10 chapters celebrating their charters in May

We have quite the list of active collegiate chapters celebrating their charters this month! If your chapter has gathered to celebrate in some form or another (virtually) we’d like to know.

Send us a short headline and we’d be happy to feature it on our website and in an upcoming edition of our Temple Magazine.

1. New York Alpha Omega at Hofstra University – 05/1/2016

2. Wisconsin Lambda at University of Wisconsin – 1/07/1922 (rechartered 5/02/2015)

3. Georgia Gamma Tau at Georgia Institute of Technology – 05/03/1969

4. Louisiana Omicron at University of Louisiana at Lafayette – 05/04/1941

5. Georgia Delta Rho at University of Georgia – 05/06/1967

6. Arizona Alpha Zeta at Arizona State University – 05/07/2016

7. Texas Tau Mu at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – 05/16/1970

8. Michigan Omega at University of Detroit/Mercy 05/18/1957

9. New York Sigma at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – 05/23/1925

10. Ohio Alpha Beta at Case Western Reserve – 05/31/1941

How our chapter at Arizona State transformed their new member experience for the better

Written by: Brendon Albert (Temple University, ‘13)

Phi Kappa Theta’s new member education is the cornerstone for any successful chapter. This past fall, Connor Leary, a sophomore education major from the Arizona Alpha Zeta Chapter at Arizona State University, was tasked with reconstructing the chapter’s new member education plan. With the chapter’s Performance Coach, Leary got to work, ensuring that new member experiences could be a potential model for other chapters and ensure it was sustainable and repeatable year after year. 

First, Leary made sure to update the chapter’s new member program to reflect CDC, University, and local guidelines to keep members safe during the COVID pandemic. Connor worked not just to update the chapter’s new member program but to ensure that the brothers utilize Phi Kappa Theta’s new e-learning modules. The modules, released last year, provide a unique curriculum designed to help members pursue the Five Areas of Development with greater clarity and purpose. The interactive content is mobile-friendly and includes downloadable workbooks for convenient reading and note-taking.

While adopting the Fraternity's latest curriculum, the chapter leadership was able to identify ways to incorporate some of their own ideas. Arizona Alpha Zeta’s new member program is not merely a generic lecture format; fostering leaders and new ideas are at the core of their new member experience. These two elements combine in a new initiative within the new member program. “Shark Tank” is a unique member experience where the new members are broken up into teams, tasked with developing an engagement opportunity for the whole chapter (for example, a philanthropic fundraising event or brotherhood retreat), and pitch their plans. When all teams have presented their pitches, each brother votes on which idea the group should execute. 

“I’m most excited about the new “Shark Tank” method of choosing pitches that our new members develop. I think it will lead to better and more creative ideas our brothers can engage in every year.”

— Connor Leary, New Member Educator (Arizona State University, '23)

Connor also received some inspiration thanks to the Washington Alpha Delta Chapter at Washington State University. Without hesitation, WA Alpha Delta shared their new member education plan with Connor. He soon discovered details that could improve AZ Alpha Zeta’s internal communication processes and camaraderie among new members. What jumped out to him was WA Alpha Delta's use of Member Evaluation Boards (MEBs), to which Leary applied small tweaks to fit his own chapter’s needs. MEBs are essentially evaluation meetings that serve as a welcoming and beneficial opportunity for each new member to privately express their thoughts and opinions on the new member education process in a secure, positive, and inclusive environment with chapter leaders. 

“I think it’s great to see AZ Alpha Zeta review our new member program to brainstorm. It just goes to show how we as brothers can rely on others outside of our own chapter to improve our programs…”

— Lane Harlan, Chapter President (Washington State University, ’23)

Together with the Chapter Performance Coach, Leary built a new member experience whose foundation is grounded in personal development and enhanced engagement with Phi Kappa Theta brothers. A critical aspect of this collaborative effort was constructive criticism. Being open to feedback, listening intently, asking important questions, and doing so with an open mind helped Connor put aside societal expectations of what joining a fraternity looks like and approach the new member experience through a Phi Kappa Theta mindset. Arizona Alpha Zeta is proud of its revised new member education program tailored to meet the chapter's needs.

A New Year Reflection from our National Chaplain Rev. Msgr. Glenn L. Nelson

Happy New Year 2021! I am sure these words are welcomed by most of you and if you are like me, 2021 can’t come soon enough! 2020 was a very trying year for most people not only in our nation but in our world. 

During our current pandemic, we have been reminded that throughout history, illnesses have always threatened mankind, but this threat has taken on a new danger of being more catastrophic by living within a very large global community. Luckily modern medicine and science have improved since medieval times, but we are always reminded that no matter how smart humankind becomes, we always face the inevitable END which “haunts” many an earthly mind: death. The pandemic of Covid-19 has been that “enemy lurking in the darkness” and many of us have either faced it ourselves or known someone close to us who has. For most of us, endings can be very scary or painful things and they often take many forms: loss of a job, death of a loved one, or a relationship break-up. 

However, as people of faith, we are reminded that endings are never really just that entirely, but serve as new beginnings. One of my favorite prayers during the Catholic Funeral Liturgy is the preface which states: “Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended.  When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.” As Chaplain for Phi Kappa Theta, I wanted to share this message with you so that no matter what you have faced this past year of 2020, you may not lose hope.  

Last week we celebrated Christmas, and even though our secular society wants us to shift our focus to the next commercial celebration, the Catholic Church is still celebrating the Christmas season with great joy and reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on the Christ child, Our Savior, who came as the fulfillment of God’s promise given to us over centuries through the ancient prophets.  

Christmas is a reminder that despite all human failings which began with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when they ate of the fruit of the tree and rejected the wishes of God, that God never rejected us.  Christmas reminds us that God promised to save us from our sinful selves and ultimately from the consequence of sin, which is death, so that we may live eternally with Him in Heaven as He always intended.  God, in taking human flesh, humbled himself to share in our humanity so that it may be redeemed in Him!  That means we no longer have to live in fear and that God will always be with us, no matter what we face during our time on earth. 

As many of you probably noticed recently, our secular news outlets were filled with stories of the “Christmas Star” (alignment of the planets Saturn and Jupiter) which appeared on December 21, 2020. I was one of the unlucky people whose skies were clouded during the anticipated great conjunction and I was disappointed of not being able to participate in the hype of the “historical event.” However, the disappointment of not being able to see with my own eyes the astronomical phenomenon that comes once every 397 years was soon transformed into the excitement of being a witness with eyes of faith to one of God’s special gifts. This 2020 “Christmas Star” message revealed not only the celebration of the birth of Our Savior 2000 years ago in a manger in Bethlehem, but served as a divine call from above to lift our eyes up to the heavens to find the hope and relief we seek in the God who never abandons us.  What I find remarkable about the Christmas Star this year is not just the fact that it appeared, but the timing of its arrival.  

Today, in our current American culture, our eyes are often times looking at a computer or phone screen trying to keep up with the daily news and tasks that consume our everyday life.  This year, in particular, our heads have been bowed low from the burden of a year-long pandemic, political and ideological division, and the consequential heavy responsibilities which resulted and these have made us tired.  And yet, in the cycle of God’s astronomical providence, a convergence of planets which was set in motion when the universe was created, happened to come together on December 21, 2020… a coincidence some people may say, but I believe and know that our savior, Jesus Christ was born as promised and is still present among us today to raise us higher than we can raise ourselves! 

A Blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year to you, my dear brothers of Phi Kappa Theta, and to your loved ones.  Remember that as we begin this New Year, no matter what 2021 brings, keep your eyes always fixed on the heavens whence comes our saving help!    

Rev. Msgr. Glenn L. Nelson (Northern Illinois University, ‘09)

+ Bio

The Reverend Monsignor Glenn L. Nelson, graduated from Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, IL with a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education for the Hearing Impaired in 1987.

After teaching and interpreting for the Deaf in a public school for two years, he quit his job and entered St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, IL for studies to become a Catholic priest where he earned a Bachelor in Sacred Theology and a Masters of Divinity degree in 1993. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockford in Illinois and after serving in various priestly capacities, Msgr. Nelson then completed his Post-Graduate studies in 2000 at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned a Licentiate Degree in Canon Law.

Msgr. Nelson became a member of Phi Kappa Theta while serving as Pastor at Christ the Teacher Parish/Newman Catholic Student Center in DeKalb, IL. Msgr. Nelson currently serves as Vicar General/Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Rockford as well as Director for the Deaf Apostolate. Msgr. Nelson also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Catholic Office for the Deaf and is honored to serve as National Chaplain for the Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.

1960-61 Ohio Alpha Beta (Case Western Reserve University) alumni reunite via Zoom

What can you do if you’re a group of fraternity brothers who haven’t seen or interacted with each other for 50-60 years? Well, let us tell you. There was a group of four Phi Kaps who had been in sporadic contact with each other over the years. One of the four, Dave Ehlke, sent an email to the other three in early June and suggested that they initiate a Zoom call.

This was eagerly welcomed since everyone had been sequestered for weeks because of the pandemic. During the call, it was agreed that they should invite other Phi Kap brothers into the call for the following weeks. The group quickly grew to eleven.

After some discussion, the participants decided to schedule weekly Zoom calls and generated a prioritized list of discussion topics. And so it began. It’s interesting that each member enthusiastically attends these zoom calls.

The weekly Zoom meetings started with discussions of:

• “What are you most proud of in your life since graduation?”

• “How did you meet your wife?”

• “What are your favorite fraternity memories?”

Some then and now photos of the brothers attending the virtual reunion.

Some of the other planned discussion topics identified so far include:

• “How has the virus impacted you and your family?”

• “What types of investments have you made?

• “What are the favorite places that you’ve visited?”

In addition, a permanent record of everyone’s life after graduation, lovingly called the “Geezer Report”, is being created by each person. The report is a short review, written by each member, in their own words, which describes their jobs, their family and what they are currently doing. One member, John Lozan is the editor of these reports.

So, what have we learned from these sessions? Well, as you see from the map, the brothers are currently scattered across the country. How did they get there? In addition, we found that the careers of the group members are more varied than you might expect from a group of graduate engineers. One member is a real estate developer (Tom Prioreschi). One owns a winery/vineyard (Gerry Pasterick). Six were business executives (Con DeLetis, Dave Ehlke, Maynard Isabell, Al Muren, John Lozan, and Frank Stilwagner). Two of the brothers are physicians (Joe Crawford, Don Macko) and one was a college professor/provost (Dave Schrady).

Another interesting observation is that many of them have advanced degrees and one member, (Joe Crawford) has 5 degrees. Only one member, (Dave Schrady) actually followed and used his degree in Operations Research. Three were entrepreneurs with their own businesses, (Dave Ehlke, John Lozan and Tom Prioreschi),

The members have been married an average of 51 years.

Besides the usual hobbies of golf, hiking, travel, cruising, there were some unusual hobbies including racing cars (Dave Schrady, Al Muren), collection of credit cards (Con DeLetis), photography/slide shows (John Lozan), ham radio (Joe Crawford), oil painting (Don Macko).

Examples of giving back include; criminal justice reforms (Dave Ehlke), food bank/homeless projects (Frank Stilwagner), scholarships and educational reform (Con DeLetis), civic and non-profit involvement (John Lozan), others supporting non-profits financially (Gerry Pasterick, Al Muren, Joe Crawford, Maynard Isabell,)

While each brother took a different path in life, each has agreed that there was real value in the bonds formed during those early years at Case and in the fraternity. There were many things that the college/fraternity life prepared us for.

Some of the common threads were: the importance of family, the value of education, a life well lived, grateful for opportunities, no significant regrets. In addition, all continued to be in relatively good health (for octogenarians).

It’s been a fascinating and positive reunion. How have you remained in contact with your Phi Kap Brothers?

Let us know by contacting us for a news story!