I love quotes. Anyone who knows anything about me, knows that I am a "quotoholic." There are lots of reasons why I love quotations. They show us a glimpse into so many things....history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, etc. The famous ones, the ones that last, are the ones that are the most potent formulas and something that erupts out of a certain time period but is also timeless and valuable to us today. Some of my favorite quotes to follow are quotes by famous Tau Delta Phi alumni...I especially enjoy looking for coded messages revealing some of our fraternity's values locked within the quotations! One of my favorite overall quotes is a quote I often use by Brother Hubert Humphrey, Vice President of the United States: "It is not what they take away from you that counts. It's what you do with what you have left." That was the introductory quote I used for at least one speech as Grand Consul!
This January 22nd in Newark, NJ at the NJIT Campus Center, Tau Delta Phi will host the second most important event to the National Convention: The Second Annual Pyramid Leadership Institute, and gives us a chance to network, to socialize, and most importantly to better ourselves. The Leadership Institute is a credit to Past Grand Consul Shaun Armhold and to Past Grand Vice Consul Pete Sasso who arranged the first event last year. In one way, it is even better then the convention...IT'S FREE to all undergraduates and alumni who want to attend, and breakfast AND lunch will both be served! Just sign up at the link! There will be four tracks this year, they are: ALUMNI (for alumni members and graduating seniors), LEADERSHIP (for the chapter executive board members), GENERAL MEMBER (for those chapter members who aren't leaders on the executive board), and NEOPHYTE (for those guys who are newly initiated into the fraternity). The kick-off speaker for the event is Greg Hauser, Esq, a brother and Past National President of Delta Chi Fraternity and Past President of the North-American Interfraternity Conference. He will be speaking on "The Future of Greek Life."
The first quote that comes to mind when I think of the importance of this Institute to undergraduates and alumni alike is a quote by our famous Frater David Sarnoff, "Success, in a generally accepted sense of the term, means the opportunity to experience and to realize to the maximum the forces that are within us." David Sarnoff has historically been described, not only as self-made, but also as a ruthless, "emperor-like" captain of industry. Yet, notice in his definition the use of the word "us," denoting his feeling of plurality. Not his success, but our success. Success is an US factor, and the Pyramid Leadership Institute is designed to help brothers succeed as a group, to share ideas, and to work out common problems and use common strategies to make our fraternity more successful.
When I think of the positive ways that our fraternity has affected so many lives, and when I think of the ways that we are DIFFERENT from other fraternities, it really brings a smile to my face! I was on a Tau Delta Phi alumni website the other day created by the brothers at the University of Arizona (Tau Delta Chapter), and some of the brothers gave video-recorded speeches at this reunion. They talked a lot about the context of being in college, in Arizona, in the 40's, 50's, and 60's. Arizona was apparently a polarized state, and some of them commented at how forward thinking they were as undergrads! Tau Delta Phi was THE DIVERSE fraternity of that generation at the University of Arizona...allowing entrance to men of EVERY race and creed. It reminded me of my own fraternity undergraduate experience...And, what a set of social misfits we were....guys from every different background calling each other brother. I know that's not just my experience...I was Grand Consul when Delta Nu Chapter was founded, and saw their mutual acceptance of each other's differences and how that made them stronger. I also saw that acceptance of diversity and warmth of brotherhood expressed at times by the brothers of Delta Xi, Tau Epsilon, and Tau Iota, and I saw that same type of cross-cultural dedication develop again this past semester at Montclair State University Colony! If Tau Delta Phi has a cookie-cutter type (similar to some other organizations) than our type is most definitely "eclectic"...just a group of men dedicated to our values of brotherhood. What better chance then this year's Pyramid Leadership Institute to celebrate, learn about, and improve that brotherhood by coming out and learning how to make your chapter better as either an alumnus or undergraduate. Frater Floyd Little put our example of brotherhood best in describing himself: "I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon…if I can."
Yep, I like the rhythm of that too...but not as much as this quote by Frater Sammy Davis, Jr. which definitely identifies the ideals of Tau Delta Phi, "Alcohol gives you infinite patience for stupidity." Oops, not that quote by Sammy, but rather this one, "You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fear." And, isn't that really the meaning of our fraternity? Do you choose to stay and face the mysterious, or do you run away? Do you choose to attend the Pyramid Leadership Institute which could really help out your chapter, or do you choose to sleep in Saturday the 22nd? In the words of Frater Eddie Cantor, come on out to the Pyramid Leadership Institute, "Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why."
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