The Laurel Centennial

THE

OF PHI KAPPA TAU | VOL. 105 ISSUE 2 | DECEMBER 2019

THE LAUREL CELEBRATES 100 YEARS IN PRINT “TO RESOLUTELY ADVANCE THEIR BELOVED FRATERNITY; TO EMULATE THEIR INDOMITABLE SPIRIT” - HARRY TAYLOR, NEBRASKA WESLEYAN ’23

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

P. 5

P. 8

P. 14

THE TIE THAT BINDS US

NINTH NATIONAL CONVENTION

A LOOK THROUGH THE LAUREL

The Laurel is the most enduring piece of Phi Kappa Tau storytelling. This magazine has lived through two World Wars, the Great Depression, Vietnam, the Korean Conflict, 9/11, and now into the first quarter of the 21st century. The Laurel has told stories of thousands of undergraduates, documented charterings and expansions of over 100 chapters, and shared success stories of countless alumni.

This is a celebration of Phi Kappa Tau storytelling. Enjoy.

Pictured: The January 1930 cover photo

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good and loyal citizen. I shall try always to discharge the obligation to others which arises from the fact that I am a fraternity man.

Phi Kappa Tau, by admitting me to membership, has conferred upon me a mark of distinction in which I take just pride. I believe in the spirit of brotherhood for which it stands. I shall strive to attain its ideals, and by so doing to bring to it honor and credit. I shall be loyal to my college and my chapter and shall keep strong my ties to them that I may ever retain the spirit of youth. I shall be a good and loyal citizen. I shall try always to discharge the obligation to others which arises from the fact that I am a fraternity man.

Phi Kappa Tau, by admitting me to membership, has conferred upon me a mark of distinction in which I take just pride. I believe in the spirit of brotherhood for which it stands. I shall strive to attain its ideals, and by so doing to bring to it honor and credit. I shall be loyal to my college and my chapter and shall keep strong my ties to them that I may ever retain the spirit of youth. I shall be a good and loyal citizen. I shall try always to discharge the obligation to others which arises from the fact that I am a fraternity man.

18

TO EMULATE THEIR INDOMITABLE SPIRIT This features delves into 100 years of Laurel archives to explore the best moments of the past century.

FEATURES 5 PERSPECTIVE Jeff Baird, Muhlenberg ’01, shares stories about his time as editor of The Laurel, some of his favorite parts of the job, and why this magazine is important.

8 FROM THE ARCHIVES Charlie Ball, Miami ’82, shares how Sidelights, the predecessor to The Laurel, developed into the official magazine of Phi Kappa Tau by 1919.

10 THE TIE THAT BINDS US Three former editors of The Laurel sit down to discuss highlights and challenges of publishing the magazine.

14 A LOOK THROUGH THE LAUREL A selection of some of the best photos to be printed in The Laurel.

DEPARTMENTS 4 | COO’s Letter 11 | Expanding Our Mission 12 | By the Numbers 32 | Chapter Eternal 34 | Sidelights

On the cover: Ogden Hall at Miami University, the first photograph to be printed on the cover of The Laurel, 1927 to now.

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COO’S LETTER

MAILBOX

A WORD FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES

THE LAUREL IS INTENDED TO START A CONVERSATION with brothers and friends.

Content is carefully selected to engage and excite our readers. It is our hope that stories you read start a conversation with those in your life. Any comments are appreciated. You can submit your feedback— positive or negative, we want it all—to phikapptau.org/ laurelfeedback/. ~

PHI TAU TALKS @gamecock_phitau Honored to announce the pinning of 15 amazing associates. Wishing them well on their journey to achieving full membership of Phi Kappa Tau. @pktmsu Congrats to our 34 new associate members! Welcome to the Alpha Alpha chapter, Fall ’19. #rolltau @barrymaskotaub1 As National Recruitment Advisor for @phikappatau, I’m proud of our chapter @phitau_auburn for the hard work, embracing all the tactics and strategies of recruitment. They set a national record for a fall associate class – 65!

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THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

I

n this special edition we celebrate The Laurel’s 100 year anniversary. It’s been 100 years of triumphs and defeats, expansions and closings, successes and failures, good times and bad, all recorded in our own magazine.

I’ve been reflecting on this publication, it’s purpose, and the way it’s changed over the years.

Long before the communication we have now – direct mail, bulk emails, social media campaigns – The Laurel was our first form of mass communication. It was the best way we could connect brothers as our Fraternity grew and stretched across the United States. It was intended to be our way of keeping people informed on what was going on with their chapter brothers, telling the stories of members, the campuses we were and are a part of, the issues of the day, and the way those issues affected our organization. Through wars, recessions, social upheaval, times of stability and safety, through periods of rapid expansion, stasis, and declines in membership, The Laurel has remained our tried and true method of connecting as many brothers as possible.

Humans exist to connect with other humans and, luckily, we are members of an organization in the business of building relationships. That’s what a brotherhood is and that’s what it always has been. People join to create relationships with like-minded individuals, to accomplish a similar goal, and to be in something bigger than themselves. We want people to feel connected in this thing we call Phi Tau through stories of our

membership. I see it as our obligation to find as many stories of Phi Tau successes, accomplishments, and triumphs, and share them as widely as possible so we can continue to feel deeply bonded in a brotherhood.

The way we communicate has changed a lot in 100 years but one thing that hasn’t is the connection The Laurel has to our brotherhood. The Laurel was, and remains, our primary storytelling platform. There is no finer way to share the best of the best Phi Tau has to offer - men who begin as students and move on to have outstanding lives and careers in whichever endeavor they choose. The Laurel has gone through many hands and has been impacted uniquely by each editor who has touched it, but the essence of what the magazine is and what it should be remains unchanged. It is one of the few things that, in 113 years, has remained as consistent as our Ritual.

The Laurel helps us feel a little more connected.

Let’s celebrate that.

Go Far!

TRAVIS ROBINSON CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Above: Travis’s first Laurel appearance after he had been hired as a Leadership Consultant in 2001.

PERSPECTIVES

JEFF BAIRD, MUHLENBERG ’01

SMALL CONNECTIONS TO THE BIGGER STORY

THE LAUREL OF PHI KAPPA TAU DECEMBER 2019 VOL. 105 ISSUE 2

J

eff Baird, Muhlenberg ’01, was the editor of The Laurel in the early 2000s. He was Editor-in-Chief for approximately six issues and Director of Communications at large, which included management of one of the earliest versions of the website, email newsletters, and event coverage. Today, he is a Management Consultant for Ernst and Young, with a focus on the real estate industry.

We start off by talking about the value that magazines hold over more “direct” communication methods: email, social media, blog posts. Jeff says, “I think it was a Minister of Culture in France, he was talking about bookstores and why they are still relevant. He said, ‘On the internet you can find whatever you’re looking for, but in a bookstore you find what you weren’t looking for.’ That’s what a printed magazine does. You flip through it, you find something you weren’t looking for that you like. It’s the discoverability, it’s the fact that, as an editor, you can curate what people might like to see that’s less personalized, but more personal.

Your Amazon recommended list is highly personalized, but it’s not personal because no person created it for you, a computer did. Whereas a magazine is not very personalized, it’s not just for you, but it’s very personal. It comes from somebody within the organization who knows it well and has ideas of what you might like to see.”

What was his favorite part of the job? “I loved finding the individual stories that were not necessarily Fraternity related stories and telling those. I loved finding the small connection Fraternity has

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lilly Steger COPY EDITOR Travis Robinson, Eastern Kentucky ’98

to the interesting stories in peoples’ lives.” This is an idea Jeff goes back to a lot, one that is clearly meaningful to him. When asked what the purpose of The Laurel should be at its core, he replies, “It shouldn’t try to do too much. It shouldn’t try to give you the update on every campus activity or event, but it should always be there and keep the organization present and keep the fraternity relevant in peoples lives. It should provide a connection for people to an era in their life they remember fondly, and possibly be able to spark connections for a new time.

As this is the centennial issue of The Laurel, he's asked why it is important to celebrate not just The Laurel’s anniversary, but Fraternity communications at large. He shares, “I think sometimes the Fraternity movement tries too much to justify its existence. Just being a way for people to make friends is good enough, in my personal opinion.

Friendship is enough.”

The final question: what does it takes to make The Laurel last? He replies, “Draw on connections where it makes sense, tell stories, find the small connections of the Fraternity to the bigger story.”

Thank you, Jeff, for giving us the time to share your perspective!

CONTRIBUTORS Tim Hudson, Truman State ’97 Charlie Ball, Miami ‘82

UPCOMING EDITIONS Phi Kappa Tau publishes The Laurel three times a year. Each edition focuses on an aspect of the Phi Kappa Tau experience.

The schedule below identifies upcoming delivery dates.

March 2020; September 2020 ADDRESS CHANGES Visit phikappatau.org/address to update your current mailing information.

LAUREL ARCHIVES Past Laurel publications can be found online at phikappatau.org/laurel. Individuals can browse and view all past editions that are available.

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Phikappatau.org/events [6] THE LAUREL || DECEMBER 2019

FEATURE

UNDERGRADUATE OF DISTINCTION

EVAN MARSHALL, NEBRASKA WESLEYAN ’15 LINCOLN, NEBRASKA SHIDELER AWARD WINNER As the most recent recipient of the William H. Shideler Award for an Outstanding Senior, Evan Marshall, Nebraska Wesleyan ’15, has proven time and time again his merit as a leader to both Phi Tau and the Nebraska Wesleyan community.

On an academic basis alone, Evan stands out. The now-graduated senior finished his 150 credit hour degree course in Accounting & Finance with a 3.94 GPA this past spring. Outside of the classroom, Evan has served as Community Service Chair, Treasurer, and President for Upsilon chapter.

As President, Evan helped the chapter earn the 2018 SeriousFun Appreciation Award and increased service to 25 hours per man.

Evan represented Upsilon in the Founders Four at National Convention last summer, where he and the other Upsilon delegates took home the Roland Maxwell Trophy for the Most Outstanding Chapter. At the same National Convention, Evan received the Dwight I. Douglass Award for an Outstanding Chapter President. He has attended nearly every national program Phi Tau offers – Leadership Academy, Presidents Academy, Regional Conferences, Conclave, and Convention.

On campus, Evan was crowned Homecoming King and earned honorary membership to Blue Key Leadership Society and Kappa Mu Epsilon Mathematics Society.

Congratulations Evan on this outstanding accomplishment!

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

CHARLIE BALL, MIAMI ’82

NINTH NATIONAL CONVENTION

P

hi Kappa Tau’s Ninth National Convention, held at Mount Union College in September 1919 established The Laurel as the Fraternity’s official national magazine and the first issue appeared the month after the convention.

But Phi Kappa Tau and its predecessor organizations at Miami University and at Ohio University had a long history of producing publications for their organizations, dating back to the beginning of the non-fraternity movements that formed Phi Kappa Tau’s two oldest chapters.

The Laurel’s predecessor, Sidelights, had been the official publication of Phrenocon and later Phi Kappa Tau for more than eight years, from the time that the chapters at Miami and Ohio University merged to form the National Phrenocon in 1911 until The Laurel debuted in November 1919.

Sidelights was first published in 1906 at Ohio University by the Barbarians, organized by a radical anti-fraternity man, J. C. Timberman, in early 1905. Sidelights was formed as a replacement for The Mirror, Ohio University’s student publication since the nineteenth century which had been discontinued. Sidelights was the de-facto student news magazine at Ohio University for five years, supported heavily by local advertisers. Little is known about the content of the early editions of Sidelights as very few copies have survived, though the publication is likely to have been distributed to other colleges and to other organizations with similar anti-fraternity or non-fraternity sentiments. It is said that Phi Kappa Tau founder Dwight Douglass contributed to Sidelights as early as 1906 and it is certainly through Side-

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The Sidelights staff photo from the 1908 Ohio University yearbook.

lights that the Phrenocon organization at Miami became familiar with the Barbarians at Ohio University. The March 1910 issue of Sidelights held in the Phi Kappa Tau archives extensively covers the Sixth Annual Banquet of the Barbarians which was attended by Alex Paxton, President of the Phrenocon Association at Miami and Walter Guiler, a Phrenocon alumnus.

Paxton’s presentation that evening on “The Movement at Old Miami” detailed in Sidelights was one of the most important steps leading to the merger of the Ohio University Union as the Barbarians would come to be known as a Phrenocon, less than two years later.

Because members of the Ohio University Union had been publishing Sidelights so successfully for many years, it was retained as the official publication for the new National Phrenocon Association

formed in October 1911. At the same time, Ohio University established a new student news publication called The Green and White. The Miami chapter produced a publication in early 1911 called The Phrenocon but it appears that only one edition was ever published.

Several issues of Sidelights from the Phrenocon and early Phi Kappa Tau era survive in the fraternity archives and they provide interesting background into the early history of the national organization with detailed coverage of the activities of the growing list of chapters and of the development of the national organization.

Even after adopting the new name The Laurel in 1919, Sidelights was retained as the name for a secret members-only publication, but that publication was short-lived and very few copies of those type-written sheets survive.

CHAPTER OF DISTINCTION

Members of the Gamma chapter accepting the Roland Maxwell Trophy for the Most Outstanding Chapter

GAMMA CHAPTER OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY / COLUMBUS, OHIO The Gamma Chapter of The Ohio State University has tradi-

side of Columbus multiple times to do cleanups. Throughout

tionally set a precedent for excellence that contributed to their

the school year, Gamma sends members to the Boys & Girls

Maxwell win in 2019.

Club of Columbus to help them with homework, as well as

The Maxwell Award for Most Outstanding Chapter is

the Cat Welfare Society which provides care for abandoned,

awarded to chapters who show distinction in areas of philan-

abused, and homeless cats.

thropy, service, and leadership. Four Gamma delegates traveled

By creating a “culture of leadership” and a focus on values-

to Conclave this past July to prove why they were deserving

based recruitment, Gamma has been able to establish a group

of the award.

with an orientation towards serving the community at large.

They began on their commitment to leadership. 66% of

They send chapter newsletters to parents and set annual goals

Gamma men hold positions of leadership within their campus,

to be reviewed with the Board of Governors.

including the Greek Programming Board, Buckeyethon (Ohio

In their recommendation letter for the Maxwell Award, chapter

State’s student-run philanthropy), Order of Omega, Undergrad-

advisor Rick Harrison, Ohio ’79, closed his letter by saying: “I’ve

uate Student Government, and a Gamma man as President of

been advising Phi Tau chapters for over 37 years, and I have to

the IFC.

say this is a chapter of genuinely good guys who exemplify all

Their commitment to service is undeniable. The iconic

we hope for in a Phi Kappa Tau chapter. I recommend them

Gamma pumpkin sale raised $11,000 for SeriousFun last fall

without reservation.”

and they traveled to SeriousFun’s Flying Horse Farm just out-

Go far, Gamma!

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

LILLY STEGER

THE TIE THAT BINDS US

W

e at the Executive Offices are lucky to have access to many former staff members who still live in proximity to Oxford. As part of the centennial celebration, the communications department took three past editors out to lunch to talk about The Laurel.

Bill Jenkins, Bowling Green ’57, is the most senior of these men. “Mr. Bill,” as he is affectionally referred, is a common face around town. He lives nearby and visits the Offices weekly. Mr. Bill worked at the Executive Offices for three decades, starting as a Field Secretary fresh out of college in 1960. By the 1990s, he had held positions as Field Secretary, Assistant National Secretary, Executive Director, and Executive Vice President of the Foundation. His tenure as editor spanned several of these positions.

Charlie Ball, Miami ’82, who made the drive up from Louisville, has held many

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roles within Phi Tau as well. He was a staff member in the mid-80s as a Leadership Consultant, Editor, and Director of Alumni Relations. After leaving staff he stayed active as a volunteer and served as, among other roles, Domain Director, National Councilor, Foundation Trustee, and National President. Charlie has now returned to staff as Director of Philanthropy.

The most recent to serve the editor role is Tyler Wash, Georgetown ’06, who lives in Oxford with his family. Tyler took a job at Delta Sigma Pi in 2018 after serving as Executive Director of the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation from 2014-2018. One of his many responsibilities in this role was acting as Editor-in-Chief of The Laurel.

We met at Mac n’ Joes, an Oxford hole in the wall, to talk about their favorite and funniest memories of working on the magazine, as well as its enduring legacy to members.

As the most recent editor of The Laurel,

Tyler was instrumental in spearheading the 2016 redesign process. He and his team had the tricky job of architecting segments that were standardized, but had enough creative flexibility to remain engaging issue-to-issue. “We sat down one day in the conference room and ripped apart just about every magazine we liked and took our favorite pieces and applied them to The Laurel,” he explains. “We looked at things like Sports Illustrated and said, ‘Okay, they always have a section for up-and-comers, we like that we should do that too.’ That’s where the Undergraduate of Distinction section comes from.”

From start-to-finish, the entire redesign process took a year, but at the end they had a magazine with sections that appealed to undergraduates, alumni, individual chapters, and the organization at large. “I only got to do two magazines after the redesign, but my favorite piece was the 'From the Archives’ history section. I’m glad we included that,” he says.

Charlie, Phi Tau’s historian and author of “From Old Main to a New Century” shares that, for him, writing the obituaries was one of the most meaningful parts of the job. “I wrote Dick Young’s. He died right before we were about to send the edition to press, so we had to sneak it in at the last minute.”

It comes out that Mr. Bill is the man who verified that Paul Newman was a Phi Tau. “We had a Paul Newman in the records from the same time he was a student at Ohio University, so I wrote him a letter asking him to confirm if he was a member or not. He wrote back a real short two-line letter saying ‘I guess I am!’” Shortly after this discovery, Newman was featured on the Fall 1974 cover. “Later,” Bill continues, “He wrote us another letter thanking us for all our work with SeriousFun.” They remembered some tougher moments as well. Charlie and Mr. Bill shared

that we were cut off by the printers in the late 70s because we owed them too much money. Tyler recalls that one of the cover photos printed during his time on staff cost them an unexpected expense in royalties to print. But he laughs when he tells the story of how, just after his first edition of The Laurel as editor was published, he received an email from a dissatisfied alumnus calling for his immediate termination.

Sometimes a road bump in production can derail the entire magazine. Tyler shares such a story. “When Charles Shaw died he left us a generous donation, but we didn’t have any bios or a photo of him to share. We reached out to other organizations he had donated to and they didn’t have anything either. Finally, we found a little bit of information from his involvement in the Audubon Society, but the photos they had were so low resolution we had a staff member do an artistic rendering. We ended up using that image a lot.”

When asked what their favorite covers have been, Charlie answers immediately.

It’s the 1984 spring edition, a cover for that year’s annual report. “Boles had the idea, that all fundraisers seem to have at one point, that if everybody gave a dollar we could make a lot of money! That was when the budget was still tight, so we used the annual report as a brochure to announce the capital campaign. It said, ‘Are you a skeptic or a believer?’ I liked the messaging and it was some really good design work at the time.”

“I remember that cover,” Tyler says.

“I really liked that cartoon that profiled prominent alumni.”

As lunch winds down, we ask what is it the The Laurel provides to a general member. “I can answer that,” Mr. Bill offers.

“When I was on the road as a Consultant, the only way people were connected was by talking to other chapter brothers and seeing The Laurel. It does a lot to keep us all connected. It’s the tie that binds us. It runs through everybody’s membership.” Charlie elaborates on this, “I think it takes them back to that moment they were in school, it jogs a memory.

You think about that time in your life when you read the magazine.”

The three editors are asked, “What is it about your time as editor that was special?” Tyler is quick to answer. “Being an editor may have been my favorite thing I ever did on staff at Phi Tau. I loved it because it told the story of who we are. Not only where we are today, but you can open The Laurel from any year and see what the Fraternity and people in it were doing, it’s a time capsule. To play a part in that and lend my voice to it is one of the biggest honors I’ve had.”

To these three men and all who have been involved in producing The Laurel over the years, we thank you!

EXPANDING OUR MISSION UPCOMING EXPANSIONS

M UHLENBERG COLLEGE

M IAMI UNIVERSITY

If you would like to volunteer with one of Phi Kappa Tau’s colonies, visit phikappatau.org/expansion.

EXISTING COLONIES

OMICRON COLONY Pennsylvania State University PI COLONY University of Southern California OMEGA COLONY University of Wisconsin-Madison ALPHA RHO COLONY Georgia Institute of Technology BETA THETA COLONY University of Kansas DELTA KAPPA COLONY University of Tennessee-Knoxville DELTA RHO COLONY Eastern Kentucky University If you know a young man attending school at one of the institutions, recommend him to Phi Kappa Tau by visiting phikappatau.org/join.

Lead photo from left to right: Tyler Wash, Bill Jenkins, and Charlie Ball.

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

322 44 196 TOTAL LAUREL ISSUES

The LAUREL Magazine Through the Years

AVERAGE NUMBER OF PAGES

PAGES IN LONGEST ISSUE (MEMBER INDEX – NOV. 1923)

1927

Richard J. Young

FIRST BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO ON COVER (FEBRUARY)

PAGES IN SHORTEST ISSUE (AUG. 1943 & 1944)

LONGEST RUNNING EDITOR

1962

53

FIRST FULL COLOR PHOTO ISSUE (DECEMBER)

35

6

24

ISSUES

EDITORS

38

37 32

34

34

33

29

30 20

1910-20s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

ISSUES PER DECADE

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1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

EDITOR OF DISTINCTION

RICHARD J. YOUNG, MIAMI ’25 FORMER LAUREL EDITOR AND GRAND SECRETARY In the earliest editions of The Laurel, the name Richard J. Young appears frequently.

Richard Young, Miami ’25, solidified himself in Phi Tau history by creating two records he still holds – the longest-standing editor of The Laurel and as the longest-standing Grand Secretary.

Young came to his role as editor shortly after his graduation from Miami University.

He had a background in journalism, serving the Miami student paper as a writer and editor, sports editor of the Miami yearbook, and contributor to his hometown’s newspaper, the Portsmouth Daily Times. Prior to Young, the editor of The Laurel had worked part-time out of their home. He was the first to transition this role into a full-time staff position.

Between 1936-1942 Young produced 24 editions. In the November 1942 issue, he pens a letter to readers announcing that he is resigning the post to join the Navy.

Fortunately, Young would return from Europe and resume his position. From November 1945-1955 he held the role and produce a total of 53 issues.

In addition to his work as editor, Young served as Grand Secretary (what we now call the CEO), a position he began in 1929 and held until he retired in 1961. He was only the second person to hold this role.

He was an original member and President of the Fraternity Executives Association from 1940-1941, and a President of the College Fraternity Editors Association (now the Fraternity Communications Association) in 1955-1956.

Richard Young entered chapter eternal in 1984 and was admitted to the Phi Tau Hall of Fame in 2006 at the centennial.

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

A LOOK BACK THROUGH THE LAUREL The following photos are a selection of the best pictures printed over the past century.

To find your chapter in the full digital archives, visit phikappatau.org/laurel.

Clockwise from top left: William H. Shideler submitted this photo of himself in Agra, India, as part of his travel journals in the late 30s (1939 January). An event that continues to this day, this photo is one of Gamma’s earliest pumpkin sales (1968 March). This brother posed with Reagan after presenting the Boy Scouts of America report in the Oval Office (1988 Spring). Members of Alpha at Miami University welcome Founder Taylor Borradaile for a visit (1968 Spring). These brothers throw their backs into the rope pull at Miami Greek Week (1997 Winter). A Syracuse chapter brother pauses for a photo (1935 July).

Opposite page: This cover featured a closeup of Paul Newman, shortly after it was confirmed he was a Phi Tau (1974 Fall).

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

Clockwise from right: “Nu Frontiers” features Leroy Chiao, an alumnus from Nu at Berkely, on his first mission into space (1990 Spring). These brothers at West Virginia Tech celebrate after winning Greek Week (1987 Summer). Two Phi Taus from different chapters (Georgetown and Louisville) serve a year-long deployment to the Balkans together (2010 Fall). At an early version of Regional Conferences, brothers from six schools meet at Kansas State (1967 Spring). A group photo of the 25th Golden Jubilee celebration in Philadelphia (1931 July). These men burn the Muhlenberg house mortgage to celebrate paying off the loan (1938 November). A sign for Cal State-Long Beach’s winter recruitment (1969 Spring). Lambda at Purdue shows dedication to their “Old West” theme (1962 December). An early ad for the Phi Tau store, brothers pose in various gear available to purchase (1986 Spring). These three men graduated Kelly Field in 1939, just before the US entered WWII (1939 April).

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

LILLY STEGER

“TO RESOLUTELY ADVANCE THEIR BELOVED FRATERNITY; TO EMULATE THEIR INDOMITABLE SPIRIT” - HARRY TAYLOR, NEBRASKA WESLEYAN ‘23

I

n anticipation of Phi Kappa Tau’s centennial in 2006, Bill Jenkins,

Bowling Green ’57, published a series of excellent essays in The Laurel leading up to the historic moment. This endeavor took him three years, beginning with the

The Early Years The Laurel did not begin as “The Laurel.”

It originated as Sidelights and ran for just over eight years, until the 1919 National Convention when it was decided Phi Tau needed a standardized publication for members to follow the Fraternity’s growth and stay connected.

Spring 2003 edition and ending with Spring 2006, just before the celebration in July. He does this work with diligence and consistency, dubbing each decade their own moniker such as “The Growth Years” or “The Rollercoaster Years.”

In an effort to advance the spirit of historical continuity and celebrate The Laurel’s centennial, this feature was planned with a similar goal in mind. Go through The Laurel’s archives decade-by-decade and watch how the magazine tackles the happiest and hardest parts of the past century.

This is the result.

NOVEMBER 1919 THE FIRST EDITION OF THE LAUREL IS PRINTED.

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I f you are interested in reading more about the transition from Sidelights to The Laurel, see Charlie Ball’s essay on pg. 8.

From that, The Laurel was born.

The earliest years of The Laurel tell the story of an organization trying to get on its feet. The thick, wordy first decade of issues average a staggering 88-pages each, making them closer to an almanac than a magazine. Great care is taken to sell National Convention; from glitzy hotel ads and detailed event programs to train schedules running to and from the host city, it’s clear the earliest editors placed getting members to Convention as a top priority.

Expansion also warrants a lot of coverage in the first two decades. Nearly all of the single letter chapters receive a multipage spread on their chartering. If applicable, these articles would include details on the local fraternity that became Phi Tau, campus information, and descriptions of

JANUARY 1920 PROHIBITION BEGINS

individuals involved in the expansion process. The first of many installation articles to be written and published is Iota chapter at Coe College, published in the second edition of The Laurel, January 1920 (see right).

In this period, The Laurel begins to develop a skeleton layout. “Editorials,” become a reoccurring feature, a place where members can submit their own writing. “Phi Tau Photos” (changed a few years later to “Phi Tau Pictorials,” which stuck), emerges as a popular feature that frequently takes up a quarter of the magazine. These member-submitted photos show brothers at their chapter house, playing sports on campus, celebrating professional successes, and traveling. The first photograph on a cover occurs in the February 1927 issue, a black and white picture of Miami University’s Ogden Hall (see cover).

On a superficial level the 30s do not appear to be as affected by the Great Depression as would be expected. However, things are frequently not what they appear and in Jenkins’ Winter 2004 essay, he reveals that the effects of the Great Depression were felt heavily on the operational side of the Fraternity. College enrollment dropped, houses could not be paid for, and members struggled to pay dues. From

SEPTEMBER 1921 THE FIRST “CONVENTION” ISSUE IS PUBLISHED, A DAY-BY-DAY RECAP OF THE 11TH NATIONAL CONVENTION IN COLUMBUS

FEBRUARY 1927 THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH IS PRINTED ON A COVER, A BLACK AND WHITE PICTURE OF MIAMI UNIVERSITY’S OGDEN HALL

1930-1937, not a single new chapter was opened. But in The Laurel, operations continue as normal. Chapter reports are published, members are profiled, National Convention is covered, and successes at large are celebrated. Whether deliberate or unintentional, by not writing about the Great Depression, The Laurel continued to be a source of celebration and accomplishment through the worst economic turmoil the United States has ever fared.

Omission of current events within The Laurel is the standard throughout its first 20-odd years. This changes in the November 1939 edition when the headline “War Over Europe” plastered over the front page fundamentally alters the way The Laurel relates to our membership.

By documenting the heroics of members who served, this magazine created a connection between those at home to their brothers abroad and provided a source of morale for those who served in very dark times.

From the January 1936 “Phi Tau Pictorial

OCTOBER 1929 THE STOCK MARKET CRASHES, TRIGGERING THE START OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION

JANUARY 1932 THE FIRST EXECUTIVE OFFICES IN OXFORD ARE UNVEILED

APRIL 1936 THE LONGEST LAUREL OF ALL TIME IS PUBLISHED, A 196PAGE MEMBER DIRECTORY

SPRING 1939 THE FIRST FEATURE ON A SHIDELER AWARD WINNER, WILLIAM E. CROMER OF MIAMI UNIVERSITY IS PUBLISHED

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

As the United States grew closer to the conflict, wartime articles surpass features on recruitment or scholarship. By the time the United States officially entered the war in December of 1941, The Laurel was already deeply absorbed in reporting updates of enlisted members.

T he prayer “In Times of War” is printed on the inside cover of the first Laurel published after the United States entered World War II (see above).

A harrowing inclusion of these issues, the feature “With the Colors” lists all members active in the military. When it first appears in the November 1941 issue

DECEMBER 1941 PEARL HARBOR IS ATTACKED, TRIGGERING THE UNITED STATES ENTRY INTO WORLD WAR II.

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it was just four pages. By February of 1944, it was 21 pages long.

In the August 1942 edition it’s announced that National Convention will be postponed indefinitely. In the November edition of that same year, editor Richard Young writes to readers that he is resigning to enlist in the Navy.

He is replaced by William Smiley, who produces eight issues until Young returns in November 1945.

Members send in updates about themselves or their brothers. Many of these men gave their lives experiencing the worst the war had to offer. Robert Meder, Miami ’36, was captured after the Doolittle Raid, an early bombing of

AUGUST 1943 THE FIRST OF THE TWO SHORTEST LAURELS OF ALL TIME IS PUBLISHED; AN APPEAL FOR BROTHERS TO GIVE TO THE WAR EMERGENCY FUND

the Japanese mainland. Several editions follow the ongoing saga of his missing persons status, until the February 1946 issue reports he was killed in a Japanese camp. Robert Hermann, Ohio State ‘38, was captured by Nazis and taken as a POW in Germany. Three weeks before his capture, he was awarded a medal for bringing down a German plane. He too was killed (May 1943). Robert Faulkner, Miami ’40, used mud as camouflage while Nazis hunted him on foot after his plane was shot down over Munich. It took him 22 days to walk back to his base in Italy, surviving on nothing but rats and cats.

He’s quoted in the November 1944 issue saying, “I’ve learned that even if you’ve marched for 24 hours without food and water, you can march another 24 when it’s necessary.”

Many of the stories in this period read like these headlines from the February 1945 edition:

JUNE 1944 ALLIED TROOPS STORM THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY.

SEPTEMBER 1945 JAPAN SURRENDERS AND THE WAR COMES TO AN END. 2,324 PHI TAUS SERVED AND 151 GAVE THEIR LIVES.

The two shortest issues of The Laurel are produced during this period. August of 1944 and 1945 are just six pages cover to cover, a simple plea for Brothers to contribute to the War Emergency Fund.

The second of these editions includes the following sentiment: “You want a ‘newsy’ Laurel? That’s understandable! We’d so much rather have this issue a large-size magazine filled with news – GOOD NEWS – about Phi Taus everywhere!”

This wish was soon fulfilled. The following issue bears the headline “BACK TO NORMAL” and the return of Richard J. Young as editor.

Young would go on to be the longest running editor in The Laurel’s history, serving a total of 18 years in the role and producing 53 issues.

DECEMBER 1950 CLINTON D. BOYD DIES, THE LAUREL PUBLISHES A FEATURE HONORING HIM

All in all, 2,324 Phi Taus served in World War II. 151 gave their lives.

In Jenkins’ essay on the 1940s he documents the first National Convention following the war, 1947 at Lake Warsee, Indiana. At that Convention they held a memorial service to honor the men who had died, reading all 151 names into the minutes. During the ceremony, National President Harry Taylor, Nebraska Wesleyan ’23, said, “It is for us who live to bear their torch, to resolutely advance their beloved Fraternity, and to emulate their indomitable spirit.”

According to Jenkins’ essay, there was not a dry eye in the house.

However, soon there would be much to celebrate. At that same National Convention, Roland Maxwell, Southern California ’22, set a goal of chartering 25 new chapters by the 1956 Golden Jubilee. Phi Tau would readily meet this goal. By the following school year (1948-1949), all but six chapters

MARCH 1959 WILLIAM SHIDELER DIES AND A LAUREL IS PUBLISHED IN HIS HONOR

DECEMBER 1959 THE LAUREL CELEBRATES ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE

that closed during the war reopened and 12 new campuses were colonized. The “Boom Years” were about to begin.

Slowly but surely, like the rest of the world, Phi Tau healed from the war.

The Middle Years The Laurel through the 1950s and early 60s is a reflection of a unique period of celebration, growth, recovery, and fear.

The pervasive anxiety of the Cold War and the culture wars to come lingers between the lines, evident with the inclusion of articles like “Communism and the College Student,” an essay written by J. Edgar Hoover and published in the September 1955 edition and the March 1957 “Campus Gods” by National Chaplin Reverend Charles D. Spotts, Franklin & Marshall ’21, an editorial urging students to be wary of the evils of caffeine, staying up late, and posters of pinup-girls.

Through that, the excitement of the era shines through. The return of sports, intramurals, and homecoming events to The Laurel are a breath of fresh air compared to the haunting news of the previous decade. Scholarship reports become a common feature, as does an emphasis on award winners, and new chapter installations are announced in nearly every issue.

As a magazine, The Laurel makes strides towards modernization. The first full color photograph on the cover is printed on the 1962 December edition of the Beta Kappa house at Oklahoma State.

MARCH 1961 ROLAND MAXWELL BECOMES PRESIDENT OF THE NIC

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

As the 60s transition into the 70s, the “Rollercoaster Decade” begins, as Jenkins puts it. Because of the economic recession and lowered enrollment due to Vietnam, Phi Tau was struggling financially. In the Winter 2005 edition, Jenkins shares that many of the issues published during this period were paid for on credit from our long-term printing partners, as there was no money in the budget to spare on The Laurel. Even if Jenkins hadn’t revealed this, it would be clear something was amiss. Averaging just 16 pages, the 1970s editions are significantly shorter than previous decades and some are a mere eight pages. The paper is thinner, the covers return to black and white, and seven editions are printed as a newspaper rather than a magazine.

Phi Tau and The Laurel would pull through. The Summer 1972 edition confirms that actor Paul Newman

D ECEMBER 1962 THE FIRST COLOR PHOTOGRAPH IS PRINTED ON THE COVER, OF THE OKLAHOMA STATE CHAPTER HOUSE.

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indeed joined Phi Tau when he was in school. This would spark a reconnection between Paul Newman and Phi Tau that led to our partnership with SeriousFun. Bill Jenkins acted as editor for a brief stint and, in 1976, appointed the first female editor of The Laurel.

Camille Cestone acted as his assistant

for seven issues and then piloted five of her own.

Cestone marks the transition to the “modern” era of The Laurel. She is followed by John Meyerhoff, Colgate ’61, who championed most of the 80s, then Scott H. Kunau, a non-member, who tackled 87-90. Then the Elizabeth Smart Runyon years began.

MARCH 1964 US TROOPS DEPLOY TO VIETNAM

JANUARY 1965 GREEN BAY BEATS KANSAS CITY IN SUPERBOWL I

The Modern Years Runyon championed The Laurel at the dawn of the internet boom, a time when paper communications were in a precarious spot. Suddenly, The Laurel’s role as a means to deliver news and updates was replaced by the instant – and cost effective – accessibility of emails, websites, and, later, social media. We can consider ourselves lucky that the 90s Laurel team continued to prioritize printing The Laurel, rather than opting entirely for digital options; it’s published consistently throughout this decade and into the 2000s.

But because of the streamlined process of getting everyday news to readers, The Laurel now had the opportunity to explore different areas of member interest.

Professional development becomes a priority and, paired with the increased accessibility of technology, make for features such as, “Dads Who Diaper,” “Tech in Fraternities,” and “Faster than a Speeding Email.” There are articles on email etiquette, how to build a resume on a computer, and how to navigate the “new” Phi Tau website. These articles are a timestamp to the period that was paradoxically enamored with cyberspace and scared of the changes it was bringing.

The articles in the late 1990s and early 2000s are also marked by a clear shift to focus on cultural issues affecting college students. Mental health, responsible alcohol use, and other health initiatives all made editorial appearances. The idea of toxic masculinity emerges, how to combat harmful gender stereotypes, and how to hold chapter brothers to

Runyon is the second longest running editor of The Laurel.

Between 1991-1999 she spearheaded 29 issues, recognizable by a their distinctly “90s” graphic design, and was instrumental in transitioning The Laurel to the age of the internet.

JULY 1969 NEIL ARMSTRONG BECOMES THE FIRST MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON

SUMMER 1972 PAUL NEWMAN IS CONFIRMED A PHI TAU

MARCH 1973 US TROOPS ARE PULLED FROM VIETNAM

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

a higher standard of accountability.

The Spring 1992 edition, “Some Call It Sexism” reads: The climate on college campuses across the nation has been changing the past several years. Faculties and administrations have become more committed to educating their students about the value of human dignity, and less tolerant of those individuals or organizations who violate such.

On campuses, energies are being focused on creating environments free of hate and harassment and focusing on sensitivity and support for all students.

Prioritizing these values is a trend that continues in Greek life today.

After becoming our national philanthropy in 1995, SeriousFun rises to prominence in The Laurel. The Winter 2000 edition is dedicated entirely to the newfound relationship between Phi Tau and SeriousFun, and what brothers give and gain from the organization. In 2008 when Paul Newman died, an issue

is published honoring his legacy.

SeriousFun continues to be featured heavily in The Laurel.

Leadership Academy, Regional Conferences, and Conventions are highlighted more than ever before.

A focus is renewed on scholarships and award winners. The Fall 2004 issue profiles Leroy Chiao, CaliforniaBerkeley ’79, the first Phi Tau in space, as he departed for a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station as Commander.

From 20032006 Bill Jenkins publishes the essays I have been referencing, cumulating in the centennial issue: “To the Next 100 Years.”

In it, he pens a letter dedicated to the four Founding Fathers; his relationships with them, their goals and vision for the Fraternity, and how we have lived up to it. One of the lines he writes: For sure, those four men and their colleagues were not myths! They were flesh and blood.

Above all else, they were students.

Phi Tau was now 100 years old and The Laurel 87.

“You’ve Got,” the feature article of the Winter 1999 issue, focuses on how alumni and undergraduates utilize email in their daily lives.

SEPTEMBER 1977 TAYLOR A. BORRADAILE DIES, A LAUREL IS PUBLISHED MEMORIALIZING HIM

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JANUARY 1986 THE CHALLENGER EXPLODES

SPRING 1990 LEROY CHIAO IS PROFILED AS THE FIRST PHI TAU TO ENTER SPACE

NOVEMBER 1996 FIRST MENTION OF HOLE IN THE WALL GANG, A SERIOUSFUN CAMP

SEPTEMBER 2001 FOUR PLANES ARE HIJACKED, LEADING TO THE DEATH OF 2,977 PEOPLE

SPRING 2003 REFLECTIONS ON PHI TAU’S CENTENNIAL BEGIN

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

Top to borrom: Brothers help at a SeriousFun camp (Winter 2000); Brothers do service work during a Regional Conference break (Summer 2011)

On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, The Laurel followed a handful of members who were generous enough to share their stories of a day still fresh in our collective memory as they experienced it in Manhattan and Washington.

In 2017, after a year-long re-design process, the newest layout of The Laurel was unveiled. Layouts, reoccurring features, and graphic design elements brought it

to true modernity as a magazine whose content guaranteed space for alumni, undergraduates, chapters, and features.

It is the first time in Laurel history the magazine has had a format so diligently designed and maintained. This is the magazine you hold.

This final transition into the magazine we recognize today brings us the celebration of 100 years The Laurel.

We are fortunate to have at our disposal access to a magazine that not only provides 100 years of detailed Phi Tau history, but documents a century of American history as it

weaves through the decades. Through The Laurel we are able to see the forces affecting Phi Tau members and how they reacted and responded to it.

FEBRUARY 2004 FACEBOOK IS INVENTED, ORIGINALLY OPEN ONLY TO HARVARD STUDENTS

SPRING 2006 THE CENTENNIAL ISSUE, “TO THE NEXT 100 YEARS”

APRIL 2007 THE VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTING LEAVES 32 PEOPLE DEAD

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F ALL 2007 SCOTT CHEATHMAN IS PROFILED, THE PHI TAU WHO ORGANIZED THE VIRGINIA TECH MEMORIAL VIGIL

SEPTEMBER 2008 PAUL NEWMAN ENTERS CHAPTER ETERNAL

FALL 2008 “REMEMBERING PAUL NEWMAN,” THE SPECIAL EDITION COMMEMORATING THE ACTOR’S LIFE IS PUBLISHED

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LAUREL CENTENNIAL

The Laurel’s purpose is to be a platform for Phi Tau stories, a goal that has been well maintained over 100 years.

It is a vessel for the stories, successes, and concerns of the era in which it is produced. The Laurel has united members in different states and countries into one publication to celebrate their brotherhood. The longevity of this magazine is due, in part, to the continued prioritization of celebrating friendship throughout a century’s worth of events. By allowing readers to see beyond the scope of their own chapter, campus, or city, The Laurel fosters pride building in a way that runs deep to the identity of this organization. For a century, past editors have artfully created a connection and a shared sense of identity between brothers who have never met.

The Laurel has had the honor of celebrating men who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, dedicated their lives to philanthropy, and advanced the world through their commitment to the arts, science, and public service. All of these men were, as Jenkins wrote, “Not myths! They were flesh and blood. Above all else, they were students.” All of the men The Laurel has featured who have accomplished, persevered, fought, and triumphed throughout the past 100 years began the same way all

WINTER 2011 “REMEMBERING 9/11” THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE OF THE TERRORIST ATTACK, COVERING VARIOUS PHI TAUS WHO WERE IMPACTED THAT DAY

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members do – as students. It is The Laurel’s job to celebrate them, to continue their legacy and to, as Harry Taylor said, “ Resolutely advance beloved Fraternity, and to emulate their indomitable spirit.”

APRIL 2017 PHI KAPPA TAU COMPLETES NEWEST REBRAND

Top to bottom: From the Fall 2008 edition celebrating Paul Newman’s legacy; the Fall 2015 issue marks 20 years of partnership with SeriousFun

LAURELS

LAURELS

~ JOHN N. WILLIAMS, TRANSYLVANIA ’71, John Williams has been named interim president of Transylvania University, a private university in Lexington, KY. John serves on the school’s Board of Trustees and recently completed a nineyear term as Dean of the Indiana University School of Density before accepting this position.

[1960] John Green, Nebraska Wesleyan, John Green has been awarded the North American Interfraternity Conference’s Silver Meal. This award recognizes exemplary service or leadership in a role or task that has advanced the fraternal movement. John has served Phi Tau on many levels, including a term as National President, a decade as Executive Director of the Fraternity, and finally Executive Director

of the Foundation, a position from which he retired in 2007.

[1966] Tom Wilson, Kansas, Tom has accepted a position with tech company Appian as Industry Lead for the gas and oil industry.

Tom’s knowledge of the industry aids Appian in supporting sales and go-to market strategy in the energy sector. Tom served as a Field Secretary for Phi Tau from 1969-1971.

[1967] Spencer Bachus, Auburn, Spencer has been appointed to the Board of US Import Export Bank, a presidential appointment confirmed by the US Senate. Spencer, a former Alabama Congressman, will serve this position for four years.

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LAURELS

[1987] Don Stansberry, Ohio, Don was honored in June with the NASPA III AVP/Senior Level Student Affairs Professional Award. This award honors a student affairs professional at the senior level who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to the profession, including development of programs that address the needs of students, creation of a campus environment that promotes student leaning and development, and support of active engagement in NASPA. Following this award Don was named interim Vice President of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services at Old Dominion University.

~ JOHN SIERP, DELAWARE ’91, Lt. Sierp, a 15-year member of the FDNY who currently serves in Tribeca, was featured in the New York Post for his restaurant Home Base Bistro, a pubgrub joint or “kicked up” bar food, as he describes it. John, the co-owner and Head Chef, has competed twice on the cooking show “Chopped,” where he took home second each time. He has also appeared on the “Rachel Ray Show.” John never went to culinary school, instead he learned to cook from his Italian mom and grandma and honed his skills working as House Chef at the Alpha Gamma chapter house.

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[1967] Lou Gabbard, Miami, Lou was inducted into the Kettering, OH, Chester Roush Hall of Fame in May for individuals who have distinguished themselves in the Kettering education system.

[1980] Mike Berry, Georgetown, Mike, who has held his role as President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival for 33 years has retired from the position where he managed overall operation and financial direction of the group. The Derby Festival is a non-profit that has brought the Louisville community together since 1956. It is the single largest attended event in Kentucky.

[1988] David Klass, Wright State, David has been named Daytonian of the week for his beer import business and work in local real estate development. David works closely with Dayton’s sister city, Ausburg, to import Riegele, beer from Germany’s most awarded brewery. He also began importing La Parisienne, a craft beer from Paris. Recently he has been able to mix his passion for craft beers with his real estate business after developing Lock 27 Brewing, a craft brewery in downtown Dayton.

[2007] Jacob Raderer, Centre, Jacob recently began a new position at Heaven Hill Brands as the Learning and Development Manager.

ROBERTO MENENDEZ, FLORIDA STATE ’11, Roberto graduated from Florida International University with his MBA in Business Administration and Management. ~

[1998] Greg Shanks, Eastern Kentucky, Greg has been appointed Task Force Chair for the Emergency Management Assistant Company (EMAC). EMAC facilitates emergency management and resource sharing during national disasters across the United States.

[2011] David Long, Old Dominion, David is expecting his first child with wife Jasmine this November.

[2003] Brooks McElyea, Tennessee, Brooks made partner at EY, a business advisory and leadership development firm.

[2004] JJ Lewis, Central Michigan, JJ has been named by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal to the Valley 200 for his work with Compass Charter Schools. J.J. has worked as Compass’s Superintendent for four years.

[2006] Michael Kowalski, Case Western Reserve, Michael received two Forbes 5-Star plaques on behalf of the Wheatleigh, a 5 Star hotel in the Berkshires, and it’s primer restaurant, The Portico, as a part of the Forbes Luxury Travel Guide event at the Beverly Hilton.

Nick Popejoy, Old Dominion, Nick, a former staff member, married his fiancée Lizzie in August. Among his groomsmen were four Gamma Tau chapter brothers.

[2016] Patrick Dunkin, Ohio State, Patrick has been admitted to medical school at the University of Buffalo. Patrick graduated from Ohio State with a degree in Biomedical Engineering last spring.

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CHAPTER ETERNAL

CHAPTER ETERNAL The following members were reported deceased to the Executive offices between July 30, 2019 and November 11, 2019.

SYRACUSE Thomas Christoff, ’39

AUBURN George Sarinopoulos, ’51

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS Raymond Thomeczek, ’60

MICHIGAN TECH Peter Tropper, ’81

LAFAYETTE Norbert F. Smith, ’59

FLORIDA STATE Gary Roberts, ’65

ST. JOHN’S Timothy Dowd, ’61

OHIO Cooper Snyder, ’47 Budd Werner, ’51 David Koethe, ’54

NEBRASKA WESELYAN Robert Noyes, ’47 Mike McMurtry, ’61 William Cascini, ’68 Sam Seever, ’64 Tom Patterson, ’83

GEORGIA TECH Jess Boulware, ’49

OKLAHOMA STATE Mac McKinley, ’51

EAST CAROLINA Charles Turlington, ’90

OHIO STATE Philip Moseley, ’46

BETHANY Bob Goin, ’56

CORNELL Roland Lieber, ’58

KENT STATE Alek Vare, ’58

WESTERN MICHIGAN John McNab, ’62

ILLINOIS John Herrin, ’42 Donald Thompson, ’55

COLORADO Bradford Pretti, ’49 Frederick Andrew, ’57

BALDWIN WALLACE Gerald Dickerson, ’51

GEORGIA Clarence Canada, ’55 Joel Canada, ’58 John Dixon, ’74

MUSKINGUM Stephen Brown, ’75

PURDUE Richard Emig, ’57

DELAWARE Charlie Lebegern, Jr, ’49 Don Conaway, ’59

MIAMI Edward Jones, ’47 William Corkins, ’57 Ben Williamson, ’95

LAWRENCE John Fischer, ’62 FRANKLIN & MARSHALL Clayton Moyer, Jr., ’44 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Robert Bromley, ’53

FLORIDA Gordon Dykes, ’47 Louis Gaby, ’49 Peter Irons, ’56 Jim Rawn, ’67 WILLIAM & MARY Gordon Vliet, ’53

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LOUISVILLE Winton Vernon, ’16 James Eckert, ’49 James Green, ’51 Daniel Mooney, ’51 Bill Bodine ’56 Carl Case, ’58 Chuck Robinson, ’60 NEW MEXICO Norman Thayer, ’51 Stanley Magill, ’48

MARYLAND Edwin Chenowith, ’51 UCLA Raymond Marbach, ’49 BOWLING GREEN Fred Fether, ’51 Richard Short, ’52 WESTMINSTER Ralph Scott, ’53

BOSTON Brian Weber, ’18

WHY I GIVE

The Laurel’s long term printers in Athens, Ohio, December 1959

LILLY STEGER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Foundation

I

feel very lucky to be able to tell the story of Phi Tau. I came to this organization with no experience in the Greek community and a great deal of uncertainty on how I would be treated not only as an outsider to Greek life as a whole, but a woman telling the story of an all-men’s organization. What I have found are men who are not only receptive and respectful, but men who are committed to investing in the future, in helping to develop good men into great men.

The Laurel is the most optimized vehicle to tell Phi Tau stories and has been now for a century. While I am not a member of this organization, I am deeply supportive of Phi Kappa Tau’s work developing men of character into Men of Distinction.

I am lucky enough to be surrounded every day by men who are

thoughtful, considerate, and who take their mission of creating a better future seriously. Phi Taus create waves of change across their campus, community, and country. They serve in leadership roles at every level imaginable – from small campus organizations and nonprofits to multinational corporations and government bodies, a Phi Tau has made their mark.

Unrestricted donations to the Foundation gives the communication department the resources to continue telling stories of exemplary men year after year. I am honored to be in a role where I can share stories of outstanding undergraduates and exemplarily alumni every day, which is why I gladly support the Phi Tau Foundation.

With a little help, we can continue to tell these stories for 100 more years.

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SIDELIGHTS

SIDELIGHTS Phi Kappa Tau 2020: Focusing Our Vision is Phi Kappa Tau’s strategic plan.

Created by the National Council and Executive Offices staff, the plan was ratified in 2016 by the 62nd National Convention in Sacramento, Calif. The plan focuses the organization on five strategic imperatives.

GOVERNANCE RECRUITMENT/RETENTION EDUCATION LEADERSHIP SERVICE Giving back to Phi Kappa Tau is one of the finest traditions of our Fraternity. With strong strategic plans in place for both the Fraternity and Foundation, it is an exciting time to be a Phi Tau. Support the mission, vision and strategic direction of our Fraternity by donating today. You will be glad you did!

phikappatau.org/give

LEADERSHIP MESSAGE

NO SMALL FEAT

B

rothers, 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 some of the best our magazine has offered 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.

In conclusion of this special issue, I have one parting request for you. I ask you to tell us a story about you and your brothers – how have you found unique ways to connect?

Do you have an annual golf or camping trip? Tell us about how you found a job through a brother, tell us how a brother introduced you to your spouse, how your brothers have been uncles or godparents to your children. I’m involved in ski trips, golf weekends, and fantasy football leagues with brothers from my home chapter, national coworkers, and volunteers. But I don’t want to tell my story – I want other people to tell theirs.

Think about The Laurel as the fire pit that we gather around to tell old stories and create new ones. The Laurel is a collection of all of your Phi Tau experiences and moments in time. This is your magazine. Let us tell your story.

Cheers to 100 more years!

[34] THE LAUREL || DECEMBER 2019

WM. TIM HUDSON CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Above: Tim in his first Laurel appearance, Spring 2001

DIRECTORY NATIONAL PRESIDENT Bill Brasch Louisville ’67 bbrasch@phikappatau.org

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Dale Holland Kent State ’87 dholland@phikappatau.org FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN Wes Fugate Centre ’99 wfugate@phikappatau.org

PRESIDENTS ACADEMY & VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE Fort Worth, Texas [January 3-5] REGIONAL CONFERENCES 2020 Pacific Northwest University of Idaho [January 25] Capital North Carolina State University [February 1] Red River University of Kansas [February 1]

West Coast University of Southern California [February 8] Leaders Flying Horse Farms [February 8] Bluegrass Eastern Kentucky University [February 15] Southeast University of Alabama [February 15] Heartland University of Wisconsin [February 22]

New England Penn State [February 22] 64th National Convention Fort Worth, Texas [July 15-19]

If your chapter is hosting an anniversary celebration, alumni event, or other major event, submit the event to communications@phikappatau.org for publication in The Laurel or on social media.

FOUNDATION VICE CHAIRMAN Buzz Green Ole Miss ’66 bgreen@phikappatau.org CEO Tim Hudson Truman State ’97 thudson@phikappatau.org COO Travis Robinson Eastern Kentucky ’98 trobinson@phikappatau.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lilly Steger lsteger@phikappatau.org

Additional contact information for the Executive Office staff, Fraternity National Council, Foundation Board of Trustees, National Advisors, Domain Directors, and Educational Deans can be found at phikappatau.org/contact.

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PHI KAPPA TAU FOUNDATION Ewing T. Boles Executive Offices 5221 Morning Sun Road Oxford, OH 45056 Change Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID OXFORD, OH PERMIT # 13

START A REOCCURRING MONTHLY DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND FURTHER THE FRATERNITY’S MISSION. YOUR GIFT CAN MAKE 12X THE IMPACT.

Phi Kappa Tau, by admitting me to membership, has conferred upon me a mark of distinction in which I take just pride. I believe in VISIT PHIKAPPATAU.ORG/GIVE TOtoFIND the spirit of brotherhood for which it stands. I shall strive attain its ideals, and by so doing to bring to it honor and credit. I shall be loyal to myMORE. college and my chapter and shall keep strong my ties to them that I may ever retain the spirit of youth. I shall be a OUT good and loyal citizen. I shall try always to discharge the obligation to others which arises from the fact that I am a fraternity man.

Phi Kappa Tau, by admitting me to membership, has conferred upon me a mark of distinction in which I take just pride. I believe in the spirit of brotherhood for which it stands. I shall strive to attain its ideals, and by so doing to bring to it honor and credit. I shall