Phi Sigma Kappa - Purdue University

summer 2017 PHI SIGMA KAPPA FRATERNITY AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY Phi Sig Express Progress Being Made at 302 Waldron Street Your Contribution Is Still Needed to Make This Plan a Reality W ork to secure the new chapter house on 302 Waldron Street continues in earnest under the leadership of Alumni Board President Gregg Walbridge '81. Krittenbrink Architects has submitted the 90% design drawings for review so they can be released for code review. Preliminary approval has been granted for all variances. Gregg said, "We're very close to kicking off the project that will make Phi Sigma Kappa one of the best places to be on campus. The vision Don Kuhn '60 and his peers had to get this chapter house built is very close to becoming a reality." Gregg, Dave Franzman '80, and John Lendrum '80 met in Indianapolis on April 29 with Erin Rojas from Krittenbrink to select exterior masonry, plumbing fixtures and layouts, flooring samples, door styles, and interior finishes. Erin has 15 years of experience in Greek housing renovation and new construction. Her material selections emphasize the traditional look of the Purdue campus and low maintenance with long-term durability to counter the heavy use. Gregg expects construction to begin in July and undergraduates to move into the chapter house in early August 2018. Dave is coordinating with the chapter to secure storage for furniture, ritual items, and historical documents during construction. He will provide for utility shutoffs and security and maintenance of the house until demolition. A live internet feed to view construction progress is planned. A demolition gathering and cornerstone ceremony at Homecoming on September 23 is planned for alumni. More details to come. Watch your e-mail and check out the Delta Triton website and Facebook page to stay current on construction progress. Final floor plans will be posted, and information will be updated as it becomes available. The board has selected a financing package from Centier Bank, and the loan was approved in mid-May. The board has prepared occupancy and cash flow estimates to support the loan application. To protect our investment, the board has provided a housemother apartment in the plans and projected costs for professional management services for maintenance and monthly property inspections. To date, we have raised more than $1.5 million, and with your help, we can get over the hump to reaching our $1.75 million goal. The campaign board and undergraduate members cannot thoroughly express our gratitude to the 132 alumni and friends who have shown their love and support to our beloved chapter. However, these pacesetters represent just 23 percent of our active alumni base. To hit our fundraising goal, we need all brothers to remember the positive experience and lifetime of memories Delta Triton impressed upon you and remember the importance of sustaining our home and traditions. Without your help, the plan outlined is not possible. Now is the time to leave a lasting impression on our undergraduate brothers and reinforce the legacy and foundation of Delta Triton's future. Fraternally, Richard Schleicher '59, Campaign Chairman rls@ajskfc.com ENSURING DELTA TRITON'S FUTURE Mike McDonald '66 Makes Commitment to Campaign and Urges Brothers to Contribute M ike McDonald '66 has Dave Carter '66 and Dick Loehr '66 to thank for his membership in Phi Sigma Kappa. They were in the same engineering classes and invited Mike to a fraternity function. "I liked the brothers I met during rush and accepted the offer to pledge." Mike's experience in Delta Triton Chapter "was a big part of my last three years at Purdue" and strengthened his self-confidence and social skills, which became incredibly important as he started his career. And he credits Big Brother Dick Loehr as a positive influence: "He served as president and did a great job leading the chapter." While recalling his undergraduate days, Mike says the fall Melon Fest, the Moonlight formal, and the spring house party were all favorite chapter events. These days, he enjoys returning to Purdue for Homecoming, though not as often as he'd like. He also tries to keep in touch with fellow alumni. He connects with Dave Carter through e-mail and phone calls and Lew Eads '64 on Facebook. Because of the impact Phi Sigma Kappa had on Mike, he felt compelled to make a commitment to the Honoring Our Past, Building Our Future campaign. "I would like to see today's undergraduates have the same experiences that I did." He believes a new house is essential to Phi Sig's survival on the Purdue campus. "And the prime location will enhance the chapter's ability to attract future brothers." For any alumni skeptical of donating, Mike encourages them to get involved. "It is really going to happen this time. Think about how Phi Sig enabled you to be a success and consider sharing some of that success." After a successful 34-year career in the computer services industry, Mike retired as a division manager at Electronic Data Systems. He and his wife, Sandra, live in Traverse City, Michigan, and have three children and four grandchildren. They volunteer and enjoy traveling, theatre, and film. Mike golfs when the weather is warm and likes to read and watch sports in his free time. He can be reached at m_mcdonald@charter.net.

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