THE ALPHA GAMMA CLASS

OF OMEGA ALPHA

INITIATED NOVEMBER 16, 2009

MICHAEL L. RODRIGUEZ

#138 BROTHER ALLEGIANCE

My name is Michael Lorenzo Rodriguez. I am 19 years old and I am from the state of Massachusetts. I was born on February 26, 1990 in the small town of Southbridge where I grew up. In 2008, I graduated among a fairly small senior class of 85 fellow students at Southbridge High School. During my school years I participated in sports such as basketball and football. I hail from a strong family of Puerto Rican descent. My family plays a major role in my life. I have three half brothers, which are all older than me. My brother Jose has always been my mentor and my best friend growing up. Whether it was coaching my sports teams as a child, or granting me the honor of being his best man at his wedding, the list of times he has been there for me goes on.

My parents have been married for 26 years and I am very fortunate they are still together today. From my mother, I have learned to be sensible towards the feelings of other’s and respectful to all women. She has given me the strength to always think positive no matter what the circumstances may be. Since day one, she has dedicated herself and sacrificed a lot by working two jobs to assure that I may be able to continue my education. From my father, I have gained my persona as someone who is very personable and loyal. I thank him for teaching me what it means to provide. He has also taught me the difference between business and family, and how I can tell a lot about someone based off of just their handshake. I accredited both of them for making me into the man I am today.

I am currently a Sophomore here at Johnson & Wales University. I am studying to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with hopes of branching off into the Law Enforcement field. I started my Freshman year in college excited to be in an all new city. A city which seemed a bit big at first when compared to the town I grew up in. Like most college freshman I was unaware of the terms “Greek-Life,” and “Fraternity.” so in the beginning I never had the intentions of joining one. Once I began to settle down and meet new friends, I began to meet more and more members of Greek Life, specifically in Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity. Towards the end of my freshman year I was introduced to more brothers in TEP and decided that when returning to school in the fall I would rush. Through rushing for TEP, I was able to hang out with all of the brothers and learned that we have many things in common. Based off of their sense of ideals and loyalty towards the brotherhood and each other, I was able to see myself as a part of their fraternity someday.

As a pledge of Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity, I plan to learn as much as possible through the pledging process. This process is making me into a more confident and goal oriented person. When I have the privilege of becoming a brother, I will continue to contribute my loyalty and friendship and do whatever it takes to leave my mark for the betterment of this brotherhood.

HERBERTH REYES

#139 BROTHER HYPERION

My name is Herberth Reyes I was born on July 5, 1990 and I am of El Salvadorian descent. I am first generation American born in my family, as well as an only child. I was born and raised in Huntington Station, NY. Currently I am a sophomore at Johnson & Wales University and majoring in Accounting. I have been taught to be grateful for everything and never let a moment slip by and to always stride for my dreams. I am grateful for the opportunities that have been offered to me and therefore willing to take it to the next step; in order to accomplish and succeed in meeting my goals. I believe those who want respect give respect, and I practice this philosophy in my everyday life.

I was raised by my mother Alicia, who worked two jobs so I only saw her at night and weekends. She has gone out of her way so that I can make something of my life and move forward. Although she worked a lot, she always managed to be there for me when I needed her, and to support me in all the activates I participated in. I’ve always valued her ethics and the example she set for me and I try to take after her. She showed me that anything can be accomplished as long as you stay dedicated. She is the most important person in my life and everything I do is for her. She has raised me to be strong and independent just like her. My father on the other hand, walked out on us when I was 4 years old and never again found his way back. I am grateful I was too young to have any memories of him; I never would choose to meet him because I don’t ever want to be like him. I grew up without a father figure in my life but had many other male role models to teach me the right way. My uncle Gonzalo, has always been there for me since I was young, taking care of me when my mother was at work and teaching me valuable ideals. I also had the chance to learn from my 3 older god brothers who made sure me and my god brother of the same age, did our work in school and they showed us the importance of an education.

I want to be part of Tau Epsilon Phi Fraternity because I want to be a part of an organization that values important ideals in everyday life. I want to grow as a leader and as person in this big world, and with the help of TEP this can be accomplished. I’ve learned that all these men are built on great ethics and one day wish to call them my brothers and represent the letters TEP with pride and joy as these men do.