Phi Delta Theta - Iowa State University

THE IOWA STATE PHI PHI DELTA THETA FRATERNITY • IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY • FALL 2013 W to Generations of Phis Gather Reminisce and Celebrate Centennial hat was your time like at Iowa Gamma? If it was anything like ours, you learned what it was to be a Phi as a freshman and learned how to emulate that as an upperclassman. You likely made very close friends, closer than you would have had outside a fraternity. They are more than friends, they're brothers. You likely were, whether you knew it or not, a role model or a mentor to a younger member. Hopefully you entered Phi Delta Theta as a mere teenager but left as a good man. Membership in Phi Delta Theta gave us much and we were thrilled to celebrate all it has given to so many brothers over the last 100 years on the weekend of September 20. The undergraduates and alumni had the opportunity to discuss and compare notes on their experiences as well as to visit about the capital campaign. It was a great weekend for renewing friendships, reliving fond memories, and discussing the future of Iowa Gamma. Over the course of the weekend, more than 300 brothers and their guests from multiple generations of pledge classes reminisced, took tours of the chapter house, and enjoyed the camaraderie of our brotherhood. After spending the weekend in Ames, many alumni left with the understanding that for our chapter to move forward, changes need to be made. The chapter house is a symbol of Phi Delta Theta. A renovated and updated facility shows the fraternity is valued by its members, both past and present. This value is sensed by the university community and potential new members, attracting individuals with a desire to see Iowa Gamma grow and succeed. Much needs to happen to improve the house and, of course, renovations like this don't happen without the time, effort, and financial resources of many. This is where you come in. Someone provided a home for you as an undergraduate; it's now your turn to do the same as an alumnus. We still need to reach and even exceed our $1.5 million fundraising goal to fund the entire project and leave our undergraduate chapter in a good place financially, which is a huge necessity given the price competitiveness of alternative housing. Brothers, we have two challenges for you: think about your own experience and how it impacted you, and then fill out the enclosed pledge form to support the project financially and pass the legacy and tradition on to the next generation of Phis, as it was passed on to you. We will be proud to add your name to our growing list of supporters. Yours in the Bond, Campaign Chairmen Bill Beckman 934 Toby Geiger 1468 (858) 204-1776 (515) 210-2270 beckprop@aol.comtgeiger@databusinessequipment.com Scot Alexander 1274 Bill Konrady 1484 (612) 384-5221 (206) 235-2095 scotalexander44@gmail.combill@cmswa.com General Council President Says Iowa Gamma Is Model Chapter A fter attending the centennial celebration at Iowa Gamma, Phi Delta Theta General Council President Chris Lapple, Cal StateNorthridge '80, had no shortage of glowing remarks about the chapter. Chris was the keynote speaker for the event and later described being immensely impressed by the quality of men he met, both undergraduates and alumni. on the General Council, a term that has seen a great restructuring of Phi Delta Theta. He described Iowa Gamma as the "quintessential chapter," having won the Harvard Trophy 17 times, an award given to the best overall large chapter in the U.S. "I would love to bottle what they have and sprinkle it across the country to other chapters." In 2004, as Chris was elected to the General Council, his platform was centered on recruitment; an area he still feels is of paramount importance today. "Nothing else happens if we don't recruit well," he said. In Fall 2010, the council launched the "Phi Delt 2020" long term plan, breaking the cycle of two-year strategic planning for the organization. Through this aggressive expansion and rebranding effort, Chris has felt gratified to be entrusted with the leadership to steer Phi Delta Theta toward the future. Chris has been involved with the leadership of Phi Delta Theta for 14 years as Providence President and this year will mark his 10th year Chris describes fraternities as an "American institution," ingrained in the fabric of the college (Continued on page 5)

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