My name is Jonathan Rogowski, I am a Phi Delt, a graduate of Miami University, and my favorite color is blue.
As human beings, we associate color with many concepts that have significant meaning. For instance, you might recall in Meet the Parents when Robert De Niro questions Ben Stiller’s rental car color choice. De Niro said, “geniuses pick green.” Every color can be given a positive or negative connotation. As Phi Delta Theta embarked on its rebranding campaign we, as a General Headquarters Staff, were constantly inundated with visual marketing information. During one of our strategy meetings, a senior director posed the question, “What is Phi Delt blue to you?” I believe Phi Delt Blue is the piece that lives inside all of us that instills the confidence, courage, and conviction for greatness among its membership.
Confidence comes to us as brothers in different facets of our fraternal life. As an active member in Phi Delta Theta you discover the confidence in yourself to lead your brothers. Our leaders discover the greatest version of confidence in themselves when placed in situations that require swift, decisive decision-making. The confidence to act serves our brothers when duty and friendship collide and when our brothers must address doing what is popular versus doing what is right.
Courage is instilled in our membership when our brothers are asked to hold their chapter members to a higher degree of personal and social accountability. Phi Delta Theta provides such a rare and unadulterated means to experience and grow into leadership roles the way in which no other organization can provide. Phi Delt Blue, that driving force inside each of us, ignites the courage to handle the difficult situations we encounter as college aged men and in our professional lives.
Conviction is found in Phi Delta Theta deep below the palpable façade of fraternity. A member’s affinity for Phi Delta Theta develops over the course of membership. Our volunteers at Phi Delta Theta are the best in the fraternal world. Each one is devoted to making Phi Delta Theta and its members the future leaders, educators, and professionals of America. The great thing about our volunteers is that Phi Delt Blue gave them the confidence to discover greatness.
Our experiences in Phi Delta Theta are what we make of them, but the basic principles of friendship, sound learning, and moral rectitude foster a timeless sense of pride that is illuminated in Phi Delt Blue. So I ask to you, brothers, what does Phi Delt Blue mean to you?
Jonathan joined the GHQ Staff in June 2011 as a Leadership Consultant. He graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with a functional concentration in economics. During his tenure with Ohio Alpha, Jonathan served as president where he oversaw the organizations membership increase 17%, encouraged outside involvement in other ventures, and fostered an environment that placed Ohio Alpha at the forefront of integrated development for Miami’s Greek System. While at Miami, Jonathan was involved with and served on various committees including those in Student Affairs, Judicial Affairs, Lecture Series, and Greek Governance. In his free time Brother Rogowski travels as often as time allows both domestically and internationally, is an avid coffee lover, and enjoys running which is showcased in being recognized as an Iron Phi.
