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Alpha Iota Returns to Indiana University

 

On March 4, 2006, 56 men were initiated and relit the flame of Alpha Iota Chapter at Indiana University. For the 1,844 Brothers who lost their Chapter in 2001, it was a happy day. The rebirth started in the summer of 2004 when representatives of Alpha Iota’s alumni, Theta Chi’s IHQ staff, and the University’s Student Affairs office gathered to put a plan in motion to bring the Chapter back. In the fall of 2004, the Colony Advisory Board (CAB) was formed, led by Chairman Kevin McIntosh AI ’80, to establish a base of support for the much-anticipated group of new undergraduates. The Alumni Corporation also committed to ensuring housing for the new group when it got large enough to support a house. Additionally, Theta Chi’s IHQ expansion team, led by Joe Wachs Delta Kappa ‘99, sent representatives to the campus in the fall to set the stage for recruiting top quality undergraduate men that would step up to the challenge of reestablishing the Chapter. With all these components in place, IHQ staffers Mike Mayer, Epsilon Phi ’04 and Nate Hibbon Alpha Mu ’04 went on campus in late January of 2005 to begin talking to undergraduates. Their goals were to find men who had a strong academic focus, leadership experience, a commitment to personal responsibility, and a desire to work together as a group to form a new Brotherhood on campus.

Within a month there were 16 members who got organized, elected leaders, and were endorsed by the Alpha Iota Alumni at a formal luncheon. Two months later there were 29 men who went through the Colonization ceremony to finish the year on a real high note. They returned to campus in the fall of 2005 with such spirit and determination that they quickly grew to 60 men. They elected new officers, held a colony retreat to reevaluate their goals, hosted the MYLC held on their campus, and really bonded together as a group. They not only participated in an all campus breast cancer philanthropy sponsored by the ZTA sorority, but finished third among all the fraternities in a contest that recognized the combination of their fund raising results and talent contest performance results. Suddenly, they had an identity on campus and were recognized as a peer among the fraternities and sororities. As with any fast growing group, the fall brought the challenge of reevaluating the commitment of individual members and resulted in some membership turn over. This did not, however, deter the group from filing their petition for Chapter status with the Grand Chapter before going home for the winter holidays.

In January 2006 they returned to campus stronger than ever and learned that they had the highest GPA, 3.159, of all fraternities for the fall semester. They also received word in February that their petition to become a Chapter had been approved by the Grand Chapter. With all this excitement, their reinstallation was scheduled for Saturday March 4 th and invitations were mailed to all of the Chapter’s alumni, all of Theta Chi’s active chapters, and the Official Family.

Finally the long anticipated day came and began with the initiation of the new members conducted by Alpha Iota Alumni. This ceremony was followed by the Reinstallation ceremony, led by National President Paul “Yogi” Norstrem, Alpha Pi ’86 and included alumni and undergraduate representatives from several chapters. When the original Chapter Charter was presented to Chapter President Ray Vanlanot, a huge round of cheers rose from the group and reconnected them to their original installation as a Chapter back in 1921. Next, the new Chapter officers were installed and formal meetings came to a close.

Memorabilia from the chapter’s long history, along with a looping slide presentation were on display throughout the day for viewing during the breaks. Representatives from twelve Theta Chi Chapters attended the festivities, including large delegations from Alpha Delta, Purdue, Alpha Mu, Iowa State, Gamma Upsilon, Bradley, and Delta Kappa, Ball State. The man miles award went to Gamma Theta, San Diego State, with two members attending. Past National President Dave DeVol and Past National Chaplin Father Phil Bowers also participated.

Following some pictures and a social hour, the group gathered for a celebration banquet. The program began with introductions of guests and comments from the new initiates. The CAB Scholarship Chairman Bill Mullenholz AI ’73 presided over the presentation of five $1,000 scholarships to the new initiates from the Alpha Iota Educational Foundation and the Scott Scholarship Fund of the Foundation Chapter. The keynote speaker was Vice Chancellor of Indiana University Richard McKaig, who challenged the new men of Theta Chi to “make your alumni, Theta Chi Fraternity, and our University proud that they have placed the gift of being a Chapter in your hands”. Vice Chancellor McKaig has been active in Student affairs at Indiana University for more than 30 years and has also been a leader not only in his own fraternity, Delta Chi, but also has worked hard on many inter-fraternal initiatives over the years to strengthen the Greek community. For a lifetime of inter-fraternal leadership, National President Paul Norstrem presented Mr. McKaig with Theta Chi’s Prestigious Chapman-Alter Award for Inter-Fraternal Excellence, presented each year to one individual who, through distinguished service, has made significant and lasting contributions to the development and advancement of the North American Fraternity System. The evening finished with the new initiates serving their guests a celebration cake decorated with both the Chapter’s installation and reinstallation dates and a rousing rendition of Theta Chi’s anthem “Dear old Theta Chi”.