TAU TALK
ALPHA TAU OMEGA AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
SPRING 2021
A
s we start to see a light at the end of the tunnel and
hopes of a return to some semblance of a pre-
pandemic normal, I'd like to take this opportunity
to recognize the leadership and example set by our active
chapter members. Specifically, previous chapter President
Max McFadden '18 and Vice President Ryan Clancy '18,
as well as current chapter President Jack Daus '19 and
Vice President Ben Sloan '19. With the chapter members'
precious time at Iowa State seeing radical changes or
complete removal of many of the benefits of fraternity life,
these student leaders handled it all in stride. I appreciate
you all for setting the tone with the chapter, keeping morale
as high as it could be, and protecting Gamma Upsilon's
legacy so future generations may enjoy it. I'd be remiss if
I didn't mention the glue that keeps it all together—Mike
Kelly. I'll use your closing line from most of the messages
we exchange and simply say, "Thank you for all you do."
One more thank you that I'd like to mention is to Patrick
McVey '11 for fulfilling the duties as chapter advisor over
the past couple of years. Patrick will be relocating and
believed it best to hand the reins over to someone local
to be a physical presence at the chapter facility. I know
your time didn't materialize as any of us envisioned, but
your willingness to step into the role when we needed it is
something we're fortunate to have had. Thank you, Patrick.
Looking forward, I hope that we can find ways to reach
new pockets of our alumni database who may not be on
our communication/contact lists. At this time, the active
chapter is launching a focused effort to help fill in the gaps
we have. If you receive or see a call to action on any of
our social channels, please take the time to update us on
your contact information. The next time you catch up with
a brother, ask them if they took the opportunity to update
their information, too. In the nearly 15 years I've known
Gamma Upsilon, we are experiencing unparalleled times of
success. It's something I'm deeply proud of as an alumnus
of our chapter and would love to share with as many of my
brothers as possible. Whether you recognize it or not, you
are directly responsible for this success being a possibility.
Lastly, I encourage you to visit atoisu.com to see the
evolution of our chapter's website. The active chapter has
taken proud ownership of the Gamma Upsilon brand. We'll
keep it updated with information and photos. Please know
I welcome any feedback and additional information you'd
like to see on the website. I look forward to sharing in a
brotherhood event with you all in the future. Go Cyclones!
Love and Respect,
Michael Nelson '07
President, Board of Trustees • michael.nelsonjr@gmail.com
Active Chapter Members Give Gamma Upsilon
Alumni Many Reasons to Be Proud ATΩs
Be on the Lookout for Opportunities to Get Involved within Our Brotherhood
F
rom pledge class positions to serving as chapter
President, Daniel Porter '06 was afforded countless
opportunities to grow and build confidence through
his Alpha Tau Omega experience. "Each step brought its
own set of experiences that shaped me as a young man,"
Dan shared. "Some of my pledge brothers jokingly called
those of us who got really involved 'resume builders,' but
the fact is the education we got through those positions
went far beyond anything we took out of the lecture halls."
Those lessons provided Dan with skills that still serve him
well in his legal career.
Funny enough, Dan's journey at Iowa State almost didn't happen. During
his senior year of high school, Dan was planning to attend the University
of Iowa with a pre-law focus; however, his best friend, Sean Clement
'06, was planning to attend Iowa State. Despite not having any family
involved in Greek life, Dan wanted to get a taste of what it
might be like and tagged along with Sean to ISU's Greek
Getaway, where they were fortuitously paired with ATΩ.
"We had a blast," he said. "I broke my dorm contract at
Iowa and was enrolled at Iowa State before summer."
After attending a few recruitment events at Iowa State with
a more stereotypical fraternity, the choice was clear—the
brothers at ATΩ were men of character, mentors, knew
how to have fun, and were the kind of people he could
see as brothers. While Dan and his brothers each had their individual
opportunities and challenges at Iowa State, Alpha Tau Omega was the
common thread catalyzing growth for all of them. He shared the top
three lessons he learned through ATΩ.
(Continued on page 2)
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Alpha Tau Omega -
Gamma Upsilon -
Iowa State University
Defining ATΩ Moments
Daniel Porter '06 Shares Life-Shaping Experience with Gamma Upsilon Chapter