Lambda Chi Alpha - Indiana University

3 THE ORACLE A lpha Omicron Educational Foundation Inc. is pleased to have awarded the following scholarships and grants within the last academic year: • $7,500 in academic scholarships were awarded to seven brothers. The amount and number of applicants was the highest in several years; all recipients displayed extraordinary levels of academic achievement, career ambitions, brotherhood involvement, and overall merit. • $2,500 was granted to three brothers to attend the LXA General Assembly/Stead Leadership College in August 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. These men will receive skills development and leadership training at this program, which is consistent with the foundation's mission to sponsor educational programming activities. • $3,500 was granted to AO Housing Corporation for the purchase of desktop computers, printers, and furniture for a recently renovated computer lab on the first floor. The men of AO use the lab daily in connection with their academic endeavors. Altogether, AO Education Foundation is proud to have granted $13,500 to the chapter and its undergraduates during the 2023-24 academic year. The foundation will continue supporting the chapter's academic and educational programming activities in the future and hopes its alumni, undergraduates, and friends will continue to support those efforts by making a tax-deductible contribution during the 2024 annual appeal, which will be launched in the fourth quarter. Make your plans now to contribute and look for more information soon! Educational Funding Report Mickey Makai '27 Thomas Crow '26 Brooks Helms '26 Kyle Hohl '25 Jackson Philhower '26 Stein Phillip '27 Chris Rafalko '25 AO Scholarship Recipients F rom the moment of his initiation into Lambda Chi Alpha, Patrick Gallardo '93 carried a strong sense of pride. Not only was he one of the first in his family to go to college, but he had also found a welcoming group of Alpha-Omicron brothers and lived in a beautiful chapter house near classes. "It was humbling to realize I was leading a new path for future Gallardos, and I felt extremely fortunate to blaze these new trails," Patrick said. The trail was even clearer than Patrick realized when his son pledged Alpha-Omicron as well! "I can say with confidence that my life would not be the same without AO, thanks especially to the guys I happily call brothers to this day. Since my son joined, that feeling has doubled, and the spark grows hotter." Among the many fun social activities, Patrick warmly remembers the quieter moments as the brothers united for their main purpose in Bloomington: to get an education. "We were always there for one another during finals week. I fondly recall those late nights and early mornings of being heads-down in the kitchen, glued to our books, and quietly sharing our common objective to excel. Those were powerful moments of maturity, camaraderie, and brotherhood that I cherish to this day." Those memories inspire Patrick's advice to today's Alpha-Omicron members: expand on your curiosity. "You may never have as many opportunities to sample as you do in Bloomington right now. Regret is a difficult pill to swallow, so take advantage of all the open doors you have today. Those experiences will play on you for the rest of your life, shaping your path in ways you cannot yet imagine. Go get it!" Patrick lives in Chicago, Illinois, where he loves local sports and theatre as well as all the hidden treasures. IU basketball provides opportunities to grab wings and drinks with the brothers, and several have been in one another's weddings; Patrick can even call one of them his son's godfather. "The brotherhood has woven itself into my family. Nothing can break that in my eyes." You can connect with Patrick at pgallardo1922@gmail.com. Unbreakable Bonds Patrick Gallardo '93 Appreciates the Simple Things in Brotherhood "I can say with confidence that my life would not be the same without AO, thanks especially to the guys I happily call brothers to this day."

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