Page 4 - The Beacon - Pi Lambda Phi MIT - Fall 2018

PI LAMBDA PHI: new pledge class
BACK ON THE COURTS [continued from page 1]

While rush had both ups and downs, we have
After a long hiatus, Pi Lambda Phi has revived only the highest of expectations for this year’s
its athletics program, and is now competing pledge class. As always, this class is very di-
in intramural dodge ball and basketball. This verse—hailing from as far as Mongolia and Chi-
marks the first time we have participated na—and pursuing majors ranging from man-
in the program since spring 2016, when we agement to bioengineering. However, if there’s
stopped competing due to lack of brother in- one defining characteristic, it’s that this class is
terest. However, our latest athletic endeavors significantly more extroverted than some pre-
have proven to be a success, both in terms of vious classes, and this has had significant im-
our results and the bonding experience this pact in bringing new faces to our social events. DONALD LIU ’22
brings for brothers and pledges. Needless to say, it bodes well for next year’s
rush, and it even appears likely that we will be HOMETOWN: MAJOR(S):
Our dodge ball team is—at the time of writ- having a spring rush in the upcoming year. Oakland, California 6–2 (EECS)
ing this article—undefeated, and has now
qualified for the playoffs. Our team’s great- Finally, we’d like to thank all of the alumni who FUN FACT:
est threat was our most recent match against have assisted the undergraduates in preparing I have an abnormally big appetite
Maseeh. Down 0-2, in a best-of-five set, our for rush. In particular, we would like to thank for my size. I try to balance that
defeat seemed imminent. However, just as the Sammy Khalifa ’12, alumni rush chair liaison, for out by trying all kinds of physical
third and possibly final round was to begin, Josh his guidance over the course of the past year. I activities.
Xiong ’19 appeared, ready to change the tide hope all of you will have a chance to meet our
of war. With Josh carrying our team on a new newest future brothers one day. We’re very
path towards victory, we were able to stage a proud to welcome them into the brotherhood.
comeback, maintain our undefeated record,
and qualify for the playoffs. —Leon Cheng ’20
Rush Chair
While our results have not been as strong in
the area of basketball, the experience has HOMETOWN:
proven especially valuable in other ways. Our Edison, New Jersey FUN FACT:
basketball team has yet to take a win, but MAJOR(S): I want to sell out
each game has come down to the closing mo- 6–3 and 8 and become
ments, with our team fighting until the last (Computer science a quant. Please
second. Pledges, including Manny Favela ’22, and physics) help me.
play alongside brothers on this team, provid- KEVIN YANG ’22
ing more opportunities to help them establish
connections with the brotherhood. Xinyu Lin, rex update [continued from page 2]

a significant potential target for the upcoming our chapter back in compliance with Interna- spring. We’ve made changes to the pledge pro-
spring rush, has even been playing. tional’s standards for us. We sent delegates to gram to promote strong relationships between
a rush training conference in September, and bigs and littles, with bigs looking out for their
Despite the records our teams hold being very these delegates came back with useful advice littles so that no pledge feels disconnected.
different, the experience for anybody who on how to portray our chapter to freshmen. The strategy seems to be working, and our
shows up to compete is the same. Each match We’ve also organized a fundraiser for the Inter- pledges are already involved throughout our
has been an opportunity to be competitive, national’s philanthropy mission, the Elimina- chapter’s operations.
get in an intense cardio workout, and bond as tion of Prejudice Foundation, which works to
a brotherhood—all of which the brothers take educate college students towards eliminating Lastly, I’d like to thank my fellow undergradu-
full advantage of. In dodge ball, our eyes are set bigotry and promoting compassion. ates for the privilege of being a part of this
on the trophy, and we look forward to compet- fraternity. Pilam has defined my college expe-
ing in intramural sports again next semester. While our current pledge class is very small, rience, introducing me to an amazing group of
we’ve worked diligently this semester to en- people, and I’m honored to have led them for
—Aaron Fleischer ’21 sure that this pledge class will have an outsize the past year. We will be electing officers for
Athletics Chair impact on this fraternity. They are a particular- the coming year in early December, and I wish
ly social class, and so we’ve encouraged them my successor the best.
all to bring friends to the house and look out
for people who we may want to rush in the —Jamie Bloxham ’19, Rex

4 u MASS THETA CHAPTER OF PI LAMBDA PHI