C&C April 2012

Undergraduate Vincent Bel l it t i Refined Recruitment to Enrich with Epsilon-Pi chapter and t he University of M a r y l a n d c a m p u s

April 2012 . Issue 03

Cross & Crescent

FROM THE EDITOR Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service & Stewardship, Honor, Integrity, & Personal Courage.

As I hope you know, these are our Seven Core Values. They are first taught to our undergraduate brothers as a part of Outer Circle of the TRUE Brother Initiative, the name of fraternity education program.

These Core Values are a vital part of how we must recruit, educate and develop our brothers. They also are values all of our member should live. Whether you are 18 or 80, these Seven Core Values are a guiding foundation upon which to live your life.

Tad Lichtenauer Director of Communications/IT (317) 803-7322 tlichtenauer@lambdachi.org

Of course, the challenge of these values is to apply them correctly to any given situation.

You can easily interpret these values, like our Ritual, incorrectly as a way to justify bad behavior. That’s why it’s absolutely critical to use the resources available to you (your High Kappa, High Pi, Fraternal Stewards, Master Stewards, documents/manuals on Officer Portal, the Pedagogues, etc.) to understand the differences between right and wrong when it comes to living and upholding our Seven Core Values.

The biggest threat we have to our brotherhood is ourselves -- being apathetic and settling for mediocrity. If we recruit the wrong men, apply our Ritual and teachings in an endjustifies-the-means manner, or live only for ourselves, then the brotherhood suffers tremendous damage.

If you live and apply these Core Values correctly and honestly, even in the darkest of times, you will ultimately honor and achieve all of the greatness that comes with being a TRUE brother in Zeta Alpha Chi. In ZAX and friendship, _

Tad Lichtenauer Managing Editor Cross & Crescent Magazine

Cross & Crescent

Header

YOUR ONLINE SOURCE FOR ALL LAMBDA CHI ALPHA NEWS April 2012 ISSUE 03

Features 11

Departments Chapter News Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death.

1

27

30

Fraternity News

54th General Assembly & Leadership Seminar

Alumni Recognition Millsaps’ Marsh Nippes

32 History New History Book Excerpt (Part 1)

CREDITS

Publisher: Managing Editor: Assistant Editor: Layout & Design: Photographer:

Research:

Historian:

Editors:

Bill Farkas Tad Lichtenauer Andrew Talevich Thomas Roberts Walt Moser Jon Williamson Mike Raymond Jono Hren Bob McLaughlin

CONTRIBUTIONS Content for consideration should be submitted by the 25th of the month (except Aug/Jan) Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity 8741 Founders Rd Indianapolis, IN 46268-1338 (317) 872-8000 editor@lambdachi.org www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

RECRUITING THE RIGHT WAY After changing the recruitment practices of his chapter, Vincent Bellitti (Maryland) has gone on to overhaul his campus’s entire Greek recruitment process to create a better atmosphere.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

15

IN HIS OWN WORDS: TWADDLE’S COURAGE UNDER FIRE Justin Twaddle (Culver-Stockton 2002) exemplifies personal courage as a firefighter, missionary, and Lambda Chi Alpha brother.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

19

MANAGERS OF THE MEDIA The KTVT news team in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is home to four managers- all Lambda Chi Alpha brothers. Together they rely on their Lambda Chi Alpha values to produce a winning broadcast.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

22

CHO’S INVOLVEMENT SETS STANDARD FOR CHAPTER Kye Cho (Delaware) is involved in numerous clubs at his campus and also serves as the treasurer of the Lambda-Beta chapter. His involvement reflects his chapter’s proactive approach on their daily operations.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

24

HONORING & MODERNIZING OUR PAST As a Greek-licensed vendor, sculptor Ira Hill (Alabama) has created a modern day version of the Lambda Chi commemorative badge. Built out of bronze or aluminum, the badge includes waterproof LED lights, faceted glass jewels, hand-formed glass pearls, a stained glass Delta Pi, and a waterproof design for use on a chapter house facade or in a Ritual room.

By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter News Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Akron (Gamma-Alpha)

Auburn-Montgomery (Phi-Kappa)

The chapter added three associate members: Jeremy Andrews, Dalton Cox, and Tanner May.

The chapter visited the International Headquarters on February 21, 2012, serving box lunches to the Professional Staff in the main foyer. After lunch, they began a Ritual workshop to explain and understand the changes of our Ritual. The associate members in attendance were given the opportunity to dissect our creed and make meaning of the different sentences. The group split into three separate groups and each was given a tour of the building to see the memorabilia. The chapter brothers concluded their visit with dinner at Butler’s Alpha-Alpha chapter house, followed by an educational session led by Fraternity Board Member Dr. Elgan Baker.

The chapter held a brotherhood retreat in Marbury, Alabama, at the end of February.

Brothers and associates members enjoyed quality time with each other following an evening presentation of the Big Brother Ceremony.

Justin Law was elected 2012 Homecoming Prince.

Ball State (Iota-Alpha) Indiana and North Carolina injury lawyer Daniel S. Chamberlain (1989), a founding partner of Indianapolis law firm Doehrman Chamberlain, has been elected vice chairman of the national Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA). Based in Washington, D.C., BIAA is the leading voice for brain injury awareness throughout the nation, whose stated mission is to increase access to quality health care and to raise understanding of brain injury through advocacy, education, and research. Chamberlain also was recently named a Top 50 Indiana Lawyer.

Alabama (Alpha-Phi) Ritchie L. Longoria Jr. (1977) died February 25, 2012. He was an electrical engineer who loved God, his family, his work, Alabama Football, and Lambda Chi Alpha.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

1

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death Pennsylvania, from 1961 to 1962, during which time he married Margo Corona. He then began his career at the University of Illinois teaching French Literature for over 40 years. During his distinguished career at Illinois, he published five books on Proust and the Memoires of Saint-Simon, as well as La Fontaine. These include Fixing Up Reality, La Fontaine and Levi-Strauss, Le jeu classique. Jeu et théorie des jeux au Grand Siècle, Saint-Simon Memorialist, The Movement of Thought, and Marcel Proust et le duc de Saint-Simon. He was honored by the French government in 1992 with the Palmes Academiques.

Bradley (Kappa-Upsilon)

Lloyd Lindel (1949) died November 9, 2011.

Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (Phi-Sigma)

Ten chapter brothers spent their spring break helping Habitat for Humanity build houses in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Butler (Alpha-Alpha) The chapter held its Founders Day celebration on March 22, 2012, which included having brothers wear badge attire during the day and holding a dinner in the evening.

The chapter added 25 associate members.

The chapter received the Recruitment Award at the Pacific Southwest Conclave.

Chapter brothers participated in TRUE Leader modules I & II, facilitated by the Professional Staff, Master Steward Dave Arland, and Fraternity Board Member Dr. Elgan Baker.

At the IFC awards the chapter won the Outstanding Chapter Management Award, the Community Service Award, the Outstanding Alumni Relations Award, and an honorable mention for Fraternity of the Year.

California-Berkeley (Mu)

The chapter won first place in Sigma Kappa’s philanthropy softball tournament.

Jack D. Norberg (1949) died January 29, 2011.

For the first time in five years the chapter won the IFC football championship.

California-Los Angeles (Epsilon-Sigma) Herb De Ley (1958) died July 24, 2010. He did his graduate work at Yale University where he earned his doctorate degree in French Literature. He taught at Wilson College in Chambersburg,

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

2

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Colorado State-Pueblo (Delta-Omega)

Eastern Illinois (Phi-Alpha)

The chapter added five associate members.

Kevin Piket (1997) was elected president of the Naperville Jaycees chapter. His term begins June 1, 2012. The Naperville Jaycees is a young persons leadership organization (ages 21-41) dedicated to helping the community. In the last 10 years the Naperville Jaycees have donated more than $1 million to many not-for-profit organizations in the local community.

Cornell (Omicron) Matthew P. Omans (2010) died March 9, 2012. At Cornell, Matt found a second family with the brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha. He served various roles over three years, including House Manager, Steward, and Ritualist. One of his closest friends from college recalls that Matt “was a brother you could always count on, his door was always open, and so were his arms.” Most recently, he was living in Providence, Rhode Island, where he worked as an account manager with AT&T Business Services.

“Matt was incapable of holding a grudge with anyone, having a positive relationship with every brother he encountered.” Lambda Chi Alpha gave him a home base and stability at Cornell that he returned ten-fold with love and support for everyone around him.

Eastern Kentucky (Phi-Beta) The chapter hosted nationally-recognized speaker Dave Westol for an Anti-Hazing Workshop on March 14, 2012.

Elmhurst (Pi-Zeta)

Drexel (Epsilon-Kappa Colony) The colony held its chartering banquet on March 31, 2012.

The chapter hosted the Midwest Conclave, which included hosting a banquet that included sorority women from Elmhurst College.

A special thanks to Jake Meding, our Conclave chairman, Alumni Advisor Ken Schultz, and ELC Joe Citro for helping the chapter host the event. The chapter also thanks Fraternity Board Member Gregg Behrens, Master Steward Jon Williamson, Master Steward Dave Arland, and Associate Director of Chapter Services Justin Fisher for attending and participating.

Thomas Woody (1964) died March 21, 2012. He was a retired Gloucester County 911 dispatcher and was a volunteer member of Washington Township ambulance for 15 years. In the last four years he was a co-chair and chief operations officer on the Board of Directors for the Washington Township Ambulance Rescue Association.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

3

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Iowa State (Alpha-Tau)

Florida Southern (Epsilon-Xi)

The chapter invites brothers to join them for a fun weekend at the Iowa State University VEISHEA celebration, April 20-21, 2012.

Highlight of the weekend will be an alumni dinner on April 21, 2012. For a full schedule and list of brothers planning to attend, see the chapter’s website.

The chapter added four associate members: Tyler Piotrowski, Brent Theriault, Steven Ramos, and Stephen Emery.

Chapter brothers held a local philanthropic event, Feed the Bay, collecting and sorting canned goods. In a single day the event raised more than 10,000 pounds of food.

Rick Briggs was elected SGA vice president of academics, Jared Goodwin was elected SGA vice president of finance, and Robert Bledsoe was elected SGA secretary.

Illinois (Chi) Rob Kennedy was promoted to Co-CEO of C-SPAN network. He joined the network in 1987 after working for two cable Multiple System Operators (MSOs), Centel Cable, and Time Inc.’s ATC system in Rochester, New York. He was named a co-president in December 2006. In addition to his new duties, he oversees the management of C-SPAN’s Peabody Award winning online Video Library, the publicly-available free digital archives of more than 180,000 hours of C-SPAN programming covering a quartercentury.

Florida State (Zeta-Rho) Jack A. Sinclair (1956) died February 20, 2012. He attended the U.S. Army Armor School and U.S. Army Military Police School and completed a graduate course in National Security Management with the Industrial College of Armed Forces. He attained superior ratings as a publications supervisor at Cape Canaveral and as commanding officer of an Army Reserve unit.

He completed a 35-year career on the USAF Eastern Test Range, including 20 years as Cape Publications Supervisor for Pan Am World Services and Computer Sciences Raytheon (CSR). His military and aerospace careers represent 51 years of service to the Department of Defense. He retired as supervisor of publications for CSR at Kennedy Space Center.

Kansas (Zeta-Iota) The House Corporation will host the inaugural Lambda Chi Alpha Golf Tournament at Alvamar Golf Club in Lawrence, Kansas, on June 30, 2012. Registration and payment deadline is June 20, 2012. If interested in participating, please contact Bob Walrafen at 913-980-9230.

George Washington (Delta-Xi)

At the 23rd Annual Greek Awards Program, the chapter received Merit Awards in Academic Performance, Leadership and Campus Involvement, and Chapter Management. The chapter received an Excellence Award in Risk Management and Legal Liability. Hunter Hess (2012) was one of four Greek men to receive an Outstanding Greek Male Student Award. Alumni Advisor Bob Walrafen (1973) received one of four Outstanding Alumnus Service Awards.

David Schapira (2001), an Arizona state legislator, is running for Congress in Arizona’s new Congressional District 9.

Indiana State (Iota-Epsilon Colony) With the help of the Theta-Kappa brothers from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the colony held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for 13 brothers. This is the first group to be initiated in more than 10 years. The colony would like to thank the brothers at Theta-Kappa and ELC Aaron Gomeztrejo for their help. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

4

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Lake Forest (Pi-Pi)

Maryland (Epsilon-Pi)

With 60 percent participation, the chapter was awarded second place at the Alpha Phi Omega Dance Marathon.

Vince Bellitti was elected IFC president.

The university’s Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life sent an email to the chapter complimenting the chapter brothers for helping neighbors in need by removing debris and garbage from their property after a recent renovation.

The chapter won the Spring Semester Intramural Flag Football Championship.

Lehigh (Gamma-Psi)

William C. Rutter (1958) died January 5, 2012. He played varsity football at University of Maryland before transferring to the University of Alabama to play, in his senior year, under Coach Bear Bryant.

Jeffrey R. Ford (1963) died February 8, 2012. A former chapter officer, he was an Army ROTC member and later went on to serve as a 1st Lieutenant in an Army Corps of Engineers Military Intelligence unit. After leaving the military he worked as a project engineer for Kaiser Engineers and Constructors. Projects included ports and container shipping and ferry terminals in Canada and the U. S. Other projects included mining and natural resources.

He later founded and operated Homeowners Construction Company, an Oakland residential construction and remodeling firm.

Massachusetts (Gamma) The alumni brothers will host an event to celebrate the chapter’s centennial and discuss the chapter’s recolonization plans. For an agenda and chapter directory, please contact Bill Whitmore at billwhitemore@comcast.net

Louisville (Zeta-Sigma) Memphis (Zeta-Theta)

On March 2-4, 2012, chapter brothers visited the International Headquarters for a big brother/little brother retreat. The men began the retreat by identifying their expectations for the weekend. They were given tours by the Professional Staff who then presented information about harm reduction, FIPG, and our Ritual. The next morning, the chapter reviewed the strategic plan, their probation terms, and created an action plan.

Order of Merit recipient Edward B. “Skip” Orio (1964), who died in 2009, will be posthumously recognized as an inaugural inductee into the new University of Memphis College of Education Hall of Fame. The award will be presented at a Hall of Fame Reception on April 17, 2012.

Miami-FL (Epsilon-Omega)

Maine (Beta)

Keith C. Merritt (1956) died February 17, 2012. He was the former president and owner of Kanawha Glass Co., in Institute, West Virginia.

Four chapter brothers attended the Northeast Conclave, which was hosted by Pi chapter at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

The chapter held its first clothing drive, resulting in $3,700 of clothing donated to a local homeless shelter in Bangor, Maine.

Miami-OH (Zeta-Upsilon)

Tom Green and Marcelo Rugini were named Student Employees of the Year, an award given to only 21 students campus-wide.

Chapter brothers visited the International Headquarters and spent time with the Professional Staff while discussing recruitment strategies.

TJ Doherty was elected vice president of the Associated General Contractors of Maine. Bradley Manning was elected secretary. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

5

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Michigan Tech (Phi-Phi)

Nevada-Reno (Epsilon-Iota)

Chapter brothers catered a Homeless Benefit Dinner hosted by and benefiting the Good Shepherd’s Clothes Closet.

Chapter brothers helped raise funds through the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. During the event many brothers volunteered to have a pie thrown in their face in honor of Pi Day. Teamed with a member of the Golden Key, the chapter helped raise more than $600.

The chapter was awarded Michigan Technological University’s Outstanding New Member Education Program Award.

New Mexico State (Zeta-Gamma)

Minnesota State (Lambda-Delta) The chapter sent six brothers to the Great Plains Conclave hosted

by Simpson College.

Missouri-Kansas City (Sigma-Rho) The chapter held a brotherhood week volunteering at the Harvesters, the Community Food Network.

The chapter held a capture the flag event with the sororities to raise money for the North American Food Drive.

More than one third of the brothers were recognized as Greek Life scholars at an all-Greek Life banquet.

Dr. McKinley Boston, athletic director for New Mexico State University, gave a presentation to the chapter brothers about leadership. His presentation focused on how to grow to be a man of character who can effectively lead others.

Bradford Love was elected house manager and Jason Kotlyarov was elected alumni advisor.

The chapter was named the University of Missouri-Kansas City men’s basketball team fan of the year.

Several brothers attended the IFC’s event, Building Better Members.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

6

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

New Hampshire (Alpha-Xi)

Oklahoma (Gamma-Rho)

The chapter earned the 2011-2012 President’s Trophy Award as the top overall fraternity on campus. Gamma Rho also won separate award for the highest fraternity GPA and Academic Programming. Pictured in the photo are chapter Vice President Michael Williams, chapter President Chris Housley, former chapter President Matt Nash, university President David Boren, Alumni Advisor Craig Parrish, and House Mother/Director Carol Roberts.

The chapter added seven new associate members, increasing the chapter size to 36 brothers.

Chapter brothers have been actively volunteering on campus, including at the local public library and the food pantry.

Ohio State (Gamma-Tau) On February 18-19, 2012, the chapter visited International Headquarters for an overnight retreat. The brothers started the retreat by identifying their desired outcomes and expectations.

The Professional Staff provided a tour of the building and its history. The chapter worked through some of the Commitment Retreat pieces, identifying answers to the questions “Who are we?.” This helped the chapter identify the items that needed the most focus for the weekend. The chapter ended the first evening with a Ritual discussion. The following morning the chapter identified their goals and plans to move forward. They ended the retreat by signing a brotherhood contract, stating their commitment to moving the chapter forward.

Oklahoma City (Theta-Delta)

Current Fraternity Educator Josh Stewart, the former chapter president and current IFC president, received the Patrick Halloran Scholarship from Order of Omega Greek Honor Society. The award was presented to him by IFC Advisor Corey Hill at Oklahoma City University’s 2012 Faculty Appreciation Luncheon.

The chapter won first place in Spring Sing.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

7

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Oregon State (Alpha-Lambda) Blake Lofgren (2011) was hired as an account executive for Indianapolis-based Arland Communications. The company’s president is Master Steward Dave Arland (Butler 1986). The two brothers first met at the 2009 Centennial General Assembly held in Indianapolis. Lofgren was a business marketing major at Oregon State University. In his new job he will focus on media relations, website content management, and trade show communications. At Oregon State, Lofgren helped his chapter improve alumni communications and managed details for various events. He attended Lambda Chi’s summer leadership seminars, served on an Oregon State committee that promoted a new sports complex, and interned in the marketing department of Tyndall Air Force base where he worked on newsletter, training, and graphics projects.

Established at the end of 2007 and specializing in the consumer electronics industry, Arland Communications is now in its fifth year of reaching consumers and decision-makers through media campaigns and public relations.

The chapter presented its first Professor of the Month Award to Tiffany van der Merwe. She is a dance instructor at the university and was nominated by Anthony Martinez. The chapter hopes the award will help demonstrate more appreciation for the faculty and staff on campus.

On March 20, 2012, a selection of Mastery Circle Alumni gathered to enjoy each others’ company, get caught up on old times, share new hopes for the future of Theta Delta, and to welcome our 1969 Crescent Girl, Jean Rollins Dickerson. The chapter’s Founders Day event included an update from Alumni Advisor Greg Bunch, who shared his thoughts on where the Fraternity is today and how the new TRUE Brother Initiative is being implemented. Fraternal Steward Terry Zinn described the foundation and organizational components of the TRUE Brother Initiative. Alumni brothers are encouraged to stay in touch with Theta-Delta and to contact the chapter about attending Initiation Night, Inner Circle evolutions, formal meetings, or to just pay an informal visit.

M. Stephen Dickerson (1969) died March 14, 2012. A former chapter president, he joined the Air Force in 1969. He was sent as an X-ray and special procedures technician to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where he spent the next 40 years. His first civilian job on the Coast was doing the news at radio station WVMI-WQID. He spent the next five years as a popular news anchor for WLOX-TV 13. In this role, he became active in civic affairs, especially the Salvation Army and March of Dimes. He worked for Stewart Sneed Hewes Insurance and as an award-winning reporter for the Sun Herald before he began a 20-year career with the City of Gulfport in 1980, working on the re-election campaign of Mayor Jack Barnett. Steve went on to serve as the administrative assistant, public relations manager, or small business development director during the administrations of three mayors; Jack Barnett, Ken Combs, and Bob Short.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Phoenix Area Alumni Association The Phoenix Area Alumni Association holds a monthly Breakfast with a Brother. This event rotates around the Valley of the Sun on the second Saturday of each month. The event starts at 8 a.m. Upcoming locations for the remainder of 2012: April 14, Chompies-PV Mall; May 12, Liberty Market-Gilbert; June 9, Ranch Market Grill-Phoenix; July 14, TC Eggingtons-Mesa; August 11, Over Easy-North Scottsdale; September 8, ChompiesChandler; October 13, The Original Pancake House-Scottsdale; November 10, The Farm House Grill-Gilbert; December 8, The Breakfast Club-Scottsdale; January 12, 2013, Harlow’s CafeTempe. For more information, please visit the association’s Facebook page or website.

8

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death

Sam Houston State (Sigma-Mu)

Pittsburg State (Lambda-Chi)

The chapter is participating in the Relay for Life event being held on campus.

The chapter earned a 3.15 GPA for the fall 2011 semester, the highest of any Greek organization on campus.

The chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for five brothers in January 2012.

South Carolina-Aiken (Pi-Alpha)

Several chapter brothers attended the Ozark Conclave, hosted by Gamma-Kappa at the University of Missouri.

Rensselaer (Epsilon-Eta) The chapter is celebrating its 75th anniversary by creating a yearlong celebration, complete with publications, events, and even a birthday cake. For more information or to attend, email the chapter Alumni Chairman Oliver Schultz at rho@ehzlxa.com or visit the chapter’s website.

Rollins (Theta-Gamma) Brock Newell, Garrett Derderian, and Devon Johnson participated in an episode of the Travel Channel’s Extreme Waterparks TV show at Wet ‘n Wild.

Ethan White had a personal record in his 2K race for the varsity crew team.

Kory Eylmann is a finalist for the Fulbright Scholarship for an English teaching assistant position in Germany.

From March 13-15, 2012, the chapter held a Stationary Bike Ride to raise money for the Golden Harvest Food Bank as part of the North American Food Drive. The event was sponsored by Southern Tide.

Rose-Hulman (Theta-Kappa) Marc Evans (Bradley 1979), the regional general manager Indiana-Southwest, for Frontier Communications, agreed to help the chapter by having Frontier Communications be a platinum sponsor ($1,000) of the chapter’s 5k run/3k walk fundraiser to support Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Terre Haute, Indiana.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Southeast Missouri (Delta-Phi) The chapter raised $8,000 by selling T-shirts designed by chapter brother Scott Wood, who died from cancer in February 2012.

Part of the funds raised will be given to his family to help offset the cost of his funeral expenses. The rest will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which raises money for cancer research.

The university also presented an honorary degree to Wood’s family.

9

Cross & Crescent April 2012

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death 2012. For more information, please email Justin Phillps at Justin. phillips@valpo.edu. The cost is $80 for golf and $25 for dinner.

The deadline is April 11, 2012.

Southern Indiana (Phi-Xi)

Washington & Lee (Gamma-Phi) Col. Robert S. Brown Jr. (1946) died January 9, 2012. He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force on July 1, 1949, after completing Officers Candidate School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He retired as a colonel on July 1, 1975, while stationed at the Pentagon. After an 11-year stint with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, he retired to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Jensen Beach, Florida.

From March 23-25, 2012, the chapter hosted its 20th annual Teeter-Totter-A-Thon in benefit of Skylar Hedrick who is suffering from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy that delays intellectual efficiency and development. The two-day event raised $3,500 to help Skylar and his family with medical bills.

Texas-El Paso (Zeta-Epsilon) Chapter brothers helped build a playground for St. Clements School, an event sponsored by Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

Chapter brothers helped raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

The chapter received the IFC’s Most Improved Chapter Award.

Scholarship Chairman William Burman received the Zeus Award (Greek Man of the Year).

Valparaiso (Iota-Sigma) Pat Prentice, Jeff Schatz, and Joel Luedtke attended the Midwest Conclave hosted by Pi-Zeta at Elmhurst College. They returned with ideas about recruitment, recommendations about officer election procedures, and recommendations for the alumni chairman office.

The chapter will host an Alumni Golf Outing on April 28,

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

10

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

Recruiting the Right Way After changing the recruitment practices of his chapter, Vincent Bellitti (Maryland) has gone on to overhaul his campus’s entire Greek recruitment process to create a better atmosphere.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

T

he Epsilon-Pi chapter at the University of Maryland,

College Park, was in a dire situation two years ago, following a membership review. With only 22 brothers remaining, the recruitment chair, Vincent Bellitti made it his mission to revamp recruitment in order to save his chapter.

Bellitti’s successful efforts in recruiting for his chapter led him to make recruitment changes on a grander scale with Maryland’s IFC. Bellitti is now serving as the IFC president and his recruitment model is nationally recognized and creates a positive campus culture.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

“Everything goes back to recruitment. It breeds the attitude of a fraternity; whether it’s going to be a successful fraternity or a poor fraternity,” he said.

Culture Shift The changes to Maryland’s Greek recruitment policies were implemented last year while Bellitti served as the IFC recruitment chair. Concerns over campus safety had grown high after students were frequently sent to the hospital due to heavy binge drinking at fraternity parties. In addition, individuals not even affiliated with the university were stealing property from fraternity houses during these parties.

11

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

The university administration had had enough. Their message to the IFC was, “Either fix this problem or we’ll fix it for you.”

“We enjoy being a self-sustaining IFC and the face of what’s going on. We had to take the initiative so the university wouldn’t have to do something,” Bellitti said.

Bellitti felt that if he could change the recruitment policies, then he could change the campus culture. First, he and the IFC decided to take a strong stand against the large parties that were used to lure potential new members into joining fraternities.

“The IFC’s overarching goal was to encourage and empower fraternities to recruit based on the values of their organization.

One of the main issues was that the use of alcohol was often the main strategy, as part of the recruitment process,” said Corin Gioia, Assistant Director of the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life at University of Maryland.

Three initiatives were implemented in order to decrease the party atmosphere and increase the quality of recruitment.

First, the IFC would hold the chapter presidents accountable for violations in recruiting policy. If a chapter was engaging in illegal activity, then it would be the responsibility of the other chapters to come forward and report this violation.

If no one stepped forward, the IFC would put all chapters on a social moratorium for the remainder of the recruitment period.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Second, if the IFC found out about a chapter engaging in illegal recruitment they would punish the chapter with strict penalties.

“This was something kind of unprecedented at Maryland because, in the past, the IFC would frequently say, ‘no alcohol at recruiting events,’ but when it came down to it, no one would get in trouble,” he said.

Finally, the IFC presented the Greek community with more resources to aid in recruitment, so that alcohol wouldn’t be used as a crutch.

These resources included; a ‘Meet the Greeks’ event where potential new members could meet people in fraternities, fraternity house tour events, an online registration process that would generate a list of names and contact information of potential new members for chapters and the IFC, and a Greek 101 class that included general information for interested students about the recruiting process.

“By giving chapters those resources and other venues to recruit through, students are more willing to buy into our policies,” Bellitti said.

After the IFC initiated the new recruitment standards, Bellitti witnessed a decrease in large recruitment parties. Chapters were holding each other accountable, and quality men were engaging in the recruitment process.

12

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

Gioia was impressed by the way Bellitti articulated how the new policy change would benefit fraternities.

“Vince is obviously well respected in the community,” she said. “The fact that he’s now IFC president I think shows that he’s done everything with a sense of grace.”

In light of the recruitment changes, The Washington Post featured the University of Maryland in an article that highlighted the benefits of dry recruitment policies. Bellitti and the IFC were also awarded the Amy Vojta Impact Award for Membership Recruitment from the Northeast Greek Leadership Association.

is dubbed ‘the great zeta meeting.’ The chapter was young, there was no real sense of direction, and the future of the zeta was uncertain.

The tensions were high during the meeting.

“It was this big blow out. Things weren’t going well. We were yelling at each other. But we finally said, ‘We’re all brothers, we need to come together,’” Bellitti said.

“We knew that in order for our chapter to survive we really had to pull together, and recruitment was the best way to do it.”

Learning from Cole

With the renewed commitment to the Fraternity, the brothers of Epsilon-Pi Zeta initiated 19 associate members the following semester, more than doubling their chapter’s total membership at the time.

Bellitti’s keen sense for recruitment reform started when he was an associate member at his chapter and first became interested in running for recruitment chair in the wake of the membership review.

Bellitti was able to refine his chapter’s recruitment practices to ensure they were seeking quality candidates.

After being elected, recruitment was initially an unsuccessful venture for Bellitti. He remembers initiating only four associate members during his first semester as recruitment chair. After the slow start, the Epsilon-Pi officers met in what www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

“I really bought into the whole Cole Recruitment philosophy,” he said.

The zeta outlined six characteristics that they would like to see in an ideal associate member and made sure that potential

13

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

new members met four of the characteristics before they were offered a bid. They also raised the GPA standard for associate members.

“It’s important to focus on the quality and the core values of the candidates you are recruiting. Then, once they are initiated, this will foster their leadership skills in the fraternity,” Bellitti said.

In addition to holding additional recruitment events, Bellitti also created brochures and resources to enhance the professional impression of the chapter. He made sure his chapter was recruiting year round instead of limiting their efforts to certain parts of the school year.

The result of these changes led to an increase in young men interested in his chapter.

accomplished and looks forward to recruitment continuing to be the lifeblood of the fraternity.

“Vince broke down the large fraternity model that could potentially scare off guys from talking to brothers, and allowed for a more personal experience where we could really get to know guys without the commotion of the large group event,” Dane said.

“The things that Vince put in place during his year as High Delta will become traditions in this chapter for years to come.”

As for the future of Epsilon-Pi Zeta, Bellitti and the chapter hope to keep a high standard of recruitment and continue to bring in quality men.

“The whole attitude of the chapter has completely shifted. It’s really awesome to see, and know I was a part of it,” he said.

“It’s a common misconception that you can’t recruit both quantity and quality. It’s very feasible to get both at the same time,” he said.

Leaving a Legacy Between Bellitti’s efforts to better the recruitment practices on both the chapter level and the IFC level, Bellitti has learned some valuable lessons about the importance of appealing to the right students.

“I know that if you’re really recruiting with the wrong message and in the wrong way then you really destroy your chapter,” he said.

The Epsilon-Pi chapter now has 70 men on their roster, a far cry from the 22 men retained after the membership review.

Bellitti is impressed with the organization of the current zeta, the quality of brothers, and the competition among brothers running for officer positions.

Louie Dane has also served as the recruitment chair for Epsilon-Pi. He appreciates the changes that Bellitti

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

14

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

In His Own Words: Twaddle’s Courage Under Fire Justin Twaddle (Culver-Stockton 2002) exemplifies personal courage as a firefighter, missionary, and Lambda Chi Alpha brother.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

L

ast January, Justin Twaddle, a firefighter and medic

for the Quincy, Illinois Fire Department, charged into a burning house and saved the life of Ella Cain, a 15-monthold baby girl. The act of personal courage was just the tip of the iceberg. Twaddle is also a deeply devoted Christian who has done mission work around the world. Twaddle recalls the dramatic rescue, his mission trips, and the lessons he gained at Lambda Chi Alpha. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Describe the rescue “I was actually supposed to be on vacation that day. But I totally forgot about that vacation day and came to work.

So I worked that day and then the next morning at about 6:15 I had just gotten out of bed and I was standing at my locker and getting ready to get cleaned up for the next shift to come on duty and the toner went off and dispatch came on and said ‘Engine Four General Alarm at 303 Ohio’ and the information that was given was ‘baby trapped in upstairs

15

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE bedroom.’ Now we’ve had people trapped in fires before but we rarely get information like that on the dispatch as it comes in right away.

Immediately your adrenaline is up. We get in the truck and we get rolling. I’m on engine five so we were the first due engine company at the fire. The immediate priority is rescue, then fire extinguishment and containment comes secondary. So Lieutenant Eric Becks and I knew we were going right in to make the rescue. We run up to the front door, (Ella’s) grandpa is actually standing at the front of the house. He directs us to the side of the house. We quickly get on our masks and all our gear on, and I’m the first one in the door. (Ella’s) dad, Elvis, is also there. He had just got back from work that morning and he had tried to gain access from the top windows. There were several people that tried to go up the stairs but the heat was just too much for them and he went to the back window on the north side of the house and tried to kick in the top window to get in, but the heat and smoke conditions were just too extreme so he didn’t get in. Your body just won’t let you go in those extreme conditions.

How do you believe the rescue went?

“The timing of everything was just impeccable. It rarely works out the way it did. We went back into the house with the hose team, and they were making the fire attack. When I had gotten (Ella) out of bed, her mattress was intact and her bed was still fine. When I went back up everything was incinerated and all that was left was the springs of the mattress. So between the time that I got out with Ella and that the attack team got up there with the hose line, it reached what we call flashover point where everything in the room reaches ignition temperature and explodes in flame. If we had been fifteen, maybe twenty seconds later than we were, there would have been no chance. We got there at just the right time to make the save.”

I reached the top of the stairs. It was zero visibility. Smoke had banked all the way down. It was very hot in the room. I made my way to her crib. I could barely make the crib out with my flashlight through the smoke. I reached out and grabbed her. Then I got as low as I could and I made my way back to the stairway and got out as fast as I could. What felt like an eternity to me-- going up the stairs and grabbing her and getting out-- my assistant chief later told me we were in the house maybe 40 seconds.

So I made my way down the front steps and just wanted to access (Ella’s) vital signs. I laid her down and she was taking gasping breaths. Her hair was black with soot, but she didn’t have any burns on her face or around her mouth or nose which is a tell-tale sign that there might be some burns in the airway. I gave her two quick rescue breaths and she started breathing right away. I put my hand on her chest and I felt that her heart was beating. We were getting ready to put an oxygen mask on her when the Adam’s County ambulance service pulled up. I scooped her back up and ran to the ambulance, handed her off to those guys, and went back in with engine two that had arrived right after us.”

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

What happened to Ella after the initial save?

“They got her to the hospital and they sedated and inundated her because immediately they were expecting airway burns.

They then flew her out to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, which has a pediatric intensive care unit. The doctors told the parents right away that she may only live 48 hours. But they were shocked that she had no burn to her airways, especially after the fact that she had been burned over 50 percent of her

16

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

body but mainly on her back with second and third degree burns. Since that time she has had nine surgeries; her skin grafting; had some infections she had to fight off; and praise God last Friday she actually came home with her parents. They are home right now but might have to go back in a week or two for another skin graft. But originally they told the parents that she might not be home until 2013. For her to be home two and a half months after the fire is an absolute miracle and I think it’s a testimonial to people’s faithfulness in prayer and God’s faith to heal her. I was burned a little bit, I don’t have any scaring or anything like that. Hopefully, by the time she reaches 10 or 12 years old that her scars will mostly be healed and she’ll be able to live a normal life.”

Did you have time to process everything that was happening during the rescue?

“I didn’t really have time to think about it that morning, but I have since then and in the weeks. The emotions that are going through you when we stepped off the truck-- people are screaming and you obviously want to get in there as fast as possible; so the only thought that was really going through my head was just ‘go, go, go, move as fast as possible.’ So you really don’t have time to think in the situation. For two days after the rescue I could not remember what exactly happened. After about a month I could recall every detail with vivid clarity. We go to a lot of fires and car wrecks and we have the opportunity to help people but rarely do we get an www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

opportunity to make a save like this. With all those emotions going through your head you really can’t process it until a little time passes.”

For their efforts in rescuing Ella, Twaddle and Lt. Becks received the Quincy Fire Department Medal of Valor. Twaddle has also kept in contact with Ella’s family as she continues to recover

I’m sure there was a lot of community support, what was your reaction to everything that happened?

“It was humbling and honestly it was an honor to be recognized but really I want to be careful not to have any glory for myself. Really firefighting is the ultimate team sport. The commander and the assistant chief, Tom Bentley, he’s overseeing the whole thing and we all trust each other.

Without that dynamic we can’t do what we do. So it’s more than just two of us running in a house. It’s more than just a couple of people cutting someone out of a car wreck. It’s the whole team aspect. Any credit I get I push off on the whole shift and the guys I work with. We have a great crew at the Quincy Fire Department and I’m really blessed to work with a great group of guys like that.

The rescue brought more attention to our job also. People don’t think about firefighters a whole lot until something

17

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

like this happens. We are highly trained. We care about our community. A lot of people think we just sit around and play cards. That’s just not the case. We have downtime obviously and we do things we enjoy but we spend a lot of time training and being prepared for that next call and making sure the equipment is ready and everything works properly. That’s a big part of our job. When it happens we’re prepared to do what we have to do to rescue someone or help someone when they’re having their worse day.”

In addition to his work as a firefighter, Twaddle also serves as the missions director for the Cross and Community Church.

He has gone on four mission trips to South Africa, India, and Haiti. His work as a missionary includes teaching ministry and offering people life and health skills. He considers this work his calling and one day hopes to make it his career job.

Twaddle has a wife, Deanna, whom he met at CulverStockton; and three daughters, Lilia, Caleigh, and Abigail.

Looking back at his Lambda Chi Alpha experience, Twaddle sees the leadership experiences of the fraternity as a fundamental part to his maturation.

As an undergraduate at CulverStockton, why did you decide to join Lambda Chi Alpha?

best things I got out of college was those friendships with my fraternity brothers.”

What were you favorite aspects of the Fraternity?

“The ritual is a large part of my life. It’s such an amazing thing. The fact that there is Christian theology throughout it is really cool for me, especially looking back at it and having a part of it. Symbols of the fraternity mean a lot to me. The idea of the lion and the white rose; strength protecting innocence; being someone who has three daughters that means a lot to me. Finally, the relationships that are formed meant a lot to me. We have a really strong alumni base at Culver-Stockton College even though we are a small school; and just being able to go back for Homecoming, when I can make it back, and visit with the guys who came before me and came after me, and just that common bond you have with them; that brotherhood is so critical and so needed in today’s world when more and more people are becoming more insolated and becoming more self-centered; the fraternity speaks against that. We are living in a community that God calls us to love other people and serve other people. That was an important part for me.”

“When I joined the fraternity I had a couple of options. I played football at Culver and most of the guys in football were joining a different fraternity. I really wanted to meet different types of people. So it was a matter of where I felt like I was a better fit. It was definitely a good fit for me. I enjoyed my whole experience. The things I really gained were leadership and being able to deal with people. I hit the trifecta in terms of offices. I was High Gamma, High Beta, and then High Alpha. I got in on all the leadership roles that were there and really learned a lot about myself in terms of how to lead people. I also had to deal a lot with the college and nationals.

In no way did I have anything figured out in college but it definitely started to steer me down the road in terms of being able to lead people, to organize things, and interact people and build relationships and life-long friendships. One of the

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

18

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

MANAGERS OF THE MEDIA Header The KTVT news team in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is home to four managers- all Lambda Chi Alpha brothers. Together they rely on their Lambda Chi Alpha values to produce a winning broadcast.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State 2011)

E

very evening, when the KTVT news program airs across

the Dallas, Fort Worth area, hundreds of thousands of viewers are witnessing a broadcast that a close-knit group of four Lambda Chis has a large part in producing.

William “Dandy” Killeen (North Texas 1990), Chris Best (Missouri-Columbia 1997), Michael McCardel (Texas-Austin 1993), and Ram Guzman (Texas A&M-Kingsville 1996) all serve as news managers in their respective departments for the CBS affiliate.

“It’s a unique situation that we’re all coming from the same Fraternity,” Killeen said, “It creates a common ground for us to create a working relationship.”

While the news managers come from four separate chapters, they take pride in the fact that they share the same bond of brotherhood.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Their brotherhood, and the lessons and values they garnered from the Fraternity, have prepared them for the daunting task of leading their news station.

“The four of us have to be leaders because there are days when we are the ones deciding what makes news in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and that’s a big responsibility,” Best said.

Leaders in their Profession Each Lambda Chi news manager serves as an integral piece to an elaborate network of reporters, photographers, and editors.

Killeen is the executive producer of sports at KTVT. A 13-and-a-half-year veteran at CBS, Killeen’s responsibilities include running the day-to-day duties of the sports department, writing and editing sports stories, and making sure the overall operation of the sports department is running smoothly.

“I like to call myself the janitor. I clean up the messes and

19

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE put out any fires that happen in the day-to-day operations,” Killeen said.

In the sports-minded culture of Texas, Killeen’s duties take on a greater significance.

Sports stories are often the lead newscasts for KTVT. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is home to several prestigious sports franchises, including the world champion Dallas Mavericks, AL champion Texas Rangers, five- time NFL champion Dallas Cowboys, and former Stanley Cup winning Dallas Stars. Additionally, Killeen’s department covers sports from the nearby colleges TCU, SMU, and UNT.

Relying on Values Killeen, Guzman, McCardel, and Best each served as officers for their chapters. They attribute their ability to manage their respective teams to the leadership experiences they experienced as officers.

While an undergraduate at the Iota-Zeta chapter of North Texas University, Killeen was the chapter president and social chairman.

He remembers the benefits of taking classes with his brothers who were also in the radio, television, and film program. The bond of brotherhood and the academic support he received while at the Iota-Zeta chapter helped him reach his goal of working in sports television.

“Dandy is one of the best sports journalists in the country,” Best said. “It really helps our staff a lot. He’s a huge asset to our sports department, that’s for sure.”

“The guys I was in Lambda Chi with certainly encouraged me to chase my dream to be in television and they helped me build on that,” Killeen said.

Guzman serves as KTVT’s chief producer. He is a two-time Emmy award winner and has garnered several other honors for video editing, including awards from the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters and the Katie Awards given out by the Press Club of Dallas.

Guzman served as the secretary, ritualist, and social chairman for the Beta-Epsilon chapter of Texas A&M Kingsville.

In the newsroom, Guzman oversees the video editing staff. For each news report the photographers may collect 20 minutes of footage. Guzman and his staff are responsible for editing the footage into an orderly minute-and-a-half to two-minute newscast.

“Going into college I knew the views on fraternities were basically being party organizations but, once I was recruited and went through rush, I knew it was so much more; the community service and the actual business side of the fraternity were very important,” Guzman said.

McCardel is the managing editor. He oversees the KTVT reporters and the content they produce.

One of Guzman’s fondest undergraduate memories was receiving the McIntosh award and the Tozier Brown Public Affairs award at the General Assembly on behalf of his chapter in 1997.

Best is the executive producer for KTVT. He manages the newscast producers and, essentially, is in charge of the flow of the program. McCardel and Best work closely to determine what content is aired on the 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM broadcasts.

“We have a ton of say about how these newscasts air at the end of the day and what makes news and ends up on our television station,” Best said.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

When Guzman first joined Lambda Chi Alpha his perspective on Greek organizations quickly changed.

Best was the house manager, alumni chairman, and vice president of his chapter, Gamma-Kappa, at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Best considers his time as an associate member as being valuable in providing him with lessons that he would use as a manager and in his personal life.

20

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE “The associate membership program, rather than the pledge program, has a lot to do with how you treat both the people you work for and the people that work for you,” Best said.

He admits that his decisions were not always favorable with all his brothers but he always knew the importance of having his chapter “pull the rope in the same direction.”

Associate membership, Best said, is built off the Golden Rule.

By adhering to the Golden Rule, Best said he can manage a workplace that respects each individual, and he can pass along the same values to his children.

“I think the responsibility and learning how to deal with responsibility is one of the best lessons I learned in office,” Killeen said.

McCardel served as vice president for his chapter. He still talks to some of his brothers from the University of Texas and they are surprised that he works side by side with brothers from different chapters.

“Their reaction is nearly universal. It really seems impossible…. But here in north Texas, it’s reality,” McCardel said.

A large part of being an officer in a chapter is leading a diverse group of brothers to achieve a common task. Guzman credits his role within his fraternity for the skills he now possesses in leading his video editing staff.

“A lot of my experiences at the fraternity have carried over into dealing with different personalities, problems, and issues,” he said. “You have to understand that being a manager and dealing with people is the same as dealing with members of the fraternity.”

Practical Solutions from the Fraternity Every week current undergraduate officers gather in their zeta meetings to discuss the daily operations of their fraternity, upcoming events, and possible conflicts among other orders of official business. These meetings are crucial for running a wellorganized and efficient fraternity.

The values of Lambda Chi Alpha continue take root in the four newsroom leaders as they go through the daily tasks of preparing the news for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“I think the biggest thing is knowing what I’m going to get from those guys,” McCardel said. “They are dependable, consistent, hard workers.”

These meetings also parallel real work scenarios that undergraduates will experience after graduation, when they have jobs of their own.

Killeen, Guzman, McCardel, and Best agree there are deep similarities between the decisions and actions they initiated as officers of Lambda Chi Alpha, and the steps they now take to create a polished broadcast.

“Just think of us as the beta, gamma, delta, and sigma of the newsroom or something like that,” Best said. “We really have to work together like those officers do.”

Looking back on his tenure as chapter president, Killeen remembers how he learned the importance of being decisive, formulating plans, and executing plans for the future of an organization.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Those decisions that Killeen, Guzman, McCardel, and Best made as officers have prepared them for the KTVT news room.

As the KTVT newsroom prepares for the deadline for their upcoming broadcast Killeen, Guzman, Best, and McCardel remain calm and controlled while leading their staffs.

“There is deadline pressure but we’ve all been through it so much, we’ve done it a thousand times, that it clicks pretty smoothly,” Best said.

Credit their years of newsroom experience.

Credit their dedication to the job.

Credit their experiences as brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha that have equipped them to confront routine challenges.

21 21

CrossCross & Crescent AprilApril 20122012 & Crescent

FEATURE

Cho’s Involvement Sets Standard for Chapter Kye Cho (Delaware) is involved in numerous clubs at his campus and also serves as the treasurer of the Lambda-Beta chapter. His involvement reflects his chapter’s proactive approach on their daily operations.

By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)

I

ntegrity, duty, and respect are Kye Cho’s favorite core

values.

The sophomore from the Lambda-Beta chapter of the University of Delaware learned these values last year during his Associate Member Orientation Program.

Now, Cho exemplifies those values in the laundry list of clubs and activities he’s involved in.

The list of Cho’s current volunteer efforts include: senator on the Student Government Association; tour guide and student mentor for the admissions department’s Blue Hen Ambassadors; treasurer for the Korean-Student Association; student-alumni ambassador; and new student orientation leader.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Last year, Cho was treasurer for the Harrington Community Council and involved with the Student Center’s Programming Advisory Board. He also spent his Spring Break working with Habitat for Humanity to build a house in New Orleans.

He currently serves as treasurer for the Lambda-Beta chapter.

“I feel that if I always keep busy and on top of everything, I manage not to be lazy. Ever since I joined Lambda Chi it has made me get involved in a lot more things,” Cho said.

“Being involved is a great way to spread our fraternity and brotherhood. We can show people what we represent. It’s great for recruitment.”

In addition to Cho’s many extra-curricular activities, he maintains a 3.83 GPA with an Accounting and Finance double major and a double minor in Economics and Philosophy.

22

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

The men of Lambda-Beta have paralleled Cho’s example by being proactive in their community. This year they collected more than 10,000 pounds of food for the North American Food Drive. The donations went to support local food banks.

Five members also raised money and awareness for children’s cancer by shaving their heads.

Ryan and Cho currently serve as senators for the SGA. The two undergraduates plan to keep promoting Lambda-Beta through their selfless service.

“Involvement definitely improves the image of our fraternity because people see that we’re not just a bunch of animal-house guys but rather leaders and respectful men on campus,” Ryan said.

Involvement is at the core of what it means to be a brother of Lambda Chi Alpha. By taking leadership roles beyond the fraternity, Cho and Ryan are setting a positive example for Lambda-Beta.

“Everything that Lambda Chi teaches, Kye really takes to heart and embodies in his everyday life. He sets an example of a good, honorable person,” said Jeremy Ryan, Lambda-Beta’s fraternity educator.

“There are definitely a lot of things to learn outside the classroom,” Ryan said. “By getting involved in extracurriculars not only do you learn a lot about yourself and other skills like how to deal with other people but you can also make a big difference in the school.”

Cho relies heavily on the core values of Lambda Chi Alpha to help him excel in his school work and extra-curricular activities.

“Everything is laid out in our core values. You should model your life on those values. With leadership positions in other organizations it’s a lot about duty and respect. Your duty is to lead and to organize and fulfill all your commitments.”

“Respect is important as well, because you have to have respect for others in your organization. I never realized how important those values were until our Kappa taught us those,” Cho said.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

23

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

Honoring & Modernizing Our Past As a Greek-licensed vendor, sculptor Ira Hill (Alabama) has created a modern day version of the Lambda Chi commemorative badge.

Built out of bronze or aluminum, the badge includes waterproof LED lights, faceted glass jewels, hand-formed glass pearls, a stained glass Delta Pi, and a waterproof design for use on a chapter house facade or in a Ritual room.

By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)

E

ditor’s Note: If you are interested in finding out more

about Hill’s Lambda Chi Alpha commemorative badge, please visit Ira’s website (http://www.irahillsculpture.com/).

the outside of their houses. They would turn their lights on or off for different events, but the Alpha-Phi chapter didn’t have one.

Ira Hill (Alabama 1997) says, “It’s been a long time in coming.”

“Man, we need to make one of those,” he said at the time.

The only display badge the chapter had was the Ritual badge made in the 1940s out of wood and wire.

After joining the Alpha-Phi chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Alabama he found his inspiration.

Unfortunately it took Hill another 15 years to acquire the skills to make a commemorative badge.

“That’s when I started creating art,” he says. “I originally began doing photography, and then print making, and finally got into sculpture, specifically metal casting.”

“I probably made my first prototype through a variety of methods three years ago,” he said. “There’s molding, glass slumping, stained glass, metal casting, and then the electrical wiring. There’s all that plus the business and marketing of it.”

Part of Hill’s inspiration was seeing all the emblems and regalia of our brotherhood. He also observed that many of the other Greek houses at Alabama had crests or badges on www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

24

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

Within the last year Hill also became an officially-licensed Greek vendor and attended last summer’s Stead Leadership Conference at Iowa State University.

A typical display badge for Ritual is 24 inches wide. Hill’s bronze or aluminum badge is 15 inches wide. If it’s any larger, the bronze version becomes too heavy to easily lift.

The aluminum version is two-thirds of the cost of the bronze, making it more affordable and not as cumbersome as the bronze.

“It’s been an amazing experience just trying to make it; make it attractive, make it profitable, make it something that no one else can get,” he said. “It’s just a wide variety of skill sets that come together. It’s a nice challenge for me.”

Chapters often struggle with maintenance of their Ritual display badges since older ones are made with mercury switches, dated wiring, and incandescent bulbs that are becoming harder to find. Hill’s version of the commemorative badge has all of the modern elements: LED lighting, newer electronic switches, and more durable materials. The only delicate parts on his model are the glass pearls. It is also wired through 10 switches so that the Lambda LEDs come on in unison, then, just as would a Ritual badge, the pearls and the Delta Pi LEDs illuminate individually.

Making It Affordable Now that he has created the rubber mold, Hill can produce a finished product in about four weeks.

“I’ve advertised delivery as being longer than that - up to 24 weeks - just to give chapters the opportunity to space out the payments,” he said. “I’m trying to strategize so that chapters may pay for something that is expensive but not really be hurt by requiring a tremendous outlay all at one time.”

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

Clearly, this is a labor of love for Hill. He has thought about expanding his marketing to sororities but Lambda Chi is his true passion.

25

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FEATURE

“I am really interested in providing a one-of-kind object to the organization of which I’m a member, more than turning it into a business,” he says. “I’m a practicing sculptor so I have to do the hustle wherever I can. Maybe one day expanding will be my best option but right now this is just something good to cultivate.”

The pricing for the badge is $2,500 for the bronze model and $1,800 for the aluminum version.

Artist vs. Craftsman “I don’t know if I’m as much an artist as I am a craftsman,” he said. “I really enjoy the crossover between of the two. I really like the power of art, to compel viewers with visual media.”

Hill believes you can’t have craft without art and you can’t make art without craft. The benefit of being an artist is that it’s a wide open field.

“You can be an actor, you can be a performer, you can be a producer, you can create things, you can destroy things..really unlimited possibilities,” he said.

After graduating from Alabama, Hill earned a master’s degree in fine arts from Florida State University. He also spent six years at Florida State’s Master Craftsmen Studios serving as associate director but retired last summer as he found the job to be too administrative.

Hill was recently awarded a residency at the Metal Museum in Memphis and he will be there through April, May, and June, working with other artists while producing a piece that will be part of their collection.

After that he’ll be back at his studio on the south side of Tallahassee where he’s been for the last 10 years.

“It’s kind of my heart and soul,” he said. “I can walk in here and not run to the store. I have the tooling and the resources to really execute whatever my vision is.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

26

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FRATERNITY NEWS

54th General Assembly & Leadership Seminar More than 500 brothers are expected to attend event from July 26-29, at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.

By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)

Registration is now open for Lambda Chi Alpha’s 54th General Assembly & Leadership Seminar, which will be held on July 26-29, 2012, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix.

Brothers from all over North America, including the Fraternity’s Board of Directors, Student Advisory Committee, Council of Presidents, Master Stewards, and the Professional Staff, will come together to conduct the business of the Fraternity and participate in the educational and developmental chapter programming.

The General Fraternity hopes you won’t miss this opportunity to learn and discover new ideas for your chapter.

Everyone from your chapter is eligible to attend the 54th General Assembly. The General Fraternity strongly encourages your chapter president, chapter officers, or any other brothers interested in leadership and character development to attend. Chapter advisors and other alumni volunteers will also benefit significantly from the experience.

Why Attend?

Attendees will gain the knowledge and know-how to become better leaders and will definitely obtain a richer fraternal experience. Attendees also can share best practices with other brothers and contribute to group conversations and roundtables.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

27

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FRATERNITY NEWS

Additionally, attendees will learn: • • • •

How to deal with accountability and conflict resolution.

How to develop a plan to move forward with, or strengthen, the Outer Circle.

How to implement, or improve implementation of, the Inner Circle.

How to strengthen parts of your Ritual.

Assembly delegates will participate on committees with members of the Grand High Zeta and Master Stewards, as well as with their undergraduate brothers, in assessing the Status of Chapters and General Assembly legislation before voting on the floor of the General Assembly.

In addition to voting on legislation and electing Fraternity Board members, other activities include presentation of awards, educational sessions, banquets, sharing best practices with other chapters, an evening of baseball with the Arizona Diamondbacks, merchandise sales, and the Initiation Ritual Exemplification. Chapters are encouraged to send as many brothers as possible to enjoy the opportunity of a richer and more profound fraternal experience.

General Assembly The General Assembly is the Fraternity’s biennial legislative convention. The first General Assembly was held at the Boston University chapter house in 1912. Traditionally, the event is held during the summer in even-numbered years at a resort or city hotel. Its main purpose is to enact the laws of the General Fraternity and elect members to the Fraternity’s Board of Directors.

Each individual chapter must identify a representative who will serve as its delegate to the General Assembly. The individual delegate represents his home chapter, which gives your individual chapter a voice and influence in the legislative processes. The delegate casts a vote on behalf of your chapter on the floor of the General Assembly.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

It is an honor for an undergraduate brother to be the delegate, and it is your job and responsibility to ensure that this member is selected and registered for the General Assembly.

In Article III, Sec. 1. c., of the Constitution and Statutory Code, under Undergraduate Franchise, it states, “In order to have a vote in a session of the General Assembly, a Chapter or Colony shall send at least one representative to the General Assembly. Such representative shall be known as an official delegate.”

The delegate is each chapter’s individual representation in the legislative committees and on the floor of the General Assembly. Each chapter is allowed only one delegate. He is also responsible for presenting a complete report of the proceedings at the first regular chapter/colony meeting following the General Assembly.

Mandated by the Constitution and Statutory Code, any chapter or colony not represented by at least one delegate will incur a $1,000 fine. Official chapter delegates are eligible for travel reimbursement and all chapter delegate reimbursements will be credited to the chapter account.

Leadership Seminar For the non-delegates, there is an incredible curriculum available. Brothers interested in attending the conference as chapter programming participant will participate in programming led by Master Stewards and the Professional Staff.

A specific announcement regarding this summer’s educational curriculum will follow soon, but know that TRUE Leader, change management, chapter planning, accountability/conflict resolution, and Initiation Ritual programming will all be offered.

Additionally, for the third consecutive General Assembly, we will be attending an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game during the Friday night of the conference. This fun tradition is a great opportunity for all attendees to spend an evening in

28

Cross & Crescent April 2012

FRATERNITY NEWS

IRT Applications

Chase Field, sit in our own section of the ballpark, and share as much brotherhood and food as possible.

At the 54th General Assembly & Leadership Seminar, Initiation Ritual degree teams are assembled from chapters throughout North America. If you are interested in applying, please complete the application and submit it to the Office of Administration no later than May 1, 2012.

Registration & Deadlines The following registration types include lodging, meals, and programming. Regular registration closes on July 1, 2012, and a late registration penalty of $25 will be assessed to any chapter or brother registering after that date.

Team members will be chosen based on the following criteria:

• • • •

Undergraduates

Experience on their chapters’ degree teams.

Geographical distribution.

Recommendations from ELCs and other brothers.

Possible benefit to their chapters (preference is given to brothers from chapters who have not had a member on the International Ritual Team in recent years.)

Delegate - The delegate is each chapter’s individual representation in the legislative committees and on the floor of the General Assembly. Each Chapter is allowed only one delegate. He is also responsible for presenting a complete report of the proceedings at the first regular chapter meeting following General Assembly.

Applicants are not expected to be “Ritual buffs;” indeed, one of the purposes of the International Ritual Team is to increase the Ritual knowledge of its members and, thereby, of the chapters represented. All applicants must have a full academic year of school (two semesters or three quarters) remaining after the summer conference, so that their experiences may be shared with their chapters and colonies.

Undergraduate - Chapter Programming. A chapter can send as many individuals as they like for Chapter Programming.

IRT members will need to be available the week prior to the assembly for rehearsals. Exact dates will be determined by the time International Ritual Team members are selected.

• •

Each brother, by submitting his application, agrees to fully memorize one complete part including movements (all three degrees) of the Initiation Ritual prior to arrival. The 20 hours of rehearsal time at the Leadership Seminar must be devoted to style and polish –- there simply is not time for basic memorization on site.

Chapter Delegate - $475 (only one per chapter) Undergraduate Chapter Programming – $520

Alumni Alumni registration is based on double occupancy but you can choose to upgrade to a single room or bring a guest for additional fees during the registration process.

Last Chance for Now

Volunteer Staff - This is for those Stewards who will be working at the conference. If you are any other type of alumni volunteer and attending the conference but not in a working capacity, please select the alumni registration when you register.

As part of a six-year contract, this is our third and final General Assembly & Leadership Seminar at the Arizona Biltmore. This is truly a unique opportunity for brothers to spend time at a five-star resort, especially for the price –- three nights lodging, meals, the baseball game, and all of the programming and meeting materials.

• •

Alumni Participants - $575 (double room, shared occupancy) Alumnus Participant - $725 (single occupancy room)

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

We hope you can join us in Phoenix for this great event.

29

Cross & Crescent April 2012

ALUMNIHISTORY RECOGNITION

Millsaps’ Marsh Nippes Serving as both an alumni advisor and Fraternal Steward for Theta-Eta at Millsaps College, Marsh Nippes believes strongly in the vital role of alumni participation.

By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)

Name: Marsh Nippes ///////////// Chapter & School: Theta-Eta, /////////// Millsaps College /////////////// Years of Volunteer Service: 4+/ ////////// Volunteer Roles: High Pi/Fraternal Steward / Professional Career: Manager at a small oil and gas company / /////////////

Why do you volunteer for Lambda Chi Alpha?

The High Pi (alumni advisor) when I was an undergrad was going through a very rough divorce and was looking for someone to take over for him. He regretted he didn’t have enough time to commit to the fraternity. We were, and are, pretty close so I willingly signed up, with absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. The fraternity was a very beneficial experience for me and played a huge role in who I am today. My High Pi played a big role in that, and I try to do for my chapter what he did for me.

What advice would you give to other potential volunteers?

Be involved. I believe very strongly that just the presence of an alumnus being around is something that is very positive for a chapter.

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

30 30

Cross && Crescent Crescent April April 20122011 Cross November 2012

ALUMNI RECOGNITION

Why are alumni volunteers so important?

As I said, I think the actual presence of an adult who isn’t in college has a positive effect on the chapter. College is a bit of a limbo-land between a more sheltered world and the real world. I’ve always felt that a primary role of a fraternity is to help the undergrads make the transition. Alumni advisors can really help in this area since they’ve already experienced that transition. I also strongly believe that there is often an innate resistance to change, in undergraduate chapters. Alumni volunteers who have been involved for more than three years have a longer memory of how things have been handled at the chapter. For example, a few years back a member told me that we didn’t order enough crawfish for an event because “we’ve always had 1,000 pounds of crawfish for this event.”

I found that hilarious because I was in charge of the event two years prior, and we had doubled the order that year due to an alumni wedding in town. It’s amazing how often I use the line, “no, this hasn’t been done forever. I know because I just happened to be here.”

What do you find is the most rewarding aspect about being a Lambda Chi volunteer?

This is easy. Hands down it’s when I see the undergraduates make a tough decision after “getting it.” Recently they decided to cancel an annual social event due to financial www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

reasons. While I wished they had never put themselves into a position to have to make that choice, I was very proud of them for buckling down and making the right decision.

Please provide an example that validates why you volunteer for Lambda Chi?

There’s a little bit of back story for this one to make sense.

Every year the SAEs throw a philanthropy called Chili Bowl. We’d never entered a team until my sophomore year when a brother from the class above me and I decided to do it. We lost terribly. Apparently the judges didn’t think as highly of cayenne pepper as we did but we still had a lot of fun. The next year we decided to “go all out” in typical Theta-Eta fashion. We both like to cook and my mother owns a restaurant, giving us access to a really big kitchen with commercial equipment. We prepared chili, cast-ironskillet cornbread, Mexican cornbread muffins, every side dish and condiment imaginable, sweet tea, and several types of cobbler with ice cream. We made extra chili and brought our own plastic bowls instead of using the two ounce soufflé cups provided by the event. This past year was the eighth or ninth year I’ve done it, since I kept getting asked to help out with it after I graduated. One of the freshmen who helped our team this year was someone who had been having a little bit of a rough time at the fraternity. He hadn’t been having a lot of fun and wasn’t sure if he was going to remain a member. Word got back to me after the event that it was one of the best times he’d had at Millsaps and that he was really proud to be a part of our showing at the event.

Anything can be turned into a very fun, positive event if you approach it with the right mindset and with brothers. I think that’s something that frequently gets lost from time to time at chapters.

31 31

Cross && Crescent Crescent April April 20122011 Cross November 2012

HISTORY

New History Book Excerpt (Part 1) Fraternity Board member authors first complete update in 20 years.

By Mike Raymond (Miami-OH)

Introduction In 1992, our Fraternity published Chuck Peyser’s The History of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. In my opinion, Chuck did a fine job of capturing the essential points of our early history. The book has been out of print for many years. Twenty years later it is now time for a new edition of our Fraternity history book. The new book, Our Story: A History of The Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, will be officially announced at the 54th General Assembly this summer.

The following is an excerpt from the new history book. It represents a blend of material from Chuck’s book and new material supplied by me. I hope that you like it.

Our Predecessors College fraternities arose around 1825 out of the student literary societies. These groups had developed as early as 1740 when students banded together to compensate for perceived deficiencies in the educational experience of college such as inadequate libraries and a narrowly focused course of study.

Student literary societies arose naturally out of the sharing of books among friends and intellectual curiosity beyond the prescribed curriculum. Indeed, the “standard course” was grudgingly studied with much complaining about its lack of educational value and about faculty being out of touch with current realities.

In 1765, Princeton saw the founding of two rival groups: The Cliosophic Society and the American Whig Society.

These groups had their own libraries, set personal goals of accomplishment, enforced codes of conduct among members, scheduled debates on topics of intellectual interest, provided supplemental drill within the formal curriculum, set their own curriculum of study, and issued

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

32

Cross & Crescent April 2012

HISTORY diplomas to members who completed the prescribed study.

In short, the student literary societies turned what would have been a very narrowly focused classical course of study into a broad, intellectually solid education. Somehow the faculty was never involved with these mere “clubs.”

Five colleges existed in the colonies in 1750: the Schoole at Newtowne [Harvard, 1636], the College of William & Mary [1693], Yale [1701], and two newcomers: the College of New Jersey [Princeton, 1746] and Franklin Academy [University of Pennsylvania, 1740].

These institutions more closely resembled seminaries than the universities of today, with a student body several years younger than is currently the norm.

At William & Mary, the students, including Thomas Jefferson, banded together to form the F.H.C., which probably meant Fraternitas, Humanitas, et Cognito in Latin, known to outsiders as the Flat Hat Club. Literary societies such as F.H.C. grew at many schools over the next 75 years. This group of new societies included Phi Beta Kappa, the first society with a Greek letter name, founded at William & Mary in 1776.

But in the early 19th century these groups became as stodgy and uninteresting to students as the classics curriculum.

The slow demise of literary societies during the 19th century was caused by the increasing popularity and prestige of college fraternities and the absorption of the original functions of literary societies by colleges and universities. As colleges increased their enrollments, the

number of students became too large to benefit from the two literary societies typically found on a campus. The desire of many students for camaraderie and brotherhood could no longer be met by literary societies.

The colleges and universities also contributed to the downfall of the literary societies as they abandoned their classical curriculum in favor of a more relevant and practical curriculum that offered debate, public speaking, and the discussion of contemporary political and social issues.

These institutions further undermined the literary societies by creating large libraries and by offering extracurricular programs in athletics, music, theater, and creative writing. No longer would winning a debate or making exceptional speech guarantee student recognition from his peers.

The Union Triad In the Mohawk Valley of New York, Union College was established in 1795, named in honor of the recent federal union of 13 states. Its motto, “Under the laws of Minerva, we all become brothers,” has an interesting interpretation since Union is the “mother” of the modern college fraternity.

The Rev. Eliphalet Nott, president 1804-1866, was also important for the fraternity movement. “He was regarded as a radical for advocating curricula in science, engineering, and modern literature, and for admitting students who had been expelled elsewhere. His views on student discipline were especially unique, emphasizing a humane and understanding approach.”

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

33

In this climate, three members of the class of 1826, John Hart Hunter, Thomas Hun, and Isaac W. Jackson, established Kappa Alpha Society, [not to be confused with the now defunct imitation of Phi Beta Kappa founded in 1812 at North Carolina or with the Kappa Alpha Order founded in 1865 at what is now Washington & Lee].

On General, Social Fraternities The Oxford English Dictionary, ultimate authority on the meaning of words in our language, has just over 10,000 words on the meaning of social, society, and related terms. Fifty-nine of these words deal with the party-recreational purpose, and all the rest with constructive, serious meanings. Surely the real significance of social lies in the 99.4 percent, not in the tiny 0.6 percent. As the Delts put it during our first half century, the aim was cultural, congeniality and morality, including unselfish cooperation and the fashioning of character, or teaching boys how to become men in mature aspiration and responsibility. . . .

Nobody ever opposed parties and fun in the fraternity system; even the Phi Beta Kappas in 177681 ate peanuts at meetings and established fines for drunkenness or swearing during the programs.

But no one ever dreamed of considering parties, peanuts, and potations as the main purposes of a social fraternity, either.

- Dr. Frederick D. Kershner, Rainbow of Delta Tau Delta

In November of 1825 they initiated two other men with “adjournment to the well-known dining room at Knight’s boardinghouse downtown, where a supper was made enjoyable without extra stimulants of any kind, name or nature.”

In December, eight others were similarly initiated. Baird’s Manual of 1879 says, “This was, in reality and spirit, the first Greek-letter fraternity, being the first to put into practice the principles that have since guided these societies.”

Cross & Crescent April 2012

HISTORY

but with a true philosophical spirit looking to the entire man so as to develop his whole being—moral, social and intellectual.

Early Literary Societies Through 1814, 38 student literary societies had been established in 19 different colleges.

The first five and selected others are listed here:

1750 1750 1753 1765 1765 1776 1795 1795 1795 1795 1796 1803 1814 1815

Flat Hat Club Critonian Linonian American Whig Cliosophic Phi Beta Kappa Hasty-Pudding Club Philologian Philtechnian Philomathean Adelphic Phi Sigma Nu Philopeuthian Phoenix

Kappa Alpha Society was a success, as indicated by the establishment of two powerful rivals within two years: Sigma Phi in March of 1827 and Delta Phi in November of the same year. Each of these members of the “Union Triad” had a Greek name, both a secret and a non-secret motto, a grip, and a code of principles or ideals expressed in a ritual or formal initiation ceremony. Their purposes were avowedly social as well as intellectual. Although some of these characteristics had been present in the literary societies, this first Union Triad was a new form of student organization.

The Hamilton College Link Sigma Phi was the first to expand beyond Union, placing a chapter at Hamilton College in 1831. Meanwhile, Samuel Eels had entered Hamilton in the fall of 1827 and found the two literary societies, Phoenix and Philopeuthian, in a bitter

William andMary Yale Yale New Jersey [Princeton] New Jersey [Princeton] William and Mary Harvard Williams Williams Union Union Vermont Hamilton Hamilton

Secrecy and Elitism

VA CT CT NJ NJ VA MA MA MA NY NY VT NY NY

It is difficult today to appreciate the opposition fraternities faced in the mid19th century over the secrecy and elitism issue.

fight for supremacy.

Although he joined the latter “for protection,” he -- like many students —- was disgusted not only with the ungentlemanly nature of their rivalry but with the willingness of the Sigma Phi chapter and Kappa Alpha (in an unsuccessful 1830 attempt to place a chapter at Hamilton) to behave likewise.

Thus, in 1832, he joined with four close friends to establish Alpha Delta Phi. The objects of the new group were objections to the practices of the other four:

• Must exclude of that jealousy and angry competition; • Must be built on a more comprehensive scale providing for every variety of taste and talent; and • Must be national and universal in its adaptations so as not merely to cultivate a taste for literature or furnish the mind with knowledge,

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

34

The short-lived Chi Phi group at the College of New Jersey in 1824 adopted assumed names such as Agamemnon and Ajax to conceal their identity should the minutes fall into the hands of outsiders.

In 1831, John Quincy Adams and others forced Phi Beta Kappa at Harvard to make public its secrets and become an open honorary. In 1845, the University of Michigan ordered three groups to disband under penalty of expulsion of members; new students were required to sign a pledge not to join the groups.

Alpha Delta Phi and Chi Psi met in an abandoned log cabin deep in the woods near Ann Arbor; members had to leave town singly or in pairs to escape notice (and punishment by the faculty).

Eventually the two groups were able to have the rule rescinded after public debate. The Delta Phi catalog of 1847 listed its members of the sub rosa Harvard chapter in Hebrew so they could not be expelled by the faculty.

Elsewhere, Phi Delta Theta granted a second charter at Miami University in 1852 because the 11 in the first group

Cross & Crescent April 2012

HISTORY

had found it difficult to gather secretly.

Philip Spencer, an original member of Chi Psi at Union, was found to have “messages in Greek” in his possession while serving as a midshipman in the U.S. Navy. Although he was the son of a cabinet officer and from a family of high social position, when he refused to explain the contents of these Chi Psi documents, he was charged by the ship’s officers with mutiny and executed at sea by being hung from the yardarm.

For many years, members of Chi Psi were known as “pirates” by rival groups. By 1865 the existing 25 national fraternities had established 375 chapters of which 91 were inactive principally due to faculty opposition.

including initiations, is usually done in private, but occasionally non-member guests are present.

Clyde S. Johnson sums up this era: “They were expressing a normal, healthy protest against college restraints and dissent against situations in student affairs which they regarded as unfair or wrong.

It is also likely that they were fighting boredom. Class recitations of their period followed a fixed and dull routine. When these were over, the college environment, usually a small rural town, offered almost nothing of a social or recreational nature.

The students sought freedom to discuss literary, social, and political issues at their clandestine meetings, searching out facts instead of depending on religious faith.”

The early years of the 19th century saw fraternities founded to meet three basic needs of its members: prestige, camaraderie, and an organized way to resist authoritarian college faculties.

The “Social Fraternity” founded in 1834 at Williams, the “Equitable Fraternity” founded in 1837 at Union, and two more groups at Amherst and Hamilton joined together in 1847 as the “Anti-Secret Confederation.” The group changed its name to Delta Upsilon in 1858 and “anti-secret” was changed to “non-secret” in 1881.

Today, Delta Upsilon is quite similar to the other college fraternities. However, it does not have a secret motto, grip, sign, or password and its convention records are open. The business of its chapters,

www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent

35

Cross & Crescent April 2012