SPRING 2018
THE
George A Long Jr., Illinois Eta, 6/6/1939 #586
George A Long III, Indiana Alpha 1413
George A Long, Indiana Beta
#539 Theta,
C. Loy,
#332
Edward
10/19/1208
3/18/1937
Indiana Strawbridge,
Indiana
Robert
Theta, 4/5/1934 #504
Strawbridge,
Indiana
Theta, 4/19/1936
#531
Dallas Ryan
Long, Florida
Gamma,
4/22/2007
#1663
Russell
Strawbridge,
Indiana
Theta,
4/27/1947
#749
Herbert
Granville Moody
Jr. Illinois
Eta,
3/7/1914 #232
IOWA STATE PHI Official Newsletter of the Iowa Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Iowa State University
CELEBRATING OUR HOUSE MOTHER CORINNE GILBERT IS RETIRING, AND WE SHALL MISS HER LOVE AND WISDOM
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ur beloved house mother Corinne Gilbert, affectionately referred to as “Mom G,” is retiring after taking care of Iowa Gamma members since 2007. Pat Morrison 1894 offered up his reflections on her service to the chapter: “Mom G has spent the last eleven years with the men of Phi Delta Theta and has helped many of the men in this chapter make the transition into and eventually out of college. The impact she has made on the lives of the many young men in this chapter is immeasurable. From helping with problems in a class to sewing on a button for you, she has always been there for us. She has been the rock of the chapter and will be dearly missed. I cannot put into words how much I have enjoyed working with Mom G over the past four years. I always enjoyed my daily conversation with Mom, and I know that I am not alone in saying that I really enjoyed taking those few minutes everyday to check in with her. She is an incredible individual and will be greatly missed. After eleven great years we hate to see her go, but we hope she enjoys spending more time with her grandkids in her retirement.” Continued on page 2
House mother Corinne Gilbert with Chapter President Ryan Ford
PHI DELTA THETA’S SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE
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n order to combat climate change and reduce our overall carbon footprint, Iowa Gamma has made it a priority to go green. Caleb Floss, Samuel Pickett, Patrick Morrison, and Andrew Nurse banded together to create a Phis Go Green Initiative in order to change the wasteful culture of fraternity life to one of reducing, reusing, and recycling. The sustainability projects began spring semester with some being more successful than others, but all benefiting Mother Earth even in the smallest of ways. Here is a list of projects/ideas that were put into action:
Clothing Swap: A house-wide clothing swap to donate old but still usable attire was established. Partnering with the fashion show, Phi Delt was able to donate over two hundred shirts, sweaters, shorts, and pants to this year’s fashion show. The clothes were either re-used by others or donated to the local Goodwill and Salvation Army.
Composting: The chapter partnered with ISU Dining to reduce waste within the chapter house. A compost bin was placed by the chapter house’s dining room to toss any scraps off their plate after dinner or toss rotting leftovers. The bin’s contents were then taken to Friley Hall where the university’s compost bin is located. This is a weekly process for the sustainability chair to take the compost to the bin at Friley Hall. With the new compost bin, Phi Delta Theta saves about 40 pounds of food waste each week. Kitchen Supplies: Some of the most unnoticeable expenses of serving food to the chapter each day includes plates, cups, and silverware. For the past several years, Iowa Gamma has been buying 500 styrofoam cups, 300 paper boats, and restocking hundreds of sets of plastic silverware for the kitchenette weekly. With the new sustainability initiative, we have gotten rid of all of these things: the styrofoam cups, paper boats, and plastic silverware. These were replaced with Continued on page 3
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s has been done for the past 105 years, Iowa Gamma’s members have been working to become the greatest versions of ourselves. This past year Iowa Gamma has made our presence felt at Iowa State University and beyond; through various leadership roles our chapter holds on campus, the 3.22 chapter average GPA, and the bonds of friendship our members have with one another. Iowa Gamma was honored with a number of awards at the Greek community’s annual Fraternal Awards of Excellence ceremony. Sophomore Matt Dodge 1971 was awarded Freshman of the Year; an award that honors the freshman in our community that has made a lasting impact. Our chapter was awarded the Innovation award, given to an IFC chapter that displays innovative ways to progress the chapter forward. We received this award because of the work of Sustainability Chair Andrew Nurse 1942. The chapter also received a leadership certificate and a certificate of merit for our accomplishments over the past year. The award that meant a lot was given to our wonderful housemother Mom G (Corinne Gilbert). Mom G was awarded the house director of the year award. It was extraordinary to see the work Mom has put into Iowa Gamma over the past 11 years honored in her last year serving us. It has been said countless times, but we genuinely do not know where we would be without Mom G. During Greek Week, we were paired with the women of Alpha Omicron Pi and the men of Phi Kappa Theta for Lip-Sync. Our skit “Fresh Greeks on the Block” was awarded best choreography,
best cast, and most dedicated co-chairs. All of this culminated to winning Lip-Sync. Without the leadership of so many, this chapter would not be where it is right now. This year’s senior class of 27 men has left an enormous impact on Iowa Gamma. They have embodied the three fundamental values of Phi Delta Theta: Friendship, Sound Learning, and Moral Rectitude. This year’s senior class will truly be missed, and there is no way to adequately thank them for all that they have done for this chapter. In closing, I want to say how grateful our active chapter is for the support of our alumni membership. Without our alumni, we would not be able to accomplish what we have achieved. Yours in the Bond, Ryan Ford 1947, Chapter President rford20@iastate.edu
CELEBRATING OUR HOUSE MOTHER: continued from page 1 We asked Mom G a few questions before she retired. What brought you to Iowa State University? And specifically, as Iowa Gamma’s house mother? My sister is the house mom at Beta Theta Pi and steered me in your direction.
ABOUT US
The Iowa State Phi is published two times per year by the Iowa Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Iowa State University for alumni and parents. ©Copyright 2018 Iowa Gamma. All rights reserved. Send news, address updates and photos to: Iowa Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta 2 South Campus Avenue, Oxford, Ohio 45056 STAY UP-TO-DATE /PhiDeltaThetaISU @ISUphi linkedin.com/groups/95210 iastate.phideltatheta.org CHAPTER ADVISORY BOARD Steve Good, Chairman Colin Hueser Greg Hunt Jackson Mores Austin Javellana CHAPTER OFFICERS Ryan Ford, President
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The Iowa State Phi » Spring 2018
Jakeb Bakken, Vice President Matt Dodge, Treasurer Logan Heim, Warden Ben McCullough, Secretary Ben Hess, Phikeia Educator Colin Kubinski, Scholarship Jack Stevens, House Manager Nick Worall & Thor Johnson, Recruitment Andrew Nurse & Sam Messbarger, Philanthropy Jake Roum, Risk Manager Liam O’Donnel & Hunter Kowalski, Social Chairmen Mathew Martin, Public Relations Ben McCullough, IFC Representative Danny Johnson, Alumni Relations Gary Wynne & Danny Johnson, Senior Liaisons Daniel Haugen, Awards HOUSE CORPORATION BOARD Scot Alexander, President Toby Geiger, Treasurer Bill Beckman Joel Magruder Bob Sperry Jim Unzeitig
What has been the most rewarding experience you’ve had as house mother? Watching the new members grow into great young men. What are some plans you have for retirement? Keeping up with my granddaughters, playing cards, and working just a little. What advice do you have for Phikeia and active members? Learn to manage your time, study hard, have fun, and always be gentlemen. What is your favorite memory or what made you laugh the hardest while being house mother? Raccoons and tasers. What are some possible ways alumni can get in contact with you? I would love to hear from alumni, I will be at 1306 Longman Drive, Shenandoah, Iowa, 51601-2623 and 515-473-4253. In your opinion, what is the greatest impact you have made on Iowa Gamma? I take no credit. The Fraternity is what it is today due to hard work and dedication of some very outstanding members.
Iowa Gamma
All composite photos by Vantine Imaging.
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
RECRUITMENT UPDATE
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s your new recruitment chairmen for the 2018–19 school year, we are very excited and honored to serve Iowa Gamma. We pride ourselves on our educational diversity within Iowa Gamma. We have brothers in each of the six colleges on campus as well as a variety of student organizations. There is always an opportunity to learn something new from a brother in our chapter. Nick Worrall
We hope to recruit 35 men this summer who value academics and brotherhood, as well as the opportunity to develop personally. We recruit men who are eager to get involved on campus, in the Fraternity, as well as in the community. If you know of someone who would be a great addition to our chapter, please reach out to us. Nick Worrall: I am from Elgin, Illinois, and will be a junior this fall, double-majoring in marketing and management. As well as serving as recruitment chair, I will be in charge of Iowa Gamma’s public relations for this summer. Phi Delta Theta has played a crucial role in my life. I have met some of my closest friends through the chapter and do not think I would be the man I am today if I didn’t decide to join this chapter. I am beyond excited to put together a great new class of young men to join our chapter.
Thor Johnson
Thor Johnson: I am from Plymouth, Minnesota, and am double-majoring in supply chain management and management information systems. Along with being one of the recruitment chairs for Iowa Gamma, I also served as the social chair the past year and helped represent our chapter in IFC meetings with chapter President Ryan Ford. I am so grateful for all the people and memories I have made through my time with this chapter. I am extremely excited to bring in a new class of men who will grow and eventually run this chapter. Yours in the Bond, Nick Worrall 1953 & Thor Johnson 1948 Chapter Recruitment Chairmen worrall@iastate.edu, (224) 856-8147 thorj@iastate.edu, (763) 498-1614
PHI DELTA THETA’S SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE: continued from page 1 sustainable resources such as real plates, silverware, and reusable cups. Not only have we been able to reduce our waste, but we’ve been able to save over $2,200 annually by switching. Showerheads: Utilities have always been a pricey subject for fifty men living together. With the new shower heads, Phi Delt has helped combat this. The old shower heads produced 2.5 gallons per minute while the new ones that have been implemented are only 1.5 gallons per minute. These new shower heads work just as well and some in-house members have said they even like them better than the old ones. With this alternate solution, the Phi Delt house is able to save on average approximately 200 gallons per day while also saving around $400 in utility expenses. Thermostat: Utilities are very expensive within a fraternity house. To combat this, the Fraternity’s new thermostat, a Nest Power Project, is able to save approximately $600 a year from this simple change. The Nest Power Project adjusts the chapter house temperature in an energy-efficient way throughout the day. It greatly decreases the chapter’s heating and cooling bill.
REFER A PHI! Know any young men who would be great Phis? Refer them here: iastate.phideltatheta.org/join/refer-someone/. Then, encourage these young men to visit futurephidelt.org.
iastate.phideltatheta.org
While all these projects are a culture shock to the men living in-house now, it will soon be part of the daily routine to use the new shower heads without a complaint, to throw food scraps into the compost, and regularly consider alternative options to reduce, reuse, and recycle. The hope is to carry this over to other fraternity and sorority houses throughout Andrew Nurse Iowa State’s community. Seeing the success that Phi Delta Theta has had with implementing these new projects, we hope to see that we can share this success and improve everyone’s lifestyle by going a little bit greener.
UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFO! Please visit phideltatheta.org/members/update-your-info/ to update your contact information.
The Iowa State Phi » Spring 2018
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PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #1315 DAYTON, OH Iowa Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta 2 South Campus Avenue Oxford, Ohio 45056 Address Service Requested
FORMAL EVENT A SUCCESS AS WE PARTICIPATE IN NEW UNIVERSITY SAFETY PROCEDURES Iowa Gamma celebrated the end of the school year with a formal event in Okoboji, Iowa, at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center. We were very pleased with the success of the event and felt that it encapsulated the awesome year we have had as a brotherhood. We enjoyed swimming, dinner, an awards show, dancing, and hanging out with each other and invited guests. The awards show summarized the academic year, highlighted the award recognition we have received from the university, and commented on our participation in other campus organizations. Additionally, each senior in attendance was honored with special recognition in a manner fitting to each individual. This year’s formal event was also an opportunity for Iowa Gamma to serve as a litmus test for new university event procedures. The university is dedicated to making fraternity and sorority social events as safe as possible, and we were happy to follow these procedures to demonstrate their feasibility. One example of a new procedure was every brother in attendance handed their car keys to President Ryan Ford at the beginning of the evening and then collected them in the morning before checkout. We were pleased with this process, as we believed it provided further safety parameters for brothers as well as mitigating risk for the university and resort. We are happy to say the event was another fun, safe, and successful event and a great ending to an excellent year spent in brotherhood.
2018 DANCE MARATHON A HUGE SUCCESS Dance Marathon is a non-profit organization supported through the Children’s Miracle Network. The organization raises awareness and raises money for children across North America. Here at Iowa State, Dance Marathon is the largest student-run philanthropic organization on campus. At the “Big Event” in January, all the participants stand on their Iowa Gamma raised $20,159.58 and was awarded with the Miracle Cup for top amount raised among the Interfraternity Council. feet for 15 hours to show their support for the miracle kiddos and their families. While the “Big Event” takes place in January, there are many other events hosted throughout the year for the children, families, and students to attend. All the money raised throughout the year by Iowa State Dance Marathon stays local and goes directly to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. The money is used to help pay for the treatment the children receive. Iowa State Dance Marathon holds a special place in the hearts of Iowa State Phi Delts. Phi Delta Theta actually brought the organization to campus 22 years ago and has continued to take an active role in the organization. A brother of Iowa Gamma has served as the executive general co-director thirteen of the twenty-two years! This past year, Phi Delta Theta raised $20,159.58 and won the Miracle Cup for raising the most money among all fraternities on campus. Overall, Iowa State Dance Marathon raised $332,763.21! Currently, there are 21 Phi Delts serving in an executive role or on a committee through Dance Marathon.