Chapter Highlight
Success at Cortland by Matthew E. Muzza, Cortland ’08 On April 9, 2005, twenty-one young men made the half-hour trip from Cortland to Syracuse in Central New York with no idea of what they were about to encounter. Waiting in the lobby for what seemed like days, the group was comprised of mostly baby-faced freshmen with sweaty palms. This was the night they were to become Founding Fathers in the fraternity of a lifetime, Delta Chi. That night in Syracuse will never be forgotten by any of the newly initiated Cortland Colony brothers. However, it was another night, just over two years later on April 21, 2007, that the same group of men, this time over fifty strong, made another half-hour drive to Syracuse that will truly go down in Colony history. This time however, the group had become a bit older and wiser; they were grown men; their suit coats were filled out; they walked with confidence and looked the “CC” and “DD” square in the eyes while giving them firmgripped handshakes; this was the night that the hard work had paid off. This was the night of their chartering banquet and the night they became a Chapter in high fashion. They shared the night with Ratheen Damle, “CC”; Tom Horowitz, “DD”; Duane Meyer, Regent (VII); Greg Hauser, past “AA” and former President of the NIC; David Weber, ABT President of Cornell; and Mike Tumolo, Vice-Regent (VII). The banquet was great, one of the best nights of the brothers’ lives, but a funny thing happened the next morning; the new Chapter was not satisfied. The members were not complacent. Although a Charter Proclamation rested on the mantle and the Region VII Chapter of the Year award was on their table, it wasn’t good enough. There was still a drive to win an Award of Excellence and bring home a Buff division President’s Cup. The Chapter wants to raise more money for The V Foundation and spend more time doing community service. The members want to get alumni initiates. There are more ways to reach out to their alumni and improve the campus presence. The Chapter wants to have the best Alumni Board of Trustees around and to host a Regional Leadership Conference. 4 Delta Chi | Quarterly | Fall/Winter 2007
That was a year ago, and now twelve months later there is more success. Since the chartering banquet, the Chapter moved into an eighteenperson chapter house and is proudly displaying the fraternity letters out front. Members have raised over $1,300 for The V Foundation and hosted the 2008 Region VII Regional Leadership Conference. Cortland brothers held both the President and VicePresident positions of the Cortland Inter-Greek Council and participated in a Crop Walk, a Halloween Fest, Cortland’s local Pumpkin Fest, and Relay for Life. Brothers won the Dragon Olympics at Homecoming and have established a new website (www.deltachicortland.com). Two brothers attended the Leadership College last summer and brought home many awards including: Outstanding Alumni Newsletter, Outstanding Campus Leadership, Outstanding Community Service Program, “E” Key Award – Matt Muzza ’08, Marge Lee “C” Award – David Bernacki ’08, and the Delta Chi Humanitarian Award – Ed Reiser ’09. The young Chapter has also redeveloped its Alumni Board of Trustees, asking Mike Tumolo, current Vice-Regent, to sit as ABT President and David Weber, current Vice-Regent, to serve as well. Behind the leadership of Tumolo, the ABT has started the “Campaign for Cortland,” a $10,000 fundraising goal to be used through the Chapter Scholarship Account under the Delta Chi Educational Foundation. Scholarships will be given out to the undergraduate members at the discretion of the ABT to offset the costs of tuition, room and board and/or textbooks. To prove his sincerity and dedication to this project, ABT President Tumolo has personally pledged $2,500 to the “Campaign for Cortland.” “These fine undergraduates make us all proud in so many ways. In two and one half years, the Brothers of Cortland have become a model for
fraternity life on campus and continue to set the bar high. In short they have become a beacon of light for Delta Chi here in Upstate New York,” Tumolo recently said. Through the recent success of the Chapter and the latest involvement of the Educational Foundation for our fundraising goal, the Chapter has received quite a bit of attention from some high-profile members of the Fraternity. During the fall semester brothers received visits to the chapter house from Steve Bossart, “AA”; Tom Horowitz, “DD”; Karl Grindel, Assistant Executive
Director; Fred Hammert, President of the Delta Chi Educational Foundation, past “AA”, past “CC” and Order of the White Carnation; Patrick Weber, Secretary of the Educational Foundation; and Mike Carroll, member of the Educational Foundation, past “AA”, past “CC”, past “DD” and Order of the White Carnation. Not only did these dedicated men of Delta Chi stop by the small town of Cortland, but they also had great things to say about the Chapter and its new house. “We were all impressed with the pride they take in their house and their Chapter. Nothing is taken for granted; you worked hard for what you have accomplished and you have a right to be proud. What a great environment for young men to learn to accept responsibility,” said Carroll. Educational Foundation President Fred Hammert also extended the chapter praise, saying, “We were all very impressed with the chapter and the quality of its members and the chapter’s commitment to excellence.” In conclusion, it was “AA” Steve Bossart who said it best of the fraternity men of Cortland, “You all should be proud of the presence you now have on the Cortland campus. The house is beautiful, and you all make Delta Chi proud. Please keep up the good work.” And that is just what the Delta Chi Chapter at Cortland will continue to do.
