Alpha Tau Omega - University of Nebraska-Linocln

ALPHA TAU OMEGA • UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN • FALL 2020 I t has been 20 years since I joined the Gamma Theta Board of Trustees/House Corporation Board. I have served as president for most of that time and it has been my privilege to work with many outstanding men. The chapter has had more than its share of successes over the years and ATW has been a beacon of excellence both for the National Fraternity and on campus. However, there have also been some significant challenges which most of you are aware of. I want to take this opportunity to tell you how proud I am of the Gamma Theta active chapter during these difficult times created by the pandemic. It is clear that the chapter remains a center of excellence. Gamma Theta had a 3.4 GPA for the spring 2020 semester. Momentum carried over into the summer and fall, as Gamma Theta garnered 38 outstanding new members during recruitment to bring our in- house membership to 79. Having one of the most attractive chapter houses on campus was a great recruitment tool. Unlike some past years, 18 juniors and seniors are living in the house and are acting as leaders to the underclassmen. It has been exciting to work with Chapter President Nate Allgood '18 and the executive team, as they are forward thinking and hard working. After years of little involvement for Gamma Theta with the IFC, Mark Nuester '20 was elected as the IFC vice president. The increase of involvement resulted in Gamma Theta earning True Merit honorable mention status at a virtual Congress in August. While the chapter didn't receive True Merit, being selected as an honorable mention has motivated the men of Gamma Theta to step it up in effort to win True Merit next year. Gamma Theta is proud to be second in the nation for True Merit awards, and our undergraduate brothers are determined to add to that legacy. They are committed to strengthening ATW's community service footprint and to fill more leadership roles on campus. Our undergraduate brothers are also focused on keeping each other safe during the pandemic. Gamma Theta has done an excellent job complying with substantial university guidelines. The board authorized additional professional cleaning a couple of times per week to go along with regular cleaning by the active chapter. The university remains a hotspot for COVID-19 cases, but we are doing the best we can to keep the men of Gamma Theta healthy. We are sorry to see Josh Keller leave after serving for four years as our house director. He completed his Ph.D. program and did an outstanding job as a mentor, advisor, and friend to the chapter. We are pleased to welcome Bobby Smith, who replaced Josh as house director and took his spot in the Ph.D. program. While the active chapter is doing everything in its power to navigate the pandemic, we can't expect them to do it alone. I want to encourage you to think about becoming involved with Gamma Theta by joining our board. There are nine alumni on the board who represent classes from the early 1970s to the 2010s. Currently there are five board members from Omaha, two from Norfolk, and two from Lincoln. We would like to increase our number of board members from the Lincoln area, ideally we are seeking three additional members to serve on the board. We also need a new chapter advisor since Kyle Bruss '97 left the board after many years of outstanding service because of family and work obligations. We meet once per month and try to make our meetings short and on task while still having a good time. The interaction with the undergraduates is particularly rewarding. Love and Respect, Bob O'Neal '71 Gamma Theta Board of Trustees, President boneal@sarpy.com Gamma Theta Makes the Most of the Pandemic Help ATW Thrive at UNL by Joining the Alumni Board CHAPTER WEBSITE atonebraska.org FACEBOOK Alpha Tau Omega at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln TWITTER @ATONebraska ONLINE GIVING atonebraska.org/ campaign STAY CONNECTED

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