The brothers of California Phi are excited and very pleased to have been initiated as Brothers in the Bond and officially installed as a chapter at Chapman University. The festive recognition of the initiation of the 63 brothers was held at the El Adobe de Capistrano restaurant in San Juan Capistrano, California, and recognized the importance and benefits of active involvement in local and national communities.
Both the initiation and installation ceremonies were presided over by General Council President Chris Lapple, who officially presented the charter to Chapter President Nick Portillo.
“Your work ahead must be virtuous and you must strive for greatness. Your work will count you among the great Greek chapters at Chapman,” President Lapple noted. “Our 40th President, Ronald Reagan, spoke in his farewell address about the ‘shining city on a hill’…. This is how I see Phi Delta Theta – as that shining city upon a hill.”
The new Brothers in the Bond were joined by over 200 well-wishers, including Chapman University Trustees and administration officials, fellow Chapman Greek students, Phi Delta Theta brothers and alumni from UC Irvine, UCLA, USC, SDSU, University of LaVerne, Carnegie Mellon University and the new interest group at Loyola Marymount University. Other Greek chapters from Chapman who sent representatives included Alpha Gamma Delta, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Phi Sigma Sigma, as well as the Chapman PanHellenic Council. The event was co-sponsored by the Chapman Student Government Association.
Notable speakers at the ceremony included Dr. Jerry Price, the Dean of Students at Chapman University, and Jim Burra (Cal Zeta ’67), a member of the Chapman University Board of Trustees and the Chairman of the Chapter’s Advisory Board. Both are advocates for an active Greek community, and each spoke fondly about the impact of Greek life on a college man’s education.
In less than a year, since its colonization in April 2013, California Phi had two successful recruitment periods and actively developed a philanthropic leadership role on campus. The brothers together raised over $6,000 to benefit 11 charitable foundations. They together:
- Earned 1st place in Kappa Alpha Theta’s Katwalk fashion show, raising over $800 to benefit the Casa Foundation.
- Earned 2ndplace in Gamma Phi Beta’s Airbands singing competition, to benefit Camp Fire USA and Girls on the Run International.
- Earned 2nd place in Delta Gamma’s Anchor Man, raising over $700 to benefit Service for Sight.
- Earned 3rd place in Kappa Kappa Gamma’s Kappa Klassroom, raising $250 to benefit the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation.
- Earned 3rd place in Alpha Gamma Delta’s golf game Tee Off, to benefit the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation.
- Earned 3rd place in Delta Delta Delta’s sport competition Twister with a Twist, to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
- Raised over $2,000 to benefit The ALS Association at the Walk to Defeat ALS.
- Raised over $2,000 to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life 24 hour walk/run for cancer, the most of any fraternity at Chapman
- Participated in Phi Gamma Delta’s football game Turkey Bowl and Alpha Phi’s talent competition Mr. University, benefiting the Harold Robinson Foundation and the Make a Wish Foundation, respectfully.
Going forward as a chapter, the men of California Phi are committed more than ever to becoming the greatest versions of themselves. They are actively planning upcoming philanthropies, including a top-tier team for the Relay for Life walk/run for their second year, a week-long campaign to raise awareness about ALS in the fall, intramural teams to participate in sports-related philanthropies and a weekly environmental awareness partnership with Water.org.
