The Friday Letter

The following chapters recently won university/Greek life awards on their respective campuses:
- Alpha Omicron at Akron (pictured): 6 Greek Leadership Awards and the Dean's Cup (for overall chapter excellence)
- Theta at Alabama: Best Philanthropy & Service Awards
- Zeta at Indiana: IFC Chapter of Excellence
- Theta Deuteron at Ohio Wesleyan: Chapter Academic Excellence Award and Silver Chapter Excellence Award.
- Omega Deuteron at Old Dominion: IFC Chapter of the Year, Best Philanthropy/Community Event and all four of the Excellence Awards
- Omicron at Virginia: Outstanding Philanthropic Event of the Year and the Mark Leonida Memorial Outstanding Sportsmanship & Intramural Sports Award

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On February 15-16, Beta Psi at Boise State hosted the 2019 Pacific Northwest Section Convention. Undergraduates from the Utah State Colony and the Idaho, Oregon, Oregon State and Washington chapters were in attendance, as well as Section Chiefs Steve Lamberson (Washington 1980) and Brad Whiting (Washington 1980). The event kicked off on Friday, with a social hour, to give undergraduates and graduate brothers from other chapters a chance to get to know one another. On Saturday, Beta Psi hosted workshops on recruitment and graduate relations, and Jeff Downey (UCLA 1983) lead a philanthropy workshop. Brothers also participated in a cultural awareness presentation by the Inclusive Excellence Student Council at Boise State University.

The Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Northeastern, Quinnipiac, Rhode Island and WPI chapters attended the first Northeast Fiji Summit on February 23. The Summit was hosted by the WPI Chapter on WPI's campus and led by Section Chiefs Tim Kilduff (Kent State 1968) and George Norman (RPI 1987) and Purple Legionnaires Doug Banks (Maine 1982) and Dave Willens (WPI 2009). The day-long event focused on Phi Gamma Delta's values and Building Courageous Leaders.

In 2018, the Theta Chapter at Alabama completed over 3,000 hours of community service (~20.5 hours/member) and raised over $67,000 through various philanthropy events. These events included Coronas for Cojones (CfC), benefiting the Livestrong Foundation, and Shades for Safe (SfS), supporting degenerative eye disease research. CfC was created by Joe Azar (2015), who beat testicular cancer, and SfS was created by Sage Lyons (2019), who suffers from degenerative eye disease.

^ The Beta Nu Chapter and Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority at Appalachian State hosted the 4th Annual Can Slam philanthropy event. The event is a 3v3 basketball tournament and a canned food donation drive for the Hunger & Health Coalition (HHC). Each team was required to donate at least nine cans of food to be able to compete in the tournament, and over 800 cans of food were collected for HHC.

Phi Alpha at Arkansas was partnered with the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, Chi Omega Sorority and Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha for the annual Greek Stroll on March 13. The Stroll is a Greek life synchronized dance competition supporting the Greek Life Scholarship Fund. The Chapter and their partners won 1st place.

In just one day, Alpha Upsilon at Auburn raised $812 for tornado relief in Lee County, Alabama. The funds went toward non-perishable food, water and toiletries.

Brothers from the Kappa Chapter at Baylor collected over 100 pairs of shoes for Cooper Mohrmann's (2021) mission trip to Puerto Penasco, Mexico.

Beta Psi attended Boise State University Inclusive Excellence Student Council's training on diversity, inclusion and cultural appropriation on February 16.

Beta Gamma at Bowling Green brothers attended a PhiredUp recruitment event, hosted by the IFC, on February 23.

On February 9, the Delta Chi Chapter and Alpha Chi Omega Sorority at California Davis hosted a Valentine's Day philanthropy event called Apple of My Eye. The chapters partnered with Empower Yolo, a nonprofit organization that supports victims of domestic violence in Yolo County, California. During the event, there was a full sundae bar, and Valentine's themed "grams" were sold to students. Following the event, members from each chapter wrote and distributed the "grams" to promote positivity, self-love and healthy communication in relationships. Apple of My Eye raised over $2,000.

Brothers from Chi Rho at California of PA participated in the annual Big Event, a local community service event. Brothers assisted residents throughout their community with yard work, moving furniture and cleaning.

Xi Deuteron at Case Western Reserve partnered with the Delta Upsilon Fraternity to help Cleveland Community Greenhouse Partners prepare a new hoop house for its spring crops. With the help from the chapters, the project was completed more than a month ahead of schedule.

Gamma Kappa brothers volunteered at the Special Olympics event on Colorado School of Mines' campus by keeping score and helping coordinate the event.

^ This year, Sigma Kappa raised over $11,000 for Connecticut's HuskyTHON dance marathon, benefiting Connecticut Children's Medical Center. They surpassed last year's donations by over $1,000.

Kappa Nu at Cornell initiated 17 men from their spring 2019 pledge class. These brothers play for club sports, hold positions in various professional organizations and have been elected to the Student Assembly.

On St. Patrick's Day, Pi Nu at East Carolina volunteered with Greenville, North Carolina law enforcement and first responders to spread information about the danger of drunk driving.

The Upsilon Phi Chapter at Florida participated in a number of philanthropies this semester, including: Theta Alpha Christian Sorority's 10th Annual Showdown, benefiting Desire Street Ministries; Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority's Kappa Kickball, supporting Reading Is Fundamental; and Alpha Chi Omega Sorority's Purple Rain, which benefits domestic violence awareness.

In April, Nu Iota at Illinois State brothers volunteered at Normal West High School by packing boxes of assorted food items for families in the community. 

During the 2018-19 school year, Alpha Iota at Iowa State raised $5,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through their S'More Roast philanthropy event. The event was created in honor of a brother who was recently diagnosed with Leukemia.

Kappa Upsilon Colony at Kent State's pledge class earned a 3.5 GPA for the fall 2018 semester, helping the Colony achieve #2 in grades out of 20 fraternities.

Fifty brothers from Mu Upsilon at Miami traveled to New Jersey to attend the funeral service of Tyler Magill (2018), who passed ad astra March 23, 2019.

Alpha Phi at Michigan celebrated another victory in the annual Winterfest broomball tournament. Winterfest raised $110,000 for the Autism Alliance of Michigan.

In November, Mu Sigma held the second annual Casino Night, raising over $14,000 for the Dr. Lou & the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota. It was the most successful philanthropy in chapter history.

Over winter break, 10 brothers from the Chi Mu Chapter at Missouri were part of the popular Mizzou Alternative Breaks. This 57-person, all-Greek group went to Harmon’s Valley, Jamaica, an impoverished area in south central Jamaica. During their week there, the students built three homes and spent time in both the elementary school and local hospital.

Theta Deuteron at Ohio Wesleyan was #1 in grades for the fall 2018 semester with a 3.33 GPA.

On February 16, Nu Omega at Oklahoma brothers and pledges participated in the Polar Plunge, which benefits the Special Olympics Oklahoma City.

Omicron Chi at Oklahoma City hosted the Phi Gamma Melta philanthropy event, benefiting the USO. From 7:00-11:00pm, students were able to enjoy unlimited grilled cheese and tomato soup for $5. All of the proceeds were donated to the USO.

The Omega Deuteron Chapter at Old Dominion was saddened by the loss of former Chapter President Austin Cook (2018) in February. The Chapter and ODU community came together to hold a candlelight vigil and to help raise money for the Cook family. To raise money, the Chapter set up a Gofundme page and a car smash. In one week, they raised $7,861.

At the beginning of the year, Kappa Omicron at Oregon State traveled to Waldport, Oregon for their annual brotherhood retreat, where they discussed the past year and how to improve. Brothers and pledges engaged in constructive discussions, while strengthening the overall sense of brotherhood.

South Carolina fraternities and sororities raised over $570k for charity during the fall 2018 semester, with Mu Lambda raising over $3,700.

^ Kappa Phi at South Florida held their Pig Dinner on March 23. There were 68 brothers in attendance, including 28 local graduate brothers, 36 Kappa Phi undergraduates and four undergraduates from the Tampa Colony and Florida Chapter. The day began with a golf tournament, followed by a graduate reception leading into the dinner. During dinner, Founding Father Lucas Fritz (2016) gave the Exile's Toast, and Tampa Graduate Chapter President Jim Arnold (Florida 1975) and Treasurer Jim Frishe (Florida 1971) presented Philipee Rochester (2022) with a scholarship for the Best 2018 Fall Pledge GPA, with a 3.7.

Alpha Mu at Texas A&M conducted a diaper drive to collect money and diapers for Single Mothers Created 4 Change (SMC4C), a local charity that collects child care supplies and raises money for single mothers in the Bryan/College Station area. Last year, the Chapter donated 14,000 diapers, so they set this year's goal at 20,000. The Chapter raised $6,328 over the course of two weeks and was able to purchase over 35,000 diapers to donate to SMC4C. 

In February, the Sigma Alpha Colony at Texas San Antonio hosted an organ donor drive on campus. The Colony obtained over 170 sign-ups through Donate Life.

^ Several brothers from the Psi Chapter at Wabash took time out of their spring break to participate in and support Heroes New Hope Foundation's (HNHF) Annual Banquet fundraiser. HNHF supports wounded and injured veterans by providing therapeutic healing through hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. They also provide these services to children of the fallen or injured.

On April 6, Zeta Phi brothers participated in the William Jewell Day of Service by volunteering throughout the Kansas City community.

Kappa Chi at William Woods hosted a Mom's Weekend in March. During the weekend, brothers and their moms enjoyed brunch, a winery tour and quality time together.

In February, Mu at Wisconsin partnered with the women of Pi Beta Phi to assist with the annual Polar Plunge, supporting Wisconsin Special Olympics. Brothers helped set up the event and assisted plungers with their jump into the frigid water. Jack Rosenthal (2021) and Zane Feldman-Isaksen (2021) braved the cold and jumped in the water during the event. 

Pi Iota at WPI held their annual Pledge-Parent Dinner on January 27. Parents of the new pledge class were given a tour of the chapter house and attended the dinner along with undergraduate and graduate brothers, who shared their fraternity experiences.

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On February 3, brothers from the Beta Nu Chapter at Appalachian State (ASU) partnered with the Sustainability & Environmental Education Club of ASU to clean-up the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Delta Chi at California Davis partnered with the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority for the Apple of My Eye philanthropy event, raising money to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

^ During winter break, Lambda at DePauw invited seven sheltered women from Beyond Homeless Inc. to a holiday dinner at the chapter house. The Chapter's property manager, Jennifer Weddle, and cook, Mike Bostick, supported the event and helped host the dinner. The Chapter and the Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority donated all the food for dinner, which Chef Bostick cooked. The Chapter provided the sheltered women transportation to and from the dinner, and Purple Legionnaire Orlando Ramirez (2013) helped set up the dining room for dinner. Nine undergraduate brothers, House Director Heather Williams and Dean of Student Life Dean Harwood were also in attendance at the dinner. All of the leftover food was donated to the shelter.

Upsilon Phi at Florida won the University's Fall Greek Blood Drive by donating the most blood.

Mu Deuteron brothers participated in Iowa's Dance Marathon Big Event, raising $14,000 for For the Kids.

Iota Pi at IUPUI welcomed nine men in the spring 2019 pledge class.

^ Over winter break, 10 brothers from the Beta Mu Chapter at Johns Hopkins volunteered at the Second Chance (SC) organization in Baltimore, MD. SC is a nonprofit that salvages and sells usable materials from deconstructed homes and uses the revenue to provide job training and workforce development for those with employment obstacles. The brothers helped by reconditioning wood and organizing inventory.

Every Tuesday, Gamma Deuteron brothers gather with fellow Knox students to pack 430 bags of food as a part of Blessings in a Backpack. Blessings in a Backpack, led by Professor Joel Estes, benefits hungry children in the Galesburg, Illinois area.

Nu Eta at Northeastern hosted USO & Crispy Dough as a part of their spring recruitment. Brothers invited potential members to enjoy pizza while they prepared care packages for active duty soldiers.

^ On February 1, Phi at Northwestern hosted a graduate dinner, so undergraduate members could meet graduate brothers and learn from their experiences.

During the fall 2018 semester, Omega Deuteron at Old Dominion started a new scholarship plan, giving brothers more incentives for receiving higher grades. As a result, the chapter increased their GPA by 0.31 points and was named #1 in grades.

Rose-Hulman graduate brothers Wes Bolsen (2000) and Jeff Ludwig (2016) hosted 15 Rho Phi undergrad brothers in Denver for New Year's Day. Brothers enjoyed a steak dinner, two days of skiing and brotherhood.

^ On January 19, Kappa Phi at South Florida volunteered at the University's Stampede of Service. Brothers helped by painting homes, cooking, gardening, cleaning and doing yard work in their community.

Tau Chi at Texas Christian hosted the inaugural Eric Charlton (1997) Memorial Scholarship, honoring Brother Charlton, who passed ad astra on April 11, 2018. The scholarship recognizes a brother for academic achievement and well-rounded activities. Eric's parents, Bob and Sue Charlton, generously provided the award, which was first given during the fall 2018 semester.

In December, Delta Mu at Wayne State hosted a toy donation drive for Toys for Tots, an organization that collects and distributes new toys to less fortunate families around the globe. Brothers reached out to their families, friends and community for donations, collecting nearly $800 worth of toys and donations.

Six brothers from the Kappa Mu Chapter at Western Michigan volunteered at Loaves & Fishes, packing over 1,250 lbs of food for the hungry in their community.

In February, several brothers from the Mu Chapter at Wisconsin helped shovel off a rink on Lake Mendota for the Clean Lakes Alliance's Frozen Assets Festival.

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Alpha Upsilon received two awards from Auburn's IFC: the Martin Fraternity of the Year Award, as the best all-around chapter on campus, and the Academic Excellence Award, given to the chapter with the highest GPA and a proven scholarship plan.

^ Beta Psi at Boise State won the Intellectual Development Award, Leadership Development Award, Community Service Award, Ritual Integration Award and Chapter of the Year for the 2018 calendar year.

The Omega Phi Chapter at Central Florida hosted Slushies and Puppies, a philanthropy event supporting Pet Rescue by Judy - a local animal shelter. The event was held on campus, and students were able to enjoy slushies while playing with puppies by making a monetary or item donation.

Gamma Kappa at Colorado School of Mines held their annual Thanksgiving Dinner with the women of the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity. The dinner was held in the chapter house and prepared by several graduate brothers.

Kappa Nu at Cornell brothers volunteered with the Friends of the Ithaca Youth Bureau for their Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair (IAGF) on December 1. The IAGF is not about giving 'stuff'; instead they bring together area non-profits to make it easy for people to give the gift of meaningful, charitable donations to family and friends.

^ Following their most successful Islander Week, Epsilon Rho at Embry-Riddle traveled to the USO Orlando International Airport location to deliver a $10,960.45 check. This was the most money the Chapter has raised during an Islander Week.

On November 17, brothers from the Omega Mu Chapter at Maine volunteered with the Food & Medicine (F&M) nonprofit by making Thanksgiving baskets for their annual Solidarity Harvest. Solidarity Harvest, created by F&M in 2003, is a project that provides Maine families in financial hardship with baskets containing the ingredients that are necessary for completing a Thanksgiving meal. The food is sourced from local farms and bakeries to ensure families are provided with high quality food.

Mu Phi participated in Montevallo IFC's High Heel Half Mile on November 15. The event is a play on the "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" campaign, which is an international men's march to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence. Members from each IFC fraternity ran half a mile in high-heeled shoes to raise money and awareness for sexual assault prevention.

Eta Chi at Quinnipiac started a fundraiser for the people who were affected by the California wildfires in November. From December 5-7, the Chapter held a fundraiser and donation collection in the University's campus center. Donations included home essentials, like bedding, towels, pillows, clothing, etc. Additionally, Edwin Daneelian (2021), who is from California, contacted his former high school in Los Angeles, which agreed to help with the donation drive.

^ On December 15, Rho Phi at Rose-Hulman volunteered with the Noon Optimist Club for their Clothe-A-Child event at the Terre Haute Walmart. Brothers helped local kids shop for new, properly fitting clothing. This year, 800 kids (from K-5th grad) received new clothing, like coats, sweatshirts, pants, etc., for free.

Sigma Eta won Sam Houston State's soccer championship for the second consecutive year.

The Tau Upsilon Chapter and Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority at Tulane hosted a philanthropy for the Louisiana SPCA. The chapters raised money by collecting students' donations to play with rescue dogs on the campus quad throughout the day.

Chi Eta at Western Kentucky hosted their Helping for the Holidays philanthropy event to raise money and collect gifts for the two families the Chapter adopted for the holidays. The three-day philanthropy event included: caroling to sororities and holiday pictures on December 3; pictures with Santa and a hot chocolate and cookie sale on December 4; and a gingerbread house contest and decorate a Fiji on December 5.

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Alpha Omicron partnered with the One of a Kind Pets animal shelter for their Puppy Party philanthropy to raise money for the shelter by bringing puppies on Akron's campus. The shelter is the leading no-kill animal rescue in Akron. The Chapter raised over $500 for the shelter, and one of the puppies was adopted.

^ The Theta Chapter and Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority helped the West Alabama Food Bank with another successful Fifth Quarter event. Together they repackaged 2,499 pounds of food, that would have otherwise been discarded, from the sky zones and club level seating in the Alabama football stadium.

Beta Nu partnered with We Coach, Reformed University Fellowship, Sky Meditation and the Kappa Delta Sorority to host Appalachian State's Fall Fest. The Fest was created in 2017 by ASU's Mental Health Ambassadors, a group of students who represent the counseling center. Fall Fest is an annual event that promotes conversation about mental health and informs students about available resources. This year, the partner organizations set-up booths with activities to discuss mental health.

On September 22, Upsilon Alpha at Arizona initiated 58 brothers at their re-activation. Since their recolonization on August 21, 2017, the Chapter successfully hosted multiple social and philanthropy events and two recruitment weeks. They also maintained the second highest GPA on campus.

On October 25-27, the Kappa Chapter at Baylor hosted their 23rd annual Fright Night haunted house philanthropy event. The haunted house was free for students, so to raise money, the Chapter sold churros and ice cream to students waiting in line. Students were also able to purchase T-shirts before and during the event, allowing them to skip the line for the haunted house. All of the proceeds were donated to the USO.

Beta Psi at Boise State hosted their inaugural At Bat for the Troops charity wiffle ball tournament to raise money for the USO. The Chapter also hosted their first Island Queen competition philanthropy event. 38 applicants joined the competition, which included events that centered around the pillars of Friendship, Knowledge, Service, Morality and Excellence. The Chapter raised a total of nearly $2,000 for the USO from both events.

During the fall semester, Beta Gamma at Bowling Green initiated seven pledges, bringing their total membership to 63 brothers.

^ In September, chapter officers from Beta Pi at Bradley, Nu Iota at Illinois State and Gamma Deuteron at Knox met for a retreat, where they participated in the Blanchard Leadership trainings.

Mu Beta at Coastal Carolina started a fundraiser for the Waccamaw Community Foundation, which is providing disaster relief to those affected by Hurricane Florence in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area.

This summer, the Beta Kappa Colony at Colorado hosted two graduate brother events. The first was a fundraiser at the Blake Street Tavern in Denver, followed by a Rockies baseball game. The second was a graduate and undergraduate BBQ hosted by the Colony the weekend before the school year started.

^ On Halloween, Sigma Kappa at Connecticut hosted the 2nd annual Carving for Camp philanthropy, benefiting the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. From 10 am - 7 pm, students and organizations were invited to carve pumpkins for the campus display (pictured). Pumpkins were sold for $5 and extra-large pumpkins were sold to groups for $50. The event concluded with a pumpkin lighting ceremony. The Chapter raised over $7,100 for the Camp, which supports children with serious illnesses by providing "a different type of healing" at one of the most prestigious summer camps of its kind. This was the highest monetary total raised by any IFC organization at Connecticut within the last 10 years.

Kappa Nu at Cornell hosted their first Alumni Lecture as a part of the Leadership & Legacy Program. The talk was given by Jack Neafsey (1961), a former Cornell Board of Trustees member and President Counselor. Jack spoke to the Chapter about his experience in the business world, fielded questions on pre-professional development and advised the senior class.

In September, Kappa Deuteron at Georgia volunteered with the Oconee County Library Friends (OCLF) to help set-up their annual book sale. Brothers gave their time on to help move over 600 boxes of donated books to the Oconee County Civic Center, where the book sale took place. The book sale was very successful, allowing the OCLF to make a large donation to their library.

Tau at Hanover sold and delivered hot chocolate and donuts from 8 pm - midnight on October 18 and 19 for their Breast Cancer Awareness Month philanthropy. Hot chocolate and donuts were sold for $2 and both for $3. All proceeds were donated toward breast cancer awareness.

During the spring 2018 semester, Chi Iota at Illinois undergraduate brothers and Purple Legionnaire Shane Allen (2008) attended the 6th Annual Coaches vs. Cancer Kickin' Cancer Dinner. The brothers volunteered to support the American Cancer Society, and they also got to meet Illinois' basketball coach Brad Underwood.

On November 9-10, Pi Deuteron at Kansas and Chi Deuteron at Kansas State held their annual FIJI Run for Leukemia, supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). The run was created in memory of Rod Morgan (Kansas State 1972), who passed away from Leukemia in 1974. Brothers from each chapter ran a football 86 miles, relay-style, from Lawrence to Manhattan for the Sunflower Showdown football game on November 10.

In October, Sigma Mu at Mississippi State welcomed 52 men to their fall pledge class, the largest pledge class in their chapter's history.

Psi Mu and the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority at Missouri State raised $10,000 for Make-A-Wish through their annual BBQ. This year, they sponsored five-year-old Emelia who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphobastic Leukemia. Emelia has had 24 spinal taps and 55 transfusions in the last two years. Over 700 people, including Emelia and her family, attended the BBQ.

On September 16, Nu Eta at Northeastern hosted their fourth Not For College Days Alone Dinner, giving potential members a chance to meet local graduate brothers. During the dinner, graduate brothers were invited to share what Phi Gamma Delta means to them and why they continue to stay involved and connected with the Fraternity after college.

^ Nu Alpha hosted their first Diamond Girl Philanthropy Week at Northern Arizona. During the week, the Chapter held multiple competitions and tournaments, raising over $7,500 for the USO. And they collected over 3,000 meals for a local food bank (pictured).

On Halloween, Alpha Omega at Ohio hosted FIJI Fright Night, a haunted house philanthropy event. The Chapter sold tickets to the haunted house for $5 and all proceeds were donated to the USO.

Omega Nu at Ohio Northern raised $717.42 for the Central & Southern Ohio USO group at their annual Phi Gamma Melta grilled cheese event on September 26.

This semester, Theta Deuteron at Ohio Wesleyan participated in Delta Gamma Sorority's Anchor Bowl and Delta Tau Delta Fraternity's Beach Bash Sand Volleyball Tournament philanthropy events.

Rho Phi at Rose-Hulman welcomed 30 men in their fall pledge class.

In September, the Tau Nu Chapter participated in RPI's first Greekfest, a philanthropy carnival, to raise money for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF). Participating organizations were asked to create a booth for the event. The Chapter, partnered with the Student Ambulance Club, held an ambulance push at their booth, which was one of the most popular booths. The event raised over $1,600 for the PCRF.

On September 15, Kappa Tau at Tennessee hosted a parents weekend tailgate at the chapter house. Over 45 parents attended the event, and brothers cooked breakfast for their parents before the football game.

Theta Tau won the intramural football championship at Tennessee Tech. The Chapter also competed in and won the 2018 Homecoming championship with their partners, the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority.

Undergraduate and graduate brothers from the Upsilon Sigma Colony at Utah State volunteered at the local Loaves & Fishes Community Meal, by helping with food prep, dishwashing and cleaning. Loaves & Fishes is a community meal held twice a month with a goal of not only nourishing bodies but spirits. They serve about 250 meals both on-site and to-go.

On November 11, the Alpha Chapter at Washington & Jefferson hosted a flag football tournament to benefit the Glock Foundation. Teams of seven to 10 players were able to participate in the tournament with a $10 entry fee per person. All participants received a T-shirt, and the winning team received a package of gift cards.

This fall, Pi Mu at Washington State raised $5,636 for the USO through their Fiji Island charity concert event. The Chapter raised money through ticket sales, online donations and Greek life participation.

Zeta Phi at William Jewell, partnered with the women of Alpha Gamma Delta, won this year's Homecoming.

^ The Mu Chapter at Wisconsin (pictured) participated in the Rivalry Run with the Mu Deuteron Chapter at Iowa. Brothers from both chapters ran a total of 180 miles, relay-style, from Madison to Iowa City. This year, the Mu Chapter reached their fundraising goal of $25,000, which was donated to the Wisconsin USO.

On October 2, Pi Iota at WPI undergraduates and several recent graduates participated in Alpha Phi Sorority's Mr. Heartthrob talent show. The Sorority hosts the talent show philanthropy event every year to raise money for the Alpha Phi Foundation in support of women's cardiac care. The Chapter won the fundraising portion of the talent show, which meant they were able to donate half of the $1,780 raised to their charity of choice. The Chapter chose to donate to ALS Research in memory of Steve Rubin (1974), who passed away from ALS in 2015.

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On August 10, Epsilon Alpha at Alberta and Upsilon Chi at Calgary competed in the annual Run to Red Deer, a race that raises money and awareness for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). The race is a 150 km relay race to Red Deer from the chapters' respective campuses. This year, the chapters raised $9,250 for the CMHA and Upsilon Chi won the race by 5 minutes.

During the spring 2018 semester, Beta Nu at Appalachian State recorded the highest GPA of any fraternity. The Chapter also brought home the intramural football and outdoor soccer championships.

^ For the third consecutive year, Alpha Upsilon at Auburn donated over $20,000 of wood from their Fiji Island to the Chewacla State Park. The Park uses the wood for various building projects, such as ramps, bridges, benches, and a ramp for the SEC mountain biking championship event (pictured).

Beta Sigma at Ball State hosted the Phi Gamma Melta philanthropy event at the chapter house on April 6. During the 3-hour event, participants were able to enjoy all-you-can-eat grilled cheese, yard games and volleyball for $5. All proceeds were donated to the USO.

On April 21, Kappa at Baylor hosted their Pig Dinner, and approximately 175 brothers attended. The Chapter also won the softball intramural championship at the end of the school year.

In February, Beta Pi graduate and undergraduate brothers celebrated at Bradley's 2018 Pig Dinner. During this year's dinner, the Chapter awarded scholarships and leadership awards to several undergraduate brothers.

Rho Upsilon at California Riverside hosted their 43rd Annual Pig Dinner on May 5, 2018. Over 170 brothers attended the dinner and golf tournament, making it the Chapter's largest Pig Dinner to date.

On April 14, Omega Chi at Chapman held the 9th annual Purple Tie Affair, an evening of great food and live music at the Oak Creek Golf Club. Once again, the Chapter decided to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Orange County & Inland Empire chapter. This year, the Chapter's goal was to raise enough to grant wishes, which they achieved by raising over $30,000.

^ Last week, eight brothers from the Chi Omicron Chapter at Cincinnati helped Kevin Hopper (1973) and his wife, Debbie, host a meal at the Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati, OH. They prepared, cooked and served food for 120 residents, and they cleaned-up after enjoying the meal with the residents.

Mu Beta at Coastal Carolina hosted their 6th Annual Pig Dinner on April 21 at the Ocean Creek Resort. There were a total of 65 brothers (40 undergraduates and 25 graduates) in attendance, which is the Chapter's largest Pig Dinner to date.

The Omega Chapter at Columbia received four awards at the InterGreek Council end of year banquet. The Chapter was awarded IFC Chapter of the Year and recognized for achieving the highest ALPHA Standards of Excellence score of any IFC Fraternity. Additionally, Evan Murphy (2016) was awarded Alumni of the Year Award for his work as Purple Legionnaire, and James Ritchie (2020) won IFC Member of the Year for his commitment to the University as Class President and the Greek community as Chapter President.

In May, Kappa Nu at Cornell received the Randy Scott Stevens Award for Outstanding IFC Fraternity and the Outstanding Commitment to Leadership Award by the IFC for the 2017-18 academic year.

During the spring semester, the Epsilon Rho Chapter partnered with the Embry-Riddle soccer team to raise money for Appendix Cancer Research through Kate's Souls of the Beach Foundation.

Nu Iota at Illinois State welcomed 23 men during their spring initiation.

^ The Beta Mu Chapter at Johns Hopkins raised over $7,000 for the USO by hosting their 7th Annual Push fundraiser, bringing the total amount raised to over $25,000. This year, there were participants from numerous Greek organizations, sports teams and student groups on campus.

Mu Upsilon at Miami participated in Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority's Basketbrawl, a single-elimination basketball tournament philanthropy event. The Chapter, led by Thomas Staley (2018), won the championship for the fourth year.

On January 27, Alpha Phi at Michigan hosted the Detroit-based band Brother Son in the University Commons. Because of the band's large following in the Ann Arbor, MI area, the Chapter decided to turn the concert into a philanthropy event. Numerous students from Michigan Greek life bought tickets, allowing the Chapter to raise over $2,000. The funds were donated to the Valerie Fund, which supports comprehensive medical and psychosocial treatment for children with cancer.

Sigma Mu at Mississippi State welcomed 55 men to the fall pledge class.

The Sigma Omicron Chapter at Oklahoma State welcomed 10 pledges during their summer recruitment period.

^ Omega Deuteron at Old Dominion participated in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, which was hosted by the ODU Women's Center. Brothers wore donated women's shoes and walked a mile to raise awareness and to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence on campus and in the community.

Epsilon Omicron at Oregon held their Pig Dinner at the Evergreen Venue in Portland, OR on April 28. There were 161 brothers (64 graduate and 97 undergraduate) in attendance.

The Kappa Omicron Chapter partnered with the Kappa Delta Sorority for Oregon State's Sing Championship. The Chapter won the championship for the first time in their history on campus.

Gamma Phi participated in Penn State's 3rd annual Greeks CARE program. The program is a collaboration between the University's Gender Equity Center and the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life and is designed to give participants the tools to examine their roles in preventing sexual violence. This year, over 300 students participated. The Chapter also hosted their first Fiji Island philanthropy event supporting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) from April 4-6. The three-day event featured a different fundraiser each day, and the Chapter raised $3,893 for the AFSP.

For the fall 2018 semester, the Lambda Iota Chapter at Purdue will launch their partnership with Ambition in Motion, a mentorship program designed to connect undergraduates with graduate brothers. Undergraduates will be paired with graduate brothers using a likeness survey to determine similar career paths. The goal of the program is to allow undergraduate brothers to learn from the experience and success of those who have completed their college journeys.

Rho Phi at Rose-Hulman partnered with Farrington's Grove Historical District in Terre Haute, IN to help clean-up and beautify the neighbor. On April 28, several brothers spent a few hours picking up litter, brush and debris around the neighborhood. They also worked on private properties in exchange for a donation to the American Red Cross.

On May 2, Sigma Eta won the Sam Houston State Greek's and Men's league softball championships.

Last spring, Mu Lambda at South Carolina hosted the Clays for a Cause skeet shooting tournament. Over ten teams participated, raising $1,000 for the USO, in addition to a donation to the local Ducks Unltd. Chapter.

During Tennessee Tech's Greek Awards, the Theta Tau Chapter won three chapter awards and seven individual awards for the 2017 year, more than any other Greek organization. The Chapter won Outstanding Scholastic Performance, the Five Star Chapter Award and IFC Chapter of the Year. Scholarship Advisor Tony Marable won Chapter Advisor of the Year. Chase Womble (2018) was named Chapter President of the Year. Bryan Dimino (2020) and Jacob Scholl (2019) were selected Greek New Member and Greek Member of the Year, respectively. Brady Hancock (2021) was named a New Greek Scholar of the Year for receiving a 4.0 GPA while completing less than 30 credit hours. And Landon Allison (2020) and James McRee (2020) were named Greek Scholars of the Year for maintaining a 4.0 GPA while completing 30+ credit hours.

The Sigma Alpha Colony at Texas San Antonio held its first Pig Dinner since the recolonization with the help of the San Antonio Graduate Chapter. There were 24 graduates and 26 undergraduates in attendance. The highlight of the event was when Jeff Downey (UCLA 1983) gave the Exile's Toast.

On September 6, Upsilon Tau at Toledo hosted the Fiji Freeze philanthropy event in Alpha Chi Omega Sorority's basement. Tickets were sold for $4 pre-sale and $5 at the door, and all proceeds were donated to the USO.

^ The Rho Alpha Chapter at Virginia Tech hosted the second annual Pack The Pail (PTP) at Sharkey's, a local restaurant. PTP is a fundraiser for Coach Bud Foster's Lunch Pail Defense Foundation, which funds academic scholarships and supports the families of those waiting for organ transplants. The Chapter raised $958 for the Lunch Pail Defense Foundation, a 40% increase from last year's contribution.

On July 19-20, Zeta Deuteron at Washington & Lee hosted brothers from the Chi Eta Chapter at Western Kentucky as they passed through Lexington, VA while biking for Bike4Alz. Bike4Alz is a 3,600-mile, cross country bike ride raising money for Alzheimer’s research. The Chi Eta Chapter started this philanthropy event in 2010 and has since obtained a 501c3 nonprofit status.

Pi Mu at Washington State raised $3,000 for the USO by hosting a bowling tournament at a local bowling alley.

The Sigma Chapter at Wittenberg held their final-ever Pig Dinner in the chapter house on April 14, 2018. The building has since been razed to make way for a new chapter house. Nearly 150 brothers and fathers returned for the final Pig Dinner, nearly all of whom gathered in front of the house for one last time.

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The Summit is a new event that expands upon the former Recruitment Workshop to include RECRUITMENT and NEW MEMBER EDUCATION strategies and tactics. The event will be on June 28-30, 2019 at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. The registration fee is $120/registrant. 

For more information and to register, visit phigam.org/TheSummit. The Registration deadline is June 14.

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We often get requests and questions related to how Phi Gamma Delta recognizes its graduate brothers for their contributions and/or accomplishments. Generally, on the International Fraternity level, these fall into two categories:

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS FOR VOLUNTEERS:
The Fraternity's annual awards competition also provides several individual awards to recognize deserving brothers for their contributions as graduate volunteers. Any chapter or individual may nominate graduate brothers for these awards:
 - Coulter Cup: Graduate brother who has contributed the most to an undergraduate chapter through service in a capacity other than as a Purple Legionnaire or General Officer
 - Crowder Cup: Outstanding Faculty Advisor
 - Durrance Award: Outstanding Purple Legionnaire
 - Haynes Award: Most effective Section Chief

Individual Awards nominations must by submitted by March 31, 2019.

THE DISTINGUISHED FIJI AWARD:
Each year, the Archons select up to six accomplished graduate brothers for their faithful and unselfish service to Phi Gamma Delta or their special contribution to mankind and society at-large. We encourage you to nominate deserving brothers no later than May 15, 2019 for consideration this year. Additional information and past Distinguished Fiji Award recipients are listed at www.phigam.org/DistinguishedFijiAward.

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Invoices for liability insurance will be emailed in late January. The charge is based upon the number of brothers and pledges. The estimated base rate this year is $175 per member, including fall 2018 pledges and fifth-year seniors. Chapters that have had a risk management violation will be charged a 10% penalty. Online payments can be made with credit/debit card. 

January 25, 2019 is the deadline for roster changes, prior to the insurance billing. Please update your chapter roster on your chapter page by logging in at www.phigam.org. Once insurance bills are issued, there will be no credits for roster adjustments. Here are instructions to update your roster.

If you have any questions, either email Amy Watson or call her at 859-255-1848 ext. 123.

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The deadline for registration was November 30, However, we will continue to accept registrations on a limited basis. For more information, visit www.phigam.org/Academy. Chapters without at least three attendees are subject to disciplinary action.

Brothers registered for the Academy will receive additional information in the coming days and weeks leading up to the Academy.

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It is a Chapter President's responsibility to see that brothers of your chapter read, understand and follow the laws of the Fraternity and Bylaws of your chapter. It is also your duty to see that all brothers are educated on the Fraternity's Risk Management Policy. In this regard, the Fraternity requires a written indication from you each semester that you hold this office. 

Therefore, we require that you sign the Chapter President's Risk Management Agreement. Please thoroughly read both the policy and agreement. Refer also to the Risk Management section of the Education page to review related resources. 

October 1 is the deadline for you to complete and electronically sign the agreement. Failure to submit the agreement may result in a referral to the Board of Conduct.

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