1. Your name, as you would prefer it to be stated?
Brian Journey, but either of those work alone as well.
2. Your current location?
Ambler PA
3. Your Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn account links (or other websites as well)?
Facebook is brian.journey, twitter is @Bjourney, but I almost never use it.
Fraternity Stuff:
4. Badge Number?
28, apparently. I would have sworn it was 27, but I trust Rick with Phi Psi info far more than I trust myself.
5. Pledge Class Name?
Alpha
6. Fraternity Nickname, if you remember it?
Solon
7. Story behind how you got your nickname, if you remember it?
Solon was one of the architects of Greek democracy, and I was the first pledge class president. He was better at his job than I was at mine.
8. Your fondest memory of being a Phi Psi?
My favorite memory was an adventure that Steve M, Justin L, Ken B and I went on one night. Some of Ken's buddies went off-roading and got two trucks stuck out in the Pine Barrens. One was buried up to the tailgate in mud, and the other was wedged between two trees, with its passenger side tires at the edge of a drop. We left a mixer at Delta Zeta to go help at about 10:00 at night, and it was raining, cold, we had almost no tools to work with, and it wound up being one of my favorite nights with the guys. My go-to illustration for “it's not where you are but who you're with”.
9. Your most embarrassing moment as a Phi Psi?
Hmm... that was a long time ago, and frankly I'm pretty shameless. I'm sure there was lots I should have been embarrassed by. Probably my dancing, more than anything else, but I think of that more as a handicap.
10. Your proudest moment as a Phi Psi?
Honestly, the support I was shown when I left Rowan. I knew I picked the right group of guys when the fact that I wasn't going to be around much any more made me more of a priority, not less.
11. Any unique memories from your time as a Phi Psi?
I count myself lucky to have been there so early on, but not a colony brother. The sense of pride that the founders radiated was palpable. This place they had built, the sense of responsibility and ownership passed to us, to watch over everything they had worked so hard for. It meant a lot to me to be included.
12. Any fraternal advice you would give to an undergraduate Phi Psi today?
Balance your time in the brotherhood with your academic pursuits. That being said, never say no to doing something new. Go places you've never been, or wouldn't be inclined to go to in the first place. Don't always sit next to the same guys at the meeting, find the brother you know the least and figure out why you're wearing the same letters. I don't regret not seeing my buddies more, I regret not getting to know some of the outliers better.
13. When was the last time you visited Rowan or the chapter?
I couldn't really tell you. There was an alumni barbecue five or six years ago, but I think that was the last time.
14. What is favorite event the chapter holds?
Homecoming. I went to one six or seven years ago, and it was great to see everybody.
15. Who's the 1 brother you want to reconnect with / see interviewed here?
Doug Kennedy, he was the first guy I sat down next to at Rowan, and he's one of the guys I would grab a drink with today at the drop of a hat.
16. Name 1 friend you made in NJE you still keep in touch with...
Steve McDermott and I go out to dinner on occasion, he's the brother I probably know the best at this point.
Career Stuff:
17. Year you graduated from Rowan?
I left Rowan in 2003.
18. Degree(s) you graduated Rowan with?
I did not complete my degree at Rowan
19. Any advanced degrees or certifications you have?
I returned to school full time in 2011 (after a few years of prerequisite coursework) for my degree in Nursing. I sat for my boards in 2013.
20. Your current occupation?
I am a nurse at Jefferson Hospital.
21. Number of years in that occupation?
I have been a nurse for about a year and a half, but have worked in Emergency Medicine for the past nine years, in various roles.
22. Any career advice you would give to an undergraduate Phi Psi today?
Diversify your education and experience far past the boundaries of your degree and your professional role. Everyone where I work has the same license, but it's the other education and experiences that I've sought, outside of my regular nursing education, that has made me stand out. My high school French, my knowledge of Disney princesses and the songs they sing, the year I spent working in a shop cutting metal, the class in Rowan I took on Stalinism, I've incorporated bits of knowledge from all of them in the past month to make me a more effective nurse.
23. What's one piece of advice you'd give every undergraduate about networking?
Networking needs to be an active process, otherwise you're just a name-dropping mooch. Also, figure out a way to remember peoples names. It wasn't a natural talent I possessed, but I've learned to be better over time.
Relationships/Family/Personal Stuff:
24. Are you currently in a relationship? If so, with who and for how long?
Yes, I have a wonderful girlfriend named Sarah. She and I have been friends for years, but only started dating recently. She is every bit of my better half.
25. Do you have kids? If so, how old and their names?
Two boys, Aiden is 12 and Liam is 11. Without questions two of the best parts of my life, and I owe them for helping make me the man I am today.
26. Hobbies that you are currently into? What do you like to do in your spare time?
Well, the dad thing takes up a lot of my time, attention, energy, and funding. We hike, camp, and climb together. The kids are both Boy scouts, and I volunteer with them sometimes. I love to cook, and am branching out to new styles now that I've got the basics down. Aiden and I play the X-wing miniatures game, and we're getting pretty good at it. I am in the gym more than I was when I was in undergrad, but that's more about keeping my cholesterol down. In the same vein, I run but I hate it with a passion. I'm not running towards goals or overcoming adversity, I'm running from my family history of heart disease. Hobbies on my perpetual to-do list include: Hitting the range (Golf or pistol), Reading (mostly non-fiction history, biographies, and Tom Clancy), and date night.
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