Meeting Minutes - Tuesday, February 11, 2025

FHS Monthly Meeting (ZOOM) Start Time: 6:31pm

Present:  Sarah Albertson; Tula Christopoulos; Catherine Karathanasis; Mariea Kazantzis; Katherine Panagakos; Tom Papademetriou.

January Minutes: Tom moved; Katherine seconded. Approved.

Financial Report:  None.

Scholarship Updates: Katherine

  • Katherine and Cathy approved the scholarship for Mackenzie Kornblum who started the semester in Greece.

Pappas Hellenic Center Report: Tom.

  • Art exhibit sponsored by the Pappas Center, Byzantine Reflections: Church Architecture and Iconography, held a successful opening. 140 attendees.
  • Events: Due to snowstorm, the Feb. 12th: Consul General’s lunch meeting with students and the community event with a 4:30pm talk is postponed to Wednesday, March 7th.
  • Tom sent out the rescheduling announcement.
  • Following the talk, we will have a Vasilopita celebration and reception 5:30pm to 7:30pm. All in the Art Gallery.
  • Time is still not set for the Feb. 27th artists’ (Kamages and Kordis), demo and roundtable discussion.
  • Friday, Feb. 28th, 6:30pm, a community social event in the Art Gallery. 7:30-9pm: Reception with the two artists; Remarks; Q&A. Music group will perform.
  • Through MGSA, Tom met with St. Demetrios parochial high school in Astoria, NY to create a dual credit special course in Byzantine History.
  • Demetrios students will receive four credits; transferable to other colleges. Cost is $400 per student.
  • A group of 40 St. Demetrios students will visit the exhibit March 3rd or 5th. Tom will arrange to pay 50% of the bus cost and offer lunch vouchers.
  • Pappas Center submitted a half page ad to the National Herald’s Greek Letters issue.
  • Tula will speak with Veta to follow up on a potential visit by the National Herald to report on our exhibit, events and college in general.
  • Regarding the Constantelos Annual Lecture, Tom and Ed will create and send out the invitation.
  • Tom said the Print Shop needs a four day window. It is Graphics that needs four weeks.
  • Tom has a student worker, Laura Lionel, to write press releases. She wrote an article on the exhibit in the ARGOS school paper.

Website: Mariea.

  • Mariea created a clickable events She will enhance it as a tab in uppercase so it stands out.

Hellenic Voice: Mariea

  • Publish twice a year: End of March; end of October. So articles for Spring issue due end of March.
  • Will reprint Laura’s ARGO article with a blurb on how Dr. Demetrios won the contest in 1971 to name the school paper.
  • Cathy, Sarah and Sophia will be asked to write articles on the various Feb-Mar events.
  • Tom will have Lauren Balasco ask the Political Science students to write an article after the March 7th lunch meeting.

Exploring Hellenism:

  • Theme: Magna Grecia: Hellenism in Greece and Italy.
  • Dante Hall as the venue: Tom will speak with Rich Nagro (St. Michael’s) and Luisa.
  • Still scheduled for Fall 2025.
  • Sofia’s is an alternative if Dante Hall is unavailable.

New Business:

  • Tom showed NJ Stage magazine’s coverage of the Byzantine exhibit.
  • History Club going to Boston April 4th. If they include Hellenic College visit, Pappas Center will offer a Pappas Center stipend.
  • String bag donation to Holy Trinity Sights & Sounds event: Tom and Tula will arrange order with Lisa Mitoulis.
  • Sarah will get a high resolution FHS logo with slogan in Greek and English.

Old Business:

  • Mariea and Cathy will try to reschedule interview date with Dean Marshall to February 28th or March 7th
  • 2025 trip to Washington DC will be planned for October 2025 for the community, not students. Tula will speak with Jack Devine how he organizes O.C. community bus trips. What does the bus cost, etc.

Adjournment: 7:35pm

 

Respectfully submitted,

Tula Christopoulos