Tag Archives: Phi Delta Theta Fraternity
Phi Delta Theta Returns to Penn State
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.
Volunteers Needed for 2024 I AM ALS Flag Event on the National Mall
We are seeking Phi Delta Theta and Live Like Lou volunteers in the DC/MD/VA area to take photographs of a meaningful flag display at the National Mall for people living with and affected by ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Make a real difference for people and their families living with ALS by coming out to the National Mall on Wednesday, May 29 from 1 PM to 6 PM (or until the project is completed) to help take pictures of 6,000 flags that symbolize the number of people diagnosed with ALS this year. Flags are personalized for people living with and lost to ALS as well as ALS gene carriers. Photographs will be downloaded and shared all over the country.
Volunteers should meet at the National Mall between Washington Monument and 14th St NW. Metro stops near the installation are Smithsonian and Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter.
Volunteer Registration
https://forms.office.com/r/w424hwujPf
Questions? Please email Deb Paust, Community Organizing Associate at I AM ALS, at deb@iamals.org or Emily Johnson, Communications and Operations Associate, at emily@iamals.org.
Phi Delta Theta and Live Like Lou are proud to partner with I AM ALS in support of their DC ALS Awareness Event 2024.
About Live Like Lou
Named in honor of MLB Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, Live Like Lou supports ALS families, funds emerging researchers seeking meaningful treatments and cures for ALS, and helps generate awareness of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Learn more at https://www.livelikelou.org.
Virginia Lambda Installation at George Mason University
The Phi Delta Theta Fraternity is pleased to officially welcome the Virginia Lambda Chapter as the newest fraternity at George Mason University. After induction in November 2021 and months of hard work, the emerging chapter was approved by the Phi Delta Theta General Council to receive their charter in November 2023.
On Friday, November 17, 2023, 33 new members were initiated into the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity at the Naval Lodge, No.4 located at 330 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC.
The next morning, Virginia Lambda officially received their charter from Phi Delta Theta General Council President David Almacy. The Installation ceremony took place at the Lorton Volunteer Firehouse, 7701 Armistead Road in Lorton, VA and was well attended by family, friends and members of the George Mason community.
After a short ceremony and presentation of the charter, remarks were made by Virginia Lambda Chapter President Alex Williams, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity staff member Ian Zimmerman, Chapter Advisory Board Chairman Henry Heren, Phil McDaniel (Delta Upsilon, University of Central Florida), Associate Director of Student Involvement for Fraternity and Sorority Life at George Mason, Delta North Province President Austin A. Deray, and Phi Delta Theta General Council President David Almacy.
Thanks to everyone who attended both events for your support of our newest local chapter. We look forward to seeing what they will accomplish next.
2023 General Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona
The Fraternity’s 84th Biennial Convention took place from June 15-18 in Scottsdale, Arizona, and included celebrations, recognitions, business meetings, educational opportunities, and social opportunities throughout the region. We are thankful for those who made the trip to Scottsdale to help Phi Delta Theta celebrate its 175th anniversary and strengthen our brotherhood. View the photos from the event.
Election of the General Council
Since 1880, the General Convention has held all supreme and legislative powers of the Fraternity. The Convention has three main responsibilities and powers. They include:
- Electing the General Council
- Consideration of judicial matters
- Enacting laws for the regulation of the Fraternity, since only the General Convention may amend the Ritual, Constitution, and General Statutes of the Fraternity.
Celebrating 50 Years of Phi Delta Theta at Virginia Tech
On April 29, 1972, the Virginia Tech local social fraternity, Sigma Alpha Kappa, became the Virginia Eta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta. Since then, over 800 Virginia Tech men have signed the Bond of Phi Delta Theta. Many of these brothers will gather during the weekend of June 10-11, 2022 to celebrate the long anticipated Golden Anniversary in Blacksburg, Virginia.
A full weekend of fun and Brotherhood is scheduled as we renew our commitment to our Cardinal Principles. Festivities will begin with a Friday Night Downtown Takeover hosted by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association. Saturday events during the day such as golf, hiking, odds/evens, and other social activities. Finally, a Saturday evening Reception / Reunion Banquet with presentations including a speaker from Phi Delta Theta’s General Council, the story of ΣΑΚ / ΦΔΘ’s founding, the state of the active Chapter, and – of course – the infamous story of Frank Cox.
Contact the VT Phi Delta Theta reunion committee at vtpdt50@gmail.com for more information.
2021 General Convention in Pittsburgh
As the world began to reopen this summer, Phi Delta Theta was excited to help reactivate the fraternal experience safely by hosting the rescheduled 83rd Biennial Convention from July 19–22, 2021 at the Wyndham Grand in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
A later date allowed for the broadest distribution of vaccines for would-be attendees, and a larger facility provided more space to accommodate the program and ensured that attendees followed proper social distancing requirements at the time of the event. Those who chose not to join the meeting in-person were able to experience portions of the event streamed via the Fraternity’s social media accounts.
Regardless of restrictions, the General Convention continued to commemorate Phi Delta Theta and its legislative body. The Convention represented a return to normal after a challenging year and a celebration of the hard work of our staff, volunteers, chapters, and members.
Phi Delta Theta Installs Virginia Kappa at Radford University
On April 24, 2021, the men of the Virginia Kappa Emerging Chapter were initiated into Phi Delta Theta. That evening, the officiating ceremony members presented the men with their charter during the installation ceremony in the Hurlburt Student Center Auditorium at Radford University. Virginia Kappa is the tenth Phi Delta Theta chapter installed in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Leading the weekend’s initiation and installation ceremonies were the Fraternity’s General Council President Dr. Chris W. Brussalis, Delta North Province President Austin Deray, and Leadership Consultants Corbin Lovelady and Devin Thornton.
Following the presentation of their charter, several constituents made remarks.
Virginia Kappa President Evan Walker reflected upon his time as a member. “One of the best aspects of our Phi Delta Theta chapter is that we are all unique, but this organization has bonded us all together through similar values and moral codes. With this blessing, we can forge our own path at Radford, and I’m confident we can overcome any obstacle. I’m so proud to be brothers with all of you men.”
Phi Delta Theta Installs Pennsylvania Sigma at Millersville University
Phi Delta Theta Fraternity is excited to announce the installation of the Pennsylvania Sigma Chapter at Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Sigma was colonized on October 20, 2017. The colony worked diligently to recruit new members and build bonds within the Fraternity & Sorority community at Millersville University. Their successful petition to the General Council of Phi Delta Theta led to their initiation, chartering, and installation on the weekend of May 3-4, 2019.
On May 3, Pennsylvania Sigma Colony members gathered at a private location in order to be initiated into the Fraternity. Led by General Council Member-at-Large David Almacy, the ceremony was performed by Tyler Wilson (Colony Development Specialist), Alex Atkinson (Director of Expansion), Matthew Groff (Epsilon South Province President), Ryan Egan (CAB Chairman), and a host of alumni.
On May 4, the colony members, local alumni, University Fraternity and Sorority Life Administrators, GHQ representatives, friends, and family gathered on the campus of Millersville University for their installation ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by General Council Member-at-Large David Almacy and attendees heard from university staff, alumni, and undergraduate members of the chapter including Gasser Abousaif, chapter vice president and All Greek Council president, incoming chapter president Tyler Humphries (pictured below) and John Carrasquillo, (Bond #375, Pennsylvania Mu) who transferred from Widener University and first introduced the idea of establishing a chapter at Millersville.
Phi Delts Advocate for Greek Issues on Capitol Hill
President of the General Council Chris Brussalis, Member-at-Large David Almacy, and Chief Operating Officer Sean Wagner, along with student representatives Trevor Guthrie (CA Xi), Pascal Boctor (CA Chi), and Ben Birnbach (MD Alpha) met with Senator Mike Braun (IN Beta) and other members of Congress to discuss freedom of association and anti-hazing legislation.
Indiana Senator Mike Braun, Wabash ’76, recently sent a letter to the president of Harvard University explaining why disbanding single-sex groups is actually detrimental to the communities that Harvard is claiming to try to protect.
An Open Letter: “Love of the Flag…”
January 6, 2021
Dear Presidential Site Friends, Neighbors, and fellow Citizens,
Today’s demonstrations began as an expression of first amendment rights. But the afternoon’s violence at the U.S. Capitol was an unacceptable assault on our American system of self-government, and merits formal condemnation and censure. We deserve better as a country, and we must hold each other accountable if we are to carry on this grand experiment in self-government started by the founders over two centuries ago.
Political strife has wracked our country before—and will again—but our greatest strength remains in the rule of law, and the bulwark of justice embodied in our constitution. Few American presidents have articulated these core principles as thoughtfully and persuasively as Benjamin Harrison, as he did post-presidency in Old Forge, New York, on July 27, 1895. The following excerpt, while lengthy, is well worth reading: