Phi Delta Theta celebrates 55th anniversary
Andrew Bravo
Staff Photographer
The 55th Anniversary Phi Delta Theta’s Founder’s Day was celebrated this past weekend in Downtown Mankato, bringing together members of the fraternity both alumni and current.
Traveling from as far as Florida and California to the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, the reunion kicked off with a social at the Loose Moose on Friday and events throughout the day Saturday which included a chapter meeting and house tours in the afternoon and banquet later that night. With over 120 Phis in attendance and as many as 200 at the dinner and dance, the Grand Ballroom was packed with Phis returning to their former stomping grounds. Among those in attendance were special guests President of Phi Delta Theta Sean Wagner and President of Minnesota State University, Mankato Richard Davenport, both speaking on the state of the chapter and plans for the future.
Wagner, the President of Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters in Miami, Ohio, addressed the chapter at the meeting Saturday afternoon by commending the hard work everyone involved has done to put the weekend’s events together while focusing on the state of the chapter. “We’re bigger than ever before,” Wagner said. “But with growth, there come challenges, challenges which cannot be ignored.”
Among the topics discussed was the Strategic Plan, also known as Phi Delt 2030. With the goal of being recognized as the premier fraternal leadership society in North America, the groundwork for the plan emphasizes goals in various areas such as growth, retention, and cultivation of culture for members to reach their own personal greatness. Davenport also spoke at the banquet later that night the chapter’s history and plans for a Greek row in the future.
Following the speech, the distinct awards of Active of the Year and Alumni of the Year were given out for extraordinary contributions to the chapter. The recipients of those awards, active Tyler Guggisberg and alumni Bill Rose were acknowledged before all who attended. In addition to awards, several Phis were honored in the Chapter Grand, where brothers who have passed away are honored before the chapter. Among those honored was the late Doug Larson, nicknamed “Mr. Phi Delt” due to his incredible contributions to better the Minnesota Beta chapter, including funding a Whole Man scholarship for the chapter and working at General Headquarters among countless other contributions.
With three core values of friendship, sound learning, and rectitude, Phi Delta Theta was the first fraternity established on campus and has seen its members reach incredible feats. Brothers are unified by the Bond, the supreme governing document of the Fraternity written at its founding at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where the original chapter was formed. Focused on seeing its members become the greatest version of themselves, the group has a significant presence both on campus and nationwide.
Header photo: Phi Delta Theta President Sean Wagner speaks at the chapter meeting at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020 in the Mankato, Minn. Presenting a Strategic Plan for the chapter’s future, called Phi Delt 2030, the president and chapter are strong as ever. (Andrew Bravo/MSU Reporter)