February '95 News Involved as possible. A final thing that I J PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS would like to mention Is our aim to increase campus and community Involvement. Pledges will be strongly encouraged to check out as many clubs A Word From the President Rho Alpha Is under new management semester with new cabinet. an excited In an effort to Improve the chapter even further, we have set several goals for the upcoming year. One facet and organizations possible. Brothers this of the fraternity we are concen trating on Is Increasing our numbers. With two brothers back from co-opIng, and six newly Initiated brothers, we have thirty six active brothers. The chapter Is striving to reach a goal of forty to forty five brothers, and we are coming close. We hope to pledge at least seven good men this spring, which will bring us closer to that goal. Another Important goal for the chapter Is maintaining our high scholarship. For the second straight semester, we have ranked third out of thirty three fraternities In average (notjforjcolleoe^ays^alone^ as are active in intramural sports, honor societies, clubs, and i QCA. We are excited about other our and increase our activities, we hope to be number one will make a better name for recent success soon. groups. As we ourselves in the community A third major goal we have set Is to keep all of our brothers active. On Feb and Virginia Tech. The house Is looking as good as ever, service Is at a high, the social scene Is great, and chapter tone ruary 5, a point system was Instituted that provides many Incentives for parti cipation on both an Indi about the new year, and vidual encourage and a team basis. Weekly recognition, awards, and prizes are all being used to keep brothers as Is climbing. I am excited everyone come to visit. Jason Dean BH President INSIDE 2 3 4 5 Beta Kappa Pledges, the Gator Bowl Rob Paine's Report Excerpts from Graduates Letters Graduate News to \r\nFIJI News time and Brent had a little The Pledge Experience wash to do the next day. On our pledge trip to Washington and Jefferson hether you are aware ^ of it or not, the Rho Alpha Chapter of Delta initiated Gamma Phi a new pledge class on January 21, 1995, at international Headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. I had the honor and privilege of being one of the Beta Kappas who joined the ranks of brotherhood. I would like to share my experiences and feelings with you about my pledge period. It all started on College, it was easy to spot a Beta Kappa, because we were either in the bathroom or lying on the front lawn fertilizing the grass. Even through all that, we were a great team who stuck together, especially through rough times. I can't explain how lucky I feel to have been part of such a great bunch of gentlemen. My As a pledge, I work, but \ was committed to I gentleman and that you are a part of your community quickly took on the role as president of the pledge and should get involved in it. 1 can't lay out everything 1 brothers that 1 wasn't afraid to be a leader. My pledge brothers. Brent Holoviak, Pete Bysura, Steve Hinman, Tim Bowling, Jeff Stanaway, and Willson York, were also very eager to prove they had what it took to become brothers. We quickly planned events and got involved in our new fraternity, but we hit a few bumps on the way. On the way back from our pledge retreat, Willson spoke those famous words, "Stop the car!" We didn't quite stop in friends group pledges, of and continued the Virginia Tech bowl game tradition by taking the long journey to Jacksonville, Florida. The purpose of this journey: To cheer on the Hokies football team as they took on the University of Tennessee in the dismay, the Hokies showed necessity to class. By doing this, I thought I would show all the large brothers, them. was going to be a lot of brother. This past December, a Outback Steak house Gator Bowl. Much to our learned that self-control is a a Bowl 1995 pledge brothers were willing to help me in anyway, as I September 21, 1994, when I became a pledge. I knew it becom\r»g To the Gator learned many things. being I a true learned, but 1 guarantee that 1 am now a better man and will continue to strive toward excellence. In ending, I would just like to say that I am very proud to be a brother in Phi Gamma Delta us just how bad they could play. Despite the loss, all of the brothers had a great time in Florida. Following the game, many of the brothers and their friends spent New Years partying the night/morning away. Some brothers spent New Years in Jacksonville, others continued while their journey north to Atlanta. Needless to say, the drive home the next morning was and will always cherish and love this fraternity for the a long one. By the end of the trip, everyone was glad rest of my life. to be home to get some Leigh Perry BK sleep. Now, plans are being made to spend Spring Break in Cancunl By the way, the Hokies are 16-5 in basketball and still getting no respect. Jon Petcu Beta Zeta \r\nFIJI News in the summer of '93 and it BCA shows us all what a lot of teamwork, President's determination, and persistence can accomplish. Way to go, guys! Report In other news. Field s my tenure as BCA grand poobah draws to c ose, 1 am very proud to endowment level of $10,000 thanks to your generous contributions! support, and scholarship. tell you that we have achieved one of the most ambitious Grad-Llndergrad Golf Tournament This year's Pig Dinner Weekend will have a special added event: a golf tournament to raise money for the tiiio Alpha Chapter House Corporation. Tee time is 2:00 PM on Friday, April 7. paid us a visit last October and was pleased with the progress that the undergrads have made. According to Jeff, the areas of Rush, Pledge Education, and Campus Involvement pose our greatest challenges, while our strengths continue to be the team system, graduate a The First Annual Secretary Jeff Thompson goals current board. of this Sometime around New Year's, the Rho Alpha Educational Foundation reached a full As I'm sure you've heard before, this means that our chapter is guaranteed a $500 scholarship every year from now on, with the money coming completely from interest and not from the Future plans for BCA focus on Pig Dinner, which will lake place in Blacksburg on April 8. Please join us as Fiji's from all over the country come home to Blacksburg and celebrate everythinc Take off work come down principal investment. I want early, and join us for a great to sincerely thank all of you day of golf! that's who have helped us meet this goal, and I feel fortunate Alpha. At the BCA meeting Cost to enter will be $25. to have seen it come to pass during my term. Speaking of great about Rho to be held that weekend, will be bringing my term as president to a close, anc will not be seeking term. I a academic achievement, the second grade reports are in from enjoyed these past three years. The reason I am not returning is that I hope to be returning to school Burruss Hall for the 1994 semester, and Fall Rho Alpha continued to hold onto have a 2.8 QCA, which placed us sometime in the near future third out of 34 fraternities! - but I plan on being active on Rho Alpha for a long This is undeniable proof that the undergrads meant business when they enacted time to come, so there will the educational reforms in be plenty of time to help out the future, after (continued on page 5) this \r\nFIJI News ones in- a little early for 15 year old son who, at Christmas. we'll 6'3", is 4 inches taller than have to actually get her real presents again this year after all. Virginia has made me. I am now having to be nice to him! My oldest is a 16 year old girl. She wants the to go to UNC-Chapel Hill. Remembering back a few Guess transition even faster than Lindsay, in spite of Letters from Afar... having decided that there are ghosts under her bed. "If you ever make a Things surely are different 'wrong turn at Albequerque' and find yourselves in when you are a parent. "I hope you are Amarillo, come see us." Check, who had this to say, enjoying your 4 years at Tech. The time I spent was definitely memorable, mostly because of my "Dear fellow Brothers, fellow "Do youse really want to know what is happening in Simpsonville, SC? I can Gamma Delta." answer you in one word: NOTHING! If you think say, Next, we heard from Tim Since the last newsletter, we have heard from many graduates. Here's a taste of what they had to say; Henry King writes, "Howdy from Texas, That's right ~ we've Blacksburg moved to Amar\\\o (the fo\ks living in Simpsonvillel is dead, The move was timed so as worked Generous Electric, which amounts for Michael (We do have our 16+ years. I have lived in Arkansas ( when Billy Boy priorities). was Governor), Illinois, "The move has Sue Philadelphia, Syracuse (tell employed with the Department of Energy and those football players they The people at work are strange. They are scared to death of tritium, but think nothing of handling high explosives. "Lindsay has settled in with her new second grade class in spite of Henry telling the principal that she wanted a "mean teacher." She lost both of her two front teeth this year and has been busy getting the new caused me a lot of grief this year!), and at Phi Ward Follette has this to "Brothers, "Long time since you "A "To start with, since for brothers have heard from me. leaving Hokieland, I have Henry with Battelle. her to go to a coed college. try out here say \t rhymes w\th gorUla or vanilla) Texas. not to interfere with Henry's elk hunt with brother-in-law years, I'm not sure I want now Simpsonville. "As for my personal life, I do have a wife and lot has been happening with me since Pig Dinner. Elisabeth and I are officially engaged and are planning an early wedding in the next millennium. Oh, by the way, we are still going on a honeymoon in January, a ski clinic at Sugarloaf, ME. "I have just been promoted to Senior Process Design Engineer at Foster Wheeler USA. eight children. That explains why I never have I'm a heavy oil engineer, the heavy part was any money to visit you guys for Pig Dinner. "I have gone from playing sports to coaching sports or being a spectator. It is a little tough to have a obvious. My special thanks to "Crazy Don" Kawecki for getting me the interview at FW three years ago. Elisabeth is up for a promotion at Lehigh Valley \r\nFIJI News Hospital to Director of the Breast Cancer Center. Matthew has just returned home from the Army. He was in Special Forces, and is currently looking for a job relieved that Matt is okay. In another long delayed but very wise move. House corporation Renaissance Graduate News man airplanes things. jump and November 12,1994, proved up to be an eventful day in the annals of Fiji, as our two top items occurred within Deb - English is my second language.) The precise out blow "Elisabeth and I are looking forward to Pig Dinner. I am planning on taking the Professional Engineering Exam on Friday hours of each other. What that date is that brother Guess I'll need some major partying after tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in that." Kensington, Maryland. The vows were BOA Report date for the wedding is, according to Lin, "sometime in the future." Also, many of you know about Patrick Reilly and his lovely bride Darci Cooper Reilly the 7th. is of is so much need for a guy can Leftwich engaged to be married to Debbie LaMirada. (Forgive me if I misspell your name. that does not suck. There that Linwood Swinney Crashes Reilly's Wedding brother Dwayne Presgraves, affectionately known to us as Pud, took the leap into matrimony back on January 14 when he wed Becky Hylton. A large majority of witnessed by Steve Klosky, the undergraduate chapter Matt was Swinney, and Rob in attendance and Paine. We were all very most were rather shocked (Continued from page 3) glad to see Matt in attendance in one piece, that he actually had a next three-year term and my master's program have been for only hours earlier he Pud. was forced completed. But remember emergency landing of his this; You are all still my friends and my family, and I will be taking no time off from that ~ so you all know plane after the single engine lost compression. Matt managed to put the And as always, the convenient progression from weddings is, of course overjoyed to find out tha plane down in a wheat field BCA Secretary and future to make an middle name babies. other We than were al In the in Southern Maryland, and BCA meantime, I wish you all the best of everything and I'll somehow managed to show up in time for the see you at 202 Church! wedding none the worse for wear. (This is better than he looked for Matt Pete "no way, man!" McDevitt and his lovely wife Laura are expecting a baby sometime Holland's wedding, after he you! where to find me. Sincerely and fraternally, Rob Paine BCA President actually spilled a cup of coffee down his own back.) Be sure and ask him how he did this. Seriously, however, I think I can speak for everyone in saying we are all greatly Presidential in Draftee June Congratulations to both o Lots of Christmas correspondence has come in from our graduates recently. Mike and Lynda "future Dr. and Mrs. Stupid" Rooney report that they are blissfully settling into \r\nFIJI News married life, and now only have daughters Tammy and Crissy at home with them. will be at 337 Hallwood Ct. Whether or not there is a has secured a big promotion topics, cause and at IBM, where he is either an whatever details I can find Advisory Capacity Planner, at Pig Dinner, meanwhile, take care of yourselves and I'll see you at 202 Church! Fraternally, effect there is unknown, regarding Mike's Ph.D., and I quote him, soon. Ed Harden Adam and Barbara report is five that and will son be soon entering kindergarten, while little Bryce is attending pre-school three days a week and his whether it is before or after lunch. sketchy and as my deadline looms I have no and Terri Hesse on the FDIC is only an acronym for his very cool fiancee Kim. Jay and Kim have moved to "Fiji Dudes In Cars".) And finally, those Florida and details on their whereabouts will be nutty Marets are at it again. Mike and Sharon completed available at NPD. Prodigal bro John Hepler has the returned the renovation of their house in Marshall, Virginia, just in time to put it on the market and settle on a newly constructed house in Holly Springs, North Carolina, close to where Mike has begun working for TRC environmental in Chapel Hill, NC. Their address until April 1 is 4653-F Hope Valley Rd. Durham, NC 27707; and after April 1 they I last few promise Hey! Don't Forget, the 24th Annual NORRIS PIG Congratulations and best of is no truth to the rumor that of these and DINNER!!! November. luck to Jay Bumgardner, who has joined the Air Force and is engaged to phase on birth of their son in early speed, is still traveling the interstate highways of Virginia for the FDIC.(There 4th notes Rob Paine AH second breakneck Again, I apologize for having lost a full page of On the next items, unfortunately details are. time to research them, so on his tricycle at breakneck speed. Ed himself, of Engineer or a and Capital depending on forgive me if I get my facts wrong. first of all, our congratulations to Dana birthday. Cameron likes to scare his mom by hurtling down the sloped driveway speaking Brother John Adamo is Cameron approaching Holly Springs, NC 27540. to the DC metropolitan area and has an apartment in Oakton. We are all glad to see him back home. Finally, Rho Alpha has gone high tech with this newfangled internet thing. E-mail, shmee-mail, I say. Those of you high techies out there, please keep in mind those of us who are still in the dark ages telecommunications. of April 8, 1995 at the Marriott. \r\nFIJI News Questionnaire In this issue of the "FIJI News," a questionnaire has been enclosed(be!ow) so that we, the Rho Alpha Chapter can claim greater knowledge of the Graduate Brothers of this chapter. Please fill it out, place a stamp on it, and return it to 202 Church Street as soon as possible. Thanks!!!! Occupation:. Name: Home Address: Business Address: Home Phone: ( ) Business Phone:( ) Birthday: Pledge Class:. Date Pledged:. Date Initiated: Big Brother: Little Brother(s):. Offices Held as an Undergrad;. Are you married?. Do you have children?. If so, how many and how old are they?. What was your favorite experience as an undergraduate? What would you like to see changed or improved in the chapter? - \r\nDana 11 For US.addresses onJv W. Hesse 9531 Kings Grant Road Laurel, MD 20723 iuliilliiijinlniihillnMliiliihniiliiinilju!!!}!]!!!!