A Publication of the Rho Phi Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology: August 2018 Edition Upcoming Dates for 50th Anniversary: Football Tailgate - Sept 8 Homecoming - Oct 6 Brewery Tour - Jan 19 Pig Dinner Gala - May 4 Chapter Wins Coon Plaque Rho Phi Recognized at 170th Ekklesia in Dallas, Texas On July 27, 2018, the Rho Phi chapter added an eighth win in the International Fraternity’s award competition in its fifty-year history by receiving the Coon Plaque at the 170th Ekklesia in Dallas, Texas. The chapter also was recognized in four other areas of chapter operations at the Ekklesia. The Coon Plaque is awarded for the best chapter publication for the preceding academic Chapter Receives Coon Plaque at 170th Ekklesia year. This is the third time Rho Phi has won the Coon Plaque. 1848 Club Committee Wes Bolsen, chair David Steinbock Ed Fain Jake Whitacre Joe Weist Rho Phi House Corporation Ed Fain, president Andy Horton, secretary Wes Bolsen Doug Collier Nate Richter Rob Bunch Chip Bradway Randy Ridgway The chapter was recognized in four other categories. The chapter received third place in the Condon Cup which is awarded to the chapter which shows the greatest improvement in the areas of scholarship, extracurricular activities, and fraternity relationships. The chapter received a standout performance (honorable mention) in the Zerman Trophy awarded to the chapter which excels in promoting the involvement of brothers in student government, the campus newspaper, and extracurricular activities. For five straight years the chapter has earned a grade point average above the all-men’s on campus and as such was awarded the Certificate of Superior Academic Achievement. Lastly the chapter received the John Templeton McCarty Chapter Proficiency Award. This award recognizes all chapters that demonstrate efficiency in operations, maintain strong financial stability, adhere to Fraternity laws, and promote high standards of Phi Gamma Delta. Rho Phi has received this award thirty-two of the thirty-four years it has been awarded – tying two other chapters in the number of times awarded. This caps a year in which the chapter was honored to have past president Jake Whitacre named the Wilkinson Award winner as most outstanding graduating senior in the International Fraternity, Joe Weist received the Haynes Award for most outstanding section chief, the chapter won the Beta Cup as most outstanding chapter in Indiana, the chapter received first or second place finishes in five other operational areas at Indiana State Day, and Chapter Receiving the Coon Plaque in August 1982 forty-one men pledged in a near record setting pledge class in the fall. The chapter looks forward to what the 2018-2019 year might bring. \r\nChapter President’s Update At the end of July 2018, the Rho Phi chapter sent one of the largest delegations to the biennial Ekklesia hosted in Dallas Texas. I was honored to serve on the Amendment of Laws committee. The committee focused on updating our bylaws and constitution. Rho Phi’s other delegates were able to vote on the chartering of four new Phi Gamma Delta chapters, approve proposed amendments to our laws and vote to elect new members to the Archronate. At this event, we were elated to win the Coon Plaque. In addition, we placed 3rd in the Condon Cup (most improved chapter) and we were an honorable mention for the Zerman Trophy (most campus involved chapter). I am extremely proud of our chapter for the tremendous amount of work each member has contributed. I know our brothers will continue to Will Byers (Rose 2019) exemplify our values in their everyday life and work hard to push our chapter to continue to be one of the Chapter President best chapters in the Fraternity. This year, we celebrate our 50th anniversary as a chapter. With such an important milestone upon us, we want to utilize the opportunity to allow members - both graduate and undergraduate - to experience the entire history of Rho Phi and interact with our chapter in new ways. We have planned events which give brothers of all ages the opportunity to interact with and experience the Rho Phi chapter. We will be sending information regarding these events to every graduate brother. Feel free to reach out with questions regarding these events and what we can do to help accommodate you. The Rho Phi chapter has such a deep, diverse history and this year will be a fantastic opportunity for brothers of all ages to experience our chapter in a new way. I hope that you will take the opportunity to come participate in our events, get to experience the chapters immense history and celebrate half a century of Rho Phi. Weist Named to Curator of Archives Position On July 25, 2018, the board of directors of Phi Gamma Delta appointed Joe Weist (Rose-Hulman 1987) to the position of Curator of Archives for the International Fraternity. The Curator position is one of seven appointed general officers in Phi Gamma Delta in which the brother is charged with one specialized role for the Fraternity. The other appointed officer positions include Director of Housing, Educational Director, General Counsel, Historian, Public Relations Director, and Ritualist. The Curator of Archives is a volunteer position responsible for collecting, cataloging, preserving, and presenting a vast collection of photographs, documents, media, books, and objects. Joe, along with other tireless volunteers, has played a vital role in this mission over the last decade. He has attended eight Archive Weekends at the International Headquarters each March when a group of volunteers gather to work on the collection. Joe heads up digitization efforts in which over 100,000 photographs, documents, books and media files have been digitized. One of the largest efforts included digitizing and cataloging every edition (over 700) of the Phi Gamma Delta magazine from 1879 through today. This represents nearly 63,000 searchable pages of Phi Gamma Delta history which are online and accessible to all members. Ryan Fisher (Kettering 2018), Joe Weist (Rose 1987), and John Makosky (Alabama Birmingham 2019) look at a 78 RPM phonographic record at the 2018 Archives Weekend Three years ago, Joe served on a committee which picked Islandora software (hosted by the Lyrasis corporation), to display these digitized items. Now brothers can search through tens of thousands of digital records pertaining to greater Phi Gamma Delta as well as many local chapters. Joe has been the primary driving force for this endeavor, working with multiple volunteers researching and adding items every week. This public website is www.PhiGamArchives.org. There is a Rho Phi collection under the Chapters section. Joe will be the eighth brother to serve in this position since its creation in 1921. \r\nA Year+ Long Celebration of Fifty Years As we are getting prepared to embark on another school year, the Rho Phi chapter is ecstatic to begin celebrating our 50th anniversary! For the last half century, our chapter has been producing some of the finest leaders, scholars, and gentlemen who strive to make the world a better place. Now, we celebrate the last 50 years of Rho Phi and what makes us so unique. We have chosen to begin celebrating our anniversary as it occurred 50 years ago. We started this with last year’s Pig Dinner. The beginnings of Rho Phi trace their way back to the spring of 1968 when a group of men began the process to select a new social fraternity at Rose Poly. During this time 50 years ago, members of the Core Group (and then the colony) were laying the foundations for the chapter and experiencing some of the first Fiji events such as Retreat, Homecoming, State Day, Pig Dinner and Fiji Island. Over the course of the 1968-1969 school year, these members were preparing and building the infrastructure of the Rho Phi chapter which would all culminate in the fall of 1969 with our chartering as a chapter. Our chapter wants to celebrate our anniversary in a similar way to the founding of our chapter, by highlighting the events building up to our colonization – not just the chartering date. This year will be focused around celebrating and remembering the buildup to our colonization and chartering with multiple events we are hosting this year. These varied events will appeal to all age groups. The gala event will be our annual Frank Norris Pig Dinner on the weekend of May 3rd through May 5th. Traditionally Pig Dinner is a stag event, however this year we invite brothers and their dates to share in the brotherhood built over the last fifty years. Note that there will be multiple events the May 3-5 weekend. We invite all Rho Phi graduates to come participate in the events we have planned for this upcoming year. These events will give brothers of all ages the chance to appreciate our past. Information regarding these events will be made available via electronic forms, mailings and social media. In addition, more information can be found on our website at www.rosefiji.com/50th-anniversary. Reflections on Attending the 170th Ekklesia Being able to support the Fraternity by representing Phi Gamma Delta at the Dallas Ekklesia was a tremendous honor. Because the Ekklesia is held once every two years, I became one of just a few undergraduate members of Rho Phi who have attended. During the Ekklesia, I participated in the business sessions, engaged in discussions with other chapters from around the US and Canada, and attended the luncheons and dinners. I also partook in the voting on the revisions to the Constitution and Bylaws of the International Fraternity. This process was a reminder to me that not every FIJI is an engineer, like we all are at Rose-Hulman. It was very engaging to discuss the important issues that Phi Gamma Delta deals with on an international level. To be able to make an impact on that level was a privilege. Justin Klein (Rose 2020) Rho Phi Ekklesia Delegate As the chairman of the administration committee, I have put a lot of work into applying for the awards that Phi Gamma Delta presents to its chapters. Knowing the efforts put in by myself, the previous head, and the committee members, it was an honor to win the Coon Plaque, be recognized as an honorable mention in the Zerman Trophy and place 3rd in the Condon Cup at the Recognition Luncheon. It shows that “Big Phi Gamma Delta” recognizes Rho Phi as a phenomenal and respected chapter. It also reflects the fantastic job done by previous President, Nick Prather, and sets the expectations for current President, Will Byers, and for Rho Phi’s future. Along with the awards came the reward of spending more time bonding with my chapter brothers. Rho Phi had one of the largest delegations at Ekklesia with six undergraduate brothers attending. I can confidently say I got closer with all of them. Whether eating breakfast together and sharing stories or soaking in the atmosphere of the special event at the worldfamous Gilley’s featuring country artist Cory Morrow, a grad brother, we grew to know each other more. This reinforced my belief in the brotherhood at Rho Phi and how prevalent the value of Friendship plays in Phi Gamma Delta. \r\nRho Phi Chapter Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity PO Box 3047 Terre Haute, IN 47803 Annual Fiji Rendezvous at Steinbock Cumberland Lake Cottage in July for the 20th straight year! L to R: Dave & Robyn Myers, Barb & Dave Steinbock, Sue & Ed Fain, and Janet & Mike Nisbet 1848 Club Update Endowing and providing scholarships to Rho Phi Undergraduate Brothers since 2017. Over $5,000 in scholarships awarded and $75,000 in endowment money raised to date. Becoming a member of the Rho Phi 1848 Club: www.RoseFiji.com/1848club Any brother that gives at least a recurring amount of $18.48 per month or $221.71 annually is part of the club and receives benefits described at the link above. Paypal or tax deductible checks made out to the PGD Educational Foundation can be accepted. We want at least 50 brothers participating by the 50th anniversary. Current members by class year can also be found at the link above. A tax-deductible way of contributing larger amounts, or endowing a “named” scholarship. For every $25,000 raised, the Phi Gamma Delta Educational Foundation is able to establish a named endowment that will provide a $1,000 scholarship to a Rho Phi undergraduate brother forever. We already have three brothers who have stepped up to name an endowment, and they will be recognized along with all newly established endowments at the 50 th celebration. If you have an interest in naming an endowed scholarship after you and your spouse, a fellow brother, or for your pledge class year, please contact 1848 Committee Chair Wes Bolsen (Rho Phi ’00) at (Bolsen@gmail.com) or 650-387-9962. Would you consider helping to finish an endowed scholarship as part of Rho Phi’s 50th Anniversary? Can you help finish a partially-endowed scholarship as part of our 50th anniversary? Contributions can be made to finish scholarships established in the name of: 1) Joseph A. Weist, 2) Frank Guthrie (Former Rose-Professor, PL, and member of HC and BCA), 3) The Rho Phi Charter members (honoring the men who established the chapter). Tax deductible donations can be made out to the “PGD Educational Foundation” with the name of endowment you would like to contribute to in the subject line. Send check to: Wes Bolsen, attn: Rho Phi Endowment, 12470 Bradford Dr., Parker, CO 80134. For more information, visit: www.RoseFiji.com/1848club or contact Wes Bolsen or Joe Weist personally.