Delta Alpha Celebrates 97 Years of Brotherhood at OU
Shelter at 1320 College Street Reaches 50-Year Milestone!
Can you believe our Delta Alpha Shelter first opened its doors 50 years ago? I am sure the pledge class of 1969 certainly remembers it well! Hundreds of Delts have lived and learned in our Shelter, and they all formed friendships that will last a lifetime. I am very pleased to report that these traditions are still alive and well at 1320 College Street!
Undergraduate Successes
Last fall’s large pledge class produced a strong group of new initiates, and these quality young men are doing lots of great things at OU. They organized another very successful fundraising campaign for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, raising thousands of dollars for this very worthy cause and receiving several awards from National Fraternity. The undergraduates also are working hard to maintain an excellent academic ranking and are involved in numerous campus activities. They have a great group of leaders and are headed toward a full house next fall. The chapter also is on a solid financial footing. We are excited about the next 50 years!
Alumni and Brotherhood Events
Continuing what has become another Delt tradition, the House Corporation sponsored some great events during the spring semester. We hosted another Founders’ Day banquet (Happy 97th, Delta Alpha!) that was attended by the undergraduates and several Delt alumni. It is always great to see the alumni sharing their memories with the younger Delts. The House Corporation also organized a Delt Alumni Golf Tournament in April at the Golf Club of Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. As usual, we had some pretty ugly golf but lots of great stories! Please join us next year for these annual events—you will enjoy the brotherhood!
House Corporation and ASC Update
The House Corporation is expanding its board of directors to get more alumni involved in supporting the chapter. We are very pleased to announce that Chris Burleson ’71 has joined our board. Chris has been a dedicated supporter of Delta Alpha for many years, serving as chapter advisor and as a past president of the House Corporation Board. All the members are looking forward to adding Chris’s experience and talent to our board.
As we discussed in previous newsletters, the House Corporation and other alumni leaders created an Alumni Supervisory Committee (ASC) in 2017 to provide more direct alumni supervision of the chapter. The ASC, headed by Matt Akins ’13, assumed responsibility for virtually all of the chapter’s operations. Matt, Jim Gregory ’69, Tyler Crowe ’14, and all the members of the ASC have done a fantastic job!
Alumni Advisors Needed
Although the chapter is being led this year be an outstanding group of bright and talented officers, they still need the ongoing assistance of alumni advisors. There truly is no substitute for the guidance of an experienced alumni mentor, and we believe that the best way to provide this is through the formation of a team of alumni advisors. We are forming a new Alumni Advisory Committee for the next academic year. This group of volunteers will work as a team under the direction of the chapter advisor. The members will serve for limited terms, spreading the workload among the committee while building a closer relationship with the undergraduate officers. This organizational model has been used successfully in many award-winning chapters across the country. We need more volunteers immediately. Please contact me by email as soon as possible and we will put you on the team. Mentoring these great young men is an extremely rewarding way to give back to the fraternity.
Seeking Recruitment Recommendations
Summer recruitment will be beginning soon, and we all know that recruiting well-rounded young men with strong academic backgrounds is of vital importance to the chapter. The undergraduate recruitment team will emphasize the recruitment of Delt legacies, so please help us by sending me emails with the names and contact information of any legacy you know.
Shelter Update
Brothers, the undergraduates and many dedicated alumni are working hard to make sure Delta Alpha continues a strong presence on the OU campus. However, it is time we face the fact that our 50-year-old Shelter must be replaced. It has served us well, probably exceeding many of our expectations, but Delta Tau Delta cannot remain competitive at OU unless we join the ranks of the other fraternities that have built new houses. Plans are in motion and we are encouraged by the fact that several of our brothers have already expressed strong support.
Now, more than ever, More Delt, Less Self!
Fraternally,
Mike Johnston ’88
House Corporation President
[email protected]
House Corporation Officers
Mike Johnston, President
[email protected]
405-443-6203
Paul Jackson, Treasurer
[email protected]
405-596-1045
Dan Vann, Secretary
[email protected]
405-474-7982
Fred Gist, Vice President
[email protected]
405-414-2630
Chris Burleson, Vice President
[email protected]
405-590-1450
Tyler Crowe, Correspondent
[email protected]
816-352-1768
Chapter Advisor Group:
Jay Davis
[email protected]
469-662-2408
Sam Donley
405-371-9105
Attention Alumni
If you’re interested in joining our board of diverse alumni and helping ensure the future of Delta Alpha, let us know! Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Reach out to any board member for more information on how to get involved.
Please watch this video to see how others’ involvement has added to their Delta Tau Delta Experience.