2022 Founder's Day

 

Founder's Day was celebrated Monday evening on April 11th at Gamma Phi during dinner. A short program was held following dinner and dessert of a Founder's Day cake. Jerry Clark provided pictures and a history of the relocation of Gamma Phi from various houses and locations from prior to 1957 to 1964. The current house was finished in 1966 and remains in excellent shape thanks to past and present leadership of alumni and actives. The gala celebration was closed by Larry Ruth in leading the group with the singing of "Dear Ol Theta Chi". We hope to increase alumni attendance in future Founder's Day events. Larry Ruth '67, Greg Bergt '71, Jerry Clark '60, Andrew Coughlin '04 photo by Dustin Bartley '03

George T. Kilavos Alumni Award "Gerald "Jerry" Clark '60, George T. Kilavos Alumni Award recipient Jerry Clark has had a monumental influence on the Gamma Phi Chapter. After quietly joining the NWU Theta Chi Building Company Board of Directors and quickly being elected secretary, he has spent the better part of a decade taking every opportunity to tell the good story of Gamma Phi to anyone who would listen, including alumni and NWU administrators. Beyond being a fixture at the fall chapter workdays who teaches collegians how to paint, he has been an invaluable connection to the roots of the Chapter and the building, has established a separate Alumni Association to further share the story of Gamma Phi and plan multiple events (reunions, homecoming, Founders' Day, etc.), and has been a tremendous behind-the-scenes fundraising resource, helping Gamma Phi Chapter finally retire its original mortgage, fund renovations to the house director's suite and fully fund remodeling of every residential bathroom. Though Jerry loves to emcee events (and to invite both collegians and alumni to play shuffleboard afterward), he prefers to leave his other work in the background, especially when it comes to his fundraising efforts. Jerry has been a long-time organizer of an annual/biennial reunion of members and spouses from his college days, but, in recent years, he has morphed these events into "all-Gamma Phi" reunions with collegians and alumni from many years in attendance. Jerry has undoubtedly made several, ongoing meritorious contributions to the Gamma Phi Chapter, to the NWU Theta Chi Building Company and to the NWU Theta Chi Alumni Association. As he is preparing to step down from his formal roles and just be an "alumnus in the background," the Gamma Phi Chapter wishes to recognize Gerald "Jerry" Clark with the George T. Kilavos Alumni Award for his many years of service and dedication."