Blog Assignment #1

Who are you, why did you join FIJI, and what are you thinking after reading this Blogabus in its entirety?

Who is Josh?
Well, for the sake of this class, I'm your instructor. And in my role in FIJI, I serve as your Purple Legionnaire. At Ohio State, I am the Director of Student Programs for the Ohio State University Alumni Association. But, I'm also a son, grandson, brother, proud parent of Elphie, a boyfriend, White, a Christian, and a gay man.



All of these different roles and identities make me who I am. The work that I do is impacted directly my experiences, my beliefs, and my relationships. I am proud of who I am and hope to serve as a positive role model to the students with whom I work.

On a personal note, I enjoy doing things outdoors (eg.- hiking, camping, running, etc.) and spending time with Elph. I'm also a huge nerd and am obsessed with all things Star Trek, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica, and Harry Potter. But, don't waste my time with Twilight. That series is so elementary compared to good sci fi.

Why FIJI?
I had absolutely no intention of ever joining FIJI or any other frat (yes, I intentionally used that word and will explain why shortly) for that matter. I was already very involved on campus through the Student-Alumni Council, class honoraries, and major campus events by the time I was a sophomore/junior. At that point in my life, I had already made up my mind about Greek life. With the chapters that were on campus back in 2003/2004, only one or two were high caliber and I didn't have the respect for frats because of the way some of the members behaved and represented their organizations in public.

Fast forward to the end of my junior year when a Fraternity named Phi Gamma Delta was recolonizing on campus. Many of my close friends and even my roommates were being recruited by this Fraternity. Now, I didn't know much about FIJI, but I knew that just because my friends joined, I didn't think it was right for me. Again, I had seen so many other Fraternities on campus, that I knew I didn't want to be associated with the community nor did I feel that I had the appropriate amount of time to dedicate to recolonizing. That was until my advisors and now friends Kay Robinson and Jen Pelletier encouraged me to rethink my preconceived notions of Greek life. As I learned more about the values of Greek life (and more specifically FIJI), I found myself intrigued as to how I could be a Fraternity man. At this point, my roommates Jon Horn, Dennis Ditullio, and Adam Barbina (Princess) had already joined the Fraternity. I learned that I could really help in redefining the Greek community at Ohio State and help to lay the foundations for a strong chapter here at Ohio State in Omicron Deuteron.

The more I've grown in the Fraternity, the more I understand what it means to be a FIJI and a Fraternal man. From not wanting to be a part of a "frat," I can truly see what a Fraternity can be and how proud I am to be a FIJI. I'd like to think that I've not only learned the difference between a "frat" and fraternity, but that I've also helped others see how great a Fraternity can be.

Blogging
Well, this should be interesting. Haha. I really am liking the idea of blogging and am learning a lot as I blog about not only myself but this new (to me) venue for me to share my thoughts and ideas. I'm also looking forward to learning more about each of the students enrolled in the course. I've worked with you all for many years and in different capacities, but I'm hoping that this platform allows for stream-of-consciousness sharing that we may, otherwise, be hesitant to share.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts about the Blogabus as well as learning more about each of you!