The following four chapters scored the highest among our Borradaile Challenge metrics, qualifying them to compete for the 2020 Roland Maxwell Trophy for an Outstanding Chapter. Meet your 2020 Founders Four chapters:
Delta Chapter
School: Centre College
City: Danville, KY
Chartered: 1914
GPA: 3.23
Chapter Size: 37
Total Service Hours: 914.75
“We believe that one of the most important parts of developing impressive chapter members is instilling in them an effort to make contributions in a number of meaningful ways, both in and out of the chapter,” Delta wrote on their Maxwell application.
Delta chapter aims to set its members up for success. This past year, they have had brothers go on to attend graduate school at Harvard, MIT, and Duke, they have received Fulbright Scholarships to teach abroad, and many other brothers were employed upon graduation. They hold their brothers to a high standard of involvement; 12 members are NCAA athletes across five different sports, they are involved in the Centre Pride Alliance, student government, Centre Singers, and Centre’s IFC. They are deeply rooted in Centre’s Greek community. In the 2019-2020 academic year, Delta chapter brothers took home awards for Greek Man of the Year, Greek Athlete of the Year, Greek President of the Year, Greek Leader of the Year, and Chapter of Excellence. “We hold our brothers to a high standard academically, in the hopes that they will achieve their potential and thus be truly distinct.”
Delta holds global citizenship and awareness in high regard as well. Over the past year members have travelled to Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, El Salvador, and Finland in the pursuit of scholarship. Their commitment to understanding, also drives them towards philanthropy and a successful lemonade stand event that raised money for SeriousFun Children’s Network.
“We firmly believe that care and compassion are the most important ingredients in developing men of character into Men of Distinction,” they said, “And we hope to continue a legacy of success and brotherhood for generations to come.”
Gamma Chapter
School: Ohio State University
City: Columbus, OH
Chartered: 1912
GPA: 3.13
Chapter Size: 69
Total Service Hours: 2,506.5
After winning the Maxwell at Conclave in 2019, Gamma chapter was in a great spot. They were leaders on campus, they had broken records in philanthropy and service, and academics were at an all-time high. But when they returned to campus and asked, “What’s next?” instead of feeling motivated, they were burnt out. “Raising expectations made Phi Tau feel more like a job than a brotherhood. We had erroneously focused on our image rather than trying to develop bonds. We lost sight of why we were in the Fraternity in the first place because we were so focused on winning awards and gathering titles.”
During their Building Men of Character retreat, they changed their focus from winning the Maxwell to building what they believed their Fraternity should be. They focused primarily on their relationships. Now, rather than being total business, chapter meetings incorporate mission-based discussions. They shifted the emphasis of their annual hyper-successful pumpkin sale away from the branding of the chapter and onto how it brought fulfillment to the chapter brothers. This ended up fueling sales, as brothers and non-members ended up at the pumpkin sale because it felt less like a fundraiser and more like a home to hang out.
They put an increasing focus on mental health by encouraging brothers who were acting out of character to seek counseling with campus mental health services. They opened communication between the Executive Board and the rest of the chapter so decisions being made were discussed and polled throughout the group. This has led to a more open and respectful relationship between the Executive Board and membership, where feedback leads to meaningful change.
“We have the mechanisms and the systems in place that took us to the Maxwell-level before. Now is the time to take an introspective look at the culture of our chapter and how we can make this an environment that does not just value recognition, but how we treat each other as brothers and as men,” Gamma said.
Upsilon Chapter
School: Nebraska-Wesleyan University
City: Lincoln, NE
Chartered: 1923
GPA: 3.55
Chapter Size: 42
Total Service Hours: 2,485
Upsilon focuses on long-term goals of the chapter by starting at the beginning – with associate members. “All of our associates possess qualities and values that reflects those of the mission, vision, Creed, and Ritual of Phi Kappa Tau. These men – who live each moment of their lives in consideration with strong values – are the men we want to join our sacred brotherhood.” The eight-week new member education program allows associates, especially those who are joining their first semester on campus, to adjust to a new community surrounded by a group of men who want to see them succeed.
Upsilon uses the metrics of the Borradaile Challenge as a measurement to drive passion for academic success and philanthropy. The intense focus on academics provides chapter brothers with study spaces, tutoring, and the equipment to succeed, like recycled textbooks and computers. Their 3.55 GPA is the highest in chapter history. They also offer resume workshops for brothers to help them meet their professional goals upon graduation.
Upsilon believes community involvement is a crucial aspect of being a Man of Distinction and offers the flexibility for members to pursue other interests, including campus organizations, individual philanthropic endeavors, and military service. This past academic year, close to 90% of members were involved in other campus groups. They focus on personal improvement by inviting guests to speak on issues that may be uncomfortable, including male empathy, mental health, and sexual assault.
“College ought to be a time of tremendous growth and personal development. Phi Kappa Tau at Nebraska Wesleyan takes this to heart and goes the extra mile to develop our men of character into Men of Distinction,” Upsilon said. “To be a member of Phi Kappa Tau is to challenge one’s ideas, develop exceptional capabilities, and make positive commitments to themselves and those around them.”
Delta Tau Chapter
School: California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
City: Pomona, CA
Chartered: 1984
GPA: 2.67
Chapter Size: 54
Total Service Hours: 1,002
“Here at the Delta Tau chapter, we build men into leaders who make a positive impact to those around them,” Delta Tau said.
Delta Tau chapter places an emphasis on identifying personal strengths and focusing on individual growth and improvement. They encourage brothers to pursue their goals and challenge them to achieve bigger and better things, especially by becoming leaders on campus. They prioritize passing on knowledge to future classes of men by requiring older members to work closely with associate classes on new member education. They build brotherhood by hosting monthly events and form bonds with associate members early on by hanging out with them one-on-one. They recruit for success by hosting six events during the fall, like a field day on campus and a BBQ, that engage alumni and appeal to brothers who will fit into the chapter well.
Unusual for a Fraternity house, the Delta Tau chapter house is completely paid off, which allows rent to be affordable and for the Housing Corporation to work on repairs and improvements. They go above their service requirement in their dedication to SeriousFun children’s camps. Delta Tau raises at least $5,000 annually for The Painted Turtle Camp, the local SeriousFun camp, and they have brothers attend the camp every year as summer counselors or one-day volunteers. The chapter is rich with diversity and draws members from all backgrounds: the city, rural areas, military, and foreign exchange students. “What makes our Fraternity experience great beyond the Borradaile Challenge is our amazing sense of brotherhood, our respected chapter house, and our diversity,” they said.
Congratulations to these four chapters on your commitment to living the vision, mission, and creed of Phi Kappa Tau. The Founders Four will present virtually to our panel of judges on July 21st. The winner of the Roland Maxwell Trophy for an Outstanding Chapter will be announced on July 23rd, 2020 at 8:30 PM EST on Facebook Live.