Editor:

As a previous member of Sophos Sophomore Honorary and a current member of the Chain Gang Junior Honorary, I feel compelled to respond to Mr. Jeremy Pepper's column regarding the honorary system ("Freshmen! How to Succeed at the UA," June 19). My experiences in the honoraria have been nothing but positive. The 1995-1996 Sophos members contributed hundreds of community service hours at local philanthropies, including Tucson Aids Project, United Way, and Adopt-a-Family, to name a few. The honoraria become what the members make of them; there are no rules stating what must be done in the honorary for the year. The members of Sophos took the initiative to make 1995-1996 a successful year. I wonder why Mr. Pepper failed to do the same.

During our initiation into Chain Gang this last spring, we never made "disparaging remarks about Chimes," as Mr. Pepper stated in his column. I have several friends that are members of Chimes, and there has even been talk of combined activities and philanthropies - not exactly the behavior expected of bitter rivals. Mr. Pepper felt the honoraria are "self-serving" and "look good on your r­sum­." It does not surprise me that he had a poor experience with the honoraria if he had this attitude; I am a strong believer in doing something for the experience, not your r­sum­. The mention of an honorary on my r­sum­ could never fully describe the experiences and friends I have made through my association with these clubs.

My advice to any incoming freshmen would be to become actively involved in activities on and off campus, including the many honoraria. These experiences will enrich your college education more than you can ever imagine.

George Stickney
Biochemistry junior