The Laurel - Winter 2022 "Harvard Red Edition"

The Harvard Red Edition of the Laurel is a step away from our traditionally themed issues, taking an exciting and inclusive approach to storytelling. This issue will focus on all facets of Phi Tau, from expansion to long standing chapter excellence; emerging undergraduate leaders to Hall of Fame members; personal wellness to country-wide political topics. Bridging the gap between these worlds is the essence of the Phi Kappa Tau experience and helps to build the Men of Distinction so prevalent throughout this issue and our organization.

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 con- ferred upon me a mark of distinction in which I take just pride. I believe in the spirit of broth - erhood

STUDENT DEBT RELIEF

For years now the issue of student debt relief has made headlines and been a talking point throughout our country. We dive into all sides of debt relief and how it impacts our brothers as they journey through life and education.

FEATURES

6 FIVE MINUTES WITH...

Regarded as one of the great broadcast journalist and food critics, Bob Lape, Kent State ’52, graces us with stories from his life and career in this exciting edition of Five Minutes With.

19 GROWTH

As we strive to grow and expand our organization, with the goal of sharing the mission and benefits of Phi Tau with more men around the country, this piece sheds light on some of the recent successes of expansion.

20 ANNIVERSARY PLANNING

Phi Kappa Tau has seen a slew of chapter anniversaries across the country. Pulling from some of the best at planning these celebrations, we investigate all that goes into planning a successful anniversary.

23 WELLNESS

A brand-new feature that focuses on health and wellness tips tailored to undergraduate members, but applicable to people of all ages.

Cover: The cover of this edition of the Laurel features brothers from the Delta Kappa Chapter at Tennessee; Beta Mu at Kent State; Alpha Psi at Texas El-Paso; Alpha Kappa at Washington State; Epsilon at Mount Union; Delta Theta at Georgetown College; and Beta Beta at Louisville.

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

SIDELIGHTS

Sidelights is the official newsletter of the Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity and Foundation. Releasing on the 15th of each month, Sidelights is a compilation of stories and updates for Phi Kappa Tau alumni and undergraduates to gain some insight into the ongoings of the Fraternity and Foundation.

If you are not receiving Sidelights and would like to sign up, visit phikappatau.org/update-info to be added to the mailing list.

EMBRACING CHANGE AND MOVING UPWARD

Brothers of Phi Kappa Tau,

As many of you read this, we will be in the midst of a new year. 2022 was a year of change and growth for our brotherhood, and we’ve come a long way in progressing our mission. Looking ahead at the year to come, there’s still much work to be done. I have no doubt that under the guidance of our National Leadership and Executive Office Staff, and through the hard work of our countless volunteers and undergraduate members across the country, we will continue on the path to fulfilling our

Strategic Plan goals by 2025. Our fraternity is comprised of great men, and through you, my fellow brothers, I believe that we can achieve even greater heights in the years to come.

It’s my honor to introduce this issue that features many Men of Distinction. From the all the Cardinals at our Beta Beta Chapter to the men from a century ago, who bleed Harvard Red the same as you and I. Much like our brotherhood this issue covers all walks of life; journeying from the lives of our undergraduate members through centennial celebrations. It celebrates distinguished careers, analyzes nationwide issues, and encourages us to strive for better.

That is exactly what we will continue to do. Building upon the foundation of the great men who came before us, our brotherhood will take on this new year with a common goal in mind. Please join me this summer as we come together at the 65th National Convention in Las Vegas, we can rejoice in our growth and progress, and celebrate in a matter befitting the occasion. I look forward to continuing on this journey with you, my brothers.

Remember, Phi Tau first, brotherhood always.

DALE

WHERE DO WE STAND?

Are you curious about how we are progressing through the Phi Kappa Tau Strategic Plan? Through this plan we aim to provide clarity of the Fraternity’s goals, give more members a role in shaping our collective future, and set Phi Kappa Tau out on a path to greatness and leadership.

The four main objectives of the Strategic Plan are to:

• Accelerate growth of undergraduate membership

• Provide differentiated value of membership through personal and professional growth, and engagement

• Facilitate strong, lifelong ties of brotherhood

• Establish a best-in-industry operational and financial model

You can follow along as we navigate these objectives at phikappatau.org/strategicplan. There we provide zoom-ins for each pillar and breakdown of our first quarter under this new direction.

THE LAUREL OF PHI KAPPA TAU

WINTER 2022 VOL. 108 ISSUE 3

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dalton Lee, Baldwin Wallace ’11

COPY EDITOR

Logan Lukacs, Baldwin Wallace ’10

CONTRIBUTORS

Dale Holland, USAF (Ret.), Kent State ’87

Robert Lape, Kent State ’52 Jon Hays, Old Dominion ’07

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. Spring 2023; Fall 2023

ADDRESS CHANGES

Visit phikappatau.org/update-info 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.

Men from the Zeta Omicron Chapter at Arizona State

BETA BETA CHAPTER

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE

The story of the Beta Beta chapter at the University of Louisville is one of dedicated and hardworking men. Since its inception, generations of men have joined the Beta Beta chapter of Phi Kappa Tau and took upon themselves the words of founder, Morton Walker, Kentucky ’30 : “Without work, there is no real success.”

Founded in the Spring of 1947, Beta Beta was the first new chapter established following the end of World War II. The newly appointed Dean of Students at Louisville and Phi Tau National Councilor, Morton Walker, fulfilled a lifelong goal of founding a new chapter of our fraternity. Walker utilized his former position as an educator at a nearby high school and his current position to develop a list of men and student leaders to gather in a meeting. There he offered them a chance to enter on this journey with him; twenty-seven men accepted, and three faculty members signed on as advisors. Since this first group of men, the motto of the Beta Beta chapter has been passed down and instilled into each member that joins.

A couple decades later another distinguished brother and leader of men, Bill Brasch, PE, Louisville ’67, made it his personal mission to carry on the greatness of the Beta Beta chapter. Not only a leader among his own chapter but within our fraternity, former National President Brasch has spearheaded the planning of both the 50th and 75th anniversary of the chapter, speaks to each new class of associate members, maintains the chapters contact list, and holds monthly lunches and a monthly alumni breakfast club. Much like Walker, Brasch instills a message within each young man that joins the chapter, and it’s to make this a better fraternity. Setting an example for every new undergraduate, Brasch’s com-

mitment to his chapter and fraternity is an admirable achievement.

At present, another group of undergraduates have taken up the mantle of their predecessors and are ushering in an unprecedented display of student leadership. Brothers are holding positions as the SGA President of the College of Education, Vice President of the College of Business, Vice President on the Engineering School Council, and a variety of Senators of their respective schools. If that wasn’t impressive enough, the chapter also uniquely boasts the Student Body President, Dorian Brown, Louisville ’19, and IFC President, Cammeron Durham, Louisville ’19. Under the leadership of Chapter President, Keegan Tingle, Louisville ’22, the group succeeds in far more than just campus leadership. They recruited the largest associate class on campus and initiated 32 new members in the Fall. Intramural success has come in the form of recent basketball, golf, and cornhole victories. Notable awards from this past year include the 2022 Outstanding Alumni Engagement Award from the university, the Recruitment Pace Setter Award from Phi Kappa Tau, and most cherished among the brothers, an award for the service to the University of Louisville’s PEACC Center. This campus program works to end power-based personal violence, and the brothers of Beta Beta are committed to supporting them as much as possible.

To date, this chapter has won three Maxwell Awards and two achievement contests (the outstanding chapter award prior to the Maxwell). It’s home to seven Shideler Award winners and has been open for 75 continuous years. With this longstanding success, it’s clear why Beta Beta is our current Chapter of Distinction.

CAMDEN LEE, BELMONT ’19 NASHVILLE, TN

Following the completion of his first semester at Belmont University, Camden Lee, Belmont ’19, found himself in a bit of a rut. Not having exactly the experience he expected, there were two options: transfer to another university or make a concerted effort to improve upon the experience he was having at Belmont. Choosing the harder path, Lee decided to work on himself and set the goal to get more involved. The first step was applying to become a freshman resident assistant; he was offered a position and accepted. The second step was to go through spring fraternity recruitment, and similarly he was offered a bid for Phi Kappa Tau, the organization that would go on to become his home.

Even after finding his place in our organization, Lee was unrelenting in his goal to be more involved on campus. Throughout his undergraduate education, Lee had been a Belmont Student Ambassador and held positions on the Business Student Advisory Board, Association of Information Systems, and the Board Game Society. Within the fraternity, Lee served two terms as Vice President of Alumni Relations and is currently the President of the Zeta Alpha chapter. Being one of the unfortunate many who had their undergraduate experience halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee attributes his ability to get through the lockdown to living with fellow brothers of the Zeta Alpha chapter and finding safe activities to do with other brothers. His other fondest memories are of Greek sing competitions and brotherhood retreats.

Upon graduating in December of 2022, the Business Systems and Analytics major hopes to find himself a position in Data Analytics or Project Management. For Lee, family and friends are of the utmost importance, so he hopes to settle in Nashville to be with the ones he loves. When not busy with school and extracurriculars, Lee is an avid soccer fan, recently took a trip with his mother to Spain to attend La Liga games throughout the country. The pair made stops in Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, and Mallorca.

65th

National Convention of Phi Kappa Tau

Sunday, July 9Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino

We are pleased to announce that the 65th National Convention of Phi Kappa Tau will take place July 9-11, 2023 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

We will be debuting more information about excursions and registration packages in the coming months.

If you are interested in joining our Host Committee for Convention Planning, please email communications@phikappatau.org. In the meantime, you can begin planning your travel to join us in Nevada!

JOHN MOUNTZ, PENN STATE ’90 GREENVILLE, N.C. DIRECTOR OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Dedicating yourself to a career in higher education takes a commitment to learning and growing within the profession that only a select few have the patience and understanding to accomplish. While Phi Kappa Tau is proud to have a number of these men, today’s spotlight will be on John Mountz, Penn State ’90, and his determination to improve upon and generate the best possible student experience within every institution throughout his distinguished career. Currently serving as the Director of Student Engagement at East Carolina University, Mountz leads a department that’s focused on providing advising, support, leadership development, and resources to over 35 fraternities and sororities and more than 450 registered student organizations. For his work at ECU and in recognition of his service to the fraternity and sorority community, Mountz was recently awarded the 2022 Sue Kraft Fussell Distinguished Service Award by the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA). AFA Executive Director Jason Bergeron stated, “This award recognizes John Mountz’s longtime service to the fraternity/sorority profession and to AFA as a mentor, a volunteer and champion for the fraternity/sorority profession.”

Long before this much-deserved recognition, Mountz took his first position at the University of Michigan as a fraternity advisor. This came off the heels of completing his M.Ed. at the University of Florida, and he would spend three years in that position before moving on to North Carolina State. His time at NC State began as the Assocaite Director

of Greek Life, and throughout his thirteen years with the university, Mountz would go on to assume the Director position. Since 2013, Mountz has supported fraternity and sorority organizations with his consulting company, J. Mountz Consulting, and has been a LeaderShape facilitator for over two decades. Following the stint of working solely for his consulting company, Mountz arrived on the ECU campus and served as the Director of Greek Life until January of 2021 when he assumed his current position.

Within our own organization, Mountz is a consummate volunteer and committed brother. Joining the Fall of his sophomore year, he was seeking organizations which would provide the opportunity to become more involved on campus. Drawn to the lifelong bond that Phi Tau offered, Mountz immersed himself within the Omicron chapter. As an undergraduate, he served as Vice President of Alumni Relations, and remembers fondly the alumni who were invested in the chapter and fraternity long after they had graduated. As a graduate member, Mountz serves as educational dean, was part of the group that helped develop the Borradaile Challenge, and has shared a wealth of knowledge as a volunteer at educational programs like Leadership Academy and Growth Summit. When not fostering the experiences and education of young men and women from across the country, Mountz enjoys spending time with his family. He met his wife, Kecia, through a connection within the Phi Tau house at Penn State, and they now have two daughters, Rebecca and Abigail, who are both members of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. A big dog family, the Mountz’s also have two labs, Holly and Piper.

BY LOGAN LUKACS, BALDWIN WALLACE ’10

The College Fraternity –100 Years Later

Take a moment, if you will, and think of the negative connotations associated with the average college Fraternity, or better yet think about why someone may not want their son to join a fraternity. What comes to mind? Hazing, alcohol abuse, failing grades, elitism, to name a few. Now, we all know, in large these negative connotations are not reflective of the entire fraternity experience but why is it that we cannot escape them? Rarely a year goes by that we do not see a headline involving men in Greek letters not living up to our values. We can get in front of the media as much as we want but no fundraiser, community service event, or reunion is going to gain as much attention when college aged men are exposed to risk due to their choice to join a fraternity.

Unfortunately, this is nothing new.

In researching for this piece, a proposed standing feature looking back at 100 years of recorded history in The Laurel, I hoped to find an amusing anecdote we could relate lightheartedly to today’s time. In the winter 1923 issue of the Laurel, a 123-page behemoth might I add, you will find a rather comprehensive list of the on-goings of our then 17-year old organization. This was before we had 150 chartered groups, prior to 100,000 members. The elders of the organization were 40. Still, in the twilight of the organization’s youth, a piece is published in this issue entitled: The College Fraternity by Miami brother Roger Smith, Miami 1908. Smith was notably the First National Secretary of Phi Kappa Tau, then Phrenocon.

In the piece, Brother Smith outlines succinctly the multiple valid arguments made against the concept of fraternity at the time. Losing focus on scholarship, lowering morals and spirituality, elitism, or “snobbery” as Smith put it, “Then there is the ever-present criticism of snobbery. It is common for someone to say ‘Harry and I used to be good friends until he joined a fraternity and now he rarely speaks to me... The fraternity man, of course will have the majority of his close friends in his organization, but he makes a mistake when he limits them to it.’

When referring to the lewd behavior of Fraternities, Smith had this to say, “There is no defense for some of the things done by some fraternities. Perhaps there were wild, exceedingly wild parties, gross immorality, drunkenness and any of the other sins of men. Reports of such things immediately stir up opposition and bring severest criticism.”

In summation, Smith was not a fan of the reputation that the concept of Fraternity had earned itself by 1923. I find it interesting that reading his words 100 years later, while some of his language may be antiquated, a lot of the arguments against fraternity are still present today. It appears it will be an uphill battle to have these negative images of fraternity become a thing of the past. Phi Kappa Tau must find a way to differentiate itself as the exception to these negative behaviors, and band together with other organizations to change the narrative. Brother Smith, myself, and likely anyone reading this probably doesn’t have the easy solution to reshaping misconceptions about fraternity. Perhaps the solution is in action, and not just talk.

“I have given only a few of the most common criticisms of fraternities, all of them at times founded in fact.” Smith wrote, “The wise organization will see that these and all others do not apply to it, and will exclude them by regulations or traditions.”

If only it were that easy, Brother Smith, but then again – maybe it is.

All photos taken from the Winter 1923 Edition of the Laurel.

BOB LAPE, KENT STATE ’52

Upon beginning your studies at Kent State University, did you know that journalism was the career path for you, or did you find your passion along the way? My ambition, in the yearbook of Akron’s John R. Buchtel High School was “To ink that contract with CBS.” This was the Edward R. Murrow era. It took me 30 years. In the meantime, other alphabetical trios – NBC, ABC, USA, FNN, occupied my attention. And when I did sign on at CBS, my “Bob Lape’s Dining Diary” would enjoy a 30-year run every day, 15 times a week.

I have always loved reading, writing and performing. My high school aptitude test listed my top three interests as becoming a minister, radio announcer or diplomat. Communication was the common denominator. I figured radio as the money path. My favorite of Murrow’s great team was Eric Sevareid, whose look, sound and brain made an extraordinary package. So, imagine my reaction when I bested him years later auditioning to anchor a new national TV feature based on The Gallup Report.

Were there any individuals who inspired you throughout your undergraduate studies? Anyone who had a lasting impact on your life and career? In the early 1950’s, the entire Radio Speech staff lit my fire, from

Professor John Weiser's opening remark in September 1951: “If you’re going to be five seconds late, don't come. The program will start without you. Better be five minutes early.” Those lines made me a social pariah the rest of my life. Walton Clarke was a role model in how to look and sound as a broadcaster. John Montgomery cleaned up some diction bugaboos of long-standing. But Bob Stockdale was forever inspirational in speech creativity and assurance. And at the time he was igniting student speakers, we had no idea this man was a repeatedly promoted battlefield Marine (private to captain) as well as a Ravenna City Councilman (age 21), Portage County Sheriff (eight years) and Ohio State representative and senator for a total of 20 more. Then he became a Provost at Kent State!

What compelled you to join Phi Kappa Tau? My path to Phi Kappa Tau was blazed by George “Bill” Reed, an impressive guy I'd known slightly at my high school. Bill was doing a fine job in Army ROTC leadership, seemed totally at home with academic and social demands of campus life, and his brothers seemed a most cordial and accomplished crew, as indeed they were.

What are some of your fondest memories as an undergraduate member of Phi Kappa Tau? As I was commuting from Akron and working – radio station by day and gas station at night – the one year I lived at the PKT House was a hoot. As the only son of an only son of an only son, the band of brothers was a revelation. Communing at meals and social events and private

movie showings engendered friendships that lasted a lifetime.

Are there any stories or individual moments that you feel were career defining achievements for you? In my first news director job, at WICE in Providence, RI, when President Dwight Eisenhower declared nearby Newport to be his Summer White House, I declared myself to be a Summer White House Correspondent for my station. This involved driving ten miles to the Naval War College on the Newport Navy Base every day to be briefed on Presidential activities and pronouncements. All the newsies would then race to phones or microphones to spread the word to the world.

After one such briefing, Press Secretary James Hagerty summoned me to his office, a highly uncommon occurrence. “Lape,” he said, “Did you write that editorial on the Little Rock, Arkansas, school integration crisis that aired on your Station?” When I said I did, he said, “Well, The Boss heard it. he liked it, he appreciated it, and he wanted you to know.” To my 23-year-old ears, that was not only music, but also confirmation I’d chosen the right profession.

Another super-charged event was the Great Northeast Blackout of 1965 – a cataclysmic 14-hour power collapse that found me leading a huge news team to the largest radio audience in history. I was news director of Westinghouse Broadcasting Company’s WBZ Radio in Boston, which had the great good fortune to return to the air in mere minutes as the sole voice of the ten-state paralyzed area. For once, Senators, Governors, Mayors and first responders flocked to us to disseminate calming consultation and helpful advice to all with a radio.

Our big brother and building-mate WBZ-TV was impacted by the blackout, so my radio news team was more

than doubled with the addition of the video crew. It was literally thrilling to know everything you did counted, right now. The historic solo non-stop news broadcasting, shifting the informational fulcrum from New York to Boston, won a special Congressional Citation for the New England giant. If memory serves, the WBZ audience neared 15 million.

As a restaurant reviewer and food critic, can you share some of your most memorable dining experiences with our readers? Over a half-century of reporting every aspect of ingestibles, and having unique autonomy, I felt required to give every aspect of food and drink its moment in the sun. If I didn't know it, I'd get someone who did to share it. Many "foreign" cuisines required study and tasting, and what exciting and extraordinary evenings that triggered. I’ll never forget spending hours with Miss Ruth, manager of the highly regarded Japanese restaurant Hatsuhana in NYC, as she gently led me through the piscine progressions of sushi and sashimi. I was more intrigued by her time in a Nisei internment camp in WWII, but managed to keep the chopsticks in gear.

I built a working food library of 4,000 books. Being married to Joanna Pruess, a gifted cookbook author, made us first in line at library book sales throughout New England -- first at the door with grocery bags to score.

Much of my father’s career was in retail food in Ohio and I spent summers scouring small town suburban grocery stores and meat markets, Thus, big city ethnic adventures were a novelty, but essential and exciting.

Given prosaic Midwestern food roots, it was more than satisfying to be asked to deliver keynote addresses in later years at the Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park) for the new breed, and the Ameri-

can Culinary Federation (San Francisco) for the professionals.

Of all your accolades and achievements, what are you professionally and individually most proud of? It took 70 years to get it, but the Kent State Alumni Professional Achievement Award takes the cake. Not just because my author daughter Deb Lape wrote my nomination repeatedly until she could not be denied, but also because it encapsulates the whole deal.

I’ve received a number of lifetime achievement awards—notably from food, wine and dining industry organizations and chambers of commerce. And after arriving back home, I became the first resident member trustee of the nonprofit Eliza Jennings Senior Campus, in its 120-year history. I also served as vice-chairman and chairman of its Residents' Association.

Do you have any advice for our undergraduate brothers hoping to pursue a career in journalism? Be prepared. For anything and everything. Know your audience -- both on the other side of the microphone and in the back of the balcony. I often had no clue to my first assignment of an Eyewitness News day until it was handed to me and the three-person film crew who would accompany me, shoot the story and send the 16 mm film back to the newsroom via motorcycle courier. Sometimes I rode with the film, biking through New York City traffic.

If you think you're cramming for an exam, consider facing a news conference by a president, governor, foreign diplomat, college president or technocrat. And having questions ready to elicit news. This meant that every second riding in the camera crew car was spent absorbing the morning papers and other

sources bearing on your subject, taking notes and analyzing the physical setting of the shoot. You will tell the cameraman what you want filmed.

In the early 1970s, I anchored three half-hour interview programs in the Sunday morning “Culture Gulch” in New York: “Eyewitness News Conference,” “The Board of Ed Reports,” and “This Week in Religion.” The latter two were taped earlier; “News Conference” was shot live at 10 a.m. Sidewalks outside WABC-TV were paved with print, radio and TV reporters, photographers and camera crews from other stations and networks, waiting to pounce on our guests for something we’d just unearthed.

Describe to us the journey of witnessing firsthand the shifting landscape of journalism and media consumption throughout your 70-year career? I found the transformation of journalism and media consumption to be a major pain in the fanny over my 70-year run through it. I was very successful at all my stops along the way, but that did not always have a darn thing to do with the outcomes. After 24 years with CRAIN’S NEW YORK BUSINESS, delivering a weekly restaurant review page I created and tailored to its readership, and the most popular feature in the newspaper, the Internet ate my lunch.

I’d received modest raises along the way and CRAIN'S insisted in buying all meals reviewed. But there came a day after slow but steady erosion of advertising revenue to online venues that I was invited to lunch by managing editor Greg David and told “It’s either you or the newspaper.”

The same line, in essence, would come six years later from WCBS Newsradio

news director Tim Scheld to bring to a close an almost 30-year run of “Bob Lape’s Dining Diary,” a 15-times a week radio feature.

The good news was switching from film to videotape, enabling us to turn around the news visuals much faster and start editing right away. Cell phones were a blessing, too, and I could and did visit up to a dozen restaurants in

was a revelation. I was blessed to have media invitation to ten different regions of Italy, traveling with Italian American restaurateurs to a different one every year. Bliss!

Occasionally, seafood might stump us, but we forged ahead, even if the dish seemed to be big bugs. And sometimes it was! I'd not even experienced shrimp till my early 20’s but have made up for it since.

The New York Restauranter, Drew Nieporent once described you as the “harbinger of the Television Food Network.”

a single day of the then brand-new New York Restaurant Week, airing live interviews at each. As I was paid AFTRA Scale by the individual feature, the more, the merrier.

What were some unique foods you’ve had the opportunity to try? My challenge to share diverse cuisines with my broadcast and print audiences grew when I folded travel under my journalistic umbrella. The world was then my beat, and I felt obliged to taste the local culinary fare, even if "local" was Singapore, Capetown, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Edinburgh, St. Petersburg or Mola di Bari. Game often provided a thrill or two, and a grill restaurant starring a dozen jungle denizens near Johannesburg

With such a designation, are there any cooking shows that you are partial to? Timing and a runaway TV hit feature brought the food world to my door. Because the Eyewitness Gourmet always offered free copies of the filmed dish recipe, my desk was constantly awash in thousands of requests. This helped me judge what most interested the public, and schedule future presentations to meet it. The Gourmet had the appealing trait of being only GOOD FOOD, and was an engaging way to end the news week -- every 6 p.m. News program on Friday (New York City), Saturday (surrounding states -- NJ, Conn., NY, and Pennsylvania (Bucks County). The Sunday feature was re-run the next morning on the local news inserts in "Good Morning America." I often broadcast those and would find myself introducing myself.

I had the good fortune to introduce many Food TV stars to television for the first time, preparing dishes in their own restaurants. Among them: Jacques Pepin, Lidia Bastianich, Bobby Flay, Tom Colicchio. I filmed often at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

Lape with Geraldo Rivera.

Living in the Red:

An Examination of Student Debt Relief

BY DALTON LEE, BALDWIN WALLACE ’11

Since August 24th, 2022, the Student Debt Relief Package announced by President Biden and his administration has been one of the most highly debated topics in the country. Making headlines across every news outlet, having spotlights on political comedy shows like Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and widely debated among citizens across all social media platforms; this type of mass forgiveness has never before been seen in this country and could be a monumental shift in how we think about the funding of higher education and in the lives of those approved for the program. As countless individuals have met this initiative with applause, an equal contingent have voiced their dismay for the program and continue to question its potential economic fallout. Somewhere in all this noise there are assuredly answers to the pressing questions posed by both sides of the debate, and while this piece will attempt to bridge that gap—weighing the pros and cons of Student Debt Relief—things will be missed. Allow me to briefly break the fourth wall and address you directly; I am in no way an expert in economics or politics

and will be writing this piece utilizing a couple months of intensive research and by polling those who work in the higher education system to gather opinions on the subject. I am also one of the individuals whose life would be greatly impacted by this program, but my goal and hope is to put all biases aside and create a feature that lives wholly in the facts from all sides. With this issue being so directly linked to the membership of our organization, an investigation and analysis of the information being provided is pertinent to being aware of opinions, feelings, or struggles within our brotherhood.

Before diving into the various ways that student debt relief could be beneficial or harmful to our country and its citizens, it is pertinent to track the route to the announcement. First gaining mainstream attraction following the September 2011 Occupy Wall Street protests, which protested income inequality, the wealthy, and their financial institutions. Led by activists “representing 99 percent of Americans,” this movement sparked the Occupy Student Debt Campaign.

The Debt Collective, a union for debtors, called for the abolition of all student debt, in addition to the implementation of free college when student debt surpassed $1 trillion in April 2012. As the movement dwindled in media coverage, another storm was brewing in the years to come. In 2015, students from Corinthian Colleges went on the nation’s first student debt strike, stemming from A U.S. Department of Education investigation which found that the school falsified its public job placement rates and misrepresented information to students. In June of that year, all Corinthian student debt was cancelled. As the 2020 presidential elections ramped up, the debate of student debt relief gained a level of attention unseen before. Democratic candidates Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. put the issue at the forefront of their campaigns. Warren's plan called for the U.S. Secretary of Education to immediately cancel up to $50,000 of debt for 95% of all borrowers, while Sander’s demanded the erasure of all outstanding federal student debt and wanted to make two- and four-year public colleges tuition- and debt-free. As we know now, the road ended at the announcement of forgiveness up to $10,000 for individuals making less than $125,000 a year and married couples making less than $250,000 a year. Additionally, the student loans of income-eligible individuals who received Pell grants would be reduced by up to $20,000.

Who will be impacted by Student Debt Relief? There has been much back and forth over who will truly be impacted by this program. Pulling from a September article published by the Census Bureau, we can get a picture of the demographics who will benefit. This study utilizes information based on the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), which provides statistics about debt balances as of December 31, 2020. Due to the pandemic policies allowing borrowers to temporarily pause payments without interest, this information remains mostly unchanged. The plan to reduce student loans by $10,000 would completely wipe out balances for 29.0% of those with student debt, according to the 2021 SIPP data, benefiting certain demographic groups more than others. The demographic groups which were found to be most impacted are Black and Hispanic individuals, and women as a whole. Typically earning less than men and more likely to have student debt and owe more, women may have a harder time paying off loans. Estimated to have some of the largest reductions in the percentage with any student loans from the $10,000 relief plan: Black and Hispanic women would drop 5.4 and 4.7 percentage points, respectively. Individuals with advanced degrees are expected

in favor of Student Debt Relief?

to experience some of the smallest reductions, varying from 1.6 to 3.2 percentage points across race and ethnic groups. The most likely reason for this being higher incomes making them ineligible for loan forgiveness. Experiencing some of the smallest reductions, White men are expected to drop roughly 2.4 percentage points.

The first con to examine is the issue of fairness. This is a multifaceted critique that addresses how the purposed relief is unfair for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, this program is unfair to those who have paid off their loans already, receiving no benefit or compensation for the years they spent paying off their loans. Paired with them are all the students taking out loans in the years to come. Because the Biden Administration’s plan only applies to loans taken out prior to 2022, there will be a whole new generation of students with no option to apply for the same opportunity. Stepping away from individualization, transferring this debt from individuals and families to the federal government and ultimately to taxpayers is seen to be a large deterrent for many naysayers. A college education can be seen as a private good, benefiting only the individual holding the degree and earning the degree holder about a million dollars more in annual income over a lifetime; therefore, its cost should also be privately funded. Nathan Ptak, Illinois-Springfield ’21, believes this for himself and others, remarking, “My debt, my problem and we shouldn’t flip it to the taxpayers.” This idea can be unsettling to blue collar workers and families across the country, believing loan forgiveness to be a reward to well-educated, wealthy professionals—doctors, lawyers, and corporate CEOs—who made the chose to pursue a degree, and in some cases, to attend expensive universities.

‘‘

Acting in opposition to aspects of the fairness critique, the first pro is the enormous benefit relief will have on minority groups and begin chipping away at the racial wealth gap. Women, Black, and Hispanic college students borrow at higher rates and larger amounts than White borrowers, and carry those debt loads much longer. In The Appeal, the economist Marshall Steinbaum argues that student debt exacerbates racial inequalities in four ways: one, the racial wealth gap means minority families have less funds to provide support for their children attending college; two, labor-market discrimination means people of color have to be more credentialed to get the same opportunities as their white counterparts; three, the credit market is more discriminate to people of color; and four, students of color are more likely to attend less-resourced institutions and predatory colleges. While student debt forgiveness doesn’t address the discrimination against minority groups, it does present an opportunity to inch closer to a point of equal footing. With the income cap on those eligible for forgiveness, it’s unlikely that the parties who benefit will be those in an incredibly successful position. The $10,000 reduction in student debt would decrease the amount of total unsecured liabilities owed by 33.0% on average of those who have any student debt, which can be a significant increase in the quality of anyone's life.

Con number two is the impact student loan forgiveness could have on our economy. Specifically, resulting in further increases in inflation. Critics of this plan believe that additional spending created by those who have a drastic increase of income could cause further exacerbation in an economy where businesses are already struggling to keep up with consumer demand. Forty-three million people stand to have

their loan payments reduced, twenty million of those would have their debts forgiven altogether. In an article published for Fox Business, Wes Moss, CFP, partner at Capital Investment Advisors, said, "For borrowers resuming payments next year, new provisions will reduce monthly payment requirements dramatically relative to income. In some cases, the minimum monthly payment could be reduced by more than 50%. This puts more money into the pockets of consumers to spend on discretionary goods and services and will act as a further economic stimulus that could put upward pressure on inflation." The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) asserts that the forgiveness plan will cost somewhere in the ballpark of $400-$600 billion and has previously estimated that $10,000 in forgiveness would add 0.15% to the personal consumption expenditure price index, commonly used to calculate inflation.

The pro-forgiveness side believes the plan would have little to no effect on the economy. Arguing that the 1.7 trillion-dollar student loan debt, impacting roughly one in every eight Americans (43 million individuals) is slowing the national economy. Forgiveness will boost the economy and benefit everyone. Ali Bustamante, who's with the left-leaning Roosevelt Institute pointedly disagrees with the CFRB’s assessment, believing any inflationary effect would be “small” and offset by the resumption of student loan payments. Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, believes the effect on inflation is “largely a wash.” Estimating that student debt forgiveness will increase inflation by 0.08%, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), another commonly used gauge of inflation. Zandi expects CPI inflation to be reduced by 0.11% after the payment freeze ends. Unlike the $1,200 relief checks sent to a large swath of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, people with student loans would not be issued a $20,000 check or have it transferred to their bank account. The relief would come in the form of reduced loan payments over the course of many years, making their buying power limited to a month-by-month basis.

This piece could likely go on for the entirety of this issue, but with limited space, our analysis will have to stop at those points. Without a clear resolution on this issue, a larger problem comes to the forefront. Regardless of your opinion on the subject of student loan forgiveness, there is no arguing with the rising cost of tuition in our country. The White House shared the following information: “Since 1980, the total cost of both four-year public and four-year private college has nearly tripled, even after accounting for inflation. Federal support has not kept up: Pell Grants once

“As men of distinction, an effort to properly educate yourself on such an important matter before passing judgement feels almost implied.

covered nearly 80 percent of the cost of a four-year public college degree for students from working families, but now only cover a third. That has left many students from lowand middle-income families with no choice but to borrow if they want to get a degree. According to a Department of Education analysis, the typical undergraduate student with loans now graduates with nearly $25,000 in debt.” When asked if the student debt relief plan addressed the issue of the rising cost of tuition in our country, President of Wilson College, Wes Fugate, Ph.D., Centre ’99, responded, “Sadly, this program does not address the cost of post-secondary education in our country,” but went on to provide a list of possible solutions that would help ensure postsecondary education is affordable and attainable:

• Double the Pell Grant to make sure that those students who have the least resources can afford an education.

• States should increase aid that is provided directly to students based on their need.

• We should ensure that laws that encourage philanthropy to post-secondary education institutions continue so that donors are encouraged to give, which provides scholarships.

• We need more education about the FAFSA and the various options for funding postsecondary education.

• We need to more adequately fund public institutions.

Pending solutions like those presented by Fugate, the rising cost of tuition will continue to plague our brothers enrolled at all levels, but the heaviest toll will be paid by our undergraduate brothers around the country. Brothers without the means to have their education paid for will continue to rack up debt from student loans, without the opportunity for loan forgiveness like those who came before. News outlets vary on the average debt undergraduate students in the U.S. accumulate in pursuit of their Bachelor’s, but all

fall within the $30,000-$40,000 range. Our men at private universities, with much higher tuition prices, can leave with upwards of $100,000 in debt—saddling them with monthly payments equivalent to a mortgage, while still needing to live and provide for themselves. Curious as to the opinion of our undergraduate brothers, we put out a poll on the Phi Kappa Tau Instagram page asking, “Are you in favor of student debt relief?” 68% of responders were in favor; 28% opposed; and 13% were indifferent on the matter. Undergraduate student, Gavin Cooper, Kentucky ’21, elaborated on the matter, stating, “Some students, myself included, are first generation. And it’s difficult to afford.”

As an organization built with the goal of fostering the educational experience of young men around the country, ensuring that they continue on the route to becoming men of distinction, we must do all we can to bestow upon them the opportunity to succeed. While we lack the ability to enact nationwide change in this area, we can support our undergraduate brothers with scholarships, networking opportunities to ensure jobs following graduation, and mentoring through the financial hardships that come with debt of this proportion. Our country will continue to navigate the loan forgiveness debate, and the clearest need is one of understanding. Taking the time to read, research, listen to, and understand all sides of a debate. With an issue that has the opportunity to impact so many, whether that be for good or bad, it is important to comprehend the facts of the subject to the fullest extent of one's ability. Take the time to talk to industry professionals. Those with their boots on the ground of campuses across the country, who can provide insight to the experience of students currently living through this issue of rising tuition and how it impacts their lives following graduation. Gather information from multiple sources; this piece stems from articles and information provided by the official White House website, CNBC, Fox Business, NPR, The Atlantic, the Census Bureau, and a number of other credible outlets. The sheer amount of content surrounding this matter is astronomical and requires diligent investigation. As men of distinction, an effort to properly educate yourself on such an important matter before passing judgement feels almost implied, and as an organization tied directly to those affected by student debt, we must consider those within our ranks when passing this judgment.

CHAPTER GROWTH

[ CLEMSON ]

Two of our Executive Office’s newest staff members were sent out on their first project, laying the groundwork for the re-chartering of the Epsilon Nu chapter of Phi Kappa Tau. Ryan Callahan, Tennessee ’20, and Ethan Bunn, North Carolina State ’19, were no strangers to the diligent demands of starting a new chapter—both having been re-founding fathers of their own chapters. Under the guidance of the Associate Director of Organizational Growth, Hunter Pemberton, Akron ’18, our expansion team found resounding success in the Palmetto State. Bunn and Callahan were able to recruit 60 new members in just two months, who now comprise the Epsilon Nu associate chapter and have hopes of gaining their charter in the Spring of 2023. In addition to recruiting a strong class of distinguished young men, the expansion team were able to make strides in establishing their foundation on the Clemson campus. They’ve created intramural teams, had a parents and alumni weekend, filled social and recruitment committees, and have the standards board preparing bylaws and guidelines.

Domenic

’18, arrived in Dayton this October and have established an outstanding foundation for the revitalization of the Delta Nu chapter at Wright State University. Through diligent work, Mularo and Baldwin were able to recruit an associate class of 11 men, holding the ceremony on November 12. With this strong start, there is hope that the associate chapter will be able to continue gathering new members throughout the Spring and next Fall, reaching around the campus average (mid-twenties).

Through their tireless work, Mularo and Baldwin have established a foundation on which this chapter can grow in the years to come. When ask what Delta Nu would need to do to be successful, the duo stated, “From what we have already seen out of the group, all of the current members have taken the initiative to research their positions, the fraternity, and how they can better the organization within Delta Nu. If they continue on this path, this chapter will easily be able to find success in the future.”

[ WRIGHT STATE ]

Mularo, Mount Union ’19, and Danny Baldwin, Akron

Getting Reunion Red-dy

BY DALTON LEE, BALDWIN WALLACE ’11

There’s an age-old adage stated among fraternity men nationwide; typically mentioned at your first recruitment event and carried through the years to come. “It’s not four years, it’s a lifetime.”

But is it really? Year after year passes following graduation, and life seems to pile on an endless slew of new happy distractions. Careers, family, traveling, and countless other matters pull you a little bit further away from the wide-eyed brother of Phi Kappa Tau who was so utterly consumed by life as a fraternity man. This is merely the reality of growing older and is in no way indicative of how treasured even the most distant of brothers are to this organization. The truth is, losing touch and letting go is easier. It takes a deep passion and commitment to continue giving more of yourself to this organization. It’s a sacrifice of some productivity during a workday, a few weekends with the family throughout the year, or of some much-needed free time. This continued service to our brotherhood goes beyond keeping in touch with a small group of men, and bridges into the task of bringing an entire chapter back together. These fearless leaders take on the daunting task of keeping contact information up to date for generations of brothers within their chapter; plan banquets, dinners, anniversaries, and a number of other events; and work diligently with the Executive Office staff to curate the best possible post-graduate experience for members of Phi Kappa Tau. Continuing to display their devotion to this brotherhood and their chapter,

these are the men who bring us out of our own bubble and welcome us back into the fray with open arms.

This past year, Phi Kappa Tau chapters around the country celebrated various anniversaries and many held events in celebrations of these landmarks. Among these were Alpha Psi at Texas-El Paso celebrating an 81st anniversary, Gamma Alpha honoring the 65th anniversary of their Founding as Mu Kappa Mu local fraternity, Beta Beta at Lousiville with a 75th anniversary celebration, and Omicron at Penn State ringing in 100 years of brotherhood.

For Alpha Psi, this was a gathering for the first time in 30 years, and saw a weekend filled with a Friday night poolside reception at the former Chapter House, before moving down the street to dinner; a Saturday night Reunion dinner, attended by 75 brothers, family members, and loved ones; ending with a Sunday farewell lunch. This event stemmed from an impromptu dinner in August 2021 attended by 11 brothers and snowballed into the jampacked weekend attended by 60. Gamma Alpha gathers their brothers every five years for a reunion—this year's coming the weekend before Labor Day. With over 200 graduate members in attendance and 350 total guests, the men of Gamma Alpha had an abundance of reasons for celebration. Charter Members in attendance were awarded framed copies of the original

charter, annual scholarship recipients from their CEG were announced, and the entire event was documented by brother Marty Schendel, Michigan Tech ’81. Receiving the Phi Award for his contributions to the chapter, brother Jim Bacon, Michigan Tech ’59, announced the creation and first recipients of the Bacon-Hlivak Legacy Scholarship with his son and grandson.

Events like the Alpha Psi and Gamma Alpha reunions are a treat for the attendees, but for the planners of the event—the aforementioned dedicated few—these take diligent planning and months of work. For this piece, we were fortunate enough to speak with John Mountz, Penn State ’90, and Bill Brasch, PE, Louisville ’67, on the subject of planning anniversary and reunion events. For those looking to plan an event like this in the future, let their

Alpha Psi 61st Anniversary (here and below)

advice be a guiding light to sure success.

The first step in planning any event is gathering attendees and notifying as many brothers as possible. For Brasch, his success in this regard comes from decades of diligent work—maintaining one of the most thorough lists of brother’s contact information within our fraternity. For the last fifty years, Brasch has maintained his zero-lost alumni mentality, and has nearly accomplished it throughout the duration of that time. This extensive list aided in gathering an astounding 842 people at the 50th anniversary for Beta Beta and roughly 300 at the 75th anniversary. Both Chapters began the process by issuing save

the dates via their social media channels, then locked down a date and issued a formal invitation. As the event drew closer, the groups would use mailers and email lists to drive traffic toward the social media channels. Omicron also included a "see who is attending feature” and had those on the planning committee send direct invitations to their close personal friends— this led to a large increase in attendance.

The next step is to begin the process of organizing the event. Mountz and the Omicron planning committee began putting together their centennial five months before it was to be held, but he not only recommended, but strongly

encouraged, beginning up to a year in advance. For Omicron, the goal was to create the most inclusive possible event, in hopes of reaching the largest audience. When planning the events for Beta Beta, Brasch has some strict guidelines for curating the best possible experience and garnering the most attendees. Utilizing opportunities presented by the campus, Brasch organizes these events on the same weekends as Louisville’s homecoming—giving those who participate the options to go to partake in the other activities throughout the weekend and limit the need for alumni to travel back for multiple events. When asked what advice he would give to fellow alumni planning their next event, Mountz stated, “Make it fit the personality of your chapter while also using this event as an opportunity to showcase what is great about our national organization. Many of our alumni were unaware of how the fraternity has changed over time and including staff from headquarters and/or leadership from the National Council just enhances the event for everyone.”

Learning from the experience of an anniversary expert like Brasch and the innovative Omicron planning committee is only the tip of the iceberg. As you venture into planning the next event for your chapter, go into it knowing that you are amongst the men who add depth and truth to the lifelong aspect of our organization. Working to bring brothers back together, to reconnect those who may have lost touch, and rekindle relationships that have been long lost. The diligent work and dedication are rewarded beyond measure—for each brother brought back into the fold is not only a chance to reinvigorate their love for our organization, but a reminder of those days once spent surrounded by your fellow Phi Taus, learning and growing together as a whole.

Bill Brasch addressing Beta Beta attendees

Beta Beta 75th Anniversary

Campus Spotlights

This page is dedicated to highlighting fun and exciting happenings at our chapters around the country.

1 KAPPA

Kentucky partook in a service event at the Ronald McDonald House. 2 ALPHA RHO

Georgia Tech hosted a brotherhood retreat. 3 OMICRON

Penn State participated in a 5k for THON. 4 BETA EPSILON

Southern Mississippi won a dance competition. 5 EPSILON SIGMA

Chapman won the “Airband 2022” contest. 6

ZETA EPSILON

Lynchburg participated in a Mental Health Awareness Walk.

7 ZETA MU

App State joined in on an Adopt a Street Cleaning Event.

For more Chapter Snapshots, follow @PhiKappaTau on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin.

As an undergraduate student, there seems to be no end to the list of priorities and tasks that require attention on a daily basis. Class, studying, friends, social events, and work seem to be among most lists—usually taking up the heft of a student’s time. Typically, far down on the list, or sometimes not on it at all, is personal health and wellness.

As many would attest, knowing and taking the time to care for their own health and wellness during this period of their life would have drastically improved upon the experience. Caring for yourself during a time of such high stress can improve upon physical, emotional, and mental well-being, while also boosting performance and brain function.

We polled a group of alumni to see what health and wellness advice they would give to their younger selves. Here are some of the top answers:

• The importance of sleep to mental and physical health

• There is nothing more crucial to your health than being properly hydrated

• Hair and skin care is not only important for today, but pivotal for the future

• A little bit of exercise each day goes a lot further than 1-2 vigorous workouts per week

• Do the research and work to find proper nutrition in student dining halls

Mike Mullaney, Baldwin Wallace ’11, blazes the city streets during his second Chicago Marathon.

LAURELS

~

[1957]

Chuck Lang, Nebraska Wesleyan, receives NWU Alumni Achievement Award. Widely considered one of the top science educators in the nation, Lang was a mentor to not only students, but other educators as well.

[1958]

A local legend of Michigan’s Copper Country, Joe Kirkish, PhD, Michigan Tech, published his memoir titled, Long Exposure: My Life in and Beyond the Copper Country at the age of 97. Described

as a lively and probing self-portrait, the novel covers everything from Kirkish’s youth through his illustrious career.

[1975]

Past National President Greg Hollen, Maryland, has been named District 5830 Rotarian of the Year for 2021-22. He is also Assistant District Governor for 2021-22.

[1977]

Alan Coats, Southern Mississippi, was inducted into the USM Alumni Hall of Fame. Coats also endowed a new scholarship fund for Beta Epsilon.

[1986]

John Christopher, Jr., Kentucky, received the Richard H. Sudheimer Interfraternal Leadership Award from Triangle Fraternity. This award is intended to recognize significant contributions by non-members of Triangle Fraternity to the betterment of the interfraternal movement.

[1986]

John Messner, PhD, Penn State, Professor of Architectural

Engineering and Director of the Computer Integrated Construction Research Program at Penn State, has been inducted into the National Academy of Construction in recognition of his distinguished contributions to the construction industry.

[1987] Dr. Rob Butera, Jr., Georgia Tech, was inducted into the Georgia Tech Greek Hall of Fame. Robert Butera serves Georgia Tech as the Vice President for Research Development and Operations.

[1988]

Andrew McClenahan, Florida State, was honored with the 2022 United Council on Welfare Fraud ’s highest recognition, the Dorothy Forney Award.

[1998]

Col. Carlos Berdecia, UNCPembroke, now serving in the US Air Force, served on a panel of successful former Pembroke student athletes. Focusing on leadership and deliberative dialogue, the panel held several engaging, thought-provoking discussions.

ADAM INFANTE, IOWA

STATE ’96, has been recently named the new Sheriff of Dallas County, Iowa.

DOSSETT

BERDECIA GLENN BADO

Adam Infante pictured with Chris Juhl, Iowa State ’94

[1998]

Lee Dossett, MD, Kentucky, has been named the new Chief Medical Officer at Baptist Health Lexington. He is also a Board of Health member for Lexington-Fayette County and president-elect of the Lexington Medical Society.

[2004]

Jon Glenn, Central Michigan, has been hired as the new director of diversity and inclusion at Alma College. Glenn most recently served as associate athletic director for student athlete leadership and development at Central Michigan University.

[2007]

Jason Butz, Evansville, married Katie Ulmer on October 15, 2022, near Indianapolis.

[2014]

Kirk Bado, Belmont, managing editor of National Journal’s “Hotline” political newsletter, made his TV debut on C-Span on September 5, 2022. Bado joined the C-Span crew to discuss House Races and his take on the Electoral landscape.

[2014]

Terry Fruth, Illinois-Springfield; Adam Buck, Illinois-Springfield ’14; Andy Fruth, Southern Illinois ’08;

and Greg Hollen, Maryland ’75, attending the wedding of Alex Fruth, Illinois-Springfield ’14,

on October 29th, 2022, in Marshall, Texas.

~ If you’d like to submit a story to be included in The Laurel you can do so at phikappatau.org/ submit-news

CHAPTER ETERNAL

The following members were reported deceased to the Executive Offices between August 13, 2022 and November 14, 2022.

OHIO

Thomas Strader, ’45 Bob Berry, ’45

CENTRE

David Mullendore, ’75

MUHLENBERG

Werner Jentsch, ’18

Theodore Fischer, ’33

Luther Bealer, ’37 Franklin Jensen, ’37 Warren Schneller, ’45 Paul Johnson, ’45

George McIndoe, ’45 Gerald McKee, ’52 Daniel Williams, ’59 Robert Schaeffer, ’62

TRANSYLVANIA

Doug Ahrens, ’49 Mark Johnson, III, ’55

KENTUCKY

Collin Burt, ’15

PURDUE

Donald Carter, ’30

Joe Humerickhouse, ’54

LAWRENCE

Joe Knox, ’37 Calvin Siegrist, ’45

UC BERKELEY

Richard Righter, ’50

FRANKLIN & MARSHALL

James Savage, ’32

Charles Trapnell, Esq., ’45 Charles Limpar, ’45

PENN STATE

Gerald McDaniel, ’37 Warren Hausman, ’54 James Martorelli, ’70

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Kenneth Olson, ’50 Joel Hemington, ’74

RENSSELAER

William Stevens, ’37 George Morisi, ’45 John Delaney, ’45 Frank Tobakos, ’45 Frank Waters, ’45 Richard Goerke, ’45 Thomas Robertshaw, ’45 Cloyd Goodrum, Jr., ’45 Eugene Darrow, ’45 Eugene Goleski, ’74

SYRACUSE

Daniel Dowd, ’32

MICHIGAN

Donald Hastie, ’29 Gilbert Ward, ’31 Bob Hoy, ’53

NEBRASKA WESLEYAN

Otis Gregg, ’23 Floyd Skavdahl, ’33

NORTH CAROLINA STATE

Benjamin Horne, Jr., ’24

COLORADO

Wilford Nelson, ’31 Stu Jordan, ’45 David Clark, ’45 David Bannister, Jr, ’62

WISCONSIN-MADISON

Harold Bruskewitz, MD, ’33

MICHIGAN STATE

Edward Mahoney, Jr, ’31 Fred Colwell, Jr., ’39 Warren Pearse, ’45 Jack Gage, ’51

NEW YORK Daniel Maldari, ’37

DELAWARE

Samuel Van Trump, Jr, ’33 Robert Thompson, ’51 William Shaw, Jr, ’52

CASE WESTERN RESERVE

Rolland Baum, ’33

KANSAS STATE

Walter Brandenburg, ’30 Eric Deyoe, ’95

OREGON STATE

Leland Pennell, ’28

FLORIDA

John Wing, III, ’36 Ken Snelling, ’50

WILLIAM & MARY

Charles Fuller, Jr, ’32

PENNSYLVANIA

Justin Sturm, ’28

AUBURN

Derwin Dimmerling, DVM, ’36 Samuel Hanchey, Jr, ’45 James Olson, ’70

IOWA STATE

Wayne Riser, ’29 Bruce Hudson, ’48

WASHINGTON

Tallmadge Hamilton, Jr, ’32 Edwin Barker, ’33

GEORGIA TECH John Morrisey, ’33

COLORADO STATE

Joseph Colacci, ’36 David Walters, ’58

CORNELL Harwood Hooper, ’30

AKRON

Dale Helsel, ’45 Donald Jenkins, ’45

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Phil Gatlin, ’67 Samuel Oswalt, ’68

BALDWIN WALLACE

Thomas Budiscak, ’42 Stanley Wolczyk, ’46 Robert Peach, ’47 James Fritzsche, ’48 Donald Conway, ’51 Joseph Berish, ’53 Raymond Hauser, ’54 George Vierkorn, ’57 Timothy Irvin, ’58 James Allen, III, ’58 Donald Washburn, ’61 Dan Bergolc, ’98

TEXAS

Leonard Huber, ’51

LOUISVILLE

George Holzknecht, Jr, ’49 Larry Lankford, ’52 Louis Bauer, ’52 James Lowe, ’78 Robert Barnes, II, ’92

SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

Troy Nickelson, ’48 Gary Graves, ’82

NEW MEXICO STATE

William Richardson, ’60 Lee Buchanan, ’91

OKLAHOMA STATE

Jesse Gersten, ’50

Billy Warren, ’51

James Plummer, ’61

Kent Hicks, ’63

James Cooper, ’64 Dana Jones, ’68 Jim Busker, ’79

INDIANA

James Carter, ’56 Frederick Cameron, ’58

KENT STATE

Jason Stanton, ’55

MARYLAND

Jason Pong, ’99

IDAHO STATE

Bruce Stuart, ’52

BOWLING GREEN

Gene Hainen, ’58 Gerald Wilson, ’62

WESTMINSTER

Terran Boyd, ’59

Bruce Holroyd, ’59 John Havrila, ’87

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

William Vincent, ’64

MICHIGAN TECH

Mike Donato, ’59

EAST CAROLINA

Kenneth Cameron, ’75

YOUNGSTOWN

Anthony Peluso, ’67

IOWA WESLEYAN

John McKenzie, ’73

FRANK MARCON, DISTINGUISHED VETERAN OF WORLD WAR II

Of our country’s greatest generation, fewer and fewer of those brave and self-sacrificing men who served in World War II are left with us. On July 12, 2022, we lost one of our own. FRANK MARCON, LAFAYETTE ’48 , passed away peacefully at the age of 96 with his wife, Doris, at his side. After completing his high school education, Marcon was drafted and served in the 30th Infantry Division—nicknamed the “Old Hickory” Division and recently awarded the Presidential Unit Citation in recognition of its heroic stand at the Battle of Mortain, France, August 7-12, 1944. Marcon’s service saw him land on Ohama Beach just four days after D-Day at the age of 18 and carried on as he and the 30th fought their way across France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. Following the Battle of the Bulge, Marcon suffered a grievous shrapnel wound from an exploded 88m shell that landed fifteen feet from his position. Following surgery and a recovery period in France, Marcon returned to the front lines and remained there until the war ended.

Upon returning home, Marcon used the GI Bill to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering from Lafayette. It was there that he became a brother of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, while also playing football. Following graduation, Marcon’s career took him from Pennsylvania to Florida, then eventually settling in San Francisco where he worked in the mining division of Bechtel Corporation. Through the years, he was building his career, Marcon met and married Doris, and the couple raised four children.

One of our organization’s most dedicated brothers, Jon Hays, is a continual donor and recently established the Jon F. Hays Scholarship Fund. Beyond financial support, Hays is an altruistic volunteer—serving on the National Council and selflessly giving his time and expertise to our brotherhood.

Q: Are there any other organizations or charities that you contribute to?

A: I give to several other organizations, mainly Old Dominion University for both Athletics and Academics, then to Tracy’s Paws Rescue—where we got our second dog—and a few other charities (SeriousFun, Local SPCA, RHOLC Foundation).

Q: Do you remember your first contribution to the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation? If so, what compelled you to start giving?

A: I think the first gift was a Brothers Trust Gift while I was in undergrad. I think at the time the Foundation was doing something for giving, maybe a lapel pin or something.

Q: Have you historically given more toward the Foundation or to your chapter at Old Dominion University? And why do you sway one way or the other?

A: I initially was giving greater amounts to the Chapter Education Grant (CEG) at Gamma Tau. But as I grew closer to the National Organization, my gifts started being directed more and more to the Foundation. I think my gifts have a larger impact on more of our undergraduate brothers when I give to the Foundation.

Q: Endowing the Jon F. Hays Scholarship Fund is an act of lasting generosity. In your opinion, what is the importance of providing scholarships to our brothers?

A: College isn’t cheap. I struggled to afford college and I know many of our brothers are in similar situations. Giving to scholarships and endowing scholarships is a way to help them meet that burden.

Q: Do you have any parting words for alumni who are more reluctant to give to our Foundation?

A: First determine why you are reluctant and seek out the answers to resolve it. Our Foundation, like our Fraternity, is second to none. Second, the Foundation has numerous ways you can give and ensure your gift goes to what you want it to support, seek out that opportunity to make a difference in our Brotherhood.

Q&A WITH JON HAYS, OLD DOMINION ’07

Jon pictured with his wife, Stacy Rogers-Hays.

FROM THE WORLD SERIES TO TIKTOK

Longafter his nearly 35year career in baseball, ex-Major League Baseball player and coach, Wes Stock, Washington State ’54, is making headlines once again. This time, success comes in the form of TikTok videos made by his granddaughter, Megan Rage. Garnering upwards of 10 million views, the videos highlighting Stock’s career became viral sensations. Not only were these videos an entertaining bonding experience for Stock and his granddaughter, but they shed light on a distinguished career and Hall of Fame member of our organization.

Stock’s initiation into Phi Tau stemmed back to his high school days in Shelton, Washington. Coming from a long line of Washington State graduates, Stock followed suit and became a member of the university’s ball club. Living with his aunt and uncle for a semester, Stock was introduced to the fraternity by men he had known from Shelton. In the Spring of 1953, Stock moved into the Phi Tau house and would create many fond memories until he departed in the Fall of 1956. His initial departure was due to an offer to play for the Baltimore Orioles. Like many men of the time, Stock was drafted and would serve his time in the military from 1957-1958—fortunately

being able to play some ball with Baltimore throughout that time. His career as a player would last for eight and a half years, five with the Orioles and three with the Kansas City Athletics. Following his playing career, Stock took his first position as a pitching coach for the Athletics, then would go on to coach for Oakland (1973–1976; 1984–1986), the Milwaukee Brewers (1970–1972), and the Seattle Mariners (1977–1981). During this time, he had the honor of coaching the 1975 American League AllStar team. A career highlight for Stock

was coaching the back-to-back World Series Champion Athletics in 1973 and 1974.

At the time he left Washington State, Stock was just three credits shy of graduating. Due to a change in the university’s requirements, he was awarded his degree by the Washington State President during an alumni golf outing. Enjoying his retirement, Stock spends much of his time with wife, Bev, their two sons, four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

DALTON

Through an inadvertent calculation error, the brothers listed below were not credited with the correct lifetime giving levels in the Annual Report issue of The Laurel. We’re happy to set the record straight and recognize these loyal brothers at the correct levels as of June 30, 2022. ZETA CIRCLE $100,000+

Greg Hollen, Maryland ’75

Buzz Green, Ole Miss ’66

Rick Keltner, Sacramento State ’76

Charlie Ball, Miami ’82

Bob Ragsdale, Georgia ’66

DIRECTORY

CEO (INTERIM) Sam Medley Transylvania ’94 smedley@phikappatau.org

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INTERIM)

Travis Robinson Eastern Kentucky ’98 trobinson@phikappatau.org

NATIONAL PRESIDENT Dale Holland Kent State ’87 dholland@phikappatau.org

NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Barry Mask Auburn ’78 bmask@phikappatau.org

FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN

Jeffrey Hilperts Spring Hill ’96 jhilperts@phikappatau.org

FOUNDATION

VICE CHAIRMAN Warren Mattox Nebraska Wesleyan ’69 wmattox@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.

FOUNDERS DAY OF GIVING

Founders Day of Giving is right around the corner! On March 17, 2023, we'll be celebrating the 117th anniversary of the founding of our organization. In honor of this monumental event, we will be holding our third annual Founders Day of Giving. This new tradition was born out of the hope that we as an organization could honor our founding fathers in the best way possible—helping their creation flourish and grow.

With our 117th on the horizon, we ask our brothers to mark their calendars and join us once again in honoring the organization that brought us all together. With the ability to donate to the Brotherhood Fund, which goes to benefiting the fraternity as a whole, or to individual chapters, there’s no wrong way to observe and honor on Founders Day of Giving. Keep an eye out for the upcoming information on Founders Day of Giving.

PHIKAPPATAU.ORG/GIVE