The Nittany Fiji Pennsylvania State University ‐ Gamma Phi Chapter ‐ Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity ‐ Fall 2013 GAMMA PHI - PERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION SINCE 1888 By: Bill Oliver (1967), House Corporation President The weekend of April 26 -28, saw the 125th anniversary of Gamma Phi in grand glory! More than 100 alumni and guests (199 meals were served) gathered to celebrate the oldest fraternity at Penn State and the first fraterBrothers at Pig Dinner (Left to Right): Bob Andronici (1966), Dave Young (1966), Fraternity Executive Director Bill Martin (MS State 1975), nity house built Bill Oliver (1967) and Mike Stewart (1972). to be a fraternity house at the university! Grads and number of returning Remarks at the celebration from 1944 through 20013 graduates. Brothers who had were made by Bob Anunited to celebrate the event. not seen each other since dronici (1966), Dave JoyThe class most represented graduation were seen with ner (1972), Matt Nee was the class of 2009 followed their arms around each other (1999), Bill Oliver (1967) by 1965 and 1962. Missing and hands shaking while and Section Chief, Ron were Brothers from 1977 catching up. Banerjee (Pittsburgh through 1996! Are they still 1987). Our keynote speaker with us? We would like their Saturdays combined celebrawas Bill Martin participation in fraternity tion and Pig Dinner was (Mississippi State (1975), affairs! chaired by our history writer, Phi Gamma Delta Executive Mike Stewart (1972). Mike Director. From the Friday afternoon updated our 100 year history registration, Friday cocktail to include the next 25 years! If The honors at Pig Dinner party, Saturday House Corpoyou did not receive a copy or went again to Dr. Roy Berration and BCA meetings, to wish to read about your Chaptolet (1944) and a toast to the Saturday reception and ter, contact Bill Oliver Gamma Phi was given by walk to the Nittany Lion Inn, (1967) at Hal Wilson (1951). all were stunned by the excelollierock1@verizon.net. (Continued on page 2) lent condition of the house Things to Know • Nearly 200 brothers and guests attended the 125th Anniversary Pig Dinner in April. • Gamma Phi has set a goal to recruit 21 new pledges this fall. Do you know an incoming student that would make a great Phi Gam? Send your recruitment recommendation to rush@psufiji.org. • More than $600,000 of renovations have taken place at 319 N Burrowes, all thanks to YOU! Visit the house anytime to see the updates. Inside this issue: Capital Campaign 4 Ad Astra 5 Road to 21 6 Lost Brothers 7 \r\nPage 2 The Nittany Fiji GAMMA PHI - PERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION SINCE 1888 continued... (Continued from page 1) We want to thank Mike Stewart (1972) for his work on the Gamma Phi history, and to Dave Young (1966) and Harry Streamer (1963) for their work in pulling together this wonderful affair. The excellent condition of the house goes out to the current Brothers and of course Bill First (1967) for his continued work. Save the date now for Pig Dinner 2014 - April 12! Matt Nee (1999) - Graduate Recruitment Assistant and House Corporation Vice President. Chapter President Dan Greenberg (2015) and Harry Streamer (1963) \r\nPage 3 125th CELEBRATION Earle “Chip” Henderson (1959) Dave “Bear” Clark (1963) and Dick Stover (1965) (l to r) Bill Oliver (1967), Matt Nee (1999), Bob Andronici (1966), Dave Joyner (1972), and Dan Kleinhenn (2016). John “Andy” Androski (1964) and Bill “Beaver” Rossi (1968) Greg Kelley (1961) and Bob Evans (1962) \r\nThe Nittany Fiji Page 4 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WORK - SUMMER 2013 By: Bill Oliver (1967), House Corporation President Our construction management team of Bill First (1967) and Harry Streamer (1963) have completed our final phase of work and exhausted our Capital Campaign funds. This past summer we have renovated the Fishbowl, Fishbowl Annex, and the Deck rooms as well as the corridor outside these rooms. This makes a total of 18 rooms totally renovated since the beginning of our work in 2007! The carpet has been replaced on the second and third floors, windows replaced in the Club Room, screens installed in the kitchen, and the Library (Flo Co) converted into a Study Room. Floors have been refinished, various pieces of furniture replaced, and some kitchen updates. Since the beginning of our Campaign, through the downturn of the overall economy of the United States, we have been fortunate enough to have collected more than $600,000 for the renovations that have taken place. It has been your generosity that has enabled us to renovate 18 of our 23 rooms as well as the Party Room and continued work on the roof, Kitchen, Dining, Reception, and other first floor rooms. The House Corporation now relies on rent collected from the current Brothers and our Annual Fund (Dues) to maintain and due minor repairs to the House. An annual appeal letter will be going out shortly to encourage continued support of our great chapter. The House has never looked so good and has never been maintained in such excellent condition! As President of the House Corporation, I want to thank all who been involved in contributing and working toward this goal. If you have been to Penn State and not stopped by your Chapter House to see its glory, please do it! You will be proud! Damn Proud! Perge! HOUSE CORPORATION BOARD OF CHAPTER ADVISORS President - Bill Oliver (1967) - ollierock1@verizon.net Bill First (1968) - wkfirst@comcast.net Vice President - Matt Nee (1999) - mdnee@uss.com Harry Streamer (1965) - hstreamer1@comcast.net Treasurer - Bob Knechtel (1972) - Boknech@verizon.net Mike Stewart (1972) - mstewart@greensburglaw.com Secretary - Mike Burdick (1999) - burdick_m@yahoo.com Casey McNeil (2009) - cbm153@psu.edu AAA SCHOLARSHIPS SAVE THE DATE PIG DINNER 2014 APRIL 12 Academic Achievement Awards (AAA) are just one benefit the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation provides to undergraduate brothers - a $250 check to new initiates for achieving at least a 3.2 GPA during their pledge term. Phi Gamma Delta is the only national fraternity or sorority to offer this blanketed scholarship that helps get our new brothers focused on their academics. Thanks to those donors who support the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation. Since its inception in 1999, AAA scholarship has awarded 66 Gamma Phi brothers, including this list of current brothers who received the AAA during the 2012-13 academic year: Steven M. Brisgone 2015 Brandon S. Mentley 2015 Andrew R. Coppock 2016 Phillip A. Tatarzyn 2012 Gregory M. Frasch 2016 \r\nPage 5 AD ASTRA Gamma Phi was recently notified of the following deaths. These brothers will be greatly missed and we extend our deepest sympathies to their families. Fred N. Biesecker 1960 Everett R. Girty 1961 Clifford L. Cramer 1938 Barry L. Hough 1958 Jared W. Darlington 1952 Donald W. Peck 1948 E. Robert Emmers 1948 Alfred H. Verner 1925 John B. Felty 1949 Mission of Phi Gamma Delta: "Phi Gamma Delta exists to promote lifelong friendships, to reaffirm high ethical standards and values, and to foster personal development in the pursuit of excellence. Phi Gamma Delta is committed to provide opportunities for each brother to develop responsibility, leadership, scholarship, and social skills in order to become a fully contributing member of society.” CALLING PHILADELPHA AREA BROTHERS By: Anthony Imparo (2012) look back and reflect on my path in life. One of the greatest choices I ever made was joining Phi Gamma Delta, and now that I am a grad I feel compelled to reach out and do more to help our beloved fraternity. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Anthony Michael Imparo from West Chester Pennsylvania, and I majored in Electrical Engineering at Penn State. Since my graduation, back in December 2012, I have had a lot of time to Since my graduation, I have been active in volunteering at the local West Chester Red Cross. I have also become a monthly volunteer at the West Chester food bank/ Salvation Army. These are just a few of the many programs that we, as Phi Gams, can help give back to in our spare time. Over the past few weeks I have thought long and hard about how I can get Penn State graduates, and other brothers in the Philadelphia area, more in- volved in the West Chester area and connected to each other. I am currently working with the International Headquarters to establish a Graduate Chapter in the Philadelphia area. I would like to have events which remind us all that Phi Gamma Delta is Not for College Days Alone - after work events, golf outings, fishing trips, Phillies games, you name it. If this sounds interesting to you, please contact me at the below address. I will be setting up a Google group with members and events very soon. Also please share this information with other brothers you may know in the greater Philadelphia / South Jersey area. Perge! Anthony Imparo (2012) imparoanthony@gmail.com \r\nThe Nittany Fiji Page 6 ROAD TO 21 By: Bill Oliver (1967), House Corporation President RUSH 2013 will be taking on a new and important role in the future success of Gamma Phi. It has been given much more importance by the Brothers and has been receiving much encouragement and help by alumnus, Matt Nee ’99. The goal has been set to pledge at least 21 new members into Gamma Phi this fall. To assist in this goal, two members of the RUSH committee attended a long weekend Rush Workshop in June sponsored by Phi Gamma Delta International. One of the important items coming home with our members is how to contact new freshmen at the university. A method used by several other FIJI chapters is to offer two $500 scholarships (White Star Scholarship). In order to qualify, the freshmen have to complete an information form and submit it to the chapter. We now have a wealth of information! Another method is to place an information ad or article in a booklet published by Affinity Connection for all freshmen and handed out free of charge. A second publication is put out by the Interfraternity Council for all freshmen looking for information about fraternities and sororities. Your Gamma Phi Chapter has participated in both publications in an effort to secure the best young freshmen! Rush FIJI Do you know an incoming student that would make a great Phi Gam? Send your recruitment recommendation to rush@psufiji.org. Good luck, Gamma Phi. Go get the best of them! FIJI AND THE USO - “FIJI PUSH” Gamma Phi has several philanthropy events currently in the works. One is the “FIJI Push” for the USO. Teams are being put together to challenge each other for a timed push of a Hummer vehicle from in front of Gamma Phi to Old Main on Pollock Road. The road will be closed to traffic and the festivities will begin. An admission fee is charged, prizes offered, and all proceeds will be donated to the United Services Organization (USO) who help all our armed services, overseas and at home! Good luck Brothers and bring in the bucks for a worthy cause! CABINET MEMBERS President - Dan Greenberg (2015) - dan@psufiji.org Treasurer - Dan Meiselman (2014) - dmeiselman15@gmail.com Historian - Mike Perez (2015) - michaell.perezl@gmail.com Corresponding Secretary - Denny Hubal (2015) - dhubal2015@gmail.com Recording Secretary - Bret Johnson (2015) - bretjohnson28@gmail.com \r\n? Page 7 HELP US FIND LOST BROTHERS We currently do not have valid addresses for the following brothers. If you have information on their whereabouts, please email address@phigam.org. Wells H. Denney 1928 Joseph D. Santinoceto 1974 Joel E. Mitchell 1928 Richard S. Charles 1975 Malcolm H. Townsend 1928 James M. Funk 1978 Ralph C. Scotney , Jr. 1929 James M. Musser 1979 Arthur R. Cunningham 1931 Douglas S. Pysher 1979 E. Parke Montague , Jr. 1931 Kevin J. Murray 1981 Samuel Enion 1932 Tom Oprendek 1981 Harry M. Wilson 1933 Callas Richardson 1981 Bryson M. Filbert 1936 James R. Rhodes 1983 William Armstrong , III 1937 Brian Cornog 1986 Robert E. Schuler 1940 J. Drew Bycoskie 1987 Robert P. Kapp 1944 Michael A. Mosko 1987 Juan M. Quiros 1947 Matthew R. Sowash 1987 Ross D. Pillsbury 1949 Jason M. Scarpello 1988 Raymond G. Husted 1950 David P. Hughes 1990 Robert W. Patton 1951 Mark E. Baer 1991 Richard M. Tomb 1953 Alexander H. Schoonmaker 1994 Randell Washburn 1955 Cory S. Hillegass 1999 Richard A. Rivers, Jr. 1956 Jonathan K. Whitenight 2001 William M. Nace 1961 Michael L. Zboray 2003 David L. Schwartz 1961 Michael Cutler 2006 Jonathan D. Stern , Jr. 1963 Matthew A. Kicinski 2006 Thomas L. Parry, Jr. 1964 Geoffrey C. Cherry 2008 Peter J. Herrmann 1966 Shaker A. Alabdullatif 2012 Steven L. Taylor 1968 Wesley M. Goldbaum 2012 Kenneth M. Thomas 1969 Max A. Schmierer 2012 James R. Engel 1974 \r\nNonprofit Org Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity 1201 Red Mile Road Lexington, KY 40504 US Postage Paid Lexington, KY Permit # 540 PENN STATE HOME FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 9/6 - Eastern Michigan 9/13 - Virginia 9/20 - Kent State 10/11 - Michigan (House Corp meeting 9am, Tailgate brunch 10am, Game at 5pm) 11/1 - Illinois 11/15 - Purdue 11/22 Nebraska CONTRIBUTE TO THE GAMMA PHI ANNUAL FUND I am pleased to make a contribution to Gamma Phi of : $1,000 $500 $250 $100 $50 $25 Other $_________________ I would like my donation to be used in the following area: _______________________________________________ Donations can be made on-line at www.phigam.org/PennStateDonations, by phone at (859)255-1848 ext 136 or send checks payable to Phi Gamma Delta - Gamma Phi to: Gamma Phi/Pennsylvania State Donations, PO Box 4599, Lexington, KY 40544 and include this form. Design, printing and mailing services provided by the International Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta.