Alpha Tau Omega - Oklahoma State University

2 OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY M ark Lane '78 will never forget how the power of teamwork made something special happen when he joined Epsilon Omicron. When Mark arrived at Oklahoma State, he hadn't considered joining a fraternity and ΑΤΩ wasn't on campus. Both of those things quickly changed shortly after David Underhill '78 convinced Mark's roommate, Ralph Foxworthy '78, to come to a meeting about bringing ΑΤΩ back to OSU. Mark tagged along with Ralph to attend the meeting and he's thankful he did. "It was a wide mix of people that came in. Some of them had been in other fraternities and had depledged, and then there were a lot of people like me who didn't know anything about fraternities," Mark said. "Initially, it was just learning to get along with a bunch of other people. If you throw a bunch of guys [together] from all different areas, some from the city and some from the country, you've got to get along and once you get along you've got to work together. Camaraderie gets built from that and then eventually you learn some leadership skills." Those leadership skills helped Mark launch a successful career in the oil and gas industry. While he retired as the VP of engineering for Lucid Energy Group in February, he's still finding ways to impact others through his leadership. Everything came full circle for Mark when he decided to help lead the way by giving to Epsilon Omicron's capital campaign. "It's basically to provide an opportunity that is better than what we had. I wanted to give back and help the young men coming up," Mark said. "We didn't have a lot of guidance like they do today. ΑΤΩ has obviously spent a lot of time building leadership abilities into their new members, seeing the awards that they've achieved over the years. That's been impressive to the alumni. I think that's a good reason to give." Along with developing leadership skills at Epsilon Omicron, Mark forged several friendships with men who were there whenever he needed a helping hand. Before Mark moved into the Chapter House, he lived off campus in an apartment that was wheelchair accessible. There were no bedrooms on the first floor of the Chapter House, but Mark's brothers made sure there was always someone to carry him up the stairs to get to his room or wherever else he needed assistance on campus. "That's the thing I remember the most is how everybody helped. Anytime I would need to go someplace, there was always someone who would haul me up and down," Mark said. "The miracle of it is that nobody ever crashed with me. Thank goodness." Mark has been impressed with how the active members of Epsilon Omicron have continued to serve as leaders on campus and help others. He believes the new Chapter House will be yet another selling point to attract the finest young men at OSU to ΑΤΩ. "Think about when you joined and how much you would've appreciated the alumni support to help get a house built, for not only yourself but for future generations," Mark said. Just like with Epsilon Omicron's future, Mark is excited about his family's near future. Mark and his wife, Shelley, have two children and are looking forward to their son getting married in March 2021. You can connect with Mark at lanemj1975@gmail.com. Lending a Helping Hand Mark Lane '78 Excited to Give Back to Epsilon Omicron Mark Lane '78 with his wife, Shelley; daughter, Erica; son's fiancée, Caitlin; and son, Casey. ΑΤΩ COVID-19 Response Team: Comprised of undergraduates, alumni, and parents to implement protocols and communicate with stakeholders. Positive Diagnosis Plan and Protocols: Set out steps to take upon notification of a member's positive diagnosis (quarantining, cleaning, and disinfecting rooms, etc.). Reduced Occupancy: We reduced the occupancy of the Chapter House to 32 members and the annex to three members. The first floor of the annex is the designated quarantine space. Healthy Hygiene and Cleaning Practices: The House Corporation has provided: hand-sanitizer stations in all public areas of the house and adequate supplies like soap, cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, masks, and EPA-registered disinfectants. The cleaning and disinfecting will follow CDC guidelines. Bathrooms, common areas, and touchpoints will be cleaned at least twice a day using EPA-registered disinfectants. Dining Room and Meal Service: In the dining room, tables have been rearranged and chairs removed, and meals are served in shifts to support social distancing. Mandatory House Rules: The House Corporation established mandatory house rules requiring all members and pledges to: adhere to all University and ΑΤΩ rules and policies as related to COVID- 19; wear masks or face coverings while in the common areas of the Chapter House (first floor, basement, hallways and bathrooms); practice social distancing at all times—stay six feet apart; and to regularly wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer. No visitors are allowed inside the Chapter House or annex—members and staff only. COVID-19 Response Plan T he Housing Corporation recognized the inherent risk to our members and pledges associated with living in a community environment such as our Chapter House. As a result, the House Corporation prepared a comprehensive plan based on information, recommendations, and guidelines from the CDC, the University, and the State of Oklahoma.

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