Theta Deute Ohio Wesleyan University • Phi Gamma Delta • June 1996 ATTENTION GRADUATE BROTHERS by David Lauffer '98, Star Editor After the initial editing of the Theta Deuteron Star I was informed of the grades for the 1996 spring semester. I am pleased to announce that we sur passed our goal of a 2.6 grade point average! Our chapter achieved a 2.7 overall G.P.A. for the semester. We ranked 8 out of 11 fraternities and earned most improved honors. The 1996pledge class ranked 4 out of 11 fratemitypledge classes. A YEAR OF CHANGE by Sean Plummer '97, President Since Ihave taken the office ofpresident in January of competitive sports programs, and the student judicial 1996 I have witnessed a lot of changes in the Theta Deuternon chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. For years our chapter has addressed the problems that we need to overcome in the future years. This year we addressed the problems again, but now we have a written plan of action that the undergraduate brothers are held scholastic performance by accepting a bid from Phi Gamma Delta. This hopefully will open a whole other avenue to accountable to. the men we can rush. With the help of Ken Temple we created a "Contract with Fiji". This contract mandates that the undergraduate brothers meet a certain G.P.A. requirement for both se mester and cumulative. This set G.P.A. will begin at our current G.P.A. and will increase as the capabilities of the The freshmen are receiving this message. Prior to the pledge class of 1996 only two men in the house had a chapter do. I believe that there is a positive correlation between high scholarship and high involvement.With this contract I foresee a radical change in the activity of Phi Gamma Delta on the Ohio Wesleyan campus. This metamorphosis has already begun, Phi Gamma Delta is the most represented house on W.C.S.A. One our new members, Zac Heath, has been elected secretary of the Executive Board. There has also been an increase of involvement in: intramural sports programs, as. well as system. The most important change that we will witness is one that is imperative to our survival, that being rush. Fresh men will understand that they will not jeopardize their cumulative G.P.A. above a 3.0, with the addition of the pledge class of 1996 this number more than doubled to five. I believe that this number will continue to rise as the scholastic ability of our chapter does. While all of these changes will help Phi Gamma Delta get back to her rightful standing, we understand that this alone is not enough. We need to continually reevaluate our goals and the measures that we can take to reach them. So that we may continue the outstanding reputation that Theta Deuteron has always had at Ohio Wesleyan. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me. \r\nFIJI I.F.C. INVOLVEMENT SPRING 1996 RUSH STILL STRONG Matt Confer, '96 Rush Chairman by Saurabh Gupta, '98 This years spring rush at Theta Deuteron was outstanding. After all the hard This year the Interfratemity Coun cil ofOhio Wesleyan elected two broth ers of Phi Gamma Delta to their execu work, Fiji welcomed twelve new pledges into its doors. Fiji had the third largest pledge class at Ohio Wesleyan and is very happy with the quality of this year's pledges. Senior Glen Chambers said that in his four years at Ohio tive board. Steve Scheper was elected secretary and Saurabh Gupta was elected as the liaison to the Wesleyan Wesleyan Theta Deuteron has always looked at the quality of a pledge class, not just quantity. But this spring it seems as if Fiji has been able to combine Council ofStudent Affairs (W.C.S.A.). year's pledges are: both quality and quantity for the best pledge class at Ohio Wesleyan. This The position of secretary requires the Tim Baker, Riverside, CT Matt Dixon, Delaware, OH Eben Elliot, Bellvue, WA person to take notes at all IFC meet ings, read the minutes of the previous meetings, and to attend all interfrater- Adam Ferrante, Marblehead, MA Sam Hanchett, Saint James, NY nity judicial board (I.F.J.B.) hearings. Zach Heath, Pascoag, RI Grant Herbert, Camp Hill, PA Braden Miller, New London, NH The W.C.S.A. liaison must attend all W.C.S.A. meetings and lobby for proGreek legislation. Both positions also require people to uphold all I.F.C. laws Doug Mohl, Mansfield, OH Dave Raabe, Charlotte, VT Rob Van Keuren, Darien, CT Tom Sheldon, Baltimore, MD and by-laws inside and outside of their fraternities. Gupta and Scheper have filled these positions with grace and style. They have put an immense amount of time for their respective positions. Both are required to attend meetings with the I.F.C. general body on Wednesday nights and to the executive board meet ings on Fridays. Because of their high status positions on I.F.C., the chapter is better informed and has a better relationship with the Greek Commu nity. A WORD FROM ADAM ROSEN '97 — PLEDGE EDUCATOR by Adam Rosen '97 Phi Gamma Delta's pledge program was very successful this year. We pledged twelve great guys and had full house participation throughout the nine weeks of pledging. As the pledge educator, I used some concepts from last year's pledge process, as well as incorporating many new ideas to create a program which I would be happy to head. Along with tight brotherhood, scholarship and leadership were also stressed. This year, I added new committees to the pledge class. In prioryears we have only had a president, treasurer, and secretary as positions in the pledge class. Theone thing I am most proud of iscreating a pledge class .scholarship chairman. Also in the field of scholarship, I collected a syllabus of every pledge's classes, exams, and paper due dates. This helped tremendously, because in meetings I could remind a particular pledge that he had an exam SEND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO: David Lauffer Star Editor Box: 3016 HWCC Delaware, Ohio 43015 P.S. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WRITE! tomorrow, but in between that the house wanted to hold a ritual for the pledge class. As for leadership opportunities, I also created a philanthropy chairman, and reinforced the importance of the I.F.C. repre.sentati ves by allowing them to give reports on what occurred during I.F.C. meetings and encouraged the pledge class to discuss the issues in order to make sure they knew what was going on. I feel the house accomplished all of the tasks it set out to do this year to educate the pledges. And in turn has allowed us to welcome 12 more worthy brothers. \r\nALUMNI BROTHERS CAMP TOGETHER A Humorous Tale From Jon Bernstein, '94 March is a month that traditionally rolls out like a lamb, and I ain't lion. However, March 1996 appears to have been a wolf, (Ken Wolff, that is), in lambs clothing. A furious mix of rain, sleet, snow and all around bad vibes conspired to pummel the Northeastern United States into near submis sion. Undaunted, six alumni brothers from the pledge class of 1991 braved the elements and embarked upon a weekend camping excursion. Jon Bernstein, Tom Doherty, Brian Donnelly, John Maguire, Holt Naff and Ken Wolff, all of whom reside in or around New York City, gathered at the base of the Statue of Liberty one late March morning. White caps topped the cresting waves of New York Harbor as Jack Frost, (a PhiDelt, no doubt), nipped at the intrepid brothers with murder ous intent. It seemed as though their exodus would be laid to waste even before it began as Brother Naff succumbed to the elements and collapsed to the ground, his skin a sickly shade of green. The brothers watched in horror as Naff's skin darkened to auburn, then to blue. By this point Donnelly had had all he could stands, he couldn't stands no more! "Oh Lady Liberty," he bellowed at the unwavering statue, his fist clenched high in the air, "Why has thee forsaken us? Guide us. Oh Great Green Goddess, with thy torch emblazoned!" The wary Phi Gams could do little more than state as Naff's tint grew darker and darker still. Unable to watch any longer, the Brothers turned away, save Brother Doherty. Tom stood riveted before Brother Naff as Holt's complex ion grew even darker. What follows is restated from a deposition given by Brother Doherty to Purple Legionnaire Tucker Bacquet on, on April 9, 1996, "He kept getting darker and darker. I thought He was a goner for sure. But then, he started to glow. He was no longer blue and dying, he was purple and alive, alive I tells ya!" Naff sprang to his feet, his complexion returned to normal and his vigor increased nine-fold. "Boys, " said Naff, "Let's head for the hills." And that is exactly what they did. The brothers arrived at the base of Mt. Wilkinson, in western New York at mid day. They immediately embarked up the mountain. The first few hours of hiking were unevent ful as the lads hiked away the afternoon, chatting and reminiscing about bygone days at good old 35 Williams Drive. It wasn't until dusk that disaster struck. It seemed innocent enough at first. Small flakes of snow began to drift through the air, at first like Pereguin falcons coming to rest on the outstretched arms of their masters. Soon, however, they took on the demeanor of Kamikaze pilots, attacking the hikers like the proverbial battleships that they are. Our Theta Deuteron brethren were caught in a blizzard. The weary brothers were at a loss. What to do? Oh, what to do? Brother Maguire was the first to break the silence as he proclaimed, "The mysteries of nature can at once be both majestic, and a harbinger of doom." And with that, he bounded off through the snow covered underbrush. The five remaining brothers split up and began their search for the snow-shocked Maguire. It was Ken Wolff who found him. "I couldn't believe my eyes," said Wolff, "I rounded a bend there, don'tcha-know, and what does I see there before me? John Maguire is what I sees! He was frolicking in a lush gable, he was. I tells ya no lies, dagnbbit!" The four erstwhile brothers convened at the scene, where brother Doherty produced a flask of organic molasses and mineral water, which quickly revived John. The six Phi Gam hikers climbed nine feet to a nearby cave where they were able to find partial respite from the elements. Once inside, brother Bernstein built a fire, and all gathered round. After having steadfastly convinced brother Wolff that the word, "Windigo," was in fact not audible upon the breeze, the six Theta Deuterons drifted off to sleep. Our heroic cave dwellers awoke at the crack of dawn, and immediately set to work. As the blizzard raged on., brothers Donnelly and Naff trudged through the storm searching for food. They returned with a rabbit that John, Tom and Ken cooked to perfection. While others feasted, brother Bernstein used his pocket knife to fashion a crude toboggan from a felled tree, some pine sap, and the leftover tendons from the rabbit. With warn roast hare sizzling in their stomachs, the six grizzledwarriors boardedthe toboggan andglided down the mountain. At the base of the mountain, they with the sweet scent of liberation in the air, Tom Doherty had wanted a photograph of the Theta Deuteron Hikers, but his camera did not have a lens. In any case, when asked to reflect upon their adventure, each brother had plenty to say. Brother Wolff declared the trip, "A success! A triumph of Phi Gam spirit." Maguire stated that after surviving the blizzard he now, "Sees the world through purple shaded lenses." Holt simply stated, "I need to rest" , Tom Doherty agreed with Holt, "I need to rest and watch T.V.", he said. Brother Berstein, a smile of success shining bright across his face, suggested that next winter might be the right timeto try Mt. Wilkinson again. With the Phi Gam Spirit of Adventure in their hearts, all the brothers agreed. \r\nPHI GAMMA DELTA GRADUATE QUESTIONNAIRE Full Name: Nickname: Address: Class: Major: Today's Date: Phone: [ City: Occupation: Place of employment: Awards, promotions or job changes: State: 1 Zip: Offices and Activities at Ohio Wesleyan:. Recent additions to Fiji family (spouse, children, grandchildren): Do you know of the recent death of a brother? Name and class: Phi Grads you would like to see a story on, and briefly, why?:. Can you relate a recent encounter with other Fijis?. A message to a brother: Other remarks, suggestions and news: If you have pictures, more in-depth information, or any questions or comments, please address correspondence to: Star Editor Phi Gamma Delta 35 Williams Drive Delaware, Ohio 43015 \r\nFALLFEST 1995 1996 PIG DINNER A WEEKEND FOR PARENTS AND BROTHERS ALIKE Alex Young, '97 Special Day Chairman by Scott Accettella '98 With help from everyone in the house, parents weekend came off as a big hit. With parents coming in from all over the country, Friday night was a run around for everyone meeting up with their parents. Many parents spent some time at the house meeting brothers before heading out to dinner or whatever was on their schedule. It is always interesting to meet the parents that raised your brothers. We wonder why some of them act the way they do, and then we realize it when we meet their parents. Many brothers are spitting images of their parents. There is a sense of pride whenever someone introduces their parents to everyone. Saturday started with a brunch fit for a king. Miss Lavender, with help from her daughter, cooked an outstanding meal for all of us to enjoy. All the parents were welcome to join us for the brunch. It was exciting to see that many of them did. Even the Dixons who braved the elements, traveled all the way from Delaware, Ohio to join us for the occasion. Mom Spachner once again out did herself with the decorations for the table and around the house. As everyone made their way to their destinations of the day, the rest of the house was busy setting up for the cocktail party for later on in the afternoon. The living room was decorated in a Halloween motifdesigned by mom Spachner. Most oftheparents On March 30, 1996 the Theta Deuteron chapter was lucky to have nearly 150 alumni visit for the annual Norris Pig Dinner. The event was held at the Delaware Hotel, and the dinner occurred without any flaws. The alumni were presented the traditional pig by the twelve members of the 1996 pledge class. The neo phytes also sang the usual songs with solid encouragement by the alumni. This year we were extremely lucky to get such a large turnout. We had a colossal show ing from the class of '71 and '46, as they received their silver and golden owl awards. There was also a massive turnout from the classes of'54, '55, and '56. It was good to see each pledge class reunite and talk about their unforgettable memories here at Phi Gamma were busy getting ready, just as we all were. Finally the time had arrived that everything must run smoothly. The food was broughtin and the bar was set up. All the stress and tension that was building up finally broke when we wereable Delta. to sit around and talk over cocktails and fine hors'devores. Everyone was now relaxed and the environment was complete. graduated a Fiji from Ohio Wesleyan in '53, and is the highest ranking U.S. Air Force The feeling of excitement started off the weekend when all the parents arrived. Everyone was elated that their parents were here. Just as they were been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. excited to see them come, there was almost that same feeling as they left. They saw their parents for the weekend, and realized why they went away to school. For the brief period of time we all wanted to stay closer to home for school just to be with our parents. Fallfest '95 was a huge success at Theta Deuteron. NAGRO TAKES TAMPA BAY BY STORM by Jonathon R. Berstein '94 This year's keynote speaker was Ft. Gen eral Robert F. Coverdale. Ft. General Coverdale officer in Phi Gamma Delta History. He has the Legion of Merit, the Air Force Commen dation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Republic of Korea Order of National Secu rity Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Gal lantry Cross. Ft. General Coverdale's speech was enlightening and educational. He spoke of the importance of education and rush, pointing out the fact that the service is the main reason he enrolled in school. Pig Dinner went extremely well. It was my As the popularity of summertime internships increases, students are seeking new and exciting ways to gain academic creditand meaningful work experience during the summer respite. Many students who areawarded an internship find themselves cooped up in a stuffy office, bound by coal and lie; but not Michael Nagro '96. Michael, the lormer I.F.C. Executive Vice-President, and asenior memberol Theta DeuteronChapter of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, is the newest member oi the Tampa Bay Storm. The Storm compete intheArena Football League (AFL). "Arena Football isjustlike normal football played in a hockey rink," says Nagro. Michael joined the teatri in May filling the position ofAssistant Athletic Trainer. He spent the entire 12 game season with the Storm, and then came the playoffs, "The playoffs were a grueling three games, including Arena Bowl IX", said Nagro. "but even though the gatiies torced me to miss the first few days ofschool, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything." The Storm won a hard fought victory, 48-35, in Arena Bowl IX, and Michael was a visible presence during the game, tending to on field injuries in the first and fourth second dinner, and I was surprised to see the unity between alumni and brothers sill in school. Hopefully, we will have an excellent turnout next year as well, showing next year's pledge class that Fiji is not for college days alone. Mark your calendar... Pig Dinner quarters. "Working for a pro team is not all fun and games, " said Nagro. "The responsibility thatcomeswithhavingthe healthof a professional athleteentrustedto you is overwhelming." The proof of Nagro's undying commitment to his craft is the Arena Bowl IX - World Championship Ring that he proudly displays on his hand. (see Nagro page 6) ... details will follow later. \r\nCHAPTER ROOM RENOVATIONS! by Mark Rubestein, '98 Chapter Historian COMPUTER ROOM NAMED IN KEN TEMPLE'S HONOR Nagro Continued by Dave Lauffer '98, Star Editor training under OWU Head Athletic Trainer Tom Agne. "Tom's knowledge and know how has given me a strong foundation to Spirits are high Theta Deuteron as the chapter room renovations are now under way. Almost a years worth of planning by At the 1996 Pig Dinner the Theta Deuteron alumni made generous contri butions for a new computer room. The Peter Blackwood' 96 and Mark Rubinstein room will be located in the first room left '98 is finally being put into action. With donations from Dough Dittrick '55 and George Stemad '48, work was able to start directly following this year's Norris Pig Dinner. The bar was torn out and is being replaced by a brick wall that will provide in Tiger Inn. The computer lab will be networked with the Ohio Wesleyan Uni for an ante-room. Also, an electrician in web. stalled seven new light fixtures, all with dimmers, and two ceiling fans to provide circulation. Thirty six dark finished wooden chairs and fivepress back captain's chairs have arrived to compliment the room. The brothers also repainted the walls and waxed the floor to make the renova tions complete. All in all, it's been a very exciting project made possible with a great deal of alumni support. Phi Gamma Delta 35 Williams Drive Delaware, Ohio 43015 versity system. The OWU network will give the brothers access to various word processing programs as well as a full graphical interface with the world wide The lab was dedicated to former Michael attributes his success to his work from," says Nagro. "I've worked with many of the Bishop teams over the past few years, and the whole OWU experi ence has really paved the way for my success." Nagro will attend graduate school at Syracuse University next year. SEND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO: Purple Legionnaire Ken Temple '85. Temple has been a legionnaire for seven years. He has guided the chapter through David Lauffer some of its most tumultuous times and has Box: 3016 HWCC supported the undergraduate brothers ev ery step of the way. Ken will be sorely missed by the brothers at Theta Deuteron. His successor Huntington Tucker Baquet Delaware, Ohio 43015 '94 will take over in the fall. Star Editor P.S. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WRITE!