Spring 2011

Mu Tau Newsletter Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence!

Graduate Spotlight

Page 3

Calendar

Crawfish Boil April 22, 2011

40th Annual Pig Dinner

April 21, 2012

Spring Initiation TBA

2011 Fiji Island

TBA

"Phi Gamma Delta exists to promote lifelong friendships, to reaffirm high ethical standards and values, and to foster personal development in the pursuit of excellence. “

Jim Guess 89’

Brothers,

In the 38 proud years of our Mu Tau Chapter’s history, over 300 men have experienced what it means to be a Phi Gamma Delta. We are a collection of different eras, diverse personalities, and have taken many different paths since graduation. But the common threads of friendship, knowledge, service, morality, and excellence still connect us all. It is this common history that prompts our reaching out to you today.

Like any organization, the Mu Tau Chapter has experienced its cycles of highs and lows. However, unlike other groups, our highs tend to be shorter and our lows longer. A look at Fiji chapters across the country, and even within our own territory, shows that the most consistently successful chapters are those with strong graduate brother participation and influence on chapter operations.

Letter From BCA President Craig Locke

Cont’d. Page 5

Spring 2011

2

Good evening Brothers,

Over the past semester we have accomplished many things we have been striving to accomplish. We have become more active on campus, more socially active with the other fraternities and sororities, and more geared towards scholarship. As a result, we teamed with Sigma Phi Epsilon and Alpha Delta Pi to participate in Greek Sing this year, which is a combination of All Sing and Follies. Because of the hard work

of all three chapters, we were able to place 3rd this past Sunday, April 3, 2011.

Many of our brothers have become more active on campus. Robert Davis was elected to our IFC executive board taking the position of Secretary. Anthony LaRocca and Jeremy Cotter were selected to be on the SGA Election Commission. As well as, Brannon Potts being elected AGPB (All Greek Programming Board) President. We have other brothers in a variety of different RSO’s as well. We are very proud of our brothers selecting to be active on campus, and more importantly staying active within the chapter.

As of this fall, IFC has selected to do informal rush instead of formal rush. This is great opportunity for our chapter. We all know that we acquire most of our pledges through summer recruitment. This entails us to be more diverse than other chapters, which is what we pride ourselves in. This will also put more responsibility on all of our brothers to start recruiting 24/7, 365.

I am excited to see everyone at the 39th Annual Frank Norris Pig Dinner. During this event, Richard Groff has a few ideas on how to get the new house within the next year or two, but it will take the effort of every undergraduate and graduate brother to make this happen. We are also looking forward to our 40th Annual Frank Norris Pig Dinner next year. Everyone remember that Pig Dinner is always the third weekend in April, so go ahead and RSVP for next year today.

Fraternally, Jacob Swafford Pergé!

Letter From the President

Spring 2011

3

Graduate Spotlight

1

What Pledge Class were you: Chi Big Brother: Scott Smith Little Brother: David Edgar & Ronnie Garland

What is your current profession: I am a Corporate Analst at DYK Automotive Talk about some of your fondest memories as a Fiji: There are too many memories to mention. Great times with Great Brothers pretty well sums it up. Fiji Academy was a lot of fun.

What are some of your fondest memories as Section Chief: Some of my fondest memories are just working with three chapters and their Graduate Brothers, that were very different in many ways and similar in the ways that mattered.

What are your hopes for the future of Mu Tau:

I would love for Mu Tau to realize that we CAN be the best chapter in the country; that we SHOULD be the best chapter in the country, and work to make it happen.

Jim Guess 89’

2

Have you signed up for the 1848 Club? As we approach our biggest stride towards a new house we are met with the need for further support from both our undergrads and graduates. We ask that if you have not yet done so, to sign up at memphisfiji.com for the 1848 Club and aid us in finalizing the dream we have all shared of this new house.

Spring 2011

4

40th Annual Frank Norris Pig Dinner The Mu Tau Brothers are extremely proud to

announce the 40th Annual Frank Norris Pig Dinner. Exactly 40 years ago in 2012, twenty men at Memphis State University entered the portals of Phi Gamma Delta embarking on a lifelong brotherhood to be “Not for College Days Alone!” We acknowledge their valor and join them in the upward march of humanity and ask you do as well.

We are all familiar with the motto “Not for College Days Alone”. We write you today as a charge to live this motto with us by reestablishing a Board of Chapter Advisors and adding new faces and ideas to the House Corporation. We want to create a more productive method for graduate interaction than has existed in the past. Currently, there are 21 active brothers and five pledges within our chapter. With your help, we can work with these undergraduate members to help proactively guide the chapter towards the vision of excellence that we all share for Mu Tau. Each of us is indebted to the chapter, in part, for the successful men we have become. We are asking you to commit to a new leadership role or recommit to the graduate responsibility that you now hold.

How can you help? We’re urging you to join us by taking action now to play a major part in shaping the future of the chapter. This is a call to live the values you ascribed to during your undergraduate days and give back through your advice and counsel to the chapter. Time commitments will entail monthly gatherings with your fellow graduate brothers and mentoring of undergraduate members.

To honor your “Not for College Days Alone” pledge, please e-mail Brother Craig Locke at wcraiglocke@gmail.com or contact him at 901-355-0632. Please join us in taking this important step towards making Mu Tau a model for success at the University of Memphis.

Fraternally,

W. Craig Locke (MT ’06), BCA President

James Callicott (MT ’09), Purple Legionnaire

Richard Groff (MT ’91), House Corporation President

Jim Guess (MT ’89), Section Chief Perge!

Brothers,

Mu Tau is looking to send out more frequent updates through email and through our official website: Memphisfiji.com.

Our webmaster, George Hutson III did a great job completely overhauling the website, if you haven’t already, head over to the website and check it out. It is always nice to hear from graduates so hopefully, this way we can create a place for undergrad and grad brothers to keep up with each other and keep up with what is going on at Mu Tau.

* Send All Questions, Concerns, Critiques, Personal Updates and Info to Nathaniel Clark at Nlclark2@memphis.edu. *

* Special Thanks to Steven Kozlowski for helping make this new graduate issue possible! *

Spring 2011

Notes from the Editor

Nathaniel Clark, Computer Science University of Memphis 2015

Nlclark2@memphis.edu (901) 413 - 9681

Active Undergraduates

Jeremy Cotter Charles Taylor

Joshua Mathenia Bernard Katzerman

Anthony LaRocca Adam Douglas

Stephen Edge Robert Davis

Nathaniel Clark Steven Kozlowski

George Hutson III Darrik Turner

Napoleon Yancey III Brannon Potts

Namario Yancey Tom Walter

Parker Hemphill Phillip Tidwell

John Raley Ryan Wilson

Graham Elwood Jeff Mitchum

Ryan Thom Jacob Swafford