Sunday, November 30, 2008

More From Gamma Pi's Achievement Week 2008

Gamma Pi's Achievement Week programs have a history of attracting dynamic, thought-provoking speakers whose words remain with us long after the program has ended. There have been requests to publish this year's remarks and here are links to two well-received sets of remarks from this year's program: the keynote speech from Brother Dr. Mickey L. Burnim and some special remarks from Brother Roland Byrd, who spoke at the pre-Achievement Week Fraternity dinner held at Andrews Air Force Base on November 12. The links will take you to the remarks. You can print these remarks out from the links. Also, enjoy a short video clip of the Gamma Pi Chorale performing at Achievement Week 2008.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Chapter's Achievement Week 2008 A Big Success -- Bowie State President Offers Inspiring Message

A lot of people outside Omega Psi Phi Fraternity don't always readily associate the organization with its strong sense of community uplift and involvement. But every year, Omega chapters around the world have paused around the time of founder's week in November to recognize the contributions and achievements of African Americans in the local, state and national communities. Throughout the fraternity, it is called, quite simply, "Achievement Week." For Gamma Pi chapter in Prince George's County, Md., Achievement Week is a much-anticipated event every year in the chapter and in the greater community.

If you attended the Gamma Pi Achievement Week program this weekend, November 15, you witnessed community service in action and you enjoyed a truly uplifting experience. It was a dynamite program that inspired young and old, and, from a historical perspective, this year's program brought special meaning to the events of the past two weeks with the election of America's first African American president.

A crowd of about 200 people filled the auditorium at Drew-Freeman Middle School in Suitland for Gamma Pi's program. They heard a finely woven message about the purpose of friendships, relationships and fraternity from Bowie State President and Gamma Pi chapter Member Dr. Mickey L. Burnim, this year's keynote speaker. Dr. Burnim laid a nice foundation for understanding the fraternitywide Achievement Week theme of "Three Looks, One Focus: Family/Fraternity/Friendship." Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson, also a member of the chapter, participated in the event as a special guest, addressing the audience briefly about the importance of dreaming and dreaming big. He also joined Dr. Burnim in greeting scholarship winners and other awardees. County school board member Pat Fletcher also helped bestow scholarship honors.

Some of the best words of the day were put to music, courtesy of the Gamma Pi chorale, led by Brother Anthony Stewart. The chorus performed several selections that amplified the messages brought from the podium.

During the program, Gamma Pi presented scholarships to local students and awards to community leaders for Citizen of the Year (Rev. Delman Coates), Religious Leader of the Year (Rev. Thomas Byrd), Outstanding Educators (Ms. Earline Richardson and Mr. Stephen A. Stevens) and to two of its own in the chapter for their fraternity achievements: Man of the Year (Basileus, TeddyTaylor) and Superior Service (outgoing Keeper of Records and Seal, Gordon Everett), who very recently relocated to Cincinnati.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

National Science Foundation to Honor Legacy of Bro. E.E. Just

By Bro. Wesley Jarmon

The National Science Foundation will sponsor its first ever symposium on the life and legacy of Ernest Everett Just. This one-day symposium will be held on the campus of Howard University, November 21, 2008, in the Carnegie Building. This symposium will be free and open to the public; however, pre-registration will be required to attend. Please see http://www.eejsymposium.com/ for more information about this purely academic
and educational learning experience.

This symposium seeks to draw attention to Dr. Just’s contributions to medicine, biology, and to other scientific research by bringing together a group of distinguished scientists from areas of research in cell and developmental biology and ecolo
gy that all relate in some way to Just and his work. The timing and location of this symposium are significant: the year 2008 is the 125th anniversary of Just’s birth, and Ernest Just was a faculty member at Howard University throughout his scientific career.

Dr. Kenneth R. Manning, the author of the “Black Apollo of Science” (the life of Ernest Everett Just) will be the key note speaker at the luncheon for this symposium. Lunch will also be provided to those that register in time for this symposium. Please visit the site listed above for more information or you can call Wesley Jarmon at (301) 938-7883 to address some of your questions. Also visit
http://www.ernestjustfoundation.org/ , the website of the Ernest Everett Just Foundation, Inc. (Photo at top: Gamma Pi members with Bro. Just's daughter).

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Getting Ready for Achievement Week 2008

By Bro. Patrick Johnson

Please join “The Super Chapter” for its 35th Achievement Week Program on Saturday, November 15, 2008. The program will be held at the Drew-Freeman Middle School (2600 Brooks Drive) in Suitland, MD at 1:00 pm. The theme for this occasion is “Three Looks, One Focus: Family/Fraternity/Friendship.” This program recognizes the achievements of citizens, educators, religious leaders, students, and our fraternity brothers within our community. This year’s speaker will be Gamma Pi’s own, Bro. Dr. Mickey L. Burnim, President of Bowie State University.

Also, please join Gamma Pi at the Achievement Week Brothers-only dinner, held on Wednesday, November 12th at Andrews Air Force Base Clubhouse.

Originally designed to promote the study of Negro life and history, today Achievement Week is used to seek out and give due recognition to those individuals at the local and national level who have made a noteworthy contribution toward improving the quality of life for Black Americans. Below is a video clip from last year's Achievement Week with Brother Ernest Green of the historic Little Rock Nine.