Winter 2017 50 ���� 81st General Convention Recap 54 ����� Kleberg 2016: attendance record broken 64 ����� 23 House Corporation visits in 2016 BE LOYAL, BE BOLD BENew General Council TRUE President Jeff Davis hopes to show that by working smarter, one achieves better work PLUS AND 59 National Parks in 59 Weeks: The Life and Death of John Gotti —a producer Fulfilling a lifelong dream shares his experience contents The Scroll Volume CXXXIX, Number 1 54 57 60 2016 Kleberg Recap Be Loyal, Be Bold, Be True 59 National Parks in 59 Weeks Over 900 undergraduates, alumni, staff From Founding Father at Missouri Zeta In order to fulfill a lifelong dream, Darius and guests attended the Kleberg Emerging to General Council President, Jeff Davis Nabors decided to quit his job, pack up his Leaders Institute in August, making it one shares his vision. truck, and visit all 59 National Parks over of the most impactful Klebergs yet. the course of 59 weeks. The Scroll (ISSN 0036-9799) is an educational journal The Scroll General Council General Headquarters Director of Housing published continuously by the Phi Delta Theta International and Facilities Fraternity since 1876. It is published two times annually Editor President 2 South Campus Avenue Andrew LaPorte, in Liberty, Missouri. Third class postage paid at Liberty, Kelly S. Derickson Jeffrey N. Davis, Oxford, Ohio 45056 Shippensburg ’12 Missouri, and at additional offices. Phi Delta Theta provides Southeast Missouri State ’94 (513) 523-6345 Editor Emeritus a life subscription of The Scroll to all of its members through (513) 523-9200 fax Director of Insurance Bill Dean, Texas Tech ’60 Treasurer an online edition emailed to members after each issue is [email protected] and Safety Chris W. Brussalis, www.phideltatheta.org Melanie Clayton published. To ensure that members receive this notification, Business Manager Allegheny ’87 please send email address updates to [email protected]. Robert A. Biggs, Associate Director of Reporter Executive Vice President A printed version of The Scroll is provided to all undergraduate Georgia Southern ’76 Chapter Services chapters, alumni clubs requesting issues, and members of the Morris D. “Moe” Stephens, and CEO James Rosencrans, IUP ’15 True Blue Society. Students and Golden Legionnaires (50 Contributors Southern Indiana ’99 Robert A. Biggs, Georgia Southern ’76 years of membership) can join True Blue for $299 and alumni Steven J. Good, Leadership Programming Iowa State ’04 Members-at-Large for $399. Payments can be made in one lump sum or over the Chief Operating Officer Coordinator Jay Langhammer Thomas “Sparky” Reardon, course of six months. For more information about the True Ole Miss ’72 Sean S. Wagner, Widener ’02 Dylan Berg, North Dakota ’15 Blue Society visit www.truebluesociety.org. Joan Schiml Jennifer Morrow Jesse Moyer, South Dakota ’03 Senior Director of Communications Engagement Coordinator Postmaster Steven J. Good, Iowa State ’04 Jennifer Morrow Please send form 3579 for undeliverable copies to Director of Chapter Engagement Coordinator Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters, Services Kelly Derickson 2 South Campus Ave., Oxford, Ohio 45056. Michael Wahba, LaVerne ’13 Event and Database Director of Education Coordinator Deadlines Clay Coleman, Southwestern ’04 Renée Crist Lefter Business Controller Spring/Summer: April 1; Fall/Winter: October 1. Director of Expansion On the Cover Tucker Barney, Puget Sound ’14 Tom Paquette Copyright © 2017 by Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity. Nothing herein may be reproduced without prior permission. General Council President, Jeff Davis, Missouri State Capitol Printed in the USA. Building in the distance. Photo by Anthony Jinson. friendship learning rectitude 05 42 67 A Phikeia for 39 years Oh…Phikeia! The healing power of brotherhood 08…Chapter News 44…How to: Build a great 69…Iron Phi 13…Club and Alumni News LinkedIn profile 71…Expansion 15…Chapter Stats 45…Fraternity News 76…True Blue 31…Road to Greatness 48…Foundation News 79…Chapter Grand 34…Phi Footnotes 39…Phi Sports Leadership Consultants Phi Delta Theta Foundation Brad Shafer, Nebraska ’94 President and CEO Follow us Matt Fritsch, Robert A. Biggs, NW Missouri State ’14 2 South Campus Avenue James M. Trapp, Michigan ’61 Georgia Southern ’76 Oxford, Ohio 45056 Robbie Marsden, Dickinson ’15 Edward G. Whipple, President Emeritus (513) 523-6966 Hanover ’74 and Historian Justin Letcher, Saint Louis ’15 (513) 523-9200 fax [email protected] Robert J. Miller, Evan Newman, West Liberty ’15 New Mexico ’50 PhiDeltaTheta @phidelt /phidelt Foundation Trustees Nick Liberator, Chief Operating Officer Central Connecticut State ’15 Chairman Sean S. Wagner, Widener ’02 J. Paul Price, TCU ’74 Alex Atkinson, Director of Annual Giving Missouri Western State ’16 Mark Bye, MIT ’78 Joan M. Schiml BJ Henderson, Jeff Davis, Director of Stewardship Southeast Missouri ’94 Wisconsin Madison’16 Linda R. Brattain phide.lt/pdtlinkedin phideltblog.com @phideltatheta Brian D. Dunn, Cornell ’77 Kevin Ireland, Director of Development Eastern Washington ’15 Thomas Harper III, Texas ’68 W. Andrew Cole, Hanover ’11 Hunter Carlheim, Development Officer Robert Morris ’16 Jay V. Ihlenfeld, Purdue ’74 Zach Hilliard, IUP ’13 Kwesi Essilfie, Richard W. Kelley, Nebraska ’60 Development Officer California-Northridge ’15 Jeffrey B. Love, Vanderbilt ’71 phidelt Sam Eastman, NAU ’15 Cole Hollingsworth, Jon A. McBride, Sam Houston ’16 West Virginia ’64 Tyler Wilson, Joseph W. Royce, Georgia Southern ’16 Southwestern ’63 Director of Canadian Services Frederick B. Schultz, Liam McNally, McMaster ’15 MSU-Mankato ’74 The Scroll Winter 2017 3 This ‘charge’ has resonated with me over the years, and I am not alone. I encourage you to read the magazine to see how Phis continue to embody that spirit today. Phi Delta Theta (as an organization) has taken on this ‘charge’ as well. The Phi Delt 2020 strategic plan is a bold initiative now in its sixth year. Already, we have more chapters (and stronger) than ever before. You can read more about this momentum that continues through our expansion efforts at campuses across North America on page 71. Last summer, the Fraternity’s record endowment provided support to fund more than 900 young men to attend our Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute. There, our collegiate members honed their leadership skills— skills they will use to improve their chapters, their lives, their communities. Within this edition of The Scroll, you’ll also find a shining example of how our young members are taking on unique pursuits to achieve personal greatness. Darius Nabor’s journey to visit each of the 59 National Parks in 59 weeks, on page 60, is an inspirational read. As president of the General Council of Phi Delta Theta, I urge you to be loyal, bold and true. Yours in the Bond, Brothers & Friends: wenty-five years ago, Abe Cross, Tampa ’88, offered me a bid to become a Founding Father of our Phi Delta Theta chapter at T Southeast Missouri State University. I pursued more than a dozen Jeff Davis (Southeast Missouri State ’92) chapter offices before getting elected awards chairman when there was General Council President 2016–2018 nobody left to take the job. From there, I became secretary, then treasurer, and ultimately chapter president—winning the Arthur R. Priest Award my senior year. During law school, I served as a chapter adviser and met future General Council President Rich Fabritius when he served as director of chapter services. After graduating law school, I continued my Fraternity service as a province president for eleven years before being elected as member-at-large of the General Council in 2008. At the General Convention in Savannah, Georgia, I thanked many of the Phis who influenced my path. Those include my wife and family who have shown immeasurable support for my service to the Fraternity, and also the countless volunteers and GHQ staff who go above and beyond the call of duty every day to make this Fraternity run smoothly. Once again, I can’t say thank you enough. A 1970s research study of fraternity rituals revealed many of their initiation ceremonies included a “charge” of responsibility. These “charges” are often conveyed in the form of a knighting ceremony. One of the first knighting ceremonies was recorded in 1046—almost 1,000 years ago. The ceremony became known as the “Accolade.” Historian and poet William Reader gave an excellent account of a 12th century Accolade ceremony whereby a knight’s patron gave him three taps on the shoulders with the flat edge of a broad sword and gave this charge— “Be loyal, bold and true.” 4 The Scroll Winter 2017 Winter 2017 08 ���� Chapter News 13 ������ Club and Alumni News 15 ������ Chapter Stats 31 ������ Road to Greatness 34 ����� Phi Footnotes 39 ����� Phi Sports Bob Fleming, Auburn ’81, recently initiated into Alabama Beta. A Phikeia for 39 years Initiated at last! BY DAVID KENNEDY, AUBURN ’80 very fall, Auburn Phi Delt alumni (from mainly the 1970s era) gather To cap the weekend off, they attended the Arkansas vs. Auburn game, for a weekend of football and fellowship. Jimmy Webb, ’78, has cheering the team on to victory. The highlight of the weekend came Saturday E been the driving force behind these gatherings, and Ray Briscuso, when the alumni conducted a special initiation ceremony for Bob Fleming, ’81, organizes the game tickets and the dinner. This past October was no ’81. Bob missed his initiation nearly 40 years ago due to a serious football exception. The weekend started on a Thursday evening when several of injury during a scrimmage practice just preceding his Phikeia class’ initiation. the group met with Director of Expansion, Tucker Barney, to talk about reorganizing the Alabama Beta Chapter and to begin the re-colonization A little history process. Then on Friday, alumni gathered at Moore’s Mill Club for lunch Bob Fleming left his hometown of Mobile, Alabama to attend Auburn in and golf, followed by an evening reception and dinner at the Auburn the fall of 1974 to play football and earn a degree in pre-physical therapy.