Greek Sisters Gather
Posted in The Whit 3/13/08:
Rowan's Greek community came to an abrupt halt on Fri., March 7, when all chapter operations & Greek organization events such as socials, new member events, & community activities were suspended, stated grad coordinator of Greek Life Kirby Harris, to Greek Life members.
The reason for the suspension wasn't identified in Harris' email. According to the email, a meeting took place Sunday night to discuss the suspension with representatives from each organization attending.
Sources didn't return calls for comment before publication, a more in-depth report on the suspension will follow.

Posted in The Whit 2/21/08:
Over 250 Rowan students ate, drank and danced the night away in style Feb. 15 for "Sixty Five Roses," a benefit that brought students together to help fight the battle against cystic fibrosis - and have fun at the same time.

The charity formal, held at the swanky Lucien's Manor in Berlin, was organized through members of the sorority Delta Phi Epsilon, the Pre-Professional Society and the Biology Club.

The event included a buffet-style dinner, the music of deejay and Rowan alum Barton Santos, a Chinese auction of gift baskets donated by various area businesses, a full-service bar and, of course, a large central dance floor.

The night took organizers five months to prepare and cost about $8,600, according to senior biology major and Pre-Professional Society President Bahram Shahrokh. "It's crazy but it's wonderful every year," he said. This is the third year since 2005, the formal was originally organized by Barton Santos, the former Pre-Professional Society President.

Shahrokh said that the purpose of the event was to raise awareness and educate people about the disease while letting them have a good time too.

Junior Amanda Curtis, the Vice President of Programs for Delta Phi Epsilon, said that the event was highly time-consuming but turned out great. Curtis has cystic fibrosis.

"I'm really proud," she said. "All these people are here donating money to this, and I have it. It makes me really proud to see all my friends here."

Highlighting the formal was speaker William Passold, a 20-year-old cystic fibrosis survivor from Atco who described growing up with the disease and how he sees beyond it, going to the gym six days a week for body-building training.

He said his message was "to show people that people with cystic fibrosis can do what other people can do."

Cystic fibrosis is an extremely rare genetic disease found in 30,000 people in the United States, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It causes an overproduction of unnaturally thick mucus that clogs the lungs and pancreas, leading to infections and an inability to break down food.

When Passold was first diagnosed at six months old, the average life expectancy was 13. Today, with medical advances, the average age of survival is in the mid-30s.

Since 1965, the rose has been a symbol of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and "Sixty Five Roses" is a term children have used for their disease.



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