We know that many of our alumni Brothers have questions about how life at Psi has changed given these uncertain times we’re living in. COVID-19 has changed the way we conduct our daily life, and the undergraduates are no exception. We reached out to Mackenzie Dominick and asked him about what life as a Phi Kappa Sigma at Penn State is like nowadays. Here’s what he had to say.
- Where are you originally from? How did you end up at Penn State? I’m from the South Hills of Pittsburgh, PA. Born and raised. My parents met and attended Penn State so that’s all I’ve known!
- Why did you decide to pledge at Psi? What drew you to the brotherhood? I was friends with several of the brothers prior to rushing, they took me in and guided me into the life of being Men of Honor.
- How long have you been involved with Psi? What have you learned/gained from your involvement? I’ve been around the house for the past 4 years, but only was initiated a year ago. I’ve learned a lot about brotherhood and fun as well as responsibility.
- Do you have a leadership role at the house by any chance? If so, what’s your title? I am the Alpha (president) of Psi chapter until my term ends in December.
- What’s your expected grad year from Penn State? What are your area(s) of study? I am expected to graduate in the Fall of 2021. An extra semester never hurt anybody, especially in Industrial Engineering.
- Are you involved in any extracurriculars? If so, could you tell us a little bit about your experiences? How are your extracurriculars changing in the coming school year, due to COVID-19? I am heavily involved in THON and have been for the past 5 years of my life, even before Penn State. I organized my high schools first Mini-THON and have stuck with it since. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, THON will be held in a virtual format for February of 2021. This impacts the fundraising styles of our chapter as well as everyone involved.
- How does this fall’s rush process differ from past years? How has it altered to account for COVID-19? The rush process is difficult as everything is through ZOOM. It’s tough to communicate with potential new members over ZOOM because the presence of body language and skillful communication is not at the forefront. We have taken the liberty to outsource a professional videographer to compose a rush video, which turned out awesome and will be posted for undergraduates to view when looking to rush Greek Life.
- Are there any events at the house that you’ve had to cancel or alter due to the pandemic? We usually would hold formals and philanthropic events at our house, both of which have not been scheduled since the beginning of fall semester due to COVID-19.
- How is day-to-day life in the house different this year from previous school years? What safety precautions are the Brothers taking? We have outsourced a cleaning company to thoroughly clean the surfaces of our public areas and restrooms in order to minimize the spread. I’ve placed signs around the halls labelled with “Wear a mask”, as well as 5 sanitizing pumps have been installed so that access to sanitizer is easy when coming in and out of doors.
- Do you have any post-grad plans at the moment? I am seeing where the wind takes me! Focused on my education and maintaining solid grades. From there I will be able to job search and see what peaks my interest. In the world of engineering there are infinite possibilities, so my education will only get me so far. I look to work in fields surrounding the optimization of the aerodynamics in vehicles to make them eco-friendlier and FASTER.
