Colorado State Alumnus Recognized as 40 Under 40

Aaron Harris, Colorado State ’02, has received the BizWest 40 Under 40, an award recognizing individuals who are shaping the future of Northern Colorado.

Harris is the Senior Recreation Supervisor for the city of Fort Collins. He oversees the city’s recreational programming, as well as building rentals and STEM programs. He improves and entertains the community by planning events like the Fourth of July parade, Hogwarts Halloween, and the Father’s Day 5K, all of which are either free to the public or benefit non-profits.

Harris is a 2016 recipient of the Phi Award and has more recently received the “World Class Person” award from the city this year, among other awards for risk management and education.

Before his position with the city of Fort Collins, Harris spent eight years as Assistant Director of Club Sports at Colorado State. During his time there, Harris volunteered for CSU’s Cans Around the Oval, a local food bank, where he personally collected over 30,000 lbs. of food.

Congratulations to this man of distinction!

Read the original press release here.

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Ohio State President Pays Gamma a Visit

The Ohio State University President Dr. Drake paid the Gamma chapter house a visit on October 14th in recognition of winning both the Maxwell Trophy and Ohio State’s IFC Chapter of the Year.  

From Gamma Chapter President Ryan Beard, Ohio State ’17:  

Gamma Chapter was excited and honored to host The Ohio State President Dr. Drake at our chapter dinner on October 14th. It gave us a great opportunity to not only tell him about our chapter’s success, but also show President Drake the benefits and value that the Greek community adds to OSU’s campus. Following dinner, President Drake had a chance to speak to the chapter as a whole about the recent success of Ohio State and his vision for our campus in the coming years. It was an amazing experience for Gamma chapter to host and meet President Drake and we hope to see him back soon.  

Dr. Drake was able to see up close some of the good Gamma does by witnessing the preparation of Gamma’s annual pumpkin sale, a fundraiser that has raised upwards of $10k in recent years to benefit SeriousFun. 

Hosting Dr. Drake was lauded by facility as well. Kate Butler, the Associate Director Sorority and Fraternity Life on Ohio State’s campus, praised the chapter by saying, “The chapter did an amazing job representing our community and it seemed like Dr. Drake had a wonderful time.”  

Dr. Drake is the 15th President of The Ohio State University and began his role in 2014.  

Congratulations to Gamma on this honor!  

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Recruitment Roundup

Formal recruitment is over, and, with it, Phi Tau is tallying the count of our newest members. In total, Phi Taus across the country have added 1,134 men to their ranks, making for an impressive recruitment year.

Alpha Lambda’s record breaking associate class.

Alpha Lambda at Auburn, home chapter of National Recruitment Advisor Barry Mask, Auburn ’79, set a Phi Tau record this fall with their massive 65-man associate class. Barry hosted a recruitment seminar at this past July’s Conclave, where he shared best practice tips on meeting potential new members (PNMs), hosting exciting events, and his cardinal rule - don’t rely on formal recruitment to meet people. He also recently shared his best tips for spring recruitment, which you can read here. Other facilitators include Sam Medley, Transylvania ‘94, Mike Gabhart, Georgetown ‘95, and Travis Robinson, Eastern Kentucky ‘98.

For a class this large, recruitment has to start early. Alpha Lambda Recruitment Chairman, Zach Woodruff, Auburn ’18, shared what made them successful over the summer. “We started making a list of guys in April by getting all the brothers to reach out to their high schools to see who was coming to Auburn. By May 10th, we had a list of 40 names. Our summer goal is to have 30 guys ready to accept a bid by July 31st. This year we were at 33 on July 31st.” Over the summer, Auburn focuses on small events to make new friends. They host bonfires, attend Atlanta Braves games, go rafting, and deep-sea fishing. This strategy started in 2015-2016 with past Rush Chairman Taylor Johnson, Auburn ’14, who set a previous record of 46 men.

This success continued into the fall, but Zach didn’t reveal to anyone how well they were doing. “Until you can accept bids you really don’t know where you are anyway,” he said. They lined up events the week before classes started, including help with move-in, to keep the men they got over summer engaged and meet new faces on campus. By the time IFC recruitment week rolled around, they already had 59 accepted bids. “We use formal recruitment to close bids – not to meet guys,” Zach explained. Now, mid-November, their planning and hard work has paid off with a large associate class and 90% retention rate.

But the work hasn’t stopped, Zach and the other chapter members have already gotten a head start on spring recruitment. “We have had a tradition the past few years of starting spring recruitment in November. Think about it – November is to spring what June is to fall. So, we have all of our associates start giving us names now. We use our remaining events in November as recruitment events for spring. We like to bid guys before exams and let them go back over the holidays in December and hopefully come back in January and accept their bid. It works well.”

Alpha Kappa chapter with their new associates.

Across the country at Washington State, Alpha Kappa had a similarly successful year. This group has been steadily growing for several years . Now they boast over 100 brothers, and according to Tommy Kane, Washington State AM, have had “terrific success” recruiting large, solid classes during fall. But Tommy admits that, despite their accomplishments in formal recruitment, they struggle with spring and summer. This year to combat the problem, they made a strategic decision to place an emphasis on branding and marketing during informal recruitment.

This began with the creation of their recruitment Instagram, @phi_kappa_tau_rec. They were able to communicate their chapter’s culture and identity through the branding of this page and give PNMs a feel for the Alpha Kappa Chapter, even if they had never been there or met any of the members in person. This was also an opportunity to promote the chapter house. Content creation came easily by promoting their new turf backyard and recently installed deck, as well as dropping snippets of the semester’s recruitment video. Alpha Kappa wanted to show the chapter house was one of the upper-end houses on campus and demonstrate that, as a group, they could take care of their home and keep the property clean.

They also took advantage of Instagram’s paid advertising tool, a cost-effective method that lets Instagram work in your favor by marketing your posts towards a target audience. This was especially helpful when they advertised their summer recruitment graphics and schedule of events. Alpha Kappa took their branding past the digital level by making t-shirts and jerseys that matched the digital aesthetic. Tommy shared these were the nicest jerseys on campus and they got PNMs excited and made the group recognizable on campus. Tommy hopes the chapter will continue to focus on branding and marketing for future recruitment classes. Alpha Kappa was the only group on campus that focused so much on digital marketing and it really set them apart. All in all, this hard work earned Washington State 26 new members.

A recruitment event at Cal State-Long Beach’s Beta Psi chapter.

Beta Psi at Cal State-Long Beach, a 2018 Founders Four chapter and winner of the Angelo Award for Most Improved Chapter, reported 55 accepted bids from their fall recruitment efforts. Vice President Dom Pham, Cal State-Long Beach ’18, shared that the group took a lot of Barry Mask’s Conclave advice to heart, especially his cornerstone rule. Rather than waiting on the campus recruitment period, Beta Psi got out and volunteered at move-ins, as well as other events where Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) members were encouraged to promote Greek life to the new and transfer students on campus. This was a success and Beta Psi met many new students who they became friends with while they helped them acclimate them to campus, find classes, and navigate the area – all before formal recruitment started.

During formal recruitment they hosted events like bowling, dodgeball, and game night, but their most successful event by far was Taco Night which brought 68 PNMs to the house, the group’s pride and joy. Unlike the other events where everybody’s attention was drawn to the activity itself, while they were grilling tacos Beta Psi could socialize with the new members and get to know them on a personal level with minimal distractions.

One of Beta Psi’s biggest advantages is the group’s diversity. “We have people from all sorts of backgrounds, whether they’re athletes, skaters, musicians, dancers, etc. You name it, we have it,” said Dom. This has been a huge asset in making PNMs feel at home and introducing them to other members who have similar interests. It’s also useful for a tool Beta Psi recently implemented called “bumping” – something they learned from local sororities. If a brother is talking to a PNM but they aren’t in sync, they will introduce the PNM to another brother who shares some common interests so they can get to know one another. Dom reports that this has been very useful in making brothers feel at home as well as projecting the diversity of the group. If their numbers are any indication, it’s very effective.

Psi at University of Colorado in front of their chapter house.

Last year at the University of Colorado’s Psi chapter, they had 48 men on bid day, a good number for a large state school. A week later later they had 40. 28 took part in the association process, but at the end of recruitment only 16 initiated. “Those are terrible numbers!” Board of Governors Chairman Sam Medley quips over the phone.

 Psi has always taken the idea of “character-driven recruitment” to heart in a way few other chapters do; by creating a list of ideal characteristics for new members, they are intentional in recruiting men who will only meet the highest standards of what being a Man of Character means. Each year this list is discussed and refined by adding or removing a characteristic, but the spirit remains the same. They are looking for a group of engaging and intelligent men who want to make a positive impact on their campus.  

A few of these characteristics are non-negotiable: good academics, sound finances, and, to see if they are good team players, if they have been part of a group or team before (Sam shares that more often than not this is a sports team, but they also have members who have been involved in academic or business groups). The more flexible characteristics they look for are things like brining something unique to the chapter, socially capable, a good understanding of brotherhood, and the ability to maintain a good image on campus. In past years when Psi has struggled either financially or with maintaining membership, they have looked for as few as 2-3 of the characteristics they list. Now that they are a solid and competitive group, they expect as many as 7-8. If a man is not strong enough in one of these areas, they hope he is exceptional in one of the others.

 Because of this, Psi has always done an exceptional job in recruiting men of distinction. However, to combat the retention problem, this year they added a bit of homework. Framed as a “membership pitch” to alumni, Psi assigns new members a 1-page paper asking the new associates why they want to join the chapter, what they will bring to the group, and what fraternity means to them. “If they’re not willing to take 45 minutes to write a page they’re not going to be the type of member who shows up to community service or the study table,” Sam explains. This logic held true – following the assignment a handful of men eliminated themselves by not completing the paper. The association period at Colorado is still not over, but now just past the halfway mark they still have 32 of the 36 men they extended bids.

All 4 of these chapters have taken advantage of their available recruitment resources and shown how chapters can succeed with a little bit of creative planning and hard work.  Congratulation to the above groups as well as the rest of chapters on a great recruitment season. We look forward to seeing more results in the spring.

Barry Mask is hosting an all-inclusive recruitment webinar this Sunday, November 17th, at 7pm ET. All are welcome to join. Follow the zoom link here.

 Go Far!

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Colorado State Hosts Homecoming

Alumni and undergraduates gather

Alpha Sigma alumni returned to Colorado State’s campus in early October for a chapter homecoming. Guests gathered at the chapter house which was described by guests as warm and hospital to celebrate brotherhood. Alumnus, Ed Arnold, Colorado State ’61, was honored for his generous contributions to the chapter’s Cornerstone Campaign, an endowed fund that covers expenses related to attending National Programs that are typically paid for by undergraduates. In addition to the festivities, alumni talked to the chapter about Phi Tau scholarships, many of which are unclaimed. 

Ed Arnold (left) receives the Certificate of Appreciation from Mike Rosser

Distinguished Trustee Mike Rosser, Colorado State ’61, said of the Alpha Sigma group, “These men are very mature, polite, and dedicated to our cardinal principles.  I hope you will pass on what a fantastic group these men are and how well Phi Kappa Tau is represented on the CSU campus.”  

Want to share your story with us? Submit news here. 

Cheers to One Hundred Years!

The November 1928 cover

This November marks the 100th anniversary of the Laurel, the exoteric magazine of Phi Kappa Tau.  

Today we commemorate 100 years of Phi Tau storytelling and everything that has gone into it – approximately 322 editions, 24 editors, and countless hours dedicated to its production. This magazine has lived through much: The Great Depression, World War II, Vietnam, 9/11, and now into the first quarter of the 21st century. It, like Phi Tau, has overcome every challenge the last century has presented, and that is worth celebrating.  

 The Laurel has had the honor of celebrating men who have sacrificed their life for their country, dedicated their lives to philanthropy and education, and advanced the world through their dedication to science, public service, and the arts. In addition to the ritual, the Laurel, and its celebration of Phi Tau membership, is one of the most celebrated traditions Phi Tau has to offer.  

 The following is an excerpt of CEO Tim Hudson’s letter to readers in the upcoming centennial edition of the Laurel:  

Tim in his first Laurel appearance, 2001

 Brothers,  

I want to thank you for reading this special edition of The Laurel. All milestones are important to celebrate, and throughout this issue we have highlighted the best our magazine has had to offer throughout its 100 years of publication.  

To be in print for 100 years is no small feat. This magazine has profiled individual heroism, chapter accomplishments, business success, great acts of charity, and thousands upon thousands of alumni events. Countless births, marriages, engagements, job transitions, and other celebrations of life have been announced here through the years. I hope that we have done a successful job in marking our Men of Distinction. 

The Laurel is a reflection of the history and lifeline of Phi Tau. It has documented the joy of charterings and the unfortunate closing of chapters. It has been there through every step of existence for many of our groups, and it’s our intention for it to be there to share the lives of our brothers for many years to come. 

 Cheers to 100 More Years! 
Tim Hudson, Truman State ’97  
CEO  

Look for the special 100th anniversary edition coming out early December. If you are not on the mailing list, you can still sign up here. 

J.J. Lewis Receives Inaugural San Diego State University Rising Aztec Award

West Coast Domain Director J.J. Lewis, Central Michigan ’04, has received the inaugural Rising Aztec Award for accomplishments in public education and commitment to San Diego State University.

J.J. is the Superintendent & CEO of Compass Charter School in Thousand Oaks, California. According to the press release, this award recognizes “exemplary up-and-coming alumni who make support and engagement with SDSU a part of their lives and careers.” J.J. has been noticed for his influence and advocacy for public charter schools, school choice, and leadership at Compass. He will receive the award in February of the upcoming year.

Read the full press release here.

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Foundation Chairman Becomes Wilson College President

Phi Kappa Tau Foundation Chairman Wes Fugate, Centre ‘99, has been appointed the newest President of Wilson College, a role he will assume in January 2020.  

Dr. Fugate earned his PhD in Higher Education from the University of Georgia in 2012; a Masters in Higher Education Administration with an emphasis on Institution Advancement from Vanderbilt University in 2005, and a Bachelor’s in Dramatic Arts and Economics from Centre College in 2002. Dr. Fugate has spent many years working in higher education; he served as a Guest Lecturer at Lynchburg College, Randolph College, and the University of Georgia, as well as numerous presentations on higher education structure and policy at a variety of institutions. Dr. Fugate has worked with enrollment management and student affairs, supported the work of Boards and Trustees, and led successful communication and marketing efforts.  

Dr. Fugate’s new responsibilities will include enhancing the student experience, managing enrollment, providing financial stewardship, fundraising, building the alumni base, and enhancing relationships with the community.  

Dr. Fugate’s official statement:  

I am humbled and honored to be selected to lead Wilson College into its next 150 years. While Wilson’s commitment to opportunity, honor and providing a high-quality liberal arts education are what drew me to consider this position, ultimately getting to know the people of Wilson helped me to fall in love with the institution. Wilson has a remarkable history and I am excited about collaborating with students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees and friends of the college to chart a path for its future success. 

The Wilson College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Fugate on October 19th out of a pool of over 100 candidates. Wilson is a private liberal arts college in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Dr. Fugate will be the 15th President in its 150-year history.  

You can read the Wilson press release here.  

Want to share your story with us? Submit news here. 

A PSA from Barry Mask, National Recruitment Advisor

Building a Successful Spring Associate Class Starts in November! 

College men have an Achilles Heel that keeps them from reaching their full potential unless they are able to recognize and overcome it – they generally don’t plan.  

National Recruitment Advisor Barry Mask, Auburn ‘78

If your chapter has just finished fall recruitment, it’s likely the last thing on your mind right now is spring recruitment. It’s November – the final month of the semester which means football rivalries and tailgates, the beginning of basketball season, holiday parties and senior nights, followed by final exams. There’s no need to worry about spring semester recruitment until IFC formal recruitment week at the end of January.  

Wrong!  

Waiting until you come back in January to start planning for recruitment, or even meeting guys is a sure path to recruitment mediocrity or outright failure.  Especially if you already suffered a less than spectacular or mediocre and low retention effort this fall. If you had a good fall recruitment – then take it to the next level by deploying the following tactics: 

1. Ask your existing associated or recently initiated class for 1-2 names each.  

2. Invite these PNMs over to everything you have left this fall – tailgates, road trips, gatherings, socials, holiday events. Why? Because…  

3. You’re going to bid them at or just after whatever semester ending events your chapter hosts. Tell them to go home over the break and talk it over with their parents.

Remember, these tactics aren’t “theory” – they are tried and true! 

We’ve done this for several years at Auburn and we always start January off with 8-10 accepted bids after break. Then add to them your regular recruitment tactics and guys you bid in January through informal or formal recruitment. For those chapters who have deferred recruitment on your campus, it’s even more important for you to make a lasting impression by making friends at your chapter/colony events throughout the semester.  

You can do this with a little effort and organization. It will pay big dividends for the future of your chapter.  

Go Far!  
Barry Mask, Auburn ‘78

Barry Mask can be reached on Instagram at: @bmaskotaub1 

William & Mary Man of Character Receives Local Recognition

David Belew, William & Mary ’50, has received the “Lifetime Hero of Character Award” from the West Chester, Ohio, Character Council.

 David is the former President of Beckett Paper, a longstanding institution in the area. The theme of this year’s award was “Character Connects” and the goal is to celebrate individuals who make the community better by setting an example of integrity.

 David has previously been featured by the local Journal News as “Mr. Hamilton” based on his commitment to growing and improving the community. In addition to his many years of work in Hamilton, David spends his time promoting local music, parks, and economic development. “Volunteering is my No. 1 hobby,” David said in the feature, “Volunteering is the rent we pay for occupying our spot on this earth.” David is active in his church, a passionate pianist and Board member of the Hamilton & Fairfield Symphony Orchestra, and a Board member of Hillside College in Michigan, a small school he spoke at 30 years ago and fell so in love with he wanted to promote their principles. After an open heart surgery in 1988 he became an ardent supporter of the local chapter of the American Heart Association, of which he eventually became President and a top fundraiser. In 1975 he started an auction for the local Boys & Girls club. Their goal was to raise $5,000. With David’s help they raised $10,000. In 2010, the auction raised $100,000.

 This is the eighth year the Character Award has been given, according to Jacqueline Schmucki, Executive Director of the Council. “What’s really great is a lot of the people that we honor tend to come to us and say, ‘You know I never win anything, I’m not the best in school or I was never the fastest or anything like that’,” Jacqueline said. “Just by being who they are and being great people, respectful, responsible, kind, compassionate… It’s a really great thing to be recognized for being a good person.”

 Five individuals also received the “Hero of Character” award; although, David is the only honoree receiving the lifetime designation. The council expects 250-300 people to attend the celebration.

Read the full news story here.

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Phi Kappa Tau Appoints Three New Domain Directors

Phi Kappa Tau is pleased to announce the appointment of three new Domain Directors, Stephen Duke, Nick Zapitelli, and Jory Hamilton. 

Stephen Duke, Middle Tennessee ’15, is the newest Domain Director for the Bluegrass region. Stephen has been a passionate member of Phi Tau since he became a Founding Father at the Zeta Lambda chapter of Middle Tennessee State University in 2015. As an undergraduate, he served as Treasurer, VPAR, IFC Treasurer, and GAMMA (Greeks Advocating for the Mature Management of Alcohol) Treasurer. Stephen also served on the Executive Board of the College Republicans and Debate Team. 

Stephen graduated with a degree in German in the spring of 2017. After graduation, he worked as Representative Bryan Terry’s intern for the 48th District of Tennessee. Stephen is currently working for his family’s Heating and Air Conditioning company while developing his own Translation Agency, Herzog Translations. 

The Bluegrass region includes schools in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Nick Zapitelli, Florida State ’03, is representing the Southeast Domain. Nick’s involvement in Phi Tau was cemented from day one and has continued up to this appointment. During his undergraduate tenure, he was President of his associate class, IFC delegate, Membership Orientation Officer, Chapter President, and motivated his chapter to sweep FSU’s Greek Awards. Nick was also named to FSU Homecoming Court and crowned Homecoming Chief his senior year. 

Nick has stayed loyal to the Fraternity and found a way to engage with Phi Tau no matter the direction life has taken him. Following his undergraduate years, Nick served on the Board of Governors for Beta Iota at Florida State, served as Colony and later Chapter Advisor for Beta Alpha at University of Texas-Austin, and served as Bluegrass Domain Director for the few years he lived in Kentucky. Nick now resides in Greenville, South Carolina, with his wife and their son. He works in the real estate industry. 

The Southwest region includes schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. 

Jory Hamilton, Washington ’12, is the newest Domain Director of the Pacific Northwest Region. Jory is an initiate of the Alpha Pi chapter at the University of Washington where he obtained his Bachelors degree. He went on to the University of Southern California, Ohio University, and Washington State to obtain Masters Degrees from all three institutions. 

Jory has served as the Alpha Pi Alumni Advisor, Evergreen Alumni Club President, and currently serves as their Chapter Advisor. He has links to Alpha Kappa at Washington State through his Masters program, as well as Pi at University of Southern California and Beta at Ohio University. 

Jory works as a Fundraiser and is currently running for Kirkland City Council. 

The Pacific Northwest region includes schools in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska. 

Congratulations to our three newest Domain Directors. We are confident their Phi Tau, academic, and professional experiences will be an excellent match for their new role. We are excited to see graduate councils grow in their region as well as overall alumni engagement. 

Go Far!