On Friday, September 6, 2024, the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity officially welcomed the Pennsylvania Theta Chapter at Pennsylvania State University back into the fold. 66 new members were initiated into Phi Delta Theta at the Wyndham Garden State College located at 310 Elks Club Road, Boalsburg, PA.

The next day, chapter members and alumni gathered for a football tailgate before the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Bowling Green Falcons 34-27. Later Saturday evening, Pennsylvania Theta received their charter from Phi Delta Theta General Council President David Almacy during an Installation ceremony and dinner, also at the Wyndham, with over 200 guests including Pennsylvania Theta alumni, local area Phi Delts from nearby chapters such as Widener University (Pennsylvania Mu) and George Mason (Virginia Lambda), family, friends and members of the Penn State community.

There are many undergraduate members to thank for their hard work and commitment to bring Phi Delta Theta back to Penn State including Chapter President Braden Raymond, Tommy McLaughlin, Alex Ciafone, Jacob Halfpenny, and Ethan Angelo. After merging two interest groups in Fall 2022, these men worked diligently to re-establish Pennsylvania Theta since the chapter’s closure in 2007. Several key alumni were instrumental in supporting their efforts including Joe Direnzo, Pennsylvania Theta Alumni Association President and Kevin Haslam, Vice President; Matthew Groff, Shippensburg ’02, Gamma West Province President; Paul Mittan, Chapter Advisory Board Chairman and fellow CAB members Jarrod Prugar, Mark Pleiss, Logan Watkins and Chris Chookagian; and PPGC Chris Brussalis. Lastly, a few General Headquarters staff members including Sean Wagner, Phi Delta Theta Executive Vice President and CEO; Brian Lyke, Senior Growth Coordinator; Ian Zimmerman, Chapter Support Coordinator; and Zach Hilliard, Senior Director of Alumni Engagement were present to help celebrate the occasion.

Phi Delta Theta has a rich history in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Theta chapter of Phi Delta Theta was originally founded at Pennsylvania State College over 120 years ago in 1904 with over 1,500 initiates to date. Penn Theta is the 8th charter in the Keystone State, ten more have been granted since. Although Penn Theta was chartered in 1904, the effort to bring Phi Delta Theta actually started years before. In 1886, a local group at Pennsylvania State College known as Phi Delta Epsilon applied to the General Convention for a charter. They were the first local group in our fraternity history to apply for a charter having already obtained a chapter house. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful, and it wasn’t until 1903 when some Phi Delt alumni on the Penn State faculty and a handful of Phi transfer students formed a local society called Delta Chi with the sole purpose of securing a charter from Phi Delta Theta which they ultimately did in April 1904 with 18 original founders.

The newest PSU Phis are gearing up for their first academic year back on campus since 2007 as an official chapter and expect to reach new heights with Spring recruitment right around the corner. We wish them all the best for continued success in Happy Valley!

Pennsylvania Theta Chapter President Braden Raymond at the Installation Banquet.

(L-R) Paul Mittan, Pennsylvania Theta Chapter Advisory Board Chairman; Chris Brussalis, Past President of the General Council; Joe Direnzo, Pennsylvania Theta Alumni Association President; David Almacy, Phi Delta Theta General Council President; Sean Wagner, Phi Delta Theta Executive Vice President and CEO; and Kevin Haslam, current Vice President/incoming President, Pennsylvania Theta Alumni Association.