Lambda Chi Alpha - Indiana University

3 THE ORACLE T hough Greek life was not ini- tially in his plans when he first arrived in Bloomington, a last-minute decision to go through recruitment led Danny O'Con- nor '18 to not only one of the best group of friends he could ask for, but also one of the most fulfilling leadership experiences of his life. Originally from Granger, Indiana, Danny's decision to attend Indiana University was an easy one. "I was accepted as a direct ad- mit into the Kelly School of Business and fell in love with the campus during my visit," he said. "It was also just far enough away from home that I was able to feel truly independent, but not so far that I felt lost and on my own." Neither of Danny's parents were Greek, as most of his family attended Notre Dame, but quickly made a name of his own with Lambda Chi Alpha and at Indiana University. "I felt respected right away from all the brothers at Alpha-Omicron," Danny said. "I saw a great opportunity to grow as a gentleman and a leader within the organi- zation; they demonstrated their values through their actions and not just their words." Danny was first elected as High Iota and followed that by being elect- ed as High Alpha. Though he had some leadership positions in high school, he feels these roles were his first taste of what it took to be a true leader. "At first, it was almost overwhelming," Danny said. "I had to make a lot of unpopular decisions and put out small fires that occurred when overseeing 150-plus college men." These experiences not only taught him about what it took to be an effective leader, but it also taught him the importance of having a strong support system. "If I didn't have those few guys I could lean on, I am not sure if the house would have burned down or if I would have gone crazy first." Eventually, Danny began serving on the Grand High Zeta. He served on the chapter operations committee and was an at-large representative on the student advisory committee. He learned how to prepare for business life, made lifelong con- nections with brothers from other chapters, and had a voice on the board that runs the interna- tional fraternity. Outside of his leadership roles, his favorite memories as an Alpha-Omicron have been Little 500, beating DU every year in Drop the Puck, the 100-year celebration, winning the Phoenix award, and the many other accomplishments the chapter achieved. The best memories, however, were the times he got to spend living with all of his best friends who he is lucky enough to call his brothers. Danny also wanted to thank prede- ceasing alumni, like Joe Folkening '88, for lay- ing the groundwork for the chapter and for the support that has changed so many young men's lives. After graduating, Danny will head to Indianapo- lis to work as a supply chain solutions consultant for the firm enVista. He plans on staying involved with Lambda Chi Alpha and encourages all grad- uates to keep up the alumni support. "I wouldn't be who I am today without Alpha-Omicron," he said. "I wouldn't change anything about my ex- perience for the world, and who we are at AO is nothing short of amazing." If you would like to connect with Danny, you can contact him at danoconnor4@gmail.com. Little 500 Bike Team Prepared for April's Race T his year for Little 500, Alpha-Omicron Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha has put together a team of men who are not traditional bikers. We took a dif- ferent route, and we have six brothers, Hunter Roser '20, Colton Tuz- inski '20, Matthias Ebeyer '20, Christian Verstatee '21, Antoine Van- Dyke '21, and Henry Decker '21, who are super motivated and ready to go. Biking at Indiana University is taken very seriously, and Lambda Chi Al- pha is no exception. The six bikers on the team can frequently be found working out in the bike room and taking practice outside on the streets. We are hoping for a good performance out of the bike team this year, and with only a couple months before the race, it's looking pretty good. We invite you to join us Saturday, April 21, to cheer on the LCA athletes as they compete in the race. This 2018 Little 500 bike race team, from left: Christian Verstatee '21, Antoine Van-Dyke '21, Hunter Roser '20, Matthias Ebeyer '20, and Colton Tuzinski '20. Henry Decker '21 not pictured. PEDAL TO THE METAL Excellence in Engagement Leadership Opportunities Allow Danny O'Connor '18 to Flourish Welcome, New Initiates Jalen Bullock '20 Nicolás De La Cruz '20 Cortez Johnson '20 Christian Verstraete '20 William Banfield IV '21 Brett Bell '21 James Berg '21 Maxwell Bischoff '21 Nathan Boe '21 Eric Bohrer '21 Jack Brzakala '21 Declan Cahill '21 John Corish '21 John Foster '21 Joshua Gunderson '21 Kyle Jones '21 Mark Langsenkamp '21 Zachary Lutz '21 Landon Miles '21 Matthew Roper '21 Matthew Roskoski '21 Hunter Sadowski '21 Max Saltzman '21 Parker Shetler '21 Torin Siegel '21 Brendan Smith '21 Robert Sullivan '21 Joshua Taylor '21 Shane Vantlin '21 Drew Vesling '21 Jack Wagner '21 Julian Wolak '21

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