First of all, to anyone who actually reads this blog, I appreciate the interest and I apologize for the limited number of posts recently. It seems like there’s no time to sit and write these days with the working life (I’m not complaining at all, because I have too many banker friends who take my right to whine about working hours completely away from me). Beyond work, however, one thing that has been keeping me really busy lately is AEZ, and I decided it’s about time I write an entry about this organization which means so much to me.
To those that do not know, AEZ, or Alpha Epsilon Zeta, is an all-encompassing, professional fraternity founded at UC Berkeley five years ago. AEZ was established in order to create the largest South Asian professional network in the nation, with successful brothers excelling in all fields, bound together by an unbreakable bond of brotherhood developed through our years together during college. It already makes me so proud to see the things our alumni are doing and I cannot wait to see what this network will look like 5, 10, 15, or 20 years from now. 
When I first heard about AEZ, I was definitely unsure as to whether or not I wanted to join, thinking it was just another organization started by people trying to fill their resumes with some bs extracurricular. How wrong I was…As I lookback now, four years later, rushing AEZ was one of the best decisions of my college career. Through the organization and by being around such an awesome group of guys, I’ve grown so much intellectually, emotionally, academically, and professionally. It always makes me laugh when I look back to those days when I first pledged freshman year and how much I’ve changed due to the experiences I’ve had through this fraternity. It’s also so refreshing to be part of a group on campus that’s not here for the ‘resume benefits’ a year down the line during recruiting, but instead for the longterm benefits of growing everyday, making lifetime friends, and trying to create something that will hopefully be a huge force in the future.
Now, as some of you know, I’ve been given the privelge and honor to be president of this organization and group of guys for the 2008-2009 school year. The title itself means nothing about hierarchy or ability, but simply that I’ve decided to take on a little more work and responsibility in making sure this organization continues its growth. The beauty of the organization is that each brother is a president, as, despite its growth, AEZ still operates as a small and nimble organization that can change drastically due to the actions and decisions of any brother. It really is an honor and challenge to be given the privilege to attempt to lead such a diverse, well-rounded, and motivated group of guys. Imagine trying to be CEO of a group of CEO’s – it’s defintiely a challenge, but one that I’m sure will continue to grow my own understanding of myself, leadership, and organizational abilities – an opportunity I’m extremely thankful for.
To keep this relatively brief, AEZ has been an immensely key part of my time here at Berkeley and has accounted for so much of my growth. Beyond that however, it’s an awesome feeling to have such a capable group of guys I can call my brothers and who I know have my back as well at anytime in the future.
I wish I could capture the excitement I have for the future of this organization and somehow post it on this blog, because I just can’t express it through words alone.
Lastly, before I forget, I cannot end this entry without thanking all those not in the fraternity who have been so supportive of our goals for the South Asian community and our mission in general. What we’re trying to accomplish goes so much beyond ourselves, and we really hope our actions, events, and values will be a positive force in our local Berkeley and South Asian communnities, as well as family and friend circles. I wish I could name all the people who have helped us out over the years and given us their support, but I know you know who you are. We wouldn’t be where we are today without you, and we won’t go anywhere in the future without your continuing support as well. After all, we’re only one part of the community we’re trying to exist in and we will all ultimately rise or fall together.
If you go to UC Berkeley, definitely stop by the big white tent on Sproul next fall during welcome week and say hello to our brothers.
If you want to learn more about AEZ, please visit our website. www.aezinc.org (it’s a rough framework right now as we’re in the middle of major web restructuring/design, so we appreciate your patience).
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
