Convention 2020: Together Toward Tomorrow

24 May Convention 2020: Together Toward Tomorrow

Convention is a dedicated time for brothers to gather from all across North America and this year was no different. Although attendees were unable to meet physically due to COVID-19 restrictions, over 500 brothers spent their Memorial Day Weekend celebrating Convention 2020 virtually in real-time and in new ways.

“Seeing the commitment and fire that our men have for our organization is inspiring,” said Executive Director Zac Antonius. “It shows that our organization transcends any obstacles in our way and nothing can stop this brotherhood.”

Together Toward Growth

In the Opening Session, President William Tan delivered the annual State of the Fraternity address and shared updated reforms in governance, operations, and education. Hosted through Zoom and Whova platforms, 348 undergraduates and 192 alumni registered and tuned live into the broadcast. “Lambda Phi Epsilon is better positioned in 2020 than it has ever been,” said Tan. “Professional staffing has been transformative for fiscal stability, membership growth, and improved work efficiency.”

Attendees then broke out into more intimate virtual meeting rooms to engage in topics that piqued their interest. Fifteen different workshops were spread across three session blocks, allowing attendees to chart their own path of personal and chapter development. The workshops were designed to prepare individuals for a post-COVID world.

Block 1: “Living Fuller Lives”

• Everything Has a Shelf Life: Making the Most Out of Your Next 30 Years (Founding Founder Jim Lee, Alpha Chapter Alumnus Jim Liaw, Epsilon Chapter Raymond Yu, Kappa Chapter Alumnus Mark Oki)
• How #Mindfulness Can Benefit You And Your Chapter (Theta Chapter Alumnus Andrew Dao)
• Making Lasting Connections (Zeta Chapter Alumnus Derek Koh)
• Standing Out from the Crowd: Navigating the Campus Recruiting Process for Careers After College (Alpha Alpha Chapter Alumnus Andrew Chen)
• #OutAndGreek: LGBT Awareness in Greek Life (Jay Zhang of Theta Chapter)

Block 2: “Cultivating Caring Communities”

• First-time Fathers Forum: Transitioning from Pledge Dad to Fatherhood (WSU Associate Chapter Alumni Zhi Hu and Sebatian Kalilikane)
• Liberty, Democracy, Fraternity: Empowering Civic Engagement with APIAVote (Earl Byron Solis, Kyle Lu, John Mijares of FSU Associate Chapter, Alpha Zeta Chapter Alumnus Bryan Dosono)
• New Frontiers: Mentoring a Charter Class (NCSU Alumnus Matthew Wright, Alpha Psi Chapter Alumnus Jimmy Luu)
• Don’t Just Manage Time. Control It! (UNL Associate Chapter Alumnus Phat Nguyen)
• Heart of the Cards: The Result of Following Passion (Theta Chapter Alumnus Victor Em)

Block 3: “Sharing Savvy Skills”

• Volunteering with the International Board (Beta Gamma Chapter Alumnus Calvin Guo, DePaul Associate Chapter Alumnus Brian Van)
• How to Host APIDA Heritage Programming (Paul Tran, Peter Nguyen, Anthony Nguyen of UNL Associate Chapter)
• Growing Your Network (Alpha Beta Chapter Alumnus Jack Liang)
• Insider Info: Dissecting the Graduate Admissions Process (Beta Gamma Chapter Alumnus Vincent Grimaldi)
• Do This To Kick Start Your Business (Beta Gamma Chapter Alumnus Hein San)

Three of the 15 workshops were hosted by current active undergraduate members. “I enjoyed showing my fellow undergraduate brothers the importance of bringing civic engagement to their respective communities,” said Byron Solis from Florida State University. “I feel that those who attended our workshop were able to understand why now more than ever is an important time to help amplify the voices within the APIDA community through get-out-the-vote and get-out-the-count initiatives.”

Together Toward Collaboration

The International Board collaborated with alpha Kappa Delta Phi to provide an online social gathering where members could interact with and listen to live streamed music performances in the form of a virtual benefit concert. The evening event featured the following artists:

• Julian Mauleon (DePaul University Associate Chapter)
• Joe Lesus (DePaul University Associate Chapter)
• Michael Philips (DePaul University Associate Chapter)
• Ryan Ho (Northeastern University, Beta Alpha Chapter)
• Mitchell Won (Baylor University, Alpha Gamma Chapter)
• Tery Nguyen (Baylor University, Alpha Gamma Chapter)
• Philip Huynh (University of North Carolina Associate Chapter)
• Joshua Choi (Michigan State University Associate Chapter)
• Richard Hoang (Michigan State University Associate Chapter)
• Jeremy Fung and Bill Cao (University of Toronto, Alpha Xi Chapter)
• Yong-Hwi Cho (University of Texas at Dallas Associate Chapter)
• Brandon Pham (University of Texas at Arlington, Beta Beta Chapter)
• Josef Shim (University of Virginia, Alpha Tau Chapter)
• Jamie Son (The University of Texas at Dallas, alpha Kappa Delta Phi)
• Danelle Go (University of California, Santa Cruz, alpha Kappa Delta Phi)

The two-day concert raised $1,435.47 in donations. All of the proceeds raised from this fundraiser go to Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies. An additional $490 was raised in Lambda Phi Epsilon t-shirt sales—yielding a total of $1,925.47 donated to Direct Relief.

“Providing space and opportunity for members of both organizations to showcase their talent, bring the community together through their love for music, and raise funds for healthcare professionals workers at the frontlines of the pandemic was such an incredibly thoughtful and collaborative effort,” said alpha Kappa Delta Phi Northwestern Governor Danelle Go. “There should be more opportunities like this to uplift our members in times of uncertainty and express themselves through their creative outlets.”

Together Toward Excellence

The General Session meeting with the House of Delegates voted on candidates for the Board of Directors, proposed legislation, and opened broader discourse on the future of the fraternity through an Open Forum.

By a vote of 51-7-5, the House of Delegates approved the policy proposal for standardization to adopt fraternal standards (e.g., proper disposal of disused Lambda Phi Epsilon letters, reserved letter designations, use of the Lambda Phi Epsilon flag) across all regions and chapters of the International Fraternity. By a vote of 55-3-5, the House of Delegates approved the policy for chapter recognition, such that chapters are required to meet all standards (e.g., academics, active membership, reporting) set forth by their universities, their respective councils, and the International Board to remain in good standing.

Capturing the approval of 98% of the electorate, Bryan Dosono was elected as President of the Board of Directors for 2020-2022. “It’s a supreme privilege to be elected as the 20th President of an enduring brotherhood so near to my heart,” said Dosono. “I’m eager to accelerate thoughtful investments that ensure our leadership’s expertise expands and deepens for the next 40 years and beyond.” Calvin Guo and Brian Van were appointed as the External Vice President and Secretary respectively.

The Closing Session consisted of an Omega Dedication for fallen brothers, a salute to graduating seniors and those serving in the Armed Forces, and video greetings by three newly chartered chapters. The Awards Ceremony concluded the event by recognizing outstanding individuals and chapters for their contributions to the International Fraternity.

Elected Board of Directors

• President: Bryan Dosono, University of Washington
• External Vice President: Calvin Guo, Syracuse University
• Secretary: Brian Van, DePaul University

Officer Service Awards

• Distinguished Service: David Quach, McMaster University; William Tan, Rutgers University
• Officer of the Year: Ian Galope, University of Washington

Individual Recognition

• Man of the Year, Geoffrey Lee, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• Rising Leaders Among Men: Kacee Truong, University of Kansas
• Academic Achievement: Saad Khan, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Lambda of the Year: Antonio Lozano, University of Washington

Chapter Recognition

• Chapter Charter Presentation: George Mason University Associate Chapter, Ohio State University Associate Chapter, University of Tennessee Associate Chapter
• Outstanding Academic Performance: Psi Chapter, University of Chicago
• Outstanding Asian Awareness Advocacy: Theta Chapter, Stanford University
• Outstanding Public Relations Program: Rochester Institute of Technology Associate Chapter
• Chapter Philanthropic Excellence: Alpha Phi Chapter, University of Oklahoma
• Chapter of the Year: Rochester Institute of Technology Associate Chapter

“Being able to adapt to the changing landscape of today’s world and convert a 31-year-old tradition into a virtual format was no small feat,” said Director of Programming, Ian Galope. “I am immensely proud that with the support of the membership—both undergraduate and alumni—we were able to come together as we journey together toward tomorrow.”

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About Lambda Phi Epsilon
Founded in 1981 at Los Angeles, California, Lambda Phi Epsilon International Fraternity, Inc. has grown to become the world’s largest Asian-interest fraternity. Lambda Phi Epsilon (ΛΦΕ, also known as LFE) aims to guide men on a lifelong discovery of authenticity and personal growth. To learn more, visit https://lambdaphiepsilon.com.

Lambda Phi Epsilon Contact
Zac Antonius, Executive Director
Lambda Phi Epsilon International Fraternity, Inc.
zac.antonius@lphie.org