SPRING 2021
THE
AUBURN PHI
Official Newsletter of the Alabama Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Auburn University
CHAPTER ADVISORY BOARD UPDATE PRESIDENT’S LETTER
T
he Alabama Beta Chapter at Auburn University has a long and storied past. The original chapter, founded in January 1879, was composed of nine members. J.A. Crawford 8, from Rockford, Alabama, became the chapter’s first president. The brothers tried living in the same boarding houses and held meetings in rooms above downtown buildings. In 1907, Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters sent the chapter their Bond book. The last surviving founder, John Wolfe Lindley, signed, numbered the book at no. 34, and dated the book, March 30, 1907. He passed away in December of that year. In May of 1911, the chapter acquired its first house at the northwest corner of Gay Street and Thach Avenue. The chapter lived in this house until 1929, then moved into the newly built house at 215 South College Street. This grand house was home to many Phis until a fire destroyed it in 1965. The chapter rebuilt the house in the same location. It opened later that year and added the dorm sections in 1970. When Auburn built the Conference center in 1987, the chapter moved across campus to 1848 Lem Morrison Drive. The “new” house is now thirty-three years old and home to the present chapter. During World War II, over 125 Auburn Phis served. One of the better-known Phis was Maj. Gen. Wilton B. Persons
REFER A PHI!
Know any young men who would be great Phis? Refer them to Recruitment Chairman Philip Rehm: par0026@auburn.edu. Then, send them to our Greatest U recruitment campaign: futurephidelt.org.
373. Writing about Persons, US Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Marshall stated, “There are few men in the army whom I consider irreplaceable, and Persons is one of them.” The “Fighting Feagins,” Sam 730, John 464, Joel 408, and Arthur Feagin 525, all served. Cpl. Eugene “Sledgehammer” Sledge, USMC, Ret. 890, fought in Peleliu and Okinawa’s horrific battles and wrote the book With the Old Breed. The book was a significant source for the Emmy award-winning mini-series, The Pacific. Sgt. Malcolm “Buck” Marsh Jr. 884 was a rifleman in Company A, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division. He joined his unit during the brutal Battle of the Bulge, volunteered to be first scout, and was part of the vanguard that took Cologne, Germany, in March 1945. His unit captured Paderborn, Germany, on April 1, 1945, to effectively close the Ruhr pocket. Buck is still going strong at age ninety-seven and recently wrote a book about his experiences, Reflections of a World War II Infantry Man. I highly recommended both Eugene’s and Buck’s books. Many thanks to Pepper Stanford, wife of alumnus Will Stanford 1760, and mother to undergraduate Clark Stanford 2396, for starting the Alabama Beta Parents Club. She has provided a jolt of energy to the whole organization. In addition to making suggestions for interior improvements to the house, the parents club is raising funds for the new enclosed mailbox kiosk out front. The
ust as the world around us continues to change in different ways, Alabama Beta continues to work towards a stronger chapter in many vital ways. Our new chapter advisor, Dwight Bassett 1644, has been such a resource to go to for the executive committee. He has shown what a true brother is by volunteering his valuable time to attend our weekly executive committee meetings and chapter meetings. The chapter has many focuses this semester, but one of the most significant issues we have focused on is mental health. We continue to encourage members to be open about mental health. Every member of our executive committee has gone through a series of trainings such as Suicide Prevention, Sexual Assault Awareness, and Mental Health Awareness training. Members of our chapter have all worked together to remove the negative stigma around discussing mental health. Another considerable focus we have had is community service. This semester, many of our brothers traveled to Dothan, Alabama, to help out a family impacted by ALS. The family lives on a 40-acre property, and our brothers landscaped for the day to clean up the property. The whole trip was very impactful, and we intend on visiting again and making a donation to the family as well.
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HOUSE CORPORATION UPDATE
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ince our last communication, the house corporation (HC) has been busy on many fronts. The Phi Delta Theta letters on the front of the house have been painted gold. The Grilling Pavilion Project is complete, and Founders Day was the perfect occasion to serve up the inaugural meal. The undergraduates give the project two thumbs up! The pavilion will also serve as the backdrop to outdoor band parties and gatherings and provide an immediate boost as a venue for summer recruitment gatherings. We are taking bids to replace the hunter green shutters, lost to termites many years ago, along the front of the house. We have added a few rugs, some living room furniture, and artwork to the interior. Patching, painting, fascia/gutter/ minor carpentry repairs are ongoing. We are currently tending to water ingress under the house. We addressed spot erosion, improved patio access, and refreshed old plantings with some minor landscaping. House Manager Bay Cummings 1795 has made some nice DIY improvements to outdoor furniture,
band room access, and badging on the new pavilion. AU’s architect has approved the masonry sign/mailbox design, and we paid him to survey and permit the work. Fall installation is dependent on raising the necessary funds ($9,600). The Parents Club is actively seeking those funds. Thanks again to Brother Ben Cummings for the designs. The HC commissioned a large watercolor portrait of the house to hang in the dining room, with installation slated for April. The Parents Club will present framed 10" x 12" reproductions as gifts to our May graduates. We will eventually add portraits of the other houses Alabama Beta has occupied since its inception. The HC commissioned a landscape study. HNP Landscape Architecture of Birmingham has completed a master plan. Our newly developed Annual Alumni/Active Volunteer Weekends (or AAV) will implement the project in four to five phases. Our inaugural 2021 AAV group, in with consultation with the board, will choose our path forward on Phase 1. Many thanks to Brothers
Philemon Croft 2002, Chris Sheedy 1982, Jeremy Burns 2072, Joel Seawell 1974, and Sam McAllister 2057 for taking on this ambitious task! This group will plan and finance Phase 1; implementation will then be an all-hands-on-deck affair over a long weekend working with the undergraduates. We are receiving bids for resurfacing the lower parking lot (2022). Scope includes optional breakouts for perimeter curbs and islands within the lot to control traffic flow and support plantings to offer shade and visual appeal. This project will require a large capital outlay; please donate generously to your alumni club of choice! We are trading up for a 30' flagpole and a larger American flag for the front lawn. That upgrade is in the works. Many thanks to Brother Drew Hudgins 1504 for this suggestion and his generous donation for the same. Yours in the Bond, Malcolm Marsh 1519 House Corporation President
CHAPTER ADVISORY BOARD UPDATE: continued from page 1 structure includes our Greek letters inlaid in brick and lights to illuminate. For more information on the parents club, you can contact Pepper at Pepperstanford@ gmail.com. In closing, remember that fraternity recruitment is a year-round function. Please send recommendations to Recruitment Chairman Phillip Rehm
2393 at paroo26@auburn.edu and futurephidelt.org. This process forwards the contact information to General Headquarters in Oxford, Ohio, which triggers an email sent to the recommended future Phi and copies the Fraternity, and chapter advisory board. It is imperative to include both their cell phone number and email address
of any recommendations. Texting is the preferred method of contact. Although separated by distance, I remain, yours in the Bond. Jimmy Webb 1509, Chapter Advisory Board Chairman jkwebbjr@aol.com
ABOUT US The Auburn Phi is published two times per year by the Alabama Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Auburn University for alumni and parents. ©Copyright 2021 Alabama Beta. All rights reserved. STAY UP-TO-DATE /phideltauburn @PhiDeltAuburn phideltauburn.com
Send news, address updates and photos to: Alabama Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta 2 South Campus Avenue Oxford, Ohio 45056 CHAPTER ADVISORY BOARD Jimmy Webb, Chairman Ray Briscuso, Secretary Brent Barringer Dwight Bassett William Boyt Jeremy Burns William Busbin Robert Corrigan Jr. Frank Feagin 2
Auburn Phi » Spring 2021
Gregory Harris John Hornsby Donald Jackson Richard McDowell Charles Maynard Buck Marsh Michael Ramsey Ken Stephens J.R. Wright
CHAPTER OFFICERS Nick Casson, President Sam Honeycutt, Vice President Ben Maggard, Secretary Zane Springer, Treasurer Clark Stanford, Warden Philip Rehm, Recruitment Chairman Jordan Agagan, Social Chairman Ben Branch, Phikeia Educator
HOUSE CORPORATION Malcolm Marsh, President Frank “Bud” Powada, Secretary Robert Miller, Treasurer Russell Cunningham Tim Hunt Marvin Thomas Buck Marsh
Alabama Beta
HISTORY COMMITTEE FORMED In the Fall 2020 newsletter, House Corporation President Malcolm Marsh 1519 alluded to a desire to build a historical record of the Alabama Beta Chapter with items of historical significance (which includes articles and photographs of brothers from back in the day). Interest in forming a History Committee has grown, and the board asked to help in this regard. The idea is to gather and preserve historical articles and photographs in a technological medium available for all to view. Thus far, J.R. Wright 1560 and I have talked with a company called History IT that specializes in helping Greek organizations preserve and display their history online. Malcolm Marsh has also created a large capacity storage Dropbox to store historical items. The next steps are to finalize the committee membership (five to seven members) and develop a plan and a strategy to move forward. If any brothers are interested in helping or serving on this new committee, please let me know! Meanwhile, I would welcome any articles and high-resolution quality photographs of people and events sent to me via email at dwkmaine@gmail.com. Yours in the Bond, David Kennedy 1566
UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFO! Please visit phideltatheta.org/members/ update-your-info to update your contact information.
WE WANT YOUR NEWS! In preparation of the next edition, we are looking for any news and updates in your life. Please email any content to Alabama Beta Chapter Advisory Board Secretary Ray Briscuso at raybriscusojr@ gmail.com.
phideltauburn.com
ALABAMA BETA PARENTS AND FAMILY CLUB
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all 2020 was the inauguration of the Parents Club for Alabama Beta. The club’s purpose is to support the undergraduate chapter members. A Parents and Family Club can support the young men in various ways, including sponsoring a dinner, hosting a tailgate, or even helping to decorate the Fraternity house for the season at hand. The club distributed a monthly newsletter to the parents with pertinent information about upcoming events happening within the Fraternity, and the response was wonderful. Now that COVID-19 restrictions are continuing to ease, we scheduled a cocktail party and tailgate for September 24 and 25, 2021. The future is looking very bright for the young men of Alabama Beta! If you have any questions about the Alabama Beta Parents and Family Club, please do not hesitate to reach out to me! Pepper Stanford, President of Parents and Family Club, Pepperstanford@gmail.com
UNDERGRADUATE SPOTLIGHT
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ill McGowin 2406 is a senior majoring in forestry from Mobile, Alabama. Will was a part of the fall 2018 Phikeia class, the first new member class when Alabama Beta moved back into the house on Lem Morrison. He has been an integral part of building this chapter back to where it needs to be. During his time at Auburn, Will has previously served as the treasurer and currently serves as the National Wild Turkey Federation secretary. Will intends on attending graduate school at the University of Georgia for a master’s in forestry.
MEET OUR NEWEST MEMBERS
2021 SPRING PHIKEIAS CLASS Luke Brown, Alpharetta, Georgia Connor Cahill, Ellington, Connecticut Langston Collins, Tuscaloosa, Alabama Isaiah Eager, Auburn, Alabama Gray Fowler, Mobile, Alabama Logan Freeman, Fairhope, Alabama Max Jackson, Sylacauga, Alabama Chase Jones, Alpharetta, Georgia William Kell, Daphne, Alabama Danny Kelly, Sea Bright, New Jersey Alex Peck, Braselton, Georgia Tyler Spires, Bedford, New Hampshire Carson Thomason, Roswell, Georgia Leon Wallace, Mobile, Alabama
Auburn Phi » Spring 2021
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PARENT’S WEEKEND 2021
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #248 DAYTON, OH
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
Parents and Family Welcome Reception and Dinner The Clubhouse at The Legacy at Cary Woods 6:30 p.m.– 9:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Alabama Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta 2 South Campus Avenue Oxford, Ohio 45056 Address Service Requested
Pre-game Meal and Chapter House Tours Phi Delta Theta Chapter House Auburn vs. Georgia State Football Game Jordan-Hare Stadium
ALABAMA BETA/ PHI DELTA THETA ALUMNI WEEKEND
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 Alumni/Family/Friends Casual Lunch Auburn University Club Dutch Treat: 11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. Golf Outing: tee times 1:00 p.m.–1:40 p.m. (limited to twenty players, contact RayBriscusoJr@gmail.com) Alumni/Family/Friends and Members Reception and Banquet Auburn University Club 6:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9
Pre-game Meal and House Tours Phi Delta Theta Chapter House Three hours before Auburn vs. Georgia kickoff Auburn vs. Georgia Football Game Jordan-Hare Stadium No ticket block available Alabama Beta chapter in Dothan supporting an ALS family
PRESIDENT’S LETTER UPDATE: continued from page 1 Spring 2021 recruitment could not have gone any better for Alabama Beta. We recruited fourteen outstanding members, the largest spring fraternity new member class on Auburn’s campus. Our spring 2021 class has continued to grow as true men, and I am excited to see how they will lead this chapter in the future as initiated brothers. We are starting to plan our fall 2021 recruitment, and I am thrilled to get
to know the young men that this chapter will soon receive. With the support of our wonderful chapter advisory board, house corporation, and parents club combined with the dedication of young leaders of the chapter, Alabama Beta continues to grow to be one of the best fraternities that Auburn University has to offer. I am honored to have the opportunity to
serve as chapter president and lead an exceptional group of young men. I firmly believe that I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for Phi Delta Theta. Yours in the Bond Nick Casson 2410, President nrc0024@auburn.edu