Chapter News
by John Holloway • November 2009 • 11 Comments •
Alabama (Alpha-Phi)
Angelo State (Beta-Alpha)
At this year’s homecoming competition, the chapter placed as follows: Homecoming Spirit Points – 3rd Place; Washer Tournament – 3rd Place; Float Contest – 3rd Place; Dodgeball Tournament – 1st Place; Homecoming Tailgate – 1st Place; and was awarded Best Use of Theme Award.Ball State (Iota-Alpha Colony)
Boston (Alpha)
Bradley (Kappa-Upsilon)
Max Kerr (2010) was elected Homecoming King.
California-Berkeley (Mu Colony)
The colony has 12 associate members who will be initiated on November 14, 2009.
The House Corporation installed new chapter officers, including Alex Chen, president; Frank Wei, internal vice president; and TC Ricks, external vice president and fraternity educator; Scott Stuart, treasurer; Arvind Vepa, recruitment chairman; Zach Abelson, Delta, and Matt Tonsing, ritual chairman.
The colony has established an Alumni Advisory Board of 14 alumni brothers.
California-Los Angeles (Epsilon-Sigma)
Cal State-Fresno (Iota-Gamma)
Case Western Reserve (Alpha-Nu)
Central Missouri (Lambda-Pi)
Cincinnati (Gamma-Gamma)
Colorado (Gamma-Mu)
Colorado State (Gamma-Pi)
Culver-Stockton (Kappa-Mu)
Team Lambda Chi Alpha participated in the American Cancer Society’s Lewis County Relay for Life. The team was able to raise more than $1,200 towards the “Fight for a Cure.” Matt Curtis (2012) represented the team as “Sassy Cynthia” winning “Queen of Relay.”
The chapter hosted the Hog Roast during Homecoming on Sept 26, 2009. This year was very successful with more than 75 alumni brothers returning for the festivities.
Dick Valentine (1970) became Culver-Stockton’s 25th president on July 1, 2009. Valentine was selected in May 2009 as the result of a five-month nationwide search. Valentine was vice president for alumni and development at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, since 2004. Previously, he was vice president of external relations at Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois, and dean of admission and financial aid at then-Arkansas College, now known as Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas. Not only is Valentine the first C-SC alumnus to be named president of the college, he has served the college both as a member of the Culver-Stockton Board of Trustees and as former dean of admissions at C-SC.
Columbus Area Alumni Reception
Two dozen brothers enjoyed an evening of fellowship and networking on October 12, 2009, at the Columbus Marriott Northwest. Educational Foundation Board Member Kevin Vasquez (Western Carolina) spoke about the positive state of the Fraternity and the funding that effects our undergraduate brothers. Order of Merit recipient Mark Perks (Ohio State) was also in attendance.Dallas/Ft. Worth Area Alumni Association
The Dallas/Ft. Worth Area Alumni Association hosted its annual golf tournament on October 8, 2009, at Bridlewood Golf Course in Flower Mound, Texas. Forty-eight brothers endured some cooler temperatures to share an afternoon of brotherhood followed by a dinner with prizes for the winning Net/Gross Teams and the losing team. Matt Newton (North Texas) chaired the event.Denver Area Alumni Association
DePauw (Xi)
East Tennessee State (Iota-Omicron)
Elmhurst (Pi-Zeta)
Florida State (Zeta-Rho)
Twenty-five actives, associate members, and alumni brothers joined forces to help the Tallahassee Rotary Club with its construction of a new home for a Tallahassee mom and her three children. The Lambda Chis helped provide the crew that put the roof decking and hurricane ties onto the new home. Associate Member Steven Chapman commented, “This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. It was especially good to actually meet and work with the family that will have a safe, new home.” This is the third year the Florida State chapter has worked with Habitat for Humanity.Franklin (Kappa-Gamma)
Georgetown (Kappa-Omega)
The chapter held its Centennial Celebration on October 17, 2009, at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington, Kentucky. The event was a huge success and raised more than $6,000 in support of the undergraduate chapter. More than 275 people were in attendance. Also, the first class of the Kappa-Omega Hall of Fame was inducted with six new recipients. They are: Dr. Ralph Curry (deceased), Tom Grissom (1955), Bill Beams (1964), Bill Holden (1972), Bobby McDowell (1981), and Mark Lenahan (1984).Iowa State (Alpha-Tau)
Lee C. Anderson (1977) died October 31, 2008. He worked at KSTP Radio/TV in Minneapolis, the National Weather Service, and at the National Severe Storm Center in Norman, Oklahoma. He then worked at the NOAA Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. He was a member of the American Meteorological Society, many other scientific and professional societies, and St. Augustine Catholic Church in Elkridge, Maryland.
Illinois State (Beta-Omicron)
Kansas (Zeta-Iota)
Homecoming 2009 was held on October 10, 2009. Congratulations to the men of Lambda Chi Alpha and the women of Alpha Delta Pi for winning KU Homecoming 2009.Congratulations to Robert Schmidt for taking first place in the Homecoming 2009 Walk and Jog. Congratulations to Hunter on winning the Jennifer Alderdice Homecoming Spirit Award.
Lambda Chi Alpha held Watermelonfest on September 27, 2009, with more than 200 in attendance. The event benefited The Leo Center and included several games such as Watermelon Baseball, Tug ‘O’ War, Mudfootball, Seed-spitting contest, and Watermelon-eating contest.
Louisiana-Lafayette (Iota-Omega)
During the Watermelon Bust, the chapter raised just under three tons of food and $5,787 with the help of Kappa Delta, Tri Delta, Tri Sigma, Phi Mu, and Alpha Omicron Pi.
October included many brotherhood events, including a bowling brotherhood event at Lafayette Lanes. Additionally, the chapter just had its Brotherhood retreat in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
The chapter house’s kitchen was remodeled by Blake Banner’s father with the cabinets and appliances he donated.
Louisiana State (Upsilon)
Rob Landry is the current IFC treasurer.
Matt Burger plays club lacrosse.
Seven brothers achieved a 4.0 GPA last semester and the chapter is second on campus with a 3.2 cumulative GPA.
This fall’s philanthropic event, Watermelon Bust, raised $15,000 for the Bishop Ott Shelter.
McGill (Iota-Iota)
Alastair Crow, David Chaim, Dean McRobie, Marcus Symonds, and Sam Skulsky are members of the Rugby Team, and Crow and Skulsky are members of the All-Canada U-21 United Rugby Team. Frank Hewit is an alumni member of the team.
The chapter is celebrating a cumulative 3.64 GPA.
Michigan (Sigma)
Michigan State (Gamma-Omicron)
Millsaps (Theta-Eta)
A group of young Millsaps alumni brothers held their second annual Purple, Green, & Gold Banquet on October 24, 2009, at Scrooge’s Fine Food & Drink. More than 30 brothers and guests attended, including both actives and alumni brothers. Developed by Chris Spear (2007) along with Marsh Nippes (2006), the event celebrated the Fraternity’s Centennial, the 70th anniversary of the chapter’s chartering, and the 85th anniversary of its chapter installation as part of Theta Kappa Nu.Missouri (Gamma-Kappa)
Montevallo (Sigma-Epsilon)
With the assistance of several brothers earning a 4.0 GPA, the chapter’s cumulative GPA is 2.8.
Brian Boots is an SGA Senior Senator; Tyree Walker is IFC Vice President of Recruitment; Heath Genry is IFC Treasurer; and Ryan Moody is a College Night Leader.
During October the chapter held its annual Pumpkin Feast benefiting Lambda Chi Alpha’s North American Food Drive.
Murray State (Lambda-Eta)
The chapter is active in leadership rolls on the campus with the vice president and the recruitment chairman of the IFC and three brothers who serve as summer orientation leaders.
The brothers raised $26,000 that was donated to the Needline Food Bank of Calloway County.
In recruitment they have 15 new associate members bringing the chaper strength to 48.
Tyler Holloway graduated in May 2009 finishing his basketball career in second place on the Murray State University all-time list for made three-pointers. He also became the 34th member of the Murray State 1,000 point club. Jarad Key graduated in May 2009 finishing his basketball career as a four-year member of the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and was named to the Dean’s list six times. In 2008, Key was named to the National Basketball Coaches Association Honors Court.
In 2008, Kris Robbins (1981) became the third Lambda Chi to receive the Murray State Distinguished Alumnus Award joining Max Hurt (1927) in 1972 (street named after him in Murray, Kentucky, and the Max B. & Mavis Hurt Scholarship awarded to a deserving incoming freshman from the 1st Congressional District of Kentucky), and Richard Anderson (1980) in 1994.
Nebraska-Omaha (Iota-Delta)
On October 3, 2009, the chapter members participated in Brush Up Nebraska with the Sigma Kappa sorority. Participants painted the house of a family in need.
During homecoming week the chapter members and the sisters of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority raised $500 with their event. The event is held in the middle of campus where participants rotate bouncing on a trampoline for 48 straight hours and taking donations. The philanthropy event was featured in the local newspaper and on local TV news. All proceeds were donated to the North American Food Drive.
On October 10, 2009, the chapter held the Alumni Homecoming Tailgate for the football game. The event was held on the top level of the university’s parking garage overlooking the field.
Seth Nelson, James Slabaugh, and Robert Park completed the first evolution of the Inner Circle journey.
The chapter associated nine new members for the fall 2009 semester. The chapter plans to continue to recruit this fall and potentially hold a second association.
Nevada-Reno (Epsilon-Iota)
The chapter held its annual fall philanthropy, Watermelon Bust, which raised nearly $1,500 for The Note-Ables, a Reno-based nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is to provide musical programs and music therapy services for children and adults with disabilities. The actual event consists of watermelon field day based events where sororities form teams of eight and compete against each other. This charity event included participants from five sororities: Sigma Kappa, Kappa Alpha Theta, Pi Beta Phi, Delta Gamma, and Delta Delta Delta. Some of the events this year included: Watermelon Discus Toss, Tug ‘o War, Relay Race, and watermelon eating contest. All sororities arrived in numerous numbers and created quite a buzz for the event. This year’s winner was Kappa Alpha Theta.New Orleans (Lambda-Alpha)
North Carolina (Gamma-Nu)
Led by David Blumberg’s cumulative 3.95 GPA, the chapter is second on campus with a 3.32 GPA.
Ritual Chairman Jennings Carpenter is the the SGA treasurer.
Cameron Griffin is active in ROTC.
Eddie Sykes is the IFC Judicial Board co-chair.
Oklahoma City (Theta-Delta)
The associate members’ annual date auction was held in the Meinders’ School of Business. The event was very comical and beneficial, raising $1,500 towards the house.
The chapter held its first major social event, Jello Jam, with the Alpha Phis.
Oklahoma State (Alpha-Eta)
Pittsburg State (Lambda-Chi)
Polytechnic (Theta-Upsilon)
San Diego Area Alumni Association
The area alumni association held its quarterly lunch at the El Torito Restaurant in San Diego’s Mission Valley with close to 20 alumni brothers in attendance. After lunch, the business meeting included a comprehensive report from Jerry Thatcher on the Housing Corporation’s activities, followed by Dave Buck’s remarks on the Alumni Association happenings and sponsorship of three active brothers from the two local chapters to the Leadership Seminar in Indianapolis last summer. They were also joined by Jeff Warren, a junior from the University of California-San Diego.
Shepherd (Phi-Iota)
Southern Methodist (Gamma-Sigma)
South Carolina (Epsilon-Psi)
Southern California (Zeta-Delta)
Tarleton State (Phi-Rho)
Tennessee-Knoxville (Epsilon-Omicron)
Texas Christian (Iota-Pi)
More than 100 undergraduates, parents, and area alumni attended Iota-Pi’s open house on October 3, 2009. High Alpha Rick Crain provided a state of the chapter address and was proud of the large turnout. A great spread of Mexican food was available prior to the night game pitting the Horned Frogs against rival SMU. Texas Tech (Sigma-Nu)
Martin Baker (1994) received the Outstanding Young Citizen for Sweetwater Texas during the 45th Annual Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce Installation Banquet. The award is given for a person who has contributed to the welfare and advancement of Sweetwater through community activities, church involvement, and in his occupation.Tulsa (Epsilon-Upsilon)
The chapter donates two hours per brother per week to the Kendall Whittier Association assisting with their garden, food pantry, and helping the children at the elementary school.
Tim Lambert is an SGA senator, Aashish Khaladkar is the IFC judicial chairman, and Pat Schell is the chairman of IFC recruitment.
Western Carolina (Beta-Zeta)
Wyoming (Delta-Rho)
Intramurals were successful with a fourth place finish in football and a second place finish in soccer.
On October 8, 2009, the chapter finished first in the all-campus Homecoming Sing.
This fall the brothers participated in building three houses with Habitat for Humanity, and two brothers are working in Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
The chapter has begun an online alumni newsletter and is forming an Alumni Advisory Board.
Kenny Johnson is the secretary of the IFC and Fidensio Semental is the IFC Liaison with Student Government.
Johnson and Patrick Johnson are members of the business law fraternity.
Zach Jacobson is a member of the university hockey team; Alex Mason and Steven Flynn are members of the university cycling team; chapter President Cody Wilson is captain of the lacrosse team; and Mackenzie Mitchell is president of the dance team while Kevin Shereen is the team’s vice president.
John Wyatt Says:
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:27 pmWhat has happened to Alpha Kappa at Wabash College. I am AK 503 and I see it not listed. Has it been disolved? John Wyatt, AK503.
Tom Caton Says:
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:43 pmWay to go Beta Zeta. Now this is what you really need to be doing. Keep it up and great work.
Tom Caton BZ 156
Paul L. Morey Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:17 amCulver Stockton grad ’50. Please change my e-mail address from pmorey@adams.net to pnpmorey@att.net.
David L. Woods Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:58 am(this got away without spell check. repeated here with.)
When push comes to shove, the major connection with ANY fraternity appears to be the basic chapter. My chapter (Zeta Nu at San Jose State College now University — we lose to Boise State in football each year to give them a better BCS shot) had to close just before the ENORMOUS build-up in attendance at SJS! (San Jose is now 10th largest city in US, & SJS is probably the most diverse university in the US.) Most of our alumni were WW II GI Bill members from all over the nation, but not too many locally. Wayne Montgomery is an exception that came after me, & I did know George Spasyk & “Doc” Dirghalli for many years. I was a local who left for the east soon after graduation & never returned. For Lambda Chi worked a year as a faculty recruiter for Lehigh U, lived at the Ohio State chapter hours another year, & now & then tried to help Maryland (while living 50 miles away in VA), plus a visit or two to Rollins in FL, & more recently Shepherd in WV, (No house.) Yet there so seldom seems to be any continuing, useful role for any willing alum who was never a part of the actual chapter in question. A once a year (or every few year) gathering in Washington, DC (three hours drive away one way) simply doesn’t hack it. I suspect there are others like me who love our fraternity, but for various reasons not of our own making — have no close chapter we can assist or advise. Simply sending money doesn’t seem to resolve this issue. Clearly, this is not a new problem, but a continuing one! Do we really know how many brothers there are like me out here in the fraternal wilderness? Have we ever really tried to establish some continuing role for us? I’ve established five years ago & am funding a non-profit World Site for Signal Study foundation at San Jose State to which I am donating all my hundreds of books, photos, papers, drawings, research data, models, art, & artifacts, from my half-dozen published books & encyclopedias on the history of military & naval signal systems. And yes — I’m even contributing an endowment over time of some $100,000. Not much total, but a goodly amount for SJS, & not too bad for a guy who has supposed himself, four wives, five daughters, & five grandchildren most of my life as a Federal worker, career naval reserve officer, & adjunct professor the 50 years. But it would be mutually beneficial if my fraternity had a chapter at that school that might provide on-site assistance & service to this foundation, which is connected to a new unit helping veterans readjust to university life. Yet I’m nearly 3,000 miles away in West Virginia. And if I moved back to California, my increased taxes would probably eat up most financial portions of my planned donations before they were donated — mostly Federal life insurance & the equity on my home.
David L. Woods, past HA of ZNZ where I learned a lot of fellowship, began to grasp the signifiance of money, & found there was more to life than fellowship & money
Jerry Foster, KU690 Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:10 pmWOW … got the Chapter up and running again and have added nine new associate members … and having Max Kerr Homecoming King this year looks like a GREAT start to what was the #1 House on Campus almost 50 years ago … way to go kids!
‘Jersey Jerry’ Foster, ’62
Kappa-Upsilon 690
Glen Alan Graham Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:21 pmI just want to put in a word about the Nashville Area Alumni. We gather usually monthly, and our latest gathering was a “hum-dinger”! Alumnus Bro. Paul Lyle (Tennessee, not sure what year) owns a houseboat that he keeps on Old Hickory Lake (actually a reservoir) northeast of Nashville. On a beautiful evening in late September Bro. Paul took us on a boat ride along the lake to and from a delicious supper at Cherokee Steak House on the shore of Old Hickory Lake.
Mark Whiting Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:59 pmI second John Wyatt’s comment about Alpha-Kappa Zeta, although I don’t think it’s been dissolved.
The Wabash.edu website may have more info on fraternities that are currently active.
Mark Whiting, AK846
Roger Schwer Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:03 pmCongratulations to Gary Frink on your election to the Belle Grove Plantation presidential position. Does this mean we must now treat you with respect?
Alway good to hear of successful friends.
scott Says:
November 4th, 2009 at 8:30 amGlad to see the report from Murray State!
In Zax,
Scott
Monty Says:
November 4th, 2009 at 4:15 pmGlad to see Murray State in the news. You guys have been down a long tough road, glad to see you bouncing back. Keep up the good work and keep up with the submissions to the cross and crescent. In Zax,
Monty
Lambda-Eta 799
Dan Barton Says:
November 11th, 2009 at 11:41 pmglad to see some items of interest on Drexel,Univ.
of Tulsa and other schools in this area.
My chapter at Penn did not submit any news this
time!!!! Dan B E549