The Importance of Undergrad Chapter Advisors.

[Wolfman]

(An article from the 2009 Ninth District Newsletter)

We Must Continue to Lift as We Climb
By: Bro. Dr. Paul D. Adams

As Chapter Advisor to the Gamma Eta Chapter
at the University of Arkansas, I, just as other
advisors, must be present at University
functions sponsored by the chapter. Recently, at
one such event sponsored by the chapter, I met a
brother from another undergraduate chapter in
the state of Arkansas, who had traveled to
Fayetteville with his chapter brothers to support
Gamma Eta’s event. After introductions, we had
a brief conversation and he told me that he was
about to graduate with a degree in chemistry
from his university and was interested in
making an application to graduate school in the
field of chemistry. I told him that I was a
professor of chemistry at the University of
Arkansas and that I sit on our Department’s
graduate admissions committee. As we were at a
social event, I gave him a few brief pointers on
things that my committee prioritizes in the
evaluation of a potential graduate student
application. I gave him my card, and told him
that if he wanted talk in more detail about his
application package do not hesitate to reach out
to me. We parted ways as I was performing my
duties as Advisor that evening, and he went on
to socialize with the brothers of Gamma Eta and
other brothers, as well as, students from the
University of Arkansas.
Well, I am pleased to say that the brother did
reach out to me, and this chance encounter and
dialogue has led to us working together, albeit
by email and phone, to put together a
competitive graduate school application for this
young brother. I have even requested that my
department graduate student coordinator
distribute an application package to him to give
our chemistry department at the University of
Arkansas the chance to recruit this young,
talented brother. I wanted to let the brotherhood
know this because, we as graduate brothers,
whether we are advisors or not, must continue to
“lift as we climb” and use the benefits of our
experiences in our chosen fields of profession to
assist our young brothers when the opportunity
presents itself. These kinds of relationships can
be cultivated by Mighty Ninth District
Undergraduate Advisors, and other graduate
brothers, registering and attending our
Leadership Training Workshops, and
Undergraduate Summits held throughout the
year. Participation in these conferences provides
opportunities for undergraduate brothers
to become informed with graduate brothers that
are in various fields of employment that will
lead to mentoring opportunities for brothers.
I will continue to mentor this young brother who
aspires a career in chemistry whether it be in the
academy like myself, or industry, as I will
continue to mentor our young brothers of
Gamma Eta through their collegiate careers, and
even beyond. Remember brothers, sometimes
just a little encouragement from a brief, off the
cuff conversation may might go a long way in
assisting our younger brothers aspire to be the
best they can be.

Brother Dr. Paul D. Adams is
an Assistant Professor, Department of
Chemistry and Biochemistry, as well as the Program of Cellular
and Molecular Biology at the University of
Arkansas. From 2007-2008, he held the Robert
C. and Sandra Connor Endowed Assistant
Professorship in the J. W. Fulbright College of
Arts and Sciences at the University. Brother
Adams was initiated into Theta Kappa Chapter,
LSU (Spring 1989). In 1995, while a LSU
graduate student, Brother Adams was a charter
member of Lambda Kappa Kappa Graduate
Chapter in Baton Rouge. Currently, Brother
Adams serves as Vice Basileus of Upsilon Chi
Graduate Chapter in Northwest Arkansas, and
as undergraduate advisor to Gamma Eta Chapter
(University of Arkansas).