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INFINITY'S LEGACY | JENNY NAYOUNG CHUNG (President)
April 13, 2018 | by Evan Toy

"...grow
exponentially
beyond our
imagination..."
In all honesty, getting the opportunity to interview Jenny was truly humbling for myself. I have come to the realization of all the hard work she and her fellow Founders have put in and continue to put in in order to make DEM a thriving community.
​
Jenny is a Junior, studying Public Health, and serves as the current Delta Epsilon Mu Alpha Kappa Chapter President. It was inspiring for me to interview Jenny mainly because I could feel the sheer passion she has for DEM and how much she believes in the continued potential of the Fraternity as a whole. I wanted to see her perspective on a lot of areas.
I first started by asking her to summarize her overall DEM experience and what she gets out of it.
“I think DEM really taught me how to build a system and community from scratch. There is so much that goes into forming an unprecedented structure and to be able to head that process has been really rewarding. In the time of founding I learned how to create a team, encourage interpersonal bonds, and motivate others to envision the outcome together. In my current position as the President, I am learning valuable skills to work with ambiguity and difficult decisions!”
As an active member of the Beta class, I am guilty of overlooking how much work it actually takes to start an organization like this. The dedication that was displayed by Jenny is one of the main reasons DEM continues to grow today. I am so glad that you have been able to experience the reward of all your hard work!
I then asked her how the initial idea of DEM started, and why she continued to go through with it.
“So freshman year fall quarter, I knew I wanted to do something in the health field but did not exactly know what. I was also getting involved on campus a lot with the ASUW, leadership, and work, and wanted to have a community to foster growth among pre-health students. Though listening to speakers in the field or finding tutor or test prep resources seemed great for different groups to provide to students, I wanted a community that put people at the forefront of their mission. Identifying that a Professional Fraternity would hold the best of both worlds with both personal and professional growth, I decided to search it up, and Delta Epsilon Mu popped up on my screen! I immediately emailed the Expansion Director who now we know as Randell, our National VP of Membership, and from there -- January of my Freshman year, our 13 months of Founding DEM began.”
I think it is amazing that DEM began from the passion of a few health students who wanted to make a difference. Jenny had a vision and turned that into reality. Not many people in the world can say that they made a difference by turning their dreams into reality.
With everything Jenny has been through with DEM, I asked her to pick out the most impactful memory from it all.
“I think every time we have a new class welcome party, I just sit back and watch everyone laugh, eat, have fun, take photos and realize that the work we put into founding and running the Fraternity is truly worth it. And I know that I'm going to realize this at every welcome party in the future -- so to summarize, I would say the most impactful memories are the first moments we welcome the new classes into our family!”
I can imagine how ecstatic the Founding class feels every time we welcome a new class into the Fraternity because they are seeing the benefits of their hard work and commitment!
Lastly, I asked Jenny what she wants to leave us with. I wanted her to tell me in what direction she wanted to see the Fraternity grow. Also, I asked her for specific advice for the younger and newer members of DEM.
“In terms of what direction I'd want DEM to be, I want it to grow to be the family that fosters leadership and self-reflection among members. A student-run organization's success and future depend on its members' vision and execution of goals, so I hope that what the Founders built in 2017 can grow exponentially beyond our imagination in the years to come! And I hope that the future members know that I, along with many Founders and current members, will help support, guide, and empower the growth of this Chapter wholeheartedly in the coming years.”
“To underclassmen and incoming classes, I hope that you can experience DEM to its full potential. Frankly, this Chapter will fulfill your heart with so much joy but may also challenge you at times. Be adaptable, understanding and compassionate but also take care of yourself in those times. Moreover, reach out to every member and you will be surprised with the meaningful interactions and long-lasting friendships that grow from this community. Take the Fraternity as a place you build friendships and grow professionally and personally, but also a place that you can contribute to and help improve. You are who makes this Chapter unique and special. I couldn't be prouder to build a hopefully lasting legacy here at the UW and can't wait to come back in 3, 5, 10 years to see what the future members have accomplished.”
Jenny, thank you so much for all you do for this community. Thank you for all the hard work you have put in over the years. Thank you for the constant sacrifices you make. Thank you for your commitment to serve. Thank you for your passion. Thank you for your leadership and for guiding this Fraternity to success. Thank you for taking that first step, and for being an inspiration to us all.
INFINITY'S LEGACY | TIM LANTIN (Vice-President)
April 10, 2018 | by Luci Lu

"...learn to
love
love to
learn..."
Next up on our Founder’s Feature, we have Tim! I met up with him to take a walk around campus and to get an idea of what his “DEM Experience” was like, and to gain an insight to his student life.
​
Being a part of DEM, members will often time refer to each other as a family. This is not just something we say, but something we truly mean! I was never able to put these thoughts into words, but Tim eloquently explains it in the legacy that he wants to leave behind.
“I want to leave behind a culture that is defined by the people— A culture of supportiveness, one that builds people up, and one that really focuses on the concept of a synergy, where the whole is greater than the parts combined.
I also want to establish a pipeline into a hospital or company for DEM members. But most of all, I want to leave behind something for the benefit of others, not just a memory of myself. “
Tim goes on to explain the value behind finding one’s community in a large campus such as UW.
“UW is a big school, and you can feel insignificant, which is both humbling and liberating at the same time- but it is not to say that you’re not important. Close connections is one of the most valuable things you can form at UW.”
This being his third year at UW already, I asked Tim if he had any advice for the younger members of DEM.
“To most freshman and sophomores: Lose the high school mentality as soon as you can- you can’t just breeze through classes, and go through the class for the sole purpose of the grade. Go to class and want to be there, love to learn and learn to love. Stay curious.”
I think in the busy day to day life of every college student, it is easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle. But I was easily inspired and encouraged by these next few words-
“Go out and try new things! I think if the thought of something makes you uncomfortable, then you have an obligation to investigate it.”
And I think Tim is exactly right- there is no growth in comfort! We are only able to grow as people and explore our passions when we are tested by uncomfortable situations. Thank you so much, Tim, for your time and for sharing your story! The younger members of DEM will always look to you for inspiration.
INFINITY'S LEGACY | JUEUN PARK (Director of Public Relations)
April 6, 2018 | by Evan Toy

"...relationship
that I
truly, truly
cherish..."
I had the extreme privilege to interview the head of the PR committee herself, Jueun Park. I have only known Jueun for a few months now, but her passion for DEM and the community is truly representative of what a leader should strive to be like. Starting off, I wanted to know what DEM means to her.
“The whole experience was definitely worthwhile. For me, even the long, almost 3-4 hour meetings were valuable and created an atmosphere where one really has to develop a stronger, closer relationship with the people you spend time with. Each meeting we went to, each activity we participated added to the friendship that was developing and in the end, we created a family. I would say the whole Founding process was definitely not a breeze. Going through it for a whole year, in the midst of all the chaos that came with being a freshman, while trying to survive through weed-out classes was truly difficult for me, if I'm completely honest. But looking back, it amazes me whenever I think of the days when my fellow Founders were complete strangers and how that awkward phase was transformed into this relationship that I truly, truly cherish.”
Going through the Founding process was anything but easy for Jueun, as she was forced to battle with the struggles that comes with being a college freshman. She mentioned that through all the troubles, her DEM family is what made it all worth it. I continued to ask why she decided to join/found DEM.
​
“Definitely being a freshman helped. Being a first year in such a huge campus, not knowing exactly what I wanted to do for my career really drove me to seek out a community of my own. And I've mentioned this to a number of my friends but I knew I was passionate about health but the health field is so big and so unpredictable. I wanted a place where I was safe to explore while surrounding myself with students with similar concerns and motivations. And at that time, there were no pre-health clubs in UW and I knew I wasn't decisive enough to commit to one particular pre-health field. DEM was perfect for that. Jenny reached out to me freshman year about wanting to expand DEM into the UW campus and I was instantly hooked. I knew putting myself around students with a variety of different pre-health tracks would open a new world for me, and DEM really helped me find my true passion of wanting to pursue the PA track.”
As for many of us, Jueun found a sense of comfort in DEM, where she was able to explore different pre-health tracks, and soon, found her passion in the PA track.
I asked Jueun to reflect on the last year of DEM, and what has been the most meaningful experience for her.
“I would say our first Info Session as DEM! It was our very first time being public at UW. And what made it even more memorable was that I was the speaker for our Info Session. Oh my goodness, I was so nervous because I was basically the first speaker of the first official event of DEM and whatever I said would somewhat set an image of our Chapter. Seeing the first pool of interested students in front of me was such a rewarding experience and I had the honor to speak at our first event.”
As DEM continues to grow and prosper, it is important to remember all the hard work that was put in at the very start. As more classes continue to come in, we are ever more thankful for the dedication of Jueun and the Founders as a whole.
Finishing up, I asked Jueun where she sees the fraternity going in the future, and branching off of that, if she has any advice for us underclassmen and/or future DEM members.
​
“DEM has given me an environment where I was able to safely explore and eventually, find my true passion in the health field. I want all the future classes to experience the same. Even those who are pretty determined in their career tracks, exploration doesn't hurt! Since the medical field, dentistry field, public health field, etc are so broad and there are so many specialized careers within those big umbrellas, I hope that DEM can provide insight to these unknown fields, creating a space for undergraduates to freely search for their true passions.”
“An advice I would give to future Actives would be to really look into where your true passion lies. I can't say this in a more cliche way. I came into UW, fairly set on pre-med but when I imagined myself in the actual position, I didn't feel so accomplished or satisfied. I explored deeper and discovered that my true passion was in patient interaction, which is why I arrived at the PA track! So there's no need to come to college knowing exactly what you want to do. Everything will work out and while at the moment it might not seem like things are going your way, if you are striving towards your true passion, I think even those failures and defeating times are all worth it!”
​
Jueun, thank you for all you do for DEM and for this PR committee. You are truly a symbol of our LDFS!
INFINITY'S LEGACY | FATIMA MANZER (Former Director of Prospects)
April 4, 2018 | by Evan Toy

"...created strong
friendships
and
bonds..."
Fatima is a very special member of the Delta Epsilon Mu community. As a senior studying Medical Anthropology and Global Health, she served as Director of Prospects and helped cross the Alpha and Beta classes! I had the privilege of interviewing Fatima.
​
I started off my asking Fatima about her overall experience in DEM and how this has shaped her into the person she is today.
​
“Overall, being a part of DEM has shaped my UW experience. I joined as a freshman when we began this journey of establishing a pre-health professional fraternity. Throughout these past few years, I have met hardworking and passionate individuals who make a difference at UW. Although the process was challenging, I am so thankful to have been a part of this supportive family who motivates me to pursue my goals. My involvement with DEM helped me find my passion for public health.”
It is amazing to see that the DEM community has played such a key role in Fatima’s professional and academic career!
​
Following up, I asked her to elaborate on why she decided to join/found DEM.
​
“I joined DEM because it’s main purpose was community. As a freshman, I was so excited to work with other pre-health students and learn about resources available on campus. DEM was a great opportunity for me to meet new people and find an empowering community.”
​
As most active members, Fatima has found a home in Delta Epsilon Mu with the community of students who have similar interests yet far different backgrounds.
I soon asked Fatima to reflect on her time with DEM so far and what specifically has been the most memorable experience.
“The most impactful memory from my experience with DEM was our first recruitment in Spring of 2017. After over a year of establishing the Fraternity, it was so heartwarming to see all the excited students who were interested in learning about how they could be a part of DEM. I am so grateful that DEM has brought us all together. When we started out, most of us didn’t know each other. Through this organization, we have created strong friendships and bonds that will last beyond our time at UW.”
​
It is crazy to think DEM has brought unique strangers together through a love and commonality of health and has surely established a growing family that we all cherish.
To cap off the interview, I asked Fatima to leave her mark. I asked her where she sees the Fraternity growing, and branching off of that, I asked her if she has any last advice for us younger active members, and for those soon to come.
​
“Once I graduate, I want to see DEM grow through diverse health backgrounds and perspectives. I am excited to see DEM make a bigger impact on campus and in our community. Some advice for younger active members would be to get involved and explore different fields. Take advantage of all the resources available. Use this time to learn more about yourself and reflect. Getting involved with DEM is the first step to finding yourself with the support of such an intelligent and driven community.”
Thanks so much, Fatima, for playing such a huge part of this Fraternity’s history. Your contributions to this community have been nothing but impactful. On behalf of the entire DEM family, I’d like to say Thank You!!
INFINITY'S LEGACY | DAISY MUNKH-ORGIL (Former Social Chair)
March 27, 2018 | by Jueun Park

"...with every
challenge
we as individuals
grow..."
Daisy is a special member of Delta Epsilon Mu. Having found DEM along with the rest of the Founders, she has left a great mark in our Infinity Class, despite her departure to California towards the end of her sophomore year. Although she transferred to University of California, Davis, she continues to serve as a DEM member in the Beta Chapter in UC Davis and continues to pour her LDFS into her DEM family in California. I still wanted to talk to her, despite being miles and miles away, about her experience in DEM so far, specifically in our Alpha Kappa Chapter and as a Founder. Being an out-of-state student, I assumed that she had a great attachment to a sense of community in such a big campus like UW and I wanted to know more about her early experiences in college.
“Coming from California with a graduating class of about 80 students, University of Washington was daunting during my first quarter. But I was so excited to start my journey as a young adult and learn more of what the world has to offer in life. I wasn’t exactly sure on what I wanted to purse as a career after completing and attaining my Bachelor’s degree, but I knew I wanted to be a professional in the health field. While taking STEM courses, I experienced the stress to do well and standout academically like many other students especially in such a high competitive environment.”
Being surrounded by multiple thousands of students in a completely different state, Daisy truly desired to find her community. Not knowing how and where to find such a close-knit family in a new environment, she was stumbled upon the people who later would become her fellow Founders in DEM.
“I felt that students including myself desired some of sort of supportive space and community on campus, and this solidified my commitment to establishing DEM at UW. I also met so many amazing people who are knowledgeable and passionate about the health field. I think their goals to have positive impacts on communities also motivated me to go through with DEM. During the early expansion process, I truly believed that DEM had the ability to bring students together who are like-minded yet still having unique traits and aspirations. The close-knit community that DEM has flourished into only after a year is truly heartwarming to see because as a Founder, I think my aims of bringing DEM to campus has been achieved. I am truly appreciative of the Founding experience and the people I will forever have in my life now!”
Having found her community in such a huge, intimidating environment, she began to now search for her dream in the health field. DEM provided a safe community for her to explore but getting there wasn’t so easy.
“Time management was definitely a challenge during the expansion process. Being on a quarter system is tough because after the first midterm, the quarter is on a roll! The weekly new additional assignments of DEM along with schoolwork were tough.”
But she didn’t stop at the stage of being in despair. She shared that through these hard times, balancing DEM Founding and academics, she came out stronger than ever.
“I think with every challenge, we as individuals grow. I was forced to manage my time better, and now I am a better student because I know how to allocate and optimize my time well. I also think that through these assignments, I really got to bond with my Founding class! We have many funny memories together that probably weren’t funny at the time off…but they are now”
Among those, what’s her favorite memory? She shared immediately.
“My favorite memory of DEM is welcoming the Alpha class because it was just surreal that we as Founder created this community and all shared a vision of what we wanted to be. I think having the Alpha class is a similar experience to crossing the finish line at a marathon for me because of feeling that something was accomplished and complete, and we really did it! I was excited and on my toes while getting to know them, so having them officially join the community was like seeing a big present box on Christmas morning. I just love how everyone in DEM is compassionate and sincere. Whether or not you are close to someone, he/she will be there to support you. I’m really grateful to have surrounded myself with these group people because DEMbers (DEM+members) are the ones who are rooting for from start to finish. They genuinely want what’s best for you.”
Daisy definitely holds a special experience as a DEM member, Founding a community she wanted as an out-of-state student and getting a close view of the community of DEM in two different chapters. She wants to encourage other students who may be intimidated by the nature of college and motivate them to step out to search for their community.
“Engage and integrate yourself into the community as much as you can! These people honestly will bring out the best in you if you let them because I miss my Alpha Kappas so much after transferring to UC Davis!! Also, talk to current actives and listen to their stories…a lot of good insight from talented people."
Daisy brings so much joy into our family and although being miles away from her Founders, she never stops to cheer us on during every step of our journey here at UW. Thank you Daisy for being yourself and we only hope for the best for you!
INFINITY'S LEGACY | SARA PARK (Former Fundraising Chair)
March 5, 2018 | by Jueun Park

"...able to
solidify
what my passion
in career
truly was..."
A conversation with Sara is always a meaningful one. Although been inactive for two quarters due to working as a CNA, the bond formed between her and the rest of the Founders was never broken and meeting Sara again always reminds me that LDFS never leaves despite time and distance. And during our interview, I wanted to reflect together on the days during the Founding process. My first question to her was about her motivation to found DEM.
“Because why not! It was an opportunity to gain more opportunities and to provide others with opportunities. In college, it is so important to surround yourself with good people, people you truly care for, and people who care about you. Pre-health is a tough, tough road, but tackling it in a community makes it SO much better”
Sara has been through the vigorous “weed-out” classes during her first years at UW, along with many volunteer and work experiences she had to build on herself. Nothing is more stressful than fighting your way through 800 students in an introductory science class in one of the most competitive campuses around. And of course, it was very tough for her to balance her time between classes, CNA, and this Fraternity.
“Hardest thing about founding DEM was probably everything about it (haha). As over-dramatic as that sounds, it was truly difficult for me. I honestly had no idea what founding a fraternity would entail and it was honestly so much harder than I thought. But I think I grew a lot from it. I was able to solidify what my passion in career truly was, what I enjoyed about relationships and what my leadership style was like.”
Unfortunately for her, Sara had to become inactive for two quarters because of her CNA commitments. Nonetheless, she still recollects some valuable memories she had while she was an Active member.
“Surprisingly I really enjoyed the final round of interviews and being able to talk about every single Prospective Members. After Founding, each class we recruited was a family we have created through our own thoughts and processes. It was something we finally could collectively call our own and it was something we all gave our inputs on to make it our own!”
As a junior, anticipating to set foot into the nursing field, she had developed many strategies and advices to herself to help push herself towards the ultimate goal. I asked her to share some of her advices.
“As cliche as it sounds, my advice is to truly be yourself. Be creative, be true to who you are, don’t conform to society. In all aspects of your life, not just DEM, you’ll be so much happier, and be surprised where that takes you!”
She has helped build DEM to what is it now, founded upon the four pillars of Loyalty, Dedication, Friendship, and Support. Her influence on this family has never been faded despite her absence and we cannot wait for her to come back to our family in Spring and really experience the DEM culture to its fullest. Thank you Sara for sharing your experience in DEM!
INFINITY'S LEGACY | VIVIAN LU (Historian)
February 28, 2018 | by Jia Wong

"...continue
staying true
to what our Fraternity
stands for..."
Meet Founder Vivian Lu, a charismatic member of DEM and currently the Fraternity’s Historian. Vivian has gone through the motions of being in DEM and has helped build the Fraternity from the ground up. She has taken a lot of valuable lessons with her, constantly learning something new about herself since her time in the Fraternity. Her and I sat down to reflect on her time in DEM.
“I think we definitely came a long way since we first started. I didn’t know everyone initially going through the process. But I ended up have grown a lot closer to a lot of people and what it came with it was a lot of personal and professional growth. I learned what I value in relationships and how keeping in contact with my Big who is at a different chapter - being able to support each other from afar. It puts into perspective of other friendships I have as well. I also gained leadership skills. At first I found myself to be shy and not speak about things. But I definitely have become more open to talk and willing to receive support.”
DEM allows friendships to be developed into familial bonds, building a tight knit community at the University of Washington, setting DEM apart from many RSOs.
“I feel like after joining DEM, the people are considerate and have taken the initiative to get to know me even though they haven’t known me for so long. I initially was scared that I wouldn't be able to find my group of friends at UW. But I think I truly found that through DEM.”
For those who are hesitant in joining DEM, Vivian emphasizes a lot on the support aspect that DEM is built upon. Vivian’s interview reminds many of us in DEM on why we are in Fraternity in the first place and that we are not pursuing our pre-health passions alone.
“At the very core of our chapter, we are here for each other. Personally, I want to acknowledge that we take care of each other and that we should all genuinely care about each other. Continue being compassionate towards one another. I hope we can continue staying true to what our Fraternity stands for as well as being true to ourselves. I hope us Founders were able to set a foundation because we still have a long ways to go in terms of growth.”
Founders like Vivian, optimistically see the fraternity flourish and only hope for the best. By having developed such close bonds, can we then grow professionally and personally in reaching our personal endeavors. Again, Vivian reminds us, to not just DEM members, but to everyone to,
“Keep pursuing your dreams and if you don't know where you're going it’s okay because there are people there to support you in your college career. Believe you can achieve great things. People who truly care will be there for you always! There are times where situations will be hard, but you will be okay.”
Vivian, thank you so much for your wise insight and for helping to build such an inclusive community that many people have come to know and love!
INFINITY'S LEGACY | ROSHELLA GOMES (Education Chair)
February 22, 2018 | by Jueun Park

"...going through
this all
together
made it so
much easier..."
Every time I sit down and talk to Roshella, I truly feel her genuine willingness to talk to whoever is in front of her. In the midst of her busy, hectic schedule, going from lab to research and right back to classes, I was able to sit down in the middle of HUB Starbucks to reflect together on this journey. So why did you join DEM, I asked.
“The most important reason was that we didn’t have a fraternity like DEM on campus. UW is so centered around medicine, so I think it’s super important to have an all-encompassing Fraternity. For me, I will not only be working with doctors, but also with nurses, speech pathologists, and I truly believe it’s important to get the exposure early on.”
Roshella had a firm career in health. Starting from freshman year, she has been in track with numerous STEM classes and academic health involvements outside of school. The time commitment required for all the Founders in the Founding process was no doubt a hard thing to juggle. I specifically asked her about what experience made it hard for her in the Founding process.
“Probably the long hours for meeting times. Just the amount of time we had to spend on planning and meeting, it was really time consuming. It was time very well spent but it would become very stressful during midterms. But having the group and going through this all together made it so much easier.”
The long meeting hours, however, did not shadow the great moments our Founder shared. From establishment to the recruitment of Beta classes, so much has happened and so many memories were created. Roshella shared her favorite.
“Our meetings are super long and a lot of my campus rooms are limited time. We were in a meeting and during the meeting, the person that ran our meetings through video chat said that it would run over midnight. So we had to frantically find a room in the middle of the meeting and one of our member found this random room she had access to. It was so small it barely fit all 13 of us and we were all so tired at that point. So we all squished in that tiny room, trying to finish our meeting and it was just a good night of bonding.”
The valuable memories that follow the difficult times are one of the many perks that come with DEM. With so much personal attachment she has developed for this family, she definitely gives some points about DEM that can attract new interested students.
“Personal growth. Since we are all undergraduates, we still have a lot to learn. A lot of people coming into DEM don’t know their career tracks and since DEM really has a huge diversity, this Fraternity can provide exposure. Pre-health is a brutal field and having that community is super important to not just support you but to motivate you. Looking at one of out members for example, Tim, seeing him doing so much already motivates me to really reach my dream and goal.”
As a student in the medical track, she has not only given to the DEM family but also received so much growth and precious relationships. As she anticipates to enter the busy life in the medical field, she also hopes to see DEM grow.
“I will graduate soon. When I come back, I want to see DEM grown, not just in numbers, but well known in UW. I want DEM to be perceived as a fraternity where people can really be motivated academically and have a strong support system. I want a lot of motivated individuals in that one community.”
Thank you Roshella for sharing your experience as a Founder! We are all so excited for what is planned ahead of you.
INFINITY'S LEGACY | JOSH KLETT (Former Philanthropy Chair)
February 15, 2018 | by Jia Wong

"...always believe
in your
ability
to achieve..."
Meet DEM brother Josh Klett, a graduating senior majoring in Public Health. I have always been awe-stricken whenever I interact with Josh because he exemplifies the pillars DEM is built upon and expresses it in everything that he does. I was fortunate enough to sit down and have Josh share his valued experience in life and his time founding DEM.
“It’s a little surreal still having worked at it for a full year. Everything that was needed to have founded DEM made it a long and difficult process. But, overall it has been a really positive experience. I learned about my own leadership style and what I can give back to DEM.”
A very tribulating yet rewarding process, Josh could not help but find himself in a very supportive and loving community that many of us know as DEM, only harboring love for one another and passions for pre-health.
“Anyone can be a part of your family. When the Founders class did found DEM - there was a strong connection. A little apprehensive at first. But we’re growing with Alphas and Betas so far. A major takeaway in college in general; finding what you are passionate about and rediscovering those passions. I found myself at a point where I was caught up with work, but I ended up realizing that DEM is something I hold dear to my heart.”
To many members of DEM, DEM is a community that is near and dear to our hearts. A community that continually tries to provides for their members whether it be with resources and or other means of support to develop professional and personal growth. Josh has reflected and learned from his time at UW and with DEM that...
“The idea that every major and health passion is equally valid. Every health profession is just as important. There is such a varying scope and there’s always a need for all of that. DEM does not judge and allows this place to discover and explore health professions.”
I had asked Josh if he had any meaningful life lessons that he was willing to share and what he shared was truly gripping, that I found applicable to many pre-health driven students, serving as a reminder to never undermine yourself in your endeavors. From hearing what Josh had to say,
“To never sell yourself short and always believe in your ability to achieve. As pre-health majors, it really is easy to create a bar and compare yourself to other people’s standards. Everybody goes at their own pace and everyone defines success in their own ways. I think it’s important to get rid of the “I have to…” and do what “I want…” setting your own passions and realizing that. Be confident in what you can achieve!”
Truly bittersweet for goodbyes but without a doubt, Josh will achieve greatness from here on out. Josh’s legacy in DEM not only inspired many now but will positively impact the future of DEM.
INFINITY'S LEGACY | VANESSA LAPITAN (Former Director of Prospects)
February 13, 2018 | by Jia Wong

"...able to share that
special bond
with your brothers
and sisters..."
I had the grand opportunity to interview Founder Vanessa Lapitan, who served as Director of Prospects (alongside Fatima Manzer), both of which helped induct the Alpha and Beta classes of DEM. Vanessa witnessed the Fraternity come to fruition here at UW and throughout the couple years of her being in the Fraternity, she has gained a lot and was willing to share her overall experience and some words of advice.
“My experience has been unexpected from the get-go. I didn’t realize how much work was needed to be put into establishing DEM, but it has been such a crazy, worthwhile experience seeing how we started off with 13 and now with 40. If I could sum my experience up in a few words, it would be fun, crazy, and unexpected all at the same time because there has been so much that has happened considering how long DEM has been around.”
With DEM’s mission to foster professional and personal growth among its members, Vanessa found herself learning more and more about herself, her realizing certain passions and affirming her desire in pursuing a pre-health career.
“Professionally, I learned the importance of teamwork when it comes to health care workers - knowing how they work and communicate with one another. How important it is to acknowledge differing perspectives. I also found the importance of having a community that is always there to support you. It is one thing for me to talk about it, but it is another feeling when you are able to share that special bond with your brothers and sisters.”
Vanessa is determined that the Fraternity will grow for the better in the near future and hopes to leave behind a lasting imprint for future DEM classes to live by.
“I would want to leave a supportive community to allow people the chance to figure things out because college can be a confusing place. Having a community that allows you to question, think, and grow as a person is something I want to leave behind. I didn't have that before and it made me doubt myself. I don't want other people to feel how I felt back then.”
As a graduating senior, Vanessa is happy to say that she tried to make the most of her time in DEM. She wanted to say a few parting words that not only resonated with me, but I hope will resonate with fellow DEM members and future prospective members.
“To always remember our four pillars and always take those to heart when going forward in your college career.”
“I want to thank DEM for letting me have the privilege of meeting so many people with so many perspectives. For letting me contribute and helping people within the fraternity. As corny as it may sound, I do feel like I have a family because of DEM and I am thankful because not everyone has that. Even though it may be dysfunctional at times, with all its imperfection. It made me a more confident person.”
Thank you Vanessa Lapitan for your arduous work in founding DEM and being an embodiment of what DEM stands for- your legacy will be everlasting!
INFINITY'S LEGACY | JULIA PHAM (National Liaison)
February 12, 2018 | by Jueun Park

"...a place where I was
comfortable
exploring
my future career..."
Julia Pham is one of our seniors leaving and meeting up with her really brought an emotional conversation. As the National Liaison, she has worked closely with the National Chapter and through her active involvement as a Founder and her officer position, she definitely has developed valuable experiences and memories. But when I asked her about her very first memory in DEM and she had to think for a few minutes to pick out from her accumulation of “DEMories”
“I think it was our first info session as an established Delta Epsilon Mu. When we gathered all together at our very first event, we were all very hectic and everyone was freaking out. We were kicking off our first event and getting our faces out there in public. But all in the end, it was such a successful event.
Julia has been here since the beginning. After two recruitment cycles, she believes that there are so many personal benefits that comes with this family. Why did she join DEM? I asked her.
“Personally for me, I joined because I wanted to have a place where I was comfortable in exploring my future career. And surrounding myself with people that were in the same mindset brought people that were able to encourage me and enabled myself to motivate them as well. Like a give and take relationship. I wanted something in my life where I can always go to like a home and have that welcoming feeling again. And I do feel that. The reason why I joined DEM is because I wanted a family who understand me and accept me. If I had the choice to join DEM again. I will do it.
And what comes from this fraternity as Founders is the accomplishment of establishing this wholesome family. Starting from a year back, all 13 individuals came together with a goal to bring DEM into our college campus. While it was truly rewarding, the process was definitely time-consuming. Every Founder has a different experience in this process and I asked Julia what the hardest part about Founding was from her experience.
“The hardest part was definitely the time commitment. We wanted this so bad but also required so much out of us, it was very difficult to balance that. But at the end of the day, it was absolutely worth it. Going through it with people who also have that mindset of wanting to found DEM made it so much easier. It made me want to try harder for them and put in more effort because we all had that one central goal. It definitely paid off.
Julia is graduating soon. With everything she has gained from this family and this community, she definitely wants to leave behind a hint of her personal footprint.
“Personally, i just hope DEM is still this welcoming and happy environment where people are comfortable being themselves like how I was. Just genuine happiness. Whenever I go into DEM meetings or our social events, I‘m just always excited to see everyone. I want future classes to also experience that whenever they walk into a room with DEM people.
With so many undergraduates coming to UW with a fresh and open mind, she shared her last words of advice to the incoming classes. But first, she has something to say to her Littles specifically.
“Michael and Jia, you guys brought so much light into my world. I appreciate everything you have given me, whether that was happiness, laughter, or just being an ear to everything I rant about. I know you guys are going to do so much in the future and just remember that DEM has been built on powerful values and I hope that we can trust you guys to continue and leave behind your own legacy when it your time to say goodbye.
To general undergraduates, don’t be so hung up on one career, one focus. Throughout your years in college, you’re going to find other interests, majors, classes, and whatnot. I want you guys to really enjoy what you’re doing now. If you’re not happy with what you’re doing, try looking elsewhere and just go for it. In these four years, we are here for such a short period of our lives, if we just focus on one thing all the time, you’re going to miss out on more valuable opportunities and experiences. Explore!!!”
Knowing Julia personally, every word of that advice, she meant with all her heart. As such a warm-hearted individual, she definitely has brought so much liveliness and laughter into our family and we will really, truly miss her. We hope for the best in her future endeavors and we all know she’ll be rocking the real world! Thanks for the awesome interview Julia!
INFINITY'S LEGACY | ELLIE HURLBERT (Secretary)
February 10, 2018 | by Luci Lu

"...I want to leave behind
a legacy of
positivity..."
Our second guest of our “Infinity’s Legacy” series is Ellie Hurlbert! Ellie is currently a junior majoring in Speech and Hearing Sciences with a minor in American Sign Language, and is pursuing a path in Speech Pathology. I met up with her to not only take a peek into her experience as Secretary on the Executive Board, but to hear some impactful stories from her experience in college overall.
She mentions the envision of teamwork that Founders hope to see in Delta Epsilon Mu and the legacy that she strives to leave behind.
“Something that is important to me to leave behind at DEM is the fact that all pre-health majors have a connection to each other. Each health professional brings forth different skills to make a good team, and it goes to show that you don’t have to be in the “top” pre-health tracks (pre-med, pre-nursing) to have an ambition towards the healthcare field, which shows collaboration between all kinds of professions.
For DEM, I want to leave behind a legacy of positivity. It’s kind of cheesy, but I really try to be super positive and kind because I don’t want to create a competitive environment.
I hope that people will remember [the importance of creating a positive and kind environment] through the Founding class because through the Founding process, we lifted each other up to the potential that we knew each other had- I hope that future classes will do the same!”
After going through the process of helping to found DEM from scratch, she expresses her excitement in the meaningful connections she has formed since and seeing how far the fraternity has come.
“I really remember the first time that Jenny and Tim asked me to be part of the Founding process. I feel like I’ve made some amazing friends that will definitely last a lifetime. As Founders, we went through so much- meetings for four hours at a time, a lot of time commitment, but I definitely gained a lot of leadership positions and experiences throughout the process. It’s been really cool to play a role in making that happen. When we have recruitment events now and there’s around 90 interested people at event, it is just an amazing feeling to have people that are interested in what you built. Along with meeting some lifetime friends, there’s almost 40 people that I’ve made cool friendships with too, and it’s nice to have a bunch of little friendships all over the place.”
Anyone that talks to Ellie can confirm the encouraging and warm personality that she has. Ellie shares with me the importance of mentality, and emphasizes that success in college comes from a good mindset—
“Believing in yourself is really important, and knowing that I’m a smart, dedicated, and focused person has helped me do way better in classes because of the better mindset. Attitude affects outcome!”
She shares another small piece of her positivity in some advice for younger DEM members.
“Prioritize school but also prioritize yourself... it can be easy to get focused on the future, but you’ll never get this time back right now. You’ll never get your time back as an undecided major, and you’ll never be a freshman again after it’s over. You’re going to look back and wish you were here again and reminisce, so appreciate both your day to day and your future goals.”
Thank you Ellie, for your time and hard work in founding DEM and for sharing your valuable advice!
INFINITY'S LEGACY | JULIA SON (Treasurer)
February 2, 2018 | by Jueun Park

"...DEM is a
mix of both worlds
for me..."
INFINITY'S LEGACY | FOUNDER'S SPOTLIGHT
January 24, 2018 | PR Committee
Our very first guest of our PR committee's new Founders series: Julia Son. As a Founder and a part of the Executive Committee, serving as the DEM Treasurer, she carries an insightful experience with the Fraternity. I met up with her to ask her a few questions about her journey as a Founder in DEM, how it crafted her out-of-state college career at UW and gave her some time to reminisce about the whole Founding process of DEM.
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"As an out of state student, I didn't have a community of my own. A big thing for me was that I came from a small private school in New Orleans so I wasn't used to having to reach out and find all these resources because they were just provided for me. At UW, we have around 30,000 undergraduates and I felt lost. DEM streamed resources for me such as internship and job opportunities, philanthropy and community service involvements and so much more. DEM is a mix of both worlds for me: it's focused on academics but also socially driven so it allowed me to grow professionally, socially, and academically."
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Julia has been at the start of DEM, going through all the long meetings and preparation that needed to go into Founding the fraternity. Despite all the long hours at late meetings, she described to me her favorite first memory in DEM or as we call it: a DEMory.
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"Before Founding, during our colony stage, we had a meeting that ran over really late (around 1am) and all of the members were extremely exhausted. We all took a break and looked outside and we see snow! It hasn't snowed at all that winter so we all ran outside and took pictures in the snow, laughing our stress away."
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She told me she had a huge list of great memories she has accumulated throughout her experiences with fellow Founders. Julia loved the way DEM is now but she is still ambitious. She laid out what she personally wants to bring into DEM while she is still an active member.
"I want to bring in a lot of willingness to understand others. I think that UW fosters a lot of competitiveness so it's up to us to be that group to understand and embrace because we all together want to become successful health professionals. As family, you also have to be able to embrace people and what they're going through and most importantly, help each other through everything."
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As a junior at UW, studying Public Health, she anticipates the amount of professional development and academic support DEM will provide for her in her remaining years in college. She looks ahead 10 years and hopes to see a bright future for DEM.
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"I envision DEM to be one of the name-sake fraternities and I hope that we are able to put up the reputation through all the new members and alumni we present to the whole UW community. I also want to be a good representative of what DEM can offer to the entirety of our campus"
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