The Jade Times

By: May “Mosaic” Advincula, Staff Writer

As sisters of Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc, we aim to exemplify our virtues in every endeavor we undertake, but that doesn’t always have to mean business 24/7. Our virtues can be applied to any aspect of our lives — especially in relationships with the people we care the most about.

Show your love to the special people in your life this month with some virtue-inspired gifts and activities. Whether you’re single or in a committed relationship, there is bound to be someone in your life that you can show some love and appreciation.

Loyalty- This virtue extends beyond being there for someone in their time of need and involves truly understanding and putting someone else’s needs before your own. Next time you notice someone in your life is overwhelmed, take the time to do something for him or her. Whether it’s helping with chores, taking him or her out for lunch or running an everyday errand, lending an extra hand when life seems too chaotic is always an appreciated gesture even if they haven’t asked for help.

Honesty- For your next gift, tell someone special 10 things you love about them. Your list can take the form of a simple letter, photo collage, video, book, etc., but taking the time to express the reasons why you love and appreciate someone demonstrates that you care and can strengthen your relationship. If you’re not too fond of making your own crafts, there are services available that can turn your project into a cool and customized gift idea (See Shutterfly.com or zazzle.com for some ideas!)

Respect- Everyone is different and embracing those differences demonstrates respect. The next time you’re hanging out with a friend, family member or significant other, pick one activity that each of you like to do that the other would not normally do on their own. For example, if you’re not so fond of the rugged outdoors, but your significant other loves camping plan a getaway to the mountains. Or if you’re into classical music, bring that special someone to a concert of your favorite artist. Introducing something new to each other serves as a reminder to keep an open mind and demonstrates that you care about a person by being willing to try something that they like to do. Who knows? You might even pick up a new hobby!

Dedication- When life gets busy, free time might seem like a fleeting luxury. Although it’s nice to have alone time, it’s also important to remember to reserve time for the people you care about too. Whether it’s dinner, getting coffee, or going to a movie, quality time is always a refreshing break from your normal “to-do.” Each week, allot yourself quality time blocks, so that it’s included in your must-do’s.

Integrity- Often characterized with honesty, integrity also involves living up to the standards that you value in your life.  In the sense of your relationships, you can encompass this virtue while building and sustaining relationships that matter to you. Whether it is demonstrating qualities such as being honest, fair, open-minded, respectful or reliable, never sell your relationships short by forgetting your values. Also take the time to know what others value in their own lives to help continue to enhance your own.

Discipline- The next time you’re looking to complete a long-term goal or activity, think about inviting someone along for the ride. Though long-term aspirations take an amount of individual discipline to complete, it helps to have that extra vein of support. Whether it’s training for a marathon or planning a big trip, bigger tasks always seem to be a bit more bearable in good company.

Academic Excellence- When it comes to those important relationships in your life and sustaining them, take the time to keep learning about those people you care about the most. Whether you have known each other for one year or 10 years, never underestimate the power of quality one-on-one time. The next time you have a one-on-one session, try a “getting to know you dinner” activity. Pick one dish that neither one of you has ever tried making before. Then plan the entire dinner together including going to the store, prepping the food, and cooking the dinner. This activity will allow you to have the opportunity to work together and bond, and in the end you will (hopefully) end up with a tasty dish! Being able to share that sense of accomplishment and learn more about each other is also a great way to solidify your relationship with someone — platonic or romantic.

Do you have any gift or activity ideas that demonstrate the seven virtues? Please share with us in the comments!

By May “Mosaic” Advincula, Staff Writer

With the new year often comes the perception of starting over, and that is something that former New Republic reporter, Stephen Glass, had to learn the hard way.

Glass’ story can teach us much about the importance of value and holding ourselves to high standards. When we become Delta Phi Lambda sisters, we become bound to the seven virtues that our founding mothers established, and it becomes our responsibility to uphold those virtues in every endeavor we undertake. Like anything we value or find of importance, we should never resort to compromising our values for personal interests and gain. In the end, self-serving does nothing but hurt the best interests of the whole, and in the case of Glass, caused a demise in his career and his character. In the three-year time frame that Glass was employed by TNR, he was able to tarnish his reputation for the rest of his entire life by disregarding values of his company and the journalism industry as a whole.

Well-known in the journalism industry for his blatantly misconstrued articles depicting false situations, Glass damaged his career and seemingly added to jeopardizing confidence in journalism.

The essentials of good journalism provides balanced arguments which allows for the audience to deduce their own conclusion from the information presented, and the industry as a whole faces unyielding pressure to provide unbiased pieces that stay true to fact and stray from partiality. However, Glass took advantage of that placed trust and violated these essential values to serve his personal interests and advance his career.

Glass began his career at political American magazine TNR in 1995 as an editorial assistant and started early in his profession by writing features. He began receiving backlash in 1996 regarding his article titled “Hazardous to Your Mental Health” in which the Center for Science in the Public Interest, who had been the focus of the article, released a public statement that pointed out inaccuracies and accused Glass of plagiarism.

A slew of additional accusations of inaccuracies and falsehoods followed for additional articles written by Glass. However, at the time, the publication stood behind its writer and defended him against those who were claiming his articles were false.

It was not until 1998 that Glass was publicly exposed for his fraudulent stories. His “Hack Heaven” feature depicted the story of a 15-year-old hired as an information security consultant for a company called Jukt Micronics. Adam Peneberg, a reporter with Forbes, investigated the article to verify the information to determine how TNR had gotten the scoop prior to Forbes. It was then that Peneberg discovered that the company and people that Glass included in his article never existed. When initially confronted, Glass claimed to have been tricked and had gone as far to have his brother pose as a Jukt Micronics executive named Sims. Additionally, Glass had gone to great lengths to disguise his deceit with TNR fact checkers by creating a website, voice mail account, story notes and fake business cards for the made-up company.

Once it was discovered that Glass had fabricated the entire story, former editor Charles Lane fired Glass. In the end TNR determined that approximately 66 percent (27 out of 41) stories contained fabricated material. Although there were some articles that contained both fact and fiction, the “Hack Heaven” feature was completely made up.

His journalism career obliterated by his distrust, Glass then pursued a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He applied for the New York bar and was denied due to failure to certify him on the moral fitness test. He then applied to the California bar and again was denied certification due to questioning of his moral standards.

As a result of disregard for these values, Glass will never be able to escape his reputation and will be discredited in the minds of his colleagues. Compromising what you, your employer, family, friends and colleagues value can inevitably lead to a question of your character as well as serves a reflection on the group of people who are connected to you.

As we embark on a new year, it is important that we stay true to the values that we are taught and to continue to exemplify those values that are most important to us.

Photo credit : http://ethicsalarms.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/stephen_glass.jpg

By Christine” ECKO” Ho, Staff Writer

The Founding Mothers

Who remembers their first DPhiL anniversary in the sorority? Who remembers what they were doing as the clock struck midnight on December5^th of whatever year you crossed? For the older girls, I found that a majority of the older sisters don’t remember the exact moment of their first anniversary, or cannot even recall what they really did on the exact day. But it’s the memories throughout the years, what you might have done a random year for the anniversary. Maybe it did not involve the entire chapter — maybe it just includes you and your line sister, reminiscing about the old days as Jennifer “Paris” Lee and Tran “Phoenix” Nguyen from Georgia State University did.

“During one anniversary, me and my line sister Tran went to RuSan’s just to chat and reminisce. We ended up crying over how old we’ve gotten, and the things that we’ve shared over the years,” Lee said.

This intimate moment is an example of the sisterhood that we share and continue to share over the years. While we recall the past, however, many sisters also look towards the future. When asked where they would like the sorority to be on our  25^th anniversary, Linh “Artistry” Huynh from Grand Valley State University, who just crossed, answered that she wants “at least half of our chapters in active status, as well as more than double the number of chapters.”

A sister that crossed in Spring 2008 at Emory University, Melissa “Solaris” Duong, also stated that she wants to be “celebrating being the largest Asian-interest sorority that is internationally recognized.”

On another end, Rosalie “Micro” Zoleta, a sister from DePaul University, said that she wants “our sorority to be the closest in sisterhood by our 25^th anniversary. I care more that we are active sisters become closer and make a difference, than to expand across the nation.”

All of these goals are possible, and everyone in the sorority can make a difference. December 5^th is a time for our sorority to reflect nationwide, not only on the past, present and future, but about ourselves, and where we will be. This year, where were you? On December 5^th , what have you done to enrich your own life and your sisters’ lives? How has the sorority changed you, and how has your leadership affected the sorority? These are only a few of the questions that we find ourselves asking as we look back on our recently passed founding date.

Finally, founder Anh “Doc” Nguyen shares her thoughts for our 12^th anniversary:

“Twelve years ago on December 5, 1998, I had the privilege of starting a wonderful journey with six other Sisters. YOU ALL have the strength, patience and the passion to continue the founder’s dream to make a difference in this ever changing world. The credit belongs to those who have followed in the founders’ footsteps and continued the legacy of this great organization. Those who strive valiantly, with great enthusiasm, devotion and generously give a part of themselves to such a worthy cause should be commended for enriching this organization. Delta Phi Lambda is a better organization because of all the Sisters: past, present and future. At our best, we know the triumph of high achievement. At our worst, we give others the opportunity to exploit our weakness. United, we are unstoppable.”

Let us take these words to heart, and become truly united in our goal and in our sisterhood.

 Happy Anniversary, everyone! D-Phi-yeowL!

By Amy “Ancaria” Li, Staff Writer

The Southeast chapters of Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. welcomed fall 2009 and spring 2010 neophytes into Everlasting Sisterhood at Formal 2010. Throughout the past year, sisters have endured challenges to prepare the neophytes to carry on the future of Georgia State University – Gamma Chapter. Sisters have served as mentors, teachers and, more importantly, sisters. Through their eyes, we have seen that sisterhood truly does not end. Through their faithfulness and commitment to the virtues of Delta Phi Lambda, Gamma Chapter has truly demonstrated loyalty for the neophytes.

L to R: Wen “Selene” Guo, Jamie “Mercury” Zhou, Hai Van “Esmeralde” Nguyen, Lauren “Raider” Soriano, Kristine “Calyx” Chung, Jennifer “Paris” Lee, Bich “Indigo” Tran, Jennifer “Lotus” Chow, Trang “Momentum” Dinh, Tish “Giselle” Lee, Stephanie “Radiance” Guo, Lisa “Ferrari” Yi, Gina “Elevate” Lawson, Kellee “Thrive” Duong, Hannah “Siena” Kyung, Kristie “Kaito” Chan, Katie “Ruby” Chan, Jojo “Mira” Ngo.

By Amy “Ancaria” Li, Staff Writer
 
Academic excellence is one of the hardest of the seven virtues of Delta Phi Lambda to maintain. With the stress of college life, the endless requirements of extracurriculars and the responsibilities of the sorority, good grades can become something unattainable for most sisters. However, Yoojin ‘Moxie’ Chun is a sister who has shown that academic excellence does not need to be compromised for the sake of extracurricular activities.

As a student on the pre-medical track and an executive member of Emory Chapter’s Delta Phi Lambda, she managed to earn a GPA of 4.0 last semester. She manages her time very efficiently so that not only does she devote herself fully to the requirements of college life, but she also makes time to spend with her sisters. She focuses all her efforts on her studies, but never lets stress rule her life.

By Amy “Ancaria” Li, Staff Writer

People use the term “integrity” often, but the term is rarely understood or clearly defined.

Integrity is defined as the consistency of actions, values, methods, principles and outcome. Based on this definition of integrity, I would say that integrity is not an easy virtue to adhere to. Because integrity focuses on the consistency of always maintaining good stance in everything that one does, it is one of the more important virtues for the sisters at Emory University.

When times get stressful and sisters have a never-ending amount of accumulated work, it is easy to slack off and not be consistent. Sisters cannot set a good example if they only commit to something half-heartedly, or only commit to something when it is convenient.

Integrity is a must-have for sisters in order to set a good example for others.

When things got tough, sisters at Emory University stepped back and reminded themselves that the road of integrity will always have more benefit in the long run.