After almost a year and a half of hard work and dedication, the Texas Upsilon Chapter was installed at The University of Texas at Dallas. On the night of March 4, 2017, the brothers of Phi Delta Theta were honored to receive their charter from General Council President Jeff Davis, and it was graciously accepted by Chapter President Allen Rodriguez. The charter not only represents becoming officially recognized as Brothers in the Bond, but it also represents how far the brothers have come since their colonization.
Installation weekend was filled with brotherhood, knowledge and fun. To end the incredible weekend, a banquet was held to celebrate the milestone. Director of Expansion Tucker Barney kicked off the night with a few congratulatory words before introducing President Davis to present the charter and offer some words of wisdom. He told the Founding Fathers of the importance of brotherhood and friendship, and how each brother needs look out for and care for one another. President Davis was followed by Allen Rodriguez who shared his excitement about chartering with the group. He reminded his brothers that installation was not the end of the road, but rather, it was simply the beginning of an illustrious legacy.
The Texas Upsilon Colony was established in November 2015. The colonization brought together a group of men who wanted a genuine brotherhood that would have a positive impact at UT Dallas. Since then, Texas Upsilon has become a well-respected and successful organization. The brothers have not only established themselves as gentlemen and leaders on campus, but they have also raised hundreds of dollars for the Callier Center for Communication Disorders at UT Dallas as well as for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
While installation was a momentous achievement for all 40 Founding Fathers, the work does not stop. Texas Upsilon has many plans for the future that will redefine Greek Life and allow them to continually improve. The best part about being a new chapter is that the brothers are able to build their fraternity from the ground up and create traditions and standards that will hopefully stand the test of time. As a whole, the chapter wants to be recognized as “The Gentlemen Fraternity” as it strives for excellence, scholarship and inclusion. Texas Upsilon promises to uphold the ideals of Phi Delta Theta and remain loyal, bold, and true for years to come.
In accordance with Phi Delta Theta’s Strategic 10-Year Plan, Phi Delt 2020 and its growth initiative, Phi Delta Theta is currently executing expansion strategies that culminate in seven chapter installations annually and 200 chapters by 2020. The installation of Texas Upsilon was the first chapter installation of 2017, and the Fraternity currently has 183 active chapters and 9 colonies.
