On Saturday, November 21, 2015, the California Psi Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Loyola Marymount University was installed by General Council Member-at-Large Moe Stephens. The ceremony was held in the Sculpture Garden, next to the Sacred Heart Chapel of Loyola Marymount, overlooking the iconic Los Angeles skyline. Dr. Jeanne Ortiz, Dean of Students at Loyola Marymount University, welcomed the 45 Founding Fathers with open arms.
University officials, including members of the Greek Life and Student Life Development offices accompanied Dean Ortiz at the ceremony. From General Headquarters, Director of Expansion Tucker Barney, Puget Sound ’14, and Colony Development Specialist Dylan Berg, North Dakota ’15, led the procession of men into the installation ceremony. Many notable Phis from across the nation attended the ceremony including General Council Member-At-Large Moe Stephens, Southern Indiana ’99, Province President Stephen Youts, University of Texas Arlington ’71, the newly elected Executive Board of California Delta (USC), and representation from California Xi (Chico State), California Zeta (California State, Northridge), California Pi (San Diego State) and California Rho (La Verne).
Throughout the banquet, many poignant speakers took the podium, including California Psi’s first Expansion Consultant and now Chapter Advisory Board Chairman Bob Wolfley, Southern Indiana ’10. Brother Wolfley gave a brief history of his time with the chapter and the road from colonization to installation. Dean Ortiz spoke on behalf of Loyola Marymount University’s new President Dr. Tim Snyder, continuing his inaugural theme of global imagination and demonstrating how LMU’s numerous Greek chapters encompass his vision. Province President Stephen Youts spoke to the chapter about the importance of brotherhood within the newly formed chapter and what the future holds for California Psi. Chapter President Victor Heinen spoke on behalf of the chapter, giving an oration of how the colony process shaped what California Psi is today and where it will go in the future. General Council Member-At-Large Moe Stephens closed the ceremony with a moving speech on the duty of friendship between brothers and the significance of his process as a Phikeia.
The California Psi Colony was established in March 2014 with 90 Founding Fathers, and the chapter has already made a significant mark on the small LMU campus. After joining forces with a local Kentucky Fried Chicken chain, the chapter raised $10,000 for The ALS Association in one afternoon through a campus-wide Ice Bucket Challenge. This fall, the chapter won Greek Week with their partner and fellow Miami University-founded organization Delta Zeta, walked in the annual Los Angeles Walk to Defeat ALS and contributed more than 400 hours of community service around Los Angeles. Over $800 was raised for ALS through ticket sales to the chapter’s Installation Banquet.
In the future, the chapter hopes to continue its success and help fellow young men at LMU to join a brotherhood that asks them to become the greatest versions of themselves. The brothers of California Psi would like to cordially thank Installation Chair and Treasurer Thomas Walker for his planning of the weekend’s festivities, as well as Bob Wolfley, Tucker Barney, Stephen Youts, Moe Stephens, and all of the brothers and alumni in the Greater Los Angeles area whose support and hard work made California Psi’s installation possible.
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 2018. The installation of California Psi was the tenth chapter installation of 2015, and the Fraternity currently has 186 active chapters and 8 colonies.
