FIJIGRAM CHI UPSILON CHAPTER OF PHI GAMMA DELTA FALL 2018 UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO NEWLY INITIATED BROTHERS The Chi Upsilon Chapter is proud to officially welcome the 2018 Spring Pledge Class to the Phi Gamma Delta Brotherhood! This was an extremely diverse class, filled with brothers of various cultures and creeds from all over the country and involved in a variety of organizations on campus. We are excited for these new brothers as they enter their first full year as brothers here on campus! Alex Aithal - Piscataway, NJ (St. Joseph HS) Beau Burbach - Austin, TX (Westlake HS) Matthew Beninati - Austin, TX (Brunswick HS) Ryan Montgomery - Tampa Bay, FL (Berkeley Prep) Kyle Cusick - Jacksonville, FL (Bishop Denny HS) Dominic Laravie - Dayton, OH (Archbishop Alter HS) Daniel Cho - Houston, TX (Strake Jesuit HS) Will Britain - Milton, GA (Cambridge HS) Nick Madgett - Cardiff by the Sea, CA (La Costa Canyon HS) Will Seelman - Orlando, FL (Windermere Prep) Jack Ross - Oklahoma City, OK (Heritage Hall) Dylan Faires - Oklahoma City, OK (Mt. St. Mary’s HS) TABLE OF CONTENTS Prospective of a Newly Initiated Brother.........................2 Graduate Brother Update...................................................2 UChicago Football Overview/Homecoming Notice......3 Fijis in Spain..........................................................................4 Letter from the Incoming President.................................6 Willoughby Urquhart - Lansing, MI (Lansing Catholic) Louis Mehaffey - Portland, OR (Lake Oswego HS) Trey Rogers - Chicago, IL (Air Force Academy) Brian Lyle - Burbank, IL (St. Laurence) Vittorio Tricase - Carol Stream, IL (Glenbard North HS) Jack Merrill - Arlington Heights, IL (Buffalo Grove HS) Justin Lee - Cos Cob, CT (Laurel Springs HS) Nick Roehm - Westport, CT (Staples HS) Yu Jay Kurosu - San Diego, CA (Torrey Pines) George Krantz - Aliso Viejo, CA (St. Margarets) Ross Martin - La Jolla, CA (La Jolla HS) Graham Repp - Lake Bluff, IL (Loyola Academy) Riley Trettel - Lino Lakes, IL (Centennial HS) 1 \r\nPROSPECTIVE OF A NEWLY INITIATED BROTHER by Willoughby Urquhart (2021) My name is Willoughby Urquhart, and I am a newly initiated brother of Phi Gamma Delta. Going into pledging, I knew a lot of the brothers and other pledges through my experiences on the football team. Being on the football team, I wrongly assumed that I already knew all I needed to about these individuals and believed I had already formed my core friend group for college. This was especially the case with the members of my own class since I already felt we were extremely close as friends. Now, I can accurately see how much I UNDERVALUED the bonding experience of pledging. This example rings especially true with my pledge brother, Brian Lyle. Going into pledging we were pretty close and would spend a lot of time together. However, since I began the pledge process, I have developed a much deeper and more personal bond with him than I had before to the point where I feel comfortable reaching out to him at any time if something is ever wrong or if I need his help. My time as a pledge also gave me a strong sense of pride to be affiliated with the fraternity. I wore my pledge pin, and now wear my brother pin as a badge of pride showing everyone around who I am and what I am apart of. This also comes with a necessary sense of responsibility that my individual actions impact the image of the larger fraternity. This responsibility has motivated me to become a better person both inside and outside of the classroom. Though my time as an affiliated person with Phi Gamma Delta has just begun, I can already see the immense growth that I have already and will continue to endure as a result of being around such an excellent group of men. GRADUATE BROTHER UPDATE: PATRICK MCMANUS (2016) by Patrick Rogers (2020) Since graduating in 2016, Patrick McManus has been living in New York for two years. He currently serves on the client development team at Alpha Sights. Alpha Sights provides clients with end-to-end diligence solutions by connecting them with industry experts, management teams and customers. Traditionally, the firm’s clients have been consulting firms, hedge funds and investment managers, but McManus’ team is tasked with bringing in large corporate clients in the Fortune 1000. McManus says that the most exciting aspect of his job is meeting with these large corporations and introducing them to new tools that they have not yet seen in a corporate function. McManus’ undergraduate experience has had many positive impacts on his life after graduation. For example, he credits the University of Chicago’s liberal arts education with making him adaptable in a multitude of settings. “I remember talking to a large construction company who ran into trouble with a project due to environmental issues, and we got into a longer conversation around global warming and how it’s something they have to consider for new operations. I didn’t realize it as an undergrad, but David Archer’s Global Warming class would be so much more than just fulfilling a core requirement.” Socially, McManus maintains close ties to Phi Gamma Delta. He currently lives with three other graduate brothers: Spencer Byrne (2016), Paul Comet (2016), and Samuel Kroll (2017). Fiji has provided him with many lifelong friends. Even a few years and 800 miles from 5615 South University, he reports that his undergraduate friends and other Phi Gams serve as both a social and professional base. He stresses that whether it’s offering professional advice or hanging out on weekends, his fraternity brothers maintain a tight network in New York. 2 \r\nUCHICAGO FOOTBALL OVERVIEW/HOMECOMING NOTICE The Chi Upsilon Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta is home to brothers involved in a variety of sports and activities on campus, but none more well represented than the Maroon’s football team. Through 6 games this year, the Maroons hold a 3-3 record. The season started off with tough losses to Washington University in St. Louis and Simpson College out of Iowa. After that rough start, the Roons began to roll with three straight victories including dominant showings against Illinois College, Cornell College and Lawrence College, beating those opponents 56-9, 49-0 and 490, respectively. Most recently, the Maroons suffered a heartbreaking loss to St. Norbert in which an extra point was blocked with minutes remaining for the Maroons to lose 21-20. Fijis have been putting up impressive statistics all over the field for the Maroons. At running back, Vittorio “V” Tricase and Henry Imburgia have represented well with V leading the team in rushing yards (212) and Henry leading the team in yards per carry (6.3). The receiver position is home to quite a few Phi Gams with co-captain Dante Nepa and all-league honorable mention nominee Trevor “Cheddar Bob” Anderson returning after impressive seasons to perform well thus far. Up front, the big men are representing the chapter well with all five starters being brothers. These offensive linemen are Tucker Squiers, Matt Zimmerman, Doug Barkauski, Mike Heistand and Harry Paul. Mike Heistand is also the Chi Upsilon chapter’s incoming president and wrote a letter featured later in this edition. The defense is loaded with Fiji brothers as 9 of the top 10 leading tacklers are Phi Gams. The most dominant force on the defense so far this season has been defensive lineman Jackson Ross who leads the team with 45 tackles and also showcased his athleticism with an interception. Senior Michael “Chubbs” McGinley has also been a dominant force on the defensive line leading the team with 3 tackles for loss. Jeremy Vincent was a returning first team all-league recipient in the secondary with brothers Zach Atiyeh and Henry Winebrake showing major contributions at linebacker. In total, the Chi Upsilon Chapter has 46 members currently playing on the football team. The team has looked good so far in conference play and continues to vie for a spot in the conference championship. Remaining home games for the Maroons include St. Norbert on October 13, Homecoming against Ripon on October 27 and potentially the MWC championship game on November 10. For Homecoming on October 27 there will be a tailgate on 56th Street outside of Stagg Field before the game and a reception will be held at the chapter house afterwards at 5615 South University Avenue. 3 \r\nFIJIS IN SPAIN by Louis Mehaffey (2021) Prior to starting the 2018-19 basketball season and school year, Phi Gamma Delta brothers on the university basketball team took their traditional foreign trip, the destination being a 9-day tour through three major cities in Spain. Ten total brothers embarked on the excursion which was preceded by 10 days of two-a-day practices on campus before taking off from O’Hare full of excitement on September 15. The trip included stops in Barcelona and Seville as well as being capped off by an international exhibition game against a club in Madrid. Arriving in Barcelona was a special feeling as it was the first time abroad for some of the players. Walking through the historic streets of the Gothic quarter, the team got the chance to explore different outdoor markets and tapas bars while taking in the beautiful Catalan architecture. The following day was spent at the nearby resort city called Sitges where there was no shortage of sun and swimming in the warm Mediterranean. Also incorporated into the Barcelona segment of the trip was watching an intense La Liga professional soccer match as well as a visit to Antoni Gaudi’s architectural masterpiece, the famous Sagrada Familia. Barcelona left a warm and friendly impression on every member of the team, but Spain still had more to offer. After cramming our oversized bodies into the back of a flight on a Spanish budget airline, we exited the plane and were greeted by a noticeably warmer environment marking our arrival in southern Spain. The historic city of Seville, located 130 miles from the northern tip of Africa, would be the second stop on the tour. The city of 700,000 is one of the most popular tourist spots in Spain due to its multiple cultural influences that materialize in the unique architecture, cuisine and historical landmarks. Events in Seville included witnessing first-hand a traditional Spanish “Flamenco” dance, paddle-boarding in the Guadalquivir River as well as exploring the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, the Catedral de Sevilla. We also got the chance to explore the Alcazar, a royal palace filled with intricate design and lush gardens dating back nearly 700 years, as well as the more modern yet still beautiful Spanish Square, which now operates as a hub for Spanish government. 4 \r\nDeparting from Sevilla aboard a train due for Madrid’s famous Atocha station, the final leg of the trip had arrived for the brothers. The train ride provided an authentic panoramic view of the Spanish countryside punctuated by the approaching sights of Spain’s largest city. Upon arrival, the brothers toured famous sights within the city including Puerto de Sol, Plaza Mayor and Madrid’s original palace, Palacio Real de Madrid. The following day included a trip to the neighboring ancient city of Toledo, the regional capital and a declared World Heritage Sight. In the final few days in Madrid, members of the team enjoyed the opportunity to see Picasso’s most famous painting, “Guernica” at the world famous Museum Reina Sofia and eat at the world’s oldest continuously operating restaurant (since 1725), Sobrino de Botin. On the final night of the trip, all four seniors on the team, who also are all brother’s of Phi Gamma Delta, lead the team to a 70-54 victory against a Spanish basketball club team, CB Estudiantes. The international basketball game was only one of the many relished chances for members of the team to take in the Spanish lifestyle, and no one took it for granted. The team appreciates graduates of the men’s basketball program for graciously making this trip happen, as well as their coaches for coordinating the trip. 5 \r\nNonprofit Org US Postage Paid Lexington, KY Permit # 540 Chi Upsilon Chapter 5620 South Woodlawn Ave. Chicago, IL. 60637-1623 LETTER FROM THE INCOMING PRESIDENT by Michael Hiestand (2020) At the end of spring quarter earlier this year I made the decision to put my name on the Chi Upsilon Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta’s presidential ballot. I had put almost a year of thought into the decision, and when the time came to choose a new cabinet my brothers gave me the honor of allowing me to serve them as their president for the 2018-19 school year. With this great honor comes a duty to do all that I can to ensure that the fraternity that has done so much for me may continue to do the same and more for young men like my brothers and myself into the distant future. Though I was initially overwhelmed by this responsibility when its gravity began to settle in, I’ve come to realize that the responsibilities of the presidency will never be mine to bear alone. 6 Thanks to the hard work of our brothers and graduate brothers, our chapter is entering this school year in a better place than ever. Our recently remodeled chapter house is in its third year of use, and is in amazing condition, largely thanks to the hard work our house managers Doug Cipriano and Jacob Mooney. We have a diverse and talented group of brothers that consistently commit their time and energy to ensure that the chapter is as enjoyable and fulfilling for every brother involved as possible. Nineteen young men have begun their initiate education this fall, the most to do so in several years, and their all-in attitude towards the chapter stands testament to the strength of our chapter’s future. In every step that I take towards leaving the fraternity in a better place at the end of this year I know I will have the support of all of my brothers, and I feel confident that I am surrounded by a cabinet that will bring out the best of my positive qualities and cover for me when I fall short. I could not be more excited to officially take on my responsibilities as president in January; our current president, Stash Rowley, led our chapter beautifully in the last year to set us up for success, and I can’t wait to follow in his footsteps and do my best to help make our fraternity better for years to come.