Webfoot FIJI Epsilon Omicron of Phi Gamma Delta – University of Oregon – Graduate Newsletter Editor - John Gram (1952) - March 2013 DIRECTOR OF EXPANSION REPORT By: Brett Pytel (Toledo 2009) - Fraternity Director of Expansion I had the great pleasure of overseeing the recolonization of the EO Chapter at the University of Oregon and working alongside Field Secretary Matt Whitlock (Ball State 2012). After the Fiji Academy in January, Matt and I drove across the country to begin our time in Eugene. Through our six weeks on campus, we met with faculty, staff, students, campus leaders, athletes and each of these interactions were positive. We knew from day one on campus this new group, anchored with the members of STAY IN TOUCH WITH EPSILON OMICRON Twitter @Fiji_Oregon Or contact Colony President Ryan Donlon at rdonlon@uoregon.edu or any other Colony Advisor. The new Colony members the already on campus EO Society. Matt and I had the opportunity to meet with over 150 recruits which made the deci- sion making process even more important to ensure the founding group was a strong closely knit group of quality (Continued on page 2) Do we have your email address? Go to www.phigam.org/ addressupdate to be sure we have your current information on file. A NOTE FROM THE COLONY PRESIDENT By: Ryan Donlon (2015) - Colony President It seems like just yesterday there was closure on the recruiting of 52 colony members (including the unofficial campus Fiji group who called themselves the EO Society) who were among the most successful men on campus, with a cumulative GPA of 3.24. The initial Founding Fathers are involved in a variety of activities including: UO Ambassadors, Student Government, College Republicans, College Democrats, Duck TV, OSPRIG, Student Alliance for Israel, the UO Pit Crew and ROTC. Since receiving our White Stars, we have made great strides in marketing our Fraternity and getting involved in Fraternity and Sorority Life here at UO, as well as the Eugene community. In late February, we personally presented flowers to each sorority and participated in their philan(Continued on page 2) If you are interested in volunteering your time to the new Epsilon Omicron Colony, please contact Uri Farkas at ufarkas@uoregon.edu or any of the Colony Advisors. \r\nWebfoot FIJI Page 2 A Note from the Chapter President continued... (Continued from page 1) thropies and social activities. We also had community service projects at an assisted living and memory care facility, which we also used as a recruiting event. “I want to thank all of the EO graduates for their support so far and I am extremely excited to build something that makes you all proud.” The Colony meetings are held Sunday nights from 6-8pm in one of the EMU River Rooms. The 52 colony members home states and cities include California15, Eugene -13, Portland- 8, Lake Oswego3, 2 from Nevada, West Linn, Salem and Colorado, 1 from Korea, Junction City, Springfield, Bend, and Hillsboro. I want to thank all of the EO graduates for their support so far and I am extremely excited to build something that makes you all proud. Please feel free to stop by any time to meet our group. As this process continues, I would like to see more and more EO brothers involved in sharing their experiences and spending time with our men. Please know you will not be pestered for money. Feel free to contact me at any time to ask any questions, inquire about getting involved or just catch up on our progress. I look forward to hearing from all of you in our quest for a revived charter. Phone: 503-334-6913 Email: rdonlon@uoregon.edu Director of Expansion Report continued... (Continued from page 1) men. The easiest way for us to determine their quality was by inviting the local graduates to several of our events to help us evaluate those interested in Phi Gamma Delta. After these interviews, graduate interaction and our own evaluations, we found 52 men who fit the values and characteristics of a member of Phi Gamma Delta. I CAN PERSONLLY SAY THIS GROUP OF MEN IS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE IN MY FOUR YEARS AS A STAFF MEMBER AFTER WORKING TEN COLONIZATIONS. You should be proud of your chapter and what it has become in the early stages of its return. Epsilon Omicron Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta at the University of Oregon. We look forward to watching this group develop into a top-tier fraternity at the University of Oregon. We hope to see many of you, who value your FIJI experience, in a year (or sooner) to celebrate the re-chartering of the BOARD OF ADVISORS Uri Farkas Montana 1998 BCA President Jacob Cramer OSU 2009 Purple Legionnaire Alan Thayer OSU 1981 Pledge Education Bryan Alan Jensen Rose-Hulman 2001 Community Service Mark Adams UO 1982 At Large Projects Brent Wehage OSU 2010 Recruitment Chris Gram UO 1998 Legal Advise Chris Kline OSU 1998 Eugene Graduate Relations Dan Lavey UO 1998 EO Graduate Relations Ross Davies UO 1984 Finances Brad Whiting UW1980 Section Chief \r\nPage 3 EPSILON OMICRON (EO) ASSOCIATION UPDATE President Tom Lekas advises our Eugene chapter house remains in good standing and produces a steady stream of income. Our bills are paid to date and we remain in good standing with the International Fraternity. Limited financial contributions were made in support of the colonization effort during the initial stages. A final substantial contribution to the International Fraternity will defray the International’s expenses during the two months of colonization preparation. BOARD OF TRUSTEES Tom Lekas (1953) - President Paul Smith (1949) John Gram (1952) Richard Atiyeh (1945) EO Association Liaison with Colony Graduate Leadership Dan Lavey (1988) - Chairman Carl Burnham (1984) Charles Corgan (1950) Board of Trustee Advisors Victor Atiyeh (1945) The Board of Colony Advisors (page 2), not the EO Association Trustees, have the leadership role for the Colony. John Thoma (1988) NEW EO FIJIS IN ACTION Top Left: The new founding fathers spending the afternoon hiking at Spencer’s Butte. Top Right: Phi Gamma Delta staff members took over 40 recruits to Brails, a local diner, for a Sunday morning brunch. Left: Taken at the “Not for College Days Alone” invitation dinner at the Ford Alumni Center. Almost 50 recruits and 20 graduates attended. \r\nPhi Gamma Delta Fraternity 1201 Red Mile Road Lexington, KY 40504 Inside: Read about the 52 EO colony members and their graduate advisors WHY PHI GAMMA DELTA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON? 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.” Phi Gamma Delta was founded on May 1, 1848, at Jefferson College, in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, by John Templeton McCarty, Samuel Beatty Wilson, James Elliott Jr., Ellis Bailey Gregg, Daniel Webster Crofts, and Naaman Fletcher. There have been over 170,000 brothers initiated since its founding. Currently, the Fraternity has over 8,500 undergraduate brothers in 125 chapters and 19 Delta Colonies in the United States and Canada. Dedicated in May 1985, the International Headquarters (pictured), located in Lexington, Kentucky, is a special place for brothers to visit. The library and museum are the first stops after seeing the entranceway with its paintings of the six founders. With an online exhibit and virtual tour, anyone can explore Phi Gamma Delta's Museum online at www.phigam.org. Design, printing and mailing services provided by the International Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta.