Phi Delta Theta - University of Maryland

Summer 2017 Newsletter

Maryland Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity at the University of Maryland

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SWORD AND SHIELD THE NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF MARYLAND ALPHA CHAPTER OF PHI DELTA THETA FRATERNITY AT UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND - SUMMER 2017 u m d p h i d e l t . c o m Alumni Relations Restructuring and You The alumni volunteer board is excited to share some excellent news about Maryland Alpha! We recently hired OmegaFi, a firm who specializes in assisting fraternal organizations with communication and fundraising programs. Throughout the next year, you will notice a more consistent, professional and integrated message coming from the chapter and alumni leadership. The first piece in this new program is our alumni website. You can find the site by visiting umdphidelt.com. While you are there, take a moment and locate yourself on the Brother Search page. Verifying and/ or updating your contact information will allow you to receive further notifications about events and activities. For your security, this page is password protected. When accessing the brother database, please use the following case sensitive password: MarylandAlpha Also, be sure to add a 'Brother to Brother' note to let us know what you have been up to lately. Did you recently get married, have a baby, change jobs or retire? Your brothers want to know, so please add a note! There is a lot planned for Maryland Alpha Phi Delts in the coming year and the chapter appreciates your continued support. If you would like to assist with this new communication effort, or if you have questions, please contact Chris Washburn #1534 at cwashburn410@ gmail.com or Jeff Rivest #1037 at jeffrey.rivest1037@gmail.com. Phi Delt Nick Novak Shines as NFL Placekicker When asked about his former player, Nick Novak #1811, University of Maryland Football Coach Ralph Freidgen replied, "Everything he does in his life is toward the goal of perfection. It was a pleasure to see the effort that he gave both on the field and in the classroom and he is a tremendous example of the type of person and player we are looking for at the University of Maryland." Novak worked hard and stayed focus to achieve his dream of playing for the NFL. He received many accolades during his career as a college and professional football player. One of the most notable is the Jim Tatum Award. This award is given annually to the top senior student-athlete among the league's football players. Novak is one of only three Maryland players to receive the award since its creation in 1979. However, Novak's proudest moments do not include accolades or awards. He is most proud of his perseverance when NFL coaches told him he would not make it as a professional football player. Despite the coaches' judgement, Novak continued to chase after his dreams. His most memorable career moment was his first kick in overtime against the Seattle Seahawks (when he was playing for the Washington Redskins). That same year, the Washington Redskins recognized Novak as Rookie of the Year. Novak's original reason for joining Maryland Alpha was to meet others and make friends. His grandfather was also a Phi Delt, so it seemed like a good fit. After joining, Novak realized being part of a fraternity taught him much more than expected. Between maintaining his GPA and responsibilities to his football team and brothers, he learned valuable time management skills. Novak found his brothers often kept him accountable and played a key role in helping him to achieve his goals. "Compare it to locker-room experience in football," said Novak. "You get to know guys on a personal level and it gives you a home on campus with a family environment." On September 29, 2015, Novak signed with his current team, the Houston Texans. He is 22nd in NFL field goal percentage history with a career field goal of 82.8 (2005-2016). During his last six years as the starting placekicker for the Chargers and Texans, he was 154/179, for 86%. In March of this year, Novak signed a one-year contract extension with the Texans. Nick Novak #1811, placekicker for the Houston Texans.

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