among Pitt-Johnstown’s accomplishments cited by Pennsylvania Business Central are the school’s recognition as among the Best Northeastern Colleges by The Princeton Review and a GI Jobs Military Friendly School; the unveiling of The Heroes Memorial, a monument that pays tribute to the victims of Sept. 11 and the military men and women killed in the line of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the opening of the Wellness Center.


via University Times