JEFF STOTTLEMYER (back to top)

Dear family and friends,

It’s about time for some sort of update email on Jeff’s adventure in Africa is it not? I’ve put it off for quite a while, but I feel like I should let you guys know what’s been going on over on this side of the Atlantic.

I’ve been in Ghana since Friday, September 2. The culture shock suffered upon my arrival was almost overwhelming. Basically, I wasn’t prepared to get here and be totally on my own, which I was since the organization where I work provided no orientation program or support network. So, I basically freaked out for the first week or so of my tenure here. The reasons for this are hard to fully explain, suffice to say there is no way to prepare for Africa other than seeing, hearing and tasting it. Looking back I’m already laughing at myself, but at the time my reaction seemed reasonable (I’d like to thank all of you who talked to me with words of assurance). I’ve also been told that the anti-malarial pills I take likely influenced my anxiety, as they have lots of potentially severe mental side effects (so far, aside from the beginning, I haven’t had any).

I’m working at an organization called the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, a Ghanaian think-tank that works in international development with a focus on governance. Governance is a general term that basically means any aspect of a democratic system you can name. An example of the projects CDD is involved with is something I’m working on now, called the Social Accountability Project. It’s a comprehensive study of Ghanaian civil society’s ability to hold government accountable (by looking at the legal system, local government relations, the media’s influence and lots of other stuff). The project is funded by the World Bank, and will hopefully be used as a model for other West African countries, as Ghana is more advanced, democratically, than most of them (though Ghana still has a long way to go). There are lots of other projects ongoing at CDD, and they are all very interesting. My specific work is fairly ad hoc, I get assigned to projects as needed (doing draft work, research, editing or whatever needs to be done). I’ve got to be proactive to make sure I keep busy, but so far it’s been a fascinating experience. The CDD office is very nice, with air conditioning and internet access and a lady that serves lunch (chicken, rice and fried plantains every day!).

I live in a part of Accra (the capital of Ghana) called Osu, a very lively area with lots of restaurants and bars, in a compound with a lot of other young expat intern-types. They come from all over the world, though there are a disproportionate number of Germans for some reason. My room mate, Ralph, is from Great Britain. He arrived about a month after me and interns at CDD also. So far we’ve gotten along very well. He’s a really nice guy and VERY British (some of my friends call him Hugh because he bears an ironic resemblance to Hugh Grant, both physically and in his tendency to be uber-polite and always a bit befuddled). The compound has 3 little houses and a few apartments. Ralph and I live in one of the houses. It’s very old and very basic, no hot water, air conditioning or any real amenities. It took a while to get adjusted (lighting the stove with a match, cold showers, dust and bugs), but I’ve grown to enjoy the simplicity.

I’ve been going around with a bunch of ex-Peace Corps Volunteers and various other NGO workers in Accra, all fascinating and hilarious people who do interesting work. We hang out regularly at a bar in Osu called Duncan’s, a spot (little bars and places to get alcohol are called spots) owned by one of the nicest, drunkest guys you’ll ever meet (Duncan, but he goes by “Captain” and has a curious habit of carrying crab legs around in his pocket and eating them as snacks…). It’s something like Accra’s version of Cheers in that everyone knows everyone. The beer is dangerously cheap at about 60 cents for a draft, and there is a local whiskey/moonshine called akpeteshie that goes for 15 cents per shot (!!). Aside from the Peace Corps Americanos and other foreigners, I’ve become good friends with some students at the University of Ghana. I was put in touch with one of them, Joe, by a friend who studied here last year (Jeff Le, eternal thanks!). Joe, a Ghanaian just out of the University, is one of the nicest and most genuine people I’ve ever met in my life. He pretty much saved me in the beginning of my time here when I didn’t know a soul or, to quote Good Will Hunting, “which side of my bed to piss on.” He and his friends (Felix, Rusty, Ese, Jerry and others) were incredibly welcoming and friendly, and we’ve gotten on great.

Communicating the sensory experience of daily life is extremely difficult. There are open sewers everywhere (I stepped in one), goats, chickens, dogs and cats running around the streets, ubiquitous taxis with drivers that honk 1,000 times every minute (especially when they see a white person, “Obrunie” in Twi, the primary tribal language), insane (or non-existent) traffic patterns, children everywhere, beggars and street merchants (who sell everything, literally, you can imagine in baskets they carry on their heads, from toilet paper to screwdrivers to chewing gum to cowboy hats; one time I was offered a full-sized sword in a silver scabbard while waiting at a traffic light in a taxi). The infrastructure struck me, at first, as totally worn down and depressing, but as I’ve gotten used to it it’s taken on a certain charm. But most of all, the people here are amazing. Everyone is unbelievably friendly. When you walk down the street you can greet almost every person you see, often times giving them the typical Ghanaian handshake (which is a slap of the hands and then a snap between both people’s middle fingers). I felt weird being an Obrunie initially, but now I love seeing people’s reactions. Often people will yell “Obrunie!” when they see you. This was a bit off-putting at first, but now I yell back “Bibini!” (black person) and am invariably greeted with laughter and a handshake (example: a while ago I was buying bread in a market near my house and the guy behind the counter saw me, laughed, and called obrunie!! I yelled back bibini and he cracked up and gave me a high five). Most everything that can be bought is haggled over, especially on the street. Taxi drivers notoriously start the bidding with inflated prices (all fares are negotiated before you get in the car, there are no meters), and you quickly acquire the haggling skills necessary to not get ripped off. There are a lot of conversation pauses, counter offers, noises of disbelief, it’s all very fun.

I haven’t done as much traveling as I’d like, but I hope to do more soon. I spent the past weekend at a beach area an hour outside of Accra, at a compound of bungalows about 50 yards from the Atlantic in the middle of a grove of palm trees. I’ve also started planning a trip up to Niger with my room mate for the last couple weeks of my time here, to a town on the edge of the Sahara, with advice from many people who have been there and described it as the most unbelievable place they’ve ever been. I only have two months left, the time is flying, and I want to make them count.

So that is a somewhat random description of life in Accra. By no means comprehensive, I just wanted to put something together. If you respond to this email, more personal correspondence will be much easier and I can give some more details.

I hope you all are doing well in your various pursuits and I look forward to hearing from you!

Cheers,

Jeff

KELLY BANNA (back to top)
Hey Beta Rho!  I've been keeping up to date with the chapter's progress, and I have to say... I am VERY impressed with you guys! Back when I was there, BP was just getting off the ground.  I pledged in the spring of 1996 as a member of the Gamma class.  During my time at JMU, I served as the rush chair, initiate advisor (twice), and for a brief time, president, and was awarded the chapter service key award.  I have five little brothers - Lauren Carroll, Dave Tevendale, Jen Rooney, Kelly Archibald, and Kristen Leigh - Kristen was a long distance little brother, so I'm sure none of you have heard her name.  Katie was nice enough to send me a copy of my family line, and I see that the Becky Devers family tree has more than bloomed (I apologize to those of you who have to memorize all of this!)!

Some of my fondest memories of JMU were with BP.  Gammas were the first class to have a pledge retreat (any of you gammas remember malibu and "i never"???  LOL!).  We had some great brother party themes and formals... though with one exception, all of my dates were a bust (oh well!).  I remember doing a service project at Mercy House and feeding little kids donuts on a string... I really have no idea what that was all about. Becky Askew really was crazy phi sigma pi woman... I swear, if you cut her, she bled purple and gold.

After I graduated from JMU, I packed up and headed south to Auburn
University for graduate school, and there I have remained for waaaayyyy too long (yes, the Auburn with a 13-0 season and still no national championship... yes, everyone here is still bitter).  I study behavioral pharmacology/toxicology, which is a fancy way of saying that I study the effects of chemicals (drugs/toxicants) on rat and fish behavior (yes, I said fish).  I recently completed my master's thesis and am about to start preliminary exams and my dissertation.  If you have any questions about grad school, feel free to email me... I'm an expert. As for my personal life, I'm still single and have no kids, so no interesting news on that front.

If any of you use MSN or yahoo messenger, drop me a line... my user id's are kellybanna@hotmail.com and kellybanna@yahoo.com... I'd love to hear from you!  Being in this hell called grad school, I haven't done as good a job at staying in touch with people as I'd like to.

SHANNON BALLARD (back to top)
Hello, Beta Rho!
The last time I attended a Beta Rho event, I was introduced as the OLDEST member present! I tried not to take it hard. That was Founder's Day 2002, and I was 25. I am a member of the Charter Class that got the Phi Sigma Pi ball rolling at JMU, and it is amazing and inspiring to see what a vibrant force the chapter has become, both on campus and nationally.

A few memories that alumni may recall and brothers may enjoy:
I remember when famous President Becky Askew instituted parliamentary procedure, gained respect of the formal induction ritual, and lived through the gavel being taken hostage, complete with ransom letter. I was Secretary and/or Corresponding Secretary for several semesters, also serving under the Preston Garcia/Dave Billingslea regime. Through high points and growing pains, these and other awesome officers laid the foundation for the Beta Rho chapter.

Back then, we did a lot of service work in the local community - Mercy House, the Little Grill, Patchwork Pantry…all very rewarding experiences, and Vice President Celeste Legg organized a clever Halloween-theme blood drive. We had plenty of fun, too; one party I remember was a Catholic School Girls/Dirty Old Men theme, which I attended with my first Little, Nathaniel Puffer, a lapsed Delta. I remember Big Brother Hunts, long nights of voting, and retreats at Massanutten and Camp Horizons -gotta love the ropes course!

My second Little, Epsilon Shannon Alexander, was a devoted member who helped coordinate my last trip back to the fold. We traveled into town in February 2002 and stayed at the Sheraton, attending the Decades theme party at Brian Beedenbender's, the karaoke service project at the mall, the banquet, and of course, Melrose, where a photo was taken of our Phi Sig family, which by that time included Adrienne Holly, Ben Mallory, and Kitrina "Kit" Wargo. I confess I haven't met the newer members of our line, but I'd love to!

Now a ripe old 28 : I'm loving life in Albany, N.Y. One thing hasn't changed since I was an RA at JMU and worked a second job at Dave's Tavern: I still pack my schedule full! This is my fourth year working in the Communications Office of The Sage Colleges. I've had several titles, but everything I do puts my SMAD degree in Journalism and minor in Public Relations to good use. I have always worked a second job to support my little "habits," skiing and volleyball. I play on a USAV women's team and several coed leagues, both in- and outdoors, throughout the year.

Most recently, I started my own freelance endeavor on the side, called The Write Idea. I do writing (copy and feature), editing & formatting, and strategic public relations for a variety of clients, large and small. Word of mouth has given me all the work I can handle on a part-time basis, and I'm learning how to run a solo entrepreneur business. It is fabulously rewarding.

On a personal note, the fiancé who came with me to Founder's Day 2002 is no longer in the picture, but I'm on a new and very happy path with a great guy I met at volleyball 2 years ago. And my first nephew, Devan Shawn, was born on March 16, so I'm an ecstatic new auntie! As my family and PSP family grow, I'm determined to keep in better touch with members old and new, so help me out!

Keep up the wonderful work and take care of yourselves and each other.

Philia,
Shannon Ballard, '98
shanballard@yahoo.com

BECKIE BOLDUC (back to top)
Hola mis amigos!!! I hope everyone is doing well. At the moment I'm totally invested in the NCAA tournament....my favorite time of the year for sports, go DUKE!

Here's a little about my time in Phi Sig: I was a member of the Mu Class and pledged during my freshman year...one of the best decisions I made while I was at JMU. I met some of the best people in the world who I still see as much as I possibly can. I served as Spirit Chair, Chapter Secretary, and Alumni Chair. I enjoyed giving back to Phi Sig and I had an amazing time doing it. I was at National Convention when we received our first two Torchias. Winning our first Torchia was so emotional and shocking I was literally shaking on my way up to the stage, and of course we were all bawling, which isn't unusual for me;) I suggest you all try to go. I also served as the delegate alternate at Grand Chapter and that was definitely an experience. I don't think I've ever been in a room with that many people with so many different views at one time!! But I'm SO glad I had the opportunities that I did in Phi Sig.

I graduated in 2004 with a business degree in economics. Needless to say my job doesn't really have anything to do with either:P BUT the business core courses have probably been used the most. I work at the City of Suffolk as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technician. I just recently got the job at the beginning of February. Up until then I was temping at the city for about 8 months. It was extremely frustrating to have a degree, not knowing what I wanted to do, and having no one want to give me a chance. But I stuck it out long enough and the GIS Manager liked my work ethic, and my want and ability to learn at a fast pace and gave me a chance...with very minimal GIS experience!! I've been there a month now and I've learned so much. My advice to you all though is don't get too frustrated if your job doesn't find you right after graduation. It's hard out there and job searching is really tough. So just don't give up....remember it took me 8 months to get a permanent full-time job...not something they really prepare you for in class.

I miss not living down the street from all my best friends. If I was ever having a restless night I'd call Katie and we'd stay up to 3am talking...probably on nights when we needed to be resting up! I miss having a bad day in the middle of the week and always finding someone who would go out and party with me. I miss Dave's, Luigis, B-dubs, and Sheetz nachos at 2 in the morning. Take in everything you can while you're there and have a blast. Just think: You may not remember the grade you got on that GSCI test you were so worried about, but you will remember an amazing night with friends..I know thats what I remember.

Email me...I'd love to chat!
bolducrl@hotmail.com or bolducrl@alumni.jmu.edu

BECKY ASKEW (back to top)
Happy 10th birthday, Beta Rho! I can't believe its been almost ten years since I showed up at Harrison Hall for the Charter induction of our Chapter! Beta Rho has come so far, and I could not be more proud! I became president of Beta Rho in December 1995, not know what I was getting myself in to! I also served as Initiate Advisor for the Epsilon Class before I graduated in December 1997. Nationally, I served on the first-ever Advisory Board with Mike Noll (Alpha Lambda) and Christy Razzano (Alpha Beta), both of whom are still among my best friends. I also served as the National Vice President of Alumni Development, paving the way for one of my Beta Rho family members, Brian Beedenbender!

I moved to Salt Lake City, UT in 1999 to help support my extended family. My uncle and two of my cousins had Huntington's Disease, and I wanted to help my aunt care for them. They've all since passed away (my cousin Amy died suddenly just last month). My parents have also relocated to Utah to help the family and my sister and her family also plan to move here from Baltimore in 2006. My little brother just moved to England- I'll be taking a vacation this summer to see him, timed for the British release of the next installment of Harry Potter.

Since moving to Utah, I've been employed by the same company, Resource Managment, Inc. We provide payroll, benefits and human resources for other companies. I put both of my JMU Bachelor degrees (English and HR Management) to work every day as an HR Specialist.

I recently ended a three year relationship with a real cowboy and am now single and fancy free. I hope to see some Beta Rho alumni in Las Vegas in June!

Then I headed to Duke Divinity School to get a Masters in Church Ministries concentrating in Christian Education (quite a mouthful, but basically theology and education). At Duke, I was converted to the church of Cameron, having seasons tickets to Duke home games. I even got a basketball signed by Coach K! He's amazing!

I suppose an interesting fact about me is that I went to England by myself - I'm really proud of the "by myself" part.

I graduated from Duke in 2004 and started working at a church in Midlothian,Virginia. I am a youth pastor at St. Mark's United Methodist. I have my own apartment and I live with Maggie, a black cat that I rescued when she was orphaned at 2 weeks old. She likes to attack my bare feet.

My long-term goal is to open my own women's center in downtown Richmond. I'd like to renovate a house in Ginter Park, a historic area that has been overtaken by crime. I would like to offer services for victims of domestic violence and rape, offer resources for pregnant teens, and lead seminars in the suburbs about the major issues that impact teenaged girls (cutting, eating disorders, abusive boyfriends). This is all in the idea phase right now, but eventually I hope to make it a reality.

I think that's pretty much it. I miss JMU terribly, enjoy your time there while you can! Being a grown-up is hard work!

It has been a long time since I was at JMU, but I will give you a synopsis of what has been going on since. I left JMU and took a job as a research tech in the biology department at The College of William and Mary. I was there for two years because after the first year, Stacey Anderson (Zeta class), my girlfriend at the time, came down to get her masters degree in secondary education after graduating from JMU in 2000. We lived down there until she finished her masters, and then we moved to Connecticut in 2001 where I began working on my Ph.D. in microbiology at UConn. Stacey and I were finally engaged in June of 2002 and as of July 17th 2004, we are happily married. It seems like a long time ago the fraternity president trying to date one of the Zeta class pledges was an issue…well, 7 years later she is my lovely wife. We had many old Phi Sig friends back for our wedding this past summer: Nathan Risdal and Matt Vandegrift (groomsmen), as well as Matt’s fiance’ Megan McCausland, Liz Harvey and Rachel Risdal.

We currently live in Manchester, Connecticut with our two feisty cats. I am still at UConn; only the lab gods know when I will finish here. Two more years is the goal. If anyone down there is interested in grad school for the sciences, feel free to e-mail me with questions. I spent two years working in Dr. Keffer’s office, and I did research in Dr. Wiggins lab while at JMU. Stacey is currently teaching English at her old middle school (RHAM in Hebron, CT). When I finish graduate school, we have no idea where we will end up.

When I think of good memories of college, they most certainly always revolve around my time in Phi Sigma Pi. From weekly meetings, events and get-togethers, to road trips to Alpha Rho, Alpha Omicron, Alpha Zeta and Grand Chapter, none of it will ever be forgotten. Obviously, I met some of my closest friends, but most importantly, I met my beautiful wife. As a final note, I just remember thinking, when we first joined Phi Sigma Pi, how ridiculously unorganized and crazy the fraternity was. The people in charge were doing such a wonderful job trying to keep everyone together, since so many had “joined” as charter members but did not know what it was like to be a brother. Becky and Lindsay made it work, and our pledge class was the first“real” one to actually have to do things (quizzes, brother interviews). It is great to see that it has gone leaps and bounds above where we were at the beginning. Hopefully we can make it back down to an alumni event sometime.

Past Alumni

This semester:
Jeff Stottlemyer

Previous semesters:
Kelly Banna
Shannon Ballard
Becki Bolduc
Becky Askew
Jess Tyler
Preston Garcia