Phi Gamma Delta - University of Kansas

PI DEUTERON CHAPTER OF PHI GAMMA DELTA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS • SPRING 2021 THE BOARD OF CHAPTER ADVISORS IS BACK AT PI DEUTERON A fter a few years on the shelf, the Board of Chapter Advisors (BCA) is reformed, energized, and ready to support the Pi Deuteron Undergraduate Brothers at 1540 Louisiana. The BCA's responsibility is to assist the Chapter in setting its goals, developing an action plan to achieve goals, following up to see that the action plan is being accomplished, and monitoring the continuation of the action plan. Each BCA member will also assist the Chapter on a specific area of operations, including finances, graduate relations, publications, the Frank Norris Pig Dinner, recruitment, new member education, scholarship, philanthropy, and community service. Please remember that the BCA is NOT the House Corporation. The House Corporation serves as the landlord, while the BCA focuses on the programming of the Chapter and mentoring Undergraduate Brothers. Brothers, the genesis to rekindle the BCA at KU goes all the way back to the 1990s. From 1993 to1995, I was fortunate enough to be a Field Secretary traveling the country. The pay was horrible, but the experience was amazing. Imagine being in your early 20s and attending a Final Four in Seattle, box seats at a Peyton Manning comeback win in Knoxville, dinner with the governor of California, private tour of Dodger Stadium with seats on the first baseline for opening day, and sailing off the coast of San Diego. Every day there was some new, unique, and fun experience. There were also great FIJI experiences. I visited 73 chapters in my two- year stint, ranging from large state schools with robust traditions to small, private liberal arts schools I never heard of in towns I never knew existed. I got to know every type of brother and every type of chapter you can think of all over North America. Although the size, geography, and character of chapters change, there were TWO things that ALL successful chapters had in common: senior leadership and alumni involvement. That's it; just two simple things. As a Graduate Brother, I CAN affect change with involvement. So, in the fall of 2020, I decided to do something about it by bringing back the BCA. The "I" that was started is now a "We" that is off and running. Cabinet goals for spring 2021, a solid recruitment plan, new member education for our fall 2021 class and improved communication with Pi Deuteron Graduate Brothers are now in play. Each BCA member is mentoring a respective cabinet leader and all committee heads roll up to a specific cabinet position. Mix in regular undergraduate communication and monthly BCA Zoom calls and we're off and running. I want to thank the new BCA members for re-engaging and remembering that Phi Gamma Delta isn't just for college days alone. If you have interest in joining the BCA or House Corporation, please contact me. We still need five to six more Graduate Brothers to round out a complete support team for Pi Deuteron. Until we connect in person, Mighty Proud to be a FIJI! Fraternally, Doug Draper '92 BCA President dougdraper1@msn.com Perge! Meet the Board of Chapter Advisors Tuffy Mayor '66 (Purple Legionnaire) Kevin Kuster '90 Doug Draper '92 (BCA President) Chris Vine '93 Steve Gulick '95 Reid Augustine '15 Erich Lanz '17 Seth Wingerter '20 T hrough celebrations and times of grief in his adult life, Dr. J. Aaron Grantham '87 has had his Phi Gamma brothers there to share in joy and lift him up when he's needed it most. From Fraternity flag football to philanthropic endeavors, Aaron and his brothers had fun and created countless memories together. The most important aspect of his Phi Gamma Delta experience was the love, support, and concern of his brothers, who have stayed by his side through the years. During Aaron's senior year of college, his younger brother, Joel Grantham, who was initiated into Pi Deuteron Chapter in 1986 and would have graduated in 1989, was killed in a car accident. Joel's pledge brother, Daniel McDevitt, and their girlfriends were also killed in the crash. Aaron's Phi Gam brothers were instrumental in helping him put himself back together then. "As an almost part-time student that semester, I had a lot of time on my hands and not a lot of grief coping skills. It was a very difficult time, and I didn't deal with it very well; I tried to escape," Aaron shared. "If not for the love and The Value of Loyalty and FIJI Friendships Dr. J. Aaron Grantham '87 Shares Life-Saving Phi Gamma Delta Experience Andy Morrison '87, Aaron Grantham '87, Mike Mason '87, and Bryan Eck '87. (Continued on page 2)

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