Alpha Tau Omega - Oklahoma State University

2 OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY Matt has had a great experience as a chief technologist for DRD Technology, which has him solving different types of engineering problems. Some of his proudest accomplishments since graduating from OSU are completing his doctorate and, of course, building a loving family with his wife and two daughters. Matt hopes that his ATΩ brothers will take a moment to think about everything they've been blessed with over the years and how Epsilon Omicron has played a role in that. "Think back to your time in the house and reflect on how it has impacted your life down the road," Matt said. "I would then ask if you wished that other young men could have the same experience. If the answer is yes, then you should contribute whatever you can to the campaign!" You can connect with Matt at matthewduvall@mac.com. Enriching the Lives (Continued from page 1) B eing a legacy of Oklahoma State University, I always had a passion for the school. I grew up wearing orange gear and going to games. So, when I graduated high school in 2011, there was no question of where I was going to attend college. However, there was a deeper question I was in search of answering. Where was I going to find my community? In high school I played baseball, football, and golf. These were all three great outlets for making friends and having community. I didn't realize how much I would miss the brotherhood these sports provided until I went to college. Being a stubborn young man, I "knew" that fraternities were NOT for me. I was approached by Drew Mireles '11 before my first semester, but I declined any kind of offer to join ATΩ. I assumed what many people do—that fraternities are nothing other than beer- drinking, girl-using places. I worked as a bank teller my first semester to help pay for food and gas. I had classes 8 a.m. to noon and worked from noon to 5 p.m. I would then go to my roommate-less apartment and do homework, sleep, and then do it all over again. This was quite lonely and difficult, especially con- sidering I was an extrovert attending my first semester at an out-of-state school three-and-a-half hours away from home. Drew reached out to me again mid-semester in October 2011 and thank the Lord he did. He invited me to ATΩ's Bible studies on Tuesday nights. There, I realized that many of the guys were young men of char- acter that had purpose and a similar unity that my sports teams did while growing up. After a few weeks of Bible studies and meeting more and more ATΩ members, it was obvious that I was meant to be a part of the fraternity. That night, I signed to join ATΩ. My time at ATΩ was the best decision I made in college. I formed "bonds as strong as right itself and as lasting as humanity." Seven of my eight groomsmen were ATΩs, as were both of my ushers at my wedding. That's not to mention the countless brothers that were in the pews. It was always preached in ATΩ that this would happen, and for me it certainly did. Aside from being a social outlet, ATΩ gave me a sense of purpose and iden- tity. I had the pleasure of leading Bible studies, being a recruitment chairman and new member educator, and serving on various planning committees such as Mom's Day, Dad's Day, and brotherhood events. One of the most rewarding things I was privileged to be a part of in my time as an active member was helping grow the Chapter from 35 to more than 100 members. Although the fraternity had great camaraderie when I joined, it was agreed upon that major growth was needed. We always said that recruitment was the "lifeblood of the organization" and this was certainly true. Thanks to some great alumni guidance and the actives' laser focus, we recruited not only quantity, but also quality in our new members. This led to the Fraternity having more resources and participating in more activities such as America's Greatest Homecoming, Gatorfest, Freshman Follies, Varsity Review, Spring Sing, date parties, and formals. The icing on the cake was receiving top Chapter my senior year. Upon graduating, I was concerned that the Fraternity wouldn't maintain its momentum. I'm extremely proud of the active members' dedication to strive for excellence over the past six years, ensuring that Epsilon Omicron doesn't miss a beat. Being a part of ATΩ's major growth has been very applicable in my career thus far. Five of my six years in the workforce have been in business development. Had it not been for my positions and experience in ATΩ, the learning curve for helping grow organizations would've been much steeper. I'm eternally grateful for my memories made, friendships formed, and skills I was taught in my time at as an active member. Love and Respect, Carter McMillan '12 cartermcmillan92@gmail.com What ATΩ Means to Me Carter McMillan '12 Finds His Community at Epsilon Omicron We Would Like to Hear from You If you would like to share what ATΩ means to you, please email David Ratcliff '83 at david@ivyratcliffchasteen.com.

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