FALL 2020
THE
AUBURN PHI
Official Newsletter of the Alabama Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Auburn University
CHAPTER ADVISORY BOARD UPDATE PRESIDENT’S LETTER
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labama Beta has achieved extraordinary gains in this challenging year. The brothers pledged forty-five fine young men from a wide geographic area, including Mountain Brook, Atlanta, Mobile, Charlotte, Boca Raton, Nashville, Gulf Shores, Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois and Connecticut. Eleven of the pledges are legacies. If all are initiated, this will bring membership to over 100. All did a great job, especially Recruitment Chairman Henry Meehan 2405. Once again, thanks to Brother Donald Jackson 1593 for all of his help in recruitment and to the alumni for sending recommendations. Recruitment is a year-round endeavor. Any information on a potential new member can be submitted to: futurephidelt.org. The annual reunion was held on Friday, November 20 at the clubhouse of The Legacy at Cary Creek development. Thanks to Dwight Bassett 1644 for securing the venue. Spooky Corrigan 1559 did his usual outstanding job cooking the wings and sausages. We had about fifty people in attendance with the undergraduates providing the majority. Brothers Jimmy Lockwood 1478 and Rick Latham 1592 were initiated into Chapter Grand. House Corporation Treasurer Robert Miller 1921 was presented the Booth Malone Alumni Service Award. Robert has worked countless hours over the years doing
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.
mostly thankless work keeping the house corporation financial books in good order. For several years he and Buck Marsh 884 were the only active members of the house corporation. Without their efforts, we could have very well lost the house. Many thanks to Robert. Nobody deserves the award more. As we continue to plow through this very difficult year, I personally want to thank all of you who have put in so much time and effort for the betterment of the chapter. As stated on the Buck Marsh Plaque in the dining hall, the last line of the Phikeia Oath , “I will strive in all ways to transmit the Fraternity to those who may follow after, not only, not less, but greater than it was transmitted to me.” Although separated by distance, I remain yours in the bond. Jimmy Webb #1509, Chapter Advisory Board Chairman jkwebbjr@aol.com
ALUMNUS BROTHER OF THE YEAR Congratulations to House Corporation Treasurer Robert Miller III 1921, Alabama Beta’s Booth Malone Alumni Service Award recipient.
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am very excited about being the incoming President of Alabama Beta, and looking forward to the upcoming year to see how this chapter will grow and mature. Since being rechartered in 2017 Alabama Beta has hit the ground running, and has excelled in so many areas, such as recruitment, scholarship, and brotherhood. One of the priorities for Alabama Beta is the growth of our chapter. Even with all the graduating seniors this summer, we hope to maintain a chapter size of over one-hundred. I was thrilled to see how our previous recruitment chairman performed during this past term, with such a tough task of recruiting a great forty-five-man Phikeias class during COVID-19. Recruitment is an area that Alabama Beta has proven to excel in, and I am looking forward to working alongside our recruitment team during this next term. Our chapter GPA currently ranks in the top half of all fraternities here at Auburn, and our goal during this next term is to break into the top ten. Our scholarship committee has implemented effective measures, such as mandatory study hours for members who have inadequate GPAs, and offering tutors for members who are struggling in classes. I am confident that these actions will improve our chapter for the better. Alabama Beta’s unique brotherhood Continued on page 3