bulldog fiji VOLUME VIII - NO. 2 MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SPRING, 1978 A NEW FACE ON FRATERNITY ROW It still seems like a dream, but Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity at Mississippi State University will soon have a house on The Row. The question in everyone's mind is — How soon? According to Jim Tyson, project architect with Haw thorne Associates (formerly The Turner Partnership), the answer is up to the builders. In the past, there have been problems with getting good labor. Tyson believes if the company can work 16 to 20 men a day as they have been doing lately, they could almost complete the house by the beginning of the semester. The previous deadline was July 31. As of the middle of July, this is how the project stands. The builders have drawn 54% of the money al lotted for the construction. This indicates how much work is unfinished. The electrical and mechanical work is progressing rapidly. The electrician has completed 80% of the wiring and the mechanical work is 60% complete. The roofer has started and the gjqjsum board is going up. Bricks are being laid and should take 2 or 3 weeks to finish. Tyson said they are putting emphasis on the second level where the living quarters will be. This is so the brothers living in the house will have a place to stay even if the rest of the house is not completed. The undergraduate chapter and graduates have been working hard to make sure we will be ready when con struction is completed. Plans have been made for meals to be served in the house. Fourteen meals (three meals per day except for two on Friday) will be served in the house per week. Presently, a fund raising project headed by the House Corporation is underway. A total of $6000-$8000 is needed to purchase beds, carpet, dining tables and chairs, and draperies. Instead of buying all new furniture, plans have been made to recover the fur niture used in the old house. Although the house should be completed approxi mately 30 days later than planned, our dream will soon become a reality. \r\nPAGE TWO BULLDOG FIJI SPRING, 1978 A Letter From the President Dear Brothers, Spring '78 has proven to be yet another chapter in the success story of Sigma Mu. The semester began with much apprehension on the part of graduates and undergraduates alike concerning the chapter's ability to remain united without the con venience of a house. Over the coimse of the past few months, much of this uncertainty has been erased. Momentum was achieved early with the pledging of four outstand ing young men followed by the ini tiation of twelve fall A semester pledges. Shortly thereafter, word was received that we had continued our fine tradition scholastically again finishing first in grades among Greek fraternities. Sigma Mu ex panded its leadership role on cam pus. The newly-elected President and Treasurer of the School of Agri culture, Vice-President of the School of Agriculture, and Treasurer of the School of Engineering are all Sigma Mu members. In addition, we once again have a firm foothold in the Student Association with the election of the SA Vice-President and the appointment of the Execu tive Assistant. Finally, the ultimate scholastic honor was bestowed upon the chapter having two brothers selected into ODK. Social service remained a focal point highlighted by the winning of the Student As sociation award presented to the fraternity which has done the most service for the campus and com munity. On the social scene, we had several enjoyable parties in cluding the Black Diamond Formal, Fiji Island, and a swap with Kappa Delta Sorority. The semester cli maxed with approximately forty graduates attending the Ninth An nual Norris Pig Dinner. At this year's annual event graduates and undergraduates joined together to pledge over $5000 in contributions 'V 1 Brothers and their dates enjoying the music by Breezin at Fiji Island. A New Experience for Fiji Island Each year the festivities for Fiji Island have increased to make it the number one social event of the semester. On Friday evening, the brothers' unsuspecting dates were taken to Dorman Lake where they were join ed with their Fiji warriors. The great Fiji King, A1 Brock, was pad dled across the lake on his torchlit canoe and carried on his throne to the altar. To begin the ceremony the king summoned fire from hea ven and the bonfire burst into flames. After the taking of the supper. On Saturday night, Fiji Island was held at the StarkviUe Gun Club. Boiled shrimp, corn, and fresh fruit salad were served for the Fiji war riors and their maidens to feast on for dinner. Breezin provided the en tertainment for the brothers to dance by. Fiji Island was a great success due to the leadership of social chair man Jay Pryor and to many of the brothers who contributed their time for this event. vows and a formal invitation to Fiji Island always brings out the Fiji Island, the "blackened brothers" returned to the apartments with native instinct of the brothers and their dates for a barbecued chicken closes the semester in the Sigma Mu style of partying. toward the new house. With summer rush approaching, I would Uke to ask your cooperation in making this year's summer rush our most successful. If you know of anyone who would make a good Phi Gamm, we would greatly appre ciate your contacting us. In conclusion, I would like to thank all of our graduates for the (continued on page four) Brother Lee Miller and Mary Hunt seem to be doing some serious dancing at Fiji Island. \r\nSPRING. 1978 BULLDOG FIJI PIG DINNER HIGHLIGHTS SOCIAL CALENDAR The ninth annual Norris Pig Dinner was held at the Holiday Inn The competition between each class Activities began with meetings of the House Corporation and Board of Chapter Advisors. This was fol lowed by a Softball game with ac tives challenging the graduate began with each one trying to top the other's pledge. Before long the undergraduates joined in and they began competing against each other. When the pledging finally came to a halt, the graduates and under graduates had pledged around $4000 brothers. to the house fund. Restaurant in Starkville on March 4. Cocktail hour began at 6:00 that evening in the fraternity apartment at Wood Manor. With a record number of graduate brothers attend ing, the apartment became full in a hurry. The dinner followed at seven with Several awards were presented during the dinner. The Outstanding Graduate Brother was presented to Bill Howard of Canton. Bill is pre sently serving as President of the House Corporation and President of Mississippi Fijis. PAGE THREE Phi Gamm Pledges Four In Spring Rush We are proud that the spring rush efforts added four outstanding men to the life line of Sigma Mu Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. Jay Douglas is a freshman Gene ral Science major from Jackson. He was one of the football managers for the Bulldogs. Jeff Yeates, a sophomore from Clinton, is majoring in Management. He was recently initiated into Al pha Lambda Delta. From Decatur comes Gary Knight. Gary is a sophomore majoring in Biochemical Engineering. A star of his high school baseball team, he will be a great asset to our Fiji Greg Mann serving as Master of Duke Loden received the Out Ceremonies. Billy Martin, our guest standing Brother Award. He had been recently initiated into ODK Softball team. and is listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges from Sikeston, Missouri. He is a speaker, informed us of Sigma Mu chapter history which he found in the files at National Headquarters. Sigma Mu President Richard McRee presented the *Tiji Year in Review." The highlight of this year's Pig Dinner was the bidding competition led by the president of the House Corporation, Bill Howard. The pur pose was to raise money to pur chase kitchen equipment for the new house. The bidding started with a representative of each graduate class pledging an amount of money. and Universities. A1 Brock and Phil Posey were presented scholarship awards from the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity Educational Foundation. Gayden Green, our Pi^le Legionaire, made the presentation. Receiving Outstanding Pledge Plaques were Tom Ewing for Spring 1977 and Wesley Griffith for Fall 1977. Phi Gamms Win Student Association Award for Community Service Sigma Mu has had an outstand ing semester of community service. At the beginning of the semester the chapter was under the leader ship of Ken Lightsey. His Com munity Service chairmanship was later taken over by Gary Blair. Under their direction the chapter collected for the Cancer Society and came in first place for collect ing over $700 during the Heart Fund Drive. During the baseball season the brothers took some or phans to watch the Bulldogs play. Also, the chapter helped with the Special Olympics, cleaned up along Highway 12, and polished the sta tue of Stephen D. Lee on the MSU drill field. One of our favorite annual events is the Chi Omega Easter Egg Hunt for one of the Headstart Day Care Centers. The brothers always enjoy Our fourth pledge is David York freshman Architecture major. David was the Jr. IFC representative for Sigma Mu. Fred Miller served as Pledge Educator this semester and was assisted by Frank Jones. The pledges washed the brothers' cars for their money making project. They repaired the clothing box and worked for the Methodist Church on their work day for their com munity service project. Since we weren't living in a house, the house project was dropped for this se mester. The four pledges are looking for ward to their initiation in the fall. We believe these four men will getting together with the Chi Ome gas and helping the Day Care Cen greatly add to the success of Phi Gamma Delta here at Mississippi State University. ter get into the Easter spirit. The Phi Gamms were proud to have sponsored Cheryl Prewitt for the Miss MSU Pageant. She is now the reigning Miss Mississippi State University. We are proud to have Cliburn Makes All-SEC Cheryl represent the fraternity in this way. The highest honor that we re ceived this semester was the Com munity Service Award, fraternity division, presented by the Student Association of MSU for our con tributions to the MSU campus as well as the Starkville community. Sigma Mu receives great plea sure in helping the community and has benefitted greatly from the brotherhood these projects bring. We look forward to another great semester of community service. NEWS BRIEFS Perry Cliburn, a pitcher for the Bulldogs, was selected to the AllSEC Tournament team for his win over the Auburn Tigers. His fine performance enabled the Dogs to finish runnerup in the Southeastern Conference. Fijis Active in Sports Sigma Mu Chapter participated in many intramural sports this spring. Led by sports chairman Jerry Home, teams were entered in volleyball, Softball, basketball, and some minor sports. The best finish came in volleyball where "That Fiji Bunch" was runnerup in the fraternity division. \r\nPAGE FOUR SPRING, 1978 THE BULLDOG FIJI Letter from the President (continued from page two) vital role they play in our never ceasing journey "Toward Excel lence." Certainly, no other chapter can boast of the accomplishment GRADUATE NEWS Billy Martin has moved to Jack son and is working for South Cen tral Bell Telephone Company. ours has made as a result of the fine graduate support. Fraternally, Several brothers will be married this summer. David Walker and Richard McRee Sherry Lester will be married on August 12 in Inverness, Mississippi. THE BULLDOG FIJI In Memphis on August 19, Ed Hippchen will take the vows. Por Jl. ter Robinson will tie the knot Sep tember 23 in Memphis.^_Jaines Wedgeworth, a 1973 graduate, was married on July 15. :W, Steve~Horn isTn private practice in Jackson working as a landscape architect. Tom Kirkland has accepted a job with a law firm in Jackson. Editor Chuck Lott Contributions John Speed Richard McRee David Linder Brother John Speed dances with Miss MSU Cheryl Prewitt. '■ •■ft® tip.. PHI GAMMA DELTA DRAWER FN MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS 39762 fJonproftt OrganizatloR U. S Postage PAID MS State, MS Permit No, 25