Lambda Chi Alpha - Oklahoma State University

PAGE 2 Landon Bafia Edmond, Okla. Kadin Bezdicek Enid, Okla. Bryce Carlin Oklahoma City, Okla. Hunter Case Flower Mound, Texas Benjamin Gillespie St. Paul, Minn. Jack Griffin Bethany, Okla. Cooper Gommel Rogers, Ark. Jake Holmquest Prosper, Texas Aiden James Verdigris, Okla. Joe Kelly Edmond, Okla. Jake Laxton Ada, Okla. Joshua Lewis Tulsa, Okla. Mason McClevey Tulsa, Okla. Landin Olandese Tulsa, Okla. Cole Pack Inola, Okla. Nicholas Sorensen Tulsa, Okla. Ethan Tillotson Moore, Okla. Jackson Warren Caddo Mills, Texas Welcome, Fall 2021 New Associates E ntering college at the edge of adulthood can be intimidating—a lot is expected of college students who are simply trying to figure it all out. For Mike Ghormley AH1394, Lambda Chi Alpha helped him as he learned how to become an adult and gave him the foundation to eventually develop into a leader. Mike never planned on joining a fraternity, but as he met a few Lambda Chi brothers with his friends, Darton Zink AH1400 and Mike Lowery AH1397, they soon became the brothers he wanted as a kid (he does have two sisters he loves dearly). After moving a lot when he was younger, the fraternity offered some stability during his time in college. "Living in a house with that many people isn't always easy, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything," Mike said. "There was always someone to hang out with and always something to do. Even though we gave each other a hard time, you could always count on getting help and support when you needed it." Mike wore his Lambda Chi letters with pride. During his collegiate years, the house was on the rise. "I think that what set us apart from many other fraternities was our overall cohesiveness. There were certainly conflicts and disagreements, like there is with any family, but we stuck together as a house and supported each other." Mike has many fond memories of his time in Alpha Eta, including Formal in New Orleans, initiations, Homecoming, and attending sporting events. As an alumnus, he has enjoyed attending the 2012 Fiesta Bowl against Stanford and the ΛΧΑ summer event at Zink Ranch. Alpha Eta taught Mike an abundance of valuable lessons. He learned to work together with others toward a common goal, to deal with conflict, to take responsibility and be accountable, and to be spontaneous—all while setting limits. These lessons set him up for his psychology career. After graduation, Mike attained his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. He later attended Texas Tech for his MBA in health organization management. When his mentor at his first job left to start a practice, Mike went to work for him a few months later. Mike started at Stonebridge Behavioral Health in 2003 and became the president, CEO, and majority owner in 2019. Mike loves the clinical work he does with underserved populations and children in foster care. Recently, he has enjoyed the challenges of leading the business through a period of growth and making plans for expansion out of state. When Mike moved to Texas, it was hard for him to attend ΛΧΑ gatherings. "Although I have not had that many opportunities to see my brothers from Lambda Chi, when it does happen, I am always amazed at how comfortable it feels," Mike said. "We can talk and laugh for hours, and it seems hard to believe that it has been almost 30 years since we all lived under the same roof." When Darton and David Reynolds AH1367 came to Austin on a fundraising trip, Mike decided he wanted to support the fraternity by helping its continued success and ability to attract high-quality young men. "The Chapter House certainly still had character, but there is no doubt that it was already in rough shape when I first moved there in 1990. I'm sure the condition of the house makes it that much harder to be successful. I was in a position to contribute, so the decision to help out was not that difficult!" Mike started dating his wife, Kellie Jantz Ghormley, during Spring Sing with Pi Beta Phi, and they have been married for 26 years. Their two children, Sarah and Zach, are successful students and have OSU on their college short list. The family is certified in scuba diving, and they take a diving trip at the beach every summer. Mike also enjoys skiing, reading, and traveling with his family. You can connect with him at drghormley@gmail.com. Why Mike Ghormley AH1394 Supports Lambda Chi Alpha Signing Day in July 2021 at Zink Ranch. Wearing with Pride V XA

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