Alpha Tau Omega - University of Nebraska-Linocln

A-Tau Observer www.ATOnebraska.org 2 in the lives of its young men. It honors this trust by providing educational programs and scholarships of the highest standards. To maintain this standard, the foundation depends on the regular financial support of its alumni, parents, friends, and income of the foundation's endowment. The ΑΤΩ Foundation is governed by a board of governors comprised of ΑΤΩs from all over the country. These brothers are committed to raise and manage funds to support the Fraternity and all of its chapters. Gamma Theta is well represented on the board with Dave Bomberger '74 serving as the chairman and Griff Davenport '80 serving as the secretary and as a member of the executive committee. Nearly 75 Gamma Theta brothers have contributed to the foundation. Here is a link to the 2016 annual report that tells you more about the foundation: http://www.ATO.org/ ATOFoundation.aspx. MERIT, CREED AND GRISWOLD GAMMA THETA SCHOLARSHIP Each year, the ΑΤΩ Foundation provides scholarships to Gamma Theta brothers. The scholarships were established to promote good citizenship, leadership, and scholarship in the chapter honoring brother Dwight Griswold '45. If you have questions about the ΑΤΩ Foundation, don't hesitate to contact me at dlbomberger@hotmail.com or Griff at gdavenport@dlrgroup.com. Calling All Alumni (Continued from page 1) Jake Richardson '16, Teddy Murphy '16, Miles Morrissey '17, and Zach Lanham '16 at the 83rd annual ΑΤΩ Congress in Orlando. W hen Dr. Justin Harris '96 attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the mid-1990s, there were a lot of fun times had celebrating Cornhusker football victories with his Alpha Tau Omega brothers. As the Cornhuskers won national titles in 1994, 1995, and 1997, Justin and the rest of the Gamma Theta Chapter also aimed to be the best in all of their endeavors. "For the most part, it was a diverse house," Justin said. "You had a lot of people that came from different backgrounds, yet everybody was somewhat like-minded in that most were highly motivated individuals who wanted to do well academically, athletically, and socially. We had a good mix of personalities, but most of us were striving for excellence and that made everyone raise their game." Justin paid it forward to Gamma Theta by giving to its capital campaign. While Alpha Tau Omega molded Justin into the man he is today, he had high aspirations long before arriving at UNL. Justin went on to land his dream job of being a surgeon at Nebraska Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine. "I couldn't have picked a better career for me. Orthopedic surgery was what I wanted to do from as far back as I can remember," Justin said. "I was very fortunate that I was able to accomplish my goals and return back to Lincoln when my training was over and serve as one of the team doctors for the University of Nebraska, which was a lifetime dream for me. It's meant quite a bit." Along with fulfilling his career aspirations, one of the perks of Justin's job is being able to keep in close contact with his ΑΤΩ brothers. Roughly one-third of Justin's pledge class still lives in the Lincoln or Omaha area. "We had a group of guys in our class that all married girls that were all A-Phis (Alpha Phis), and we've been able to stay in touch because of those relationships," Justin said. "It's kind of fun to reminisce about the end of our college careers and see how those relationships developed all because of one another. They are still going to this day." As Justin strives to give the best care to each of his patients, he also treasures his time with his family. One of Justin's favorite hobbies is watching his three kids play sports. Justin often looks back at the examples set by the members of Gamma Theta when thinking about how to be the perfect role model for his children. "There were expectations to work hard and be successful," Justin said. "There were a lot of people in classes above you that were clearly going places that motivated you to try to emulate their example." You can reach Justin at jdharris@neb.rr.com. A CORNHUSKER TO THE CORE ATΩ Helped Justin Harris '96 Strive for Dream Job "There were a lot of people in classes above you that were clearly going places that motivated you to try to emulate their example."

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