Blog Entry #1: Introductions, Explanations, and Expectations

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


Hi, my name is Joel Pettigrew, I enjoy long walks on a moonlit beach, reading novels in front of a crackling fir… oh… wrong answer to who am I.  


My name is Joel Pettigrew and I am a former student of Texas A&M University (we don't call them alumni, awkward, I know), where I received a Bachelors in History.  I currently attend The Ohio State University as a Masters student and am studying Higher Education and Student Affairs.  My assistantship is in the Ohio Union where I work primarily with our programming board, but also with areas like Sorority and Fraternity Life (Greek Awards, teaching this class) and International Affairs.  I am a Navy brat, meaning I have lived all over the United States, and have lived abroad in Japan.  I lived there for three years at the end of high school and loved every second of it, including ramen, beef bowl, the rail infrastructure and the amazing stationery that country has.  

I love most sports, but especially love soccer, football really, and am infatuated with the English Premier League team Aston Villa.  It takes a dedicated fan to get up at 7 in the morning, make it over to Easton, and responsibly skip a pint for some coffee to watch a 1pm game over in England.  












Now comes the shocker: I am not a part of FIJI.  I never joined a fraternity while at A&M for a few reasons.  Texas A&M has a long history as a military school, up until the 60's, and therefore, Greek Life only recently took hold at A&M.  It is a strong community but is not large, especially when compared to institutions like Ohio State or Miami of Ohio, both of which blew my mind as far as Greek Life when applying for grad schools.  I also joined an organization in the Memorial Student Center (one of our student unions) and did not leave the MSC all four years of college unless I was going home to sleep or going to study abroad.  So, outside of class and my involvement with various organizations at the MSC, there was not much time remaining for involvement with a Fraternity.  


After reviewing the Blogabus, I am very excited and nervous, because we have a long but very productive and awesome quarter ahead of us.  This text and the issues it teaches to, the activities we have planned, and the whole blogging thing are so cool in my mind and I am looking forward to going on this leadership journey with ya'll.  I appreciate ya'll letting me join in this quarter, and I hope you can teach me more about FIJI and what it means to you as we explore leadership and how it relates to the Fraternal movement.