Cover Story

Kansas Chapter Wins Prestigious NIC Award of Distinction

KANSAS CHAPTER STATISTICS Founded: 1923 Current Membership: 84 Total Initiates: 1,646 Fall 2006 GPA: 3.05 www.kudeltachi.org

ORDER OF THE WHITE CARNATION MEMBERS Donald G. Isett ’28 Jimmie J.“Doc” Underwood ’51

“BB” EMERITUS RECIPIENTS Dr. Alan H. Brightman ’67 Jimmie J. “Doc” Underwood ’51

The Kansas Chapter was recognized on April 16, 2007 with the North-American Interfraternity Conference’s Award of Distinction. Of the 5,500 North American fraternity chapters, Kansas, and Alpha Tau Omega’s Chapter at Baylor University are the two recipients of the NIC’s Award of Distinction in the chapter category this year.

Cup, seven times (currently on a streak of five straight years) and has received the Award of Excellence nine times. The Chapter has received numerous programming and individual awards and has truly displayed the fraternal spirit.

Chapter members are leaders in the Rock Chalk Review, a campus-wide philanthropic project; recently hosted the 2007 Region IV Leadership Conference; are continually strong in their academic and recruitment success; and have a unique strength in the success of their parents’ club, a role model for all chapters to follow.

The Award of Distinction was presented to the Kansas Chapter during the awards banquet at the NIC’s annual meeting in Washington D.C. (more information on the NIC’s annual meeting can be found on page 3). On hand to accept the award were six chapter members; Matt Brunner, Alex Hanish, Andrew Langford, Lance Mall, Andrew Mitchell, and Josh Stewart. Also present at the awards banquet were ten alumni and undergraduates including: Steve Bossart, “AA”; Ratheen Damle, “CC”; Tom Horowitz, “DD”; Chuck Mancuso, Retiring “AA”; Ray Galbreth, Executive Director; Greg Hauser, Past “AA” and former President of the North-American Interfraternity Conference; Patrick Alderdice, former Kansas “BB”; Jonathan Nichols, Leadership Consultant; Zach Hauser, Kansas State ’07; and Mike Tumolo, Syracuse ’07.

Upon receiving the Award of Distinction Matt Brunner, Chapter “A”, said, “Our Chapter is honored and grateful to be recognized by the NIC. The award recognizes the hard work and commitment of the men who have contributed as students as well as alumni to our Chapter. It is indicative of the entire Greek community’s commitment to excellence at The University of Kansas.”

Since the founding of the Kansas Chapter in 1923, members have focused on promoting friendship, developing character, striving for academic success, and encouraging a life-long bond among its members. The chapter house has had several renovations over the past 80 years. One of the major renovations took place in 1991, when Forrest Hoglund, George Tiller, and Ed Kangas started the Chapter II Challenge. Their contributions and commitment inspired alumni to give, resulting in a successful renovation of the chapter house. The living room is dedicated in their honor. The chapter house underwent another renovation in 1999, when Rick Lucas raised over three million dollars from alumni to start the Chapter III project. The project included a new library, computer lab, and over fifteen study rooms.

The character, leadership, and overall success of the Kansas Chapter make it an excellent recipient for the Award of Distinction.

Since the award was established in 2002, the Kansas Chapter is the second in Delta Chi to receive the honor; the Georgia Tech Chapter was an Award of Distinction recipient in 2004. Delta Chi is the first fraternity chapter to win the award at The University of Kansas.

The award, as described by the NIC, is presented to chapters that, “care about the greater good... are motivated by the success of others…identify the needs of the community…value service to and for others…represent the diversity of their campus…stand firm in the face of adversity… provide assistance to others, before being asked…are cutting edge and different from the rest…and carry the flag of the interfraternal spirit.”

Delta Chi nominated the Kansas Chapter for the award based on its long history of success. As stated in Ray Galbreth’s nomination letter to the NIC, “If the measure of an organization is the caliber and success of the men it produces as alumni, the Kansas Chapter with its pedigree is one of the best fraternities in North America.”

The Chapter boasts a long list of successful and dedicated alumni, including: Paul Beardslee, former Assistant Secretary of Defense; Clyde Coffman, 1932 Olympic Track Team Member; Jerry Colangelo, NCAA Basketball Player; Tim Crown, Founder of Insight Distribution Network; Harold Donley, Rear Admiral, US Navy (Ret.); Richard Harkness, former radio and TV correspondent for NBC; Forrest Hoglund, Investor and Venture Capitalist; Edward Kangas, former VP and Managing Director of Deloitte & Touche; Michael Levitz, actor/performer; Ray Pierce, former Professional Baseball Player; Otto Schnellenbacher, former Professional Football Player; William Sessions, former Director of the FBI; Thomas Swale, Television Screenwriter: Hart to Hart, The Fall Guy, The Love Boat; Dick Tomlinson, former Professional Football Player; and Raymond Wheeler, Author. These men, along with the other 1,600+ initiates, have set the path that the Kansas Chapter continues to blaze.

Delta Chi and The University of Kansas consistently recognize Kansas as an outstanding chapter. Over the past ten years, the Chapter has received the Fraternity’s top award, the President’s