The national fraternity of Phi Delta Theta shares a magazine for brothers of all chapters to enjoy. The publication includes stories of success, academics, athletics, culture, student life, and more! Check out the archive of The Scroll, including the latest edition, here! 

Happy New Year, Brother! Our wish for you in 2023 is for a year filled with happiness, peace, good health, and prosperity. As we continue to reflect on 2022, we must keep at the for front of our minds, the mission and objective of Phi Delta Theta, and the responsibility we have as alumni to the place that has provided us with the foundation skills for our success we have now.  

Now as alumni, we ask that you continue to put your best foot forward to help support not only our alumni events and communications, but that we continue to help perpetuate our undergrad chapter forward. So that these fine young men can experience all the opportunities we had during our time in Phi Delta Theta. 

For those who are able, please consider a monetary donation by CLICKING HERE, this will also get you a spot on the Honor Roll, FOUND HERE. We thank you in advance for your continued support.

With the giving season upon us we want to thank each of you for your commitment to fraternity. Whether it be through donations or time spent volunteering, we are thankful for your support in more ways than one. Phi Delt is a brotherhood; by definition, “an association or community of people linked by a common interest.” As Phi Delta Theta brothers, we share a passion for the brotherhood that contributed to our personal development, our relationships, and our lives as students and far beyond to our roles as husbands, fathers, professionals, volunteers, neighbors, and friends.

We can’t overestimate the true meaning of adding your name to the ranks of our alumni donors. Your gift to our annual fund is both a tribute to your own experience and a way to pay it forward to ongoing generations of brothers who will eventually join our alumni ranks and share in our responsibility to keep Phi Delta Theta strong.

If you feel compelled to give back to Phi Delta Theta this giving season, CLICK HERE.

When alumni give, they are making a statement about their commitment to Phi Delta Theta and its impact. Everyone has their own WHY for becoming a donor.

Here are some personal testimonials from these generous donors to inspire all of us to do our part. Thank you to these Brothers for their contributions and for sharing their thoughts:

 ‘Because it provides an opportunity to learn, make friends and grow as young

Want to share your reason for giving? Email us or  CLICK HERE  and we’ll share it in our next issue.

If these reasons for giving are meaningful to you, make your gift today

Every year, Phi Delta Theta alumni show an enormous amount of support for the Ohio Zeta Chapter. This month, we’re breaking down our contributions over the last 5 years. Here’s the breakdown:

• 547 Ohio Zeta Chapter alumni have given a gift in the last 5 years.
• The average gift amount in the last 5 years is $125.
• 1239 Ohio Zeta Chapter alumni brothers have never given back.

Thank you to those of you on the Honor Roll of Donors who have contributed this giving year! For those who have not yet given, please consider making a contribution to the Ohio Zeta Chapter HERE to add your name to the Phi Delta Theta Honor Roll.

As you know, being a part of a fraternity offers more than just a social experience—as Brothers, we gained a sense of community, a place to call home, preparation for post-grad life, and the life-changing, lifelong benefits of friendship, leadership, and shared values.  

• What do 85% of the executives of Fortune 500 companies and 80% of United States Presidents since 1900 have in common? According to Fraternity Advisor, they were all members of Greek organizations during college. 
• Fraternity and sorority membership helps young men and women cultivate leadership skills, gain a sense of social identity, and learn to work well with others. Fraternities and sororities not only offer the context to develop these skills but, just as importantly, can often help students work toward future internships and job opportunities. Employers like seeing the documented leadership experience that fraternity life can provide.   

• Networking is an integral part of the college experience and Greek life provides one of the strongest foundations for social interfacing with a network of peers. Greek organizations help build networks that often prove beneficial to students when looking for internships, employment, recommendations, or employees. 

“Phi Delta Theta takes young men and shapes them into functioning adults through leadership in the fraternity, charity work within the community, and networking for post-grad life. Greek life is an essential part of any collegiate system.”  

Collecting personal testimonials about the fraternity experience is important to our legacy. CLICK HERE and let us know how the benefits of fraternity impacted your life.

If there was ever a time that Phi Delta Theta could benefit from your support and a strong show of alumni giving, it’s now. Our giving year began in September and will be closing soon. Your donations are vital to our efforts to maintain connections among our alumni and sustain the values of leadership and service that live in all of us—especially as pandemic restrictions end and we can resume more normal activities and events for Phi Delta Theta. 

Alumni support serves several important purposes: 

• Keeps our house competitive among other fraternities on campus 
• Provides an exceptional experience for our active Brothers 
• Enables leadership opportunities for alumni and active Brothers alike 
• Maintains our alumni communications, which form the basis for a strong fraternity foundation 
• Contributes to events and activities for alumni to continue a lifelong relationship with Phi Delta Theta 

If you haven’t yet made a donation to the 2020-21 giving year, which ends in August, this is your opportunity to be listed on this year’s Honor Roll. Your past support made an impact. Please renew your gift today to be counted among our most loyal donors. CLICK HERE to renew your gift and add your name to the Honor Roll of Donors today! 

It’s time to start planning to truly reconnect with our Brothers/Sisters once again, live and in-person.  

Mark your calendar now for Ohio State Homecoming 2021: OCTOBER 8-9, 2021 

More details will be shared as soon as they are available, but it’s not too early to start making your travel plans. 

In the meantime, summer is the perfect opportunity to plan your next fraternity reunion. After more than a year of socializing virtually, we’ll never take get-togethers for granted—so make sure to take photos and submit them for publication in our next newsletter or email newsletter and tell us all about the fun you had.  

Still not ready for in-person events or want to use online tools to connect for planning your next get-together?  Here are some helpful hints. 

Thanks to Bob Laughhunn ’74 for writing in this life update! See what Brother Bob had to update us on below!

“I started dating my future wife Karen our senior year in high school. She was the Phi Delt dream girl our senior year at Ohio State in 1974. We married that summer and had several brothers in the wedding. We raised 2 great kids and my son Andy was also a Phi Delt. Karen and I have been married for 47 years now!! Where did the time go?”

Do you have an update you would like to share with your brothers? CLICK HERE and we will publish it in an upcoming e-letter!

We recently caught up with our very own John Anderson ’63 and had the chance to ask him about his Phi Delt experience, and where life since Ohio State has taken him. Here’s what he had to say: 

I graduated from a small rural high school in Licking County. My graduating class was 22 students. I was one of the 10 percent of my class that went to college. Needless to say, entering Ohio State was a real culture and academic shock for me. Since that first year was such a struggle for me I didn’t pledge a fraternity until my sophomore year, and I’m so happy it was Phi Delta Theta. I think the most important lesson I learned while being an active Phi Delt was to live and work with the diverse group of men with whom I lived and with whom I socialized. Other than living with a great group of guys, some of my fondest memories were going to Buckeyes football games, Phi Delt social functions and going to dinner at Reebs restaurant with Professor Wilson Dumble. Guys in my age group will remember Wilson, who was a Phi Delt himself and lived in the house. After graduating from Ohio State in 1963 with my Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree, I started working for Pratt & Whitney (Aerospace Engine Manufacturer) and was with them for 42+ years. My original base was in Palm Beach County, Florida. During my career I worked in quite a few different departments and several field assignments. Those included stints in Long Island, Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Tokyo, Japan and Munich, Germany. In 2000 I was transferred to East Hartford, CT where I retired. Liz (my wife of 57 years) and I are now snowbirds, spending winters in Tequesta, Florida and summers in Higganum, CT. We enjoy visits with our 4 children and 8 grandchildren, although we don’t get to see some of them very often since they are spread out in Port Salerno, FL, Boston, Cleveland and Zushi, Japan. We are active in our churches both in Tequesta and CT where we sing in the choirs, although COVID-19 has put a temporary hold on the choir activity.   

Would you or a brother you know make a great alumni profile subject? Email us at alumninews@affinityconnection.com or CLICK HERE to let us know! 

1970 Spring Break, Ft Lauderdale. Maryann Mollenkanp, Tom Budiscak ’71, Deedee Boulton, Jim Phipps ’72, Debbie Zacradelli, Gary Kay ’72.

Plenty of us had romantic flings back at Ohio State; some of us even discovered our other halves in part because of Phi Delta Theta. Jim Phipps ’72  and his lovely wife Deedee have just such a love story. We reached out to learn about their Phi Delta Theta-fueled romance, here’s what he had to say. 

I began dating Deedee Boulton in 1966, after moving to Sylvania, Ohio from Southern California. We were together through High School and she was my senior prom date. We both began our freshman year at OSU in 1968. Deedee was a Delta Gamma and was part of the Phi Delt Dream Girl Court in 1970. We were “pinned” in 1969. Following my undergraduate experience at PDT, I entered Dental School at OSU in 1972. In 1973, I married my Phi Delt pin mate, Deedee Boulton. We are still married after 48 years!

Tom Budiscak ’71 was my best man and Dave Marker ’72 and Gary Kay ’72 were also in the wedding. I graduated from Dental School in 1975 and began a hospital residency in Toledo the same year. In 1976, I set up a general practice in Bowling Green, Ohio, providing dental services for 44 years. My partners and I were the team dentists for all men’s and women’s athletic teams at Bowling Green State University during that time. Dee and I raised 3 wonderful children in Bowling Green and now also have 5 grandchildren. We still have a home in BG, but since retiring due to the pandemic, spend most of the year in Naples, Florida. Phi Delta Theta was one of the best experiences of my life. It taught me the value of teamwork and cooperation to accomplish goals. My term as Chapter President in 1970 gave me leadership skills that proved invaluable going forward. Living in close quarters with 70 very “diverse” personalities, taught me tolerance and acceptance of opposing viewpoints. It also was a hell of a lot of fun! Some of my most memorable moments would include the privilege of being able to associate with a large group of guys that I enjoyed spending time with. The parties (Toga, Shipwreck), sorority mixers, late-night MAC runs, road trips, and spring break travels were way too much fun! I also remember the “all-nighters” in preparation for mid-terms and finals, and Hell week, but not as fondly. They say “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” and the Phi Delts of my era were anything but dull! I do still stay in frequent contact with Tom Budiscak and Dan Dorshiemer ’72. We encourage any of the brothers visiting NW Ohio or SW Florida to look us up and drop by.  

Do you or one of your brothers have a love story that you know began with Ohio State Phi Delta Theta? CLICK HERE or email us at alumninews@affinityconnection.com to share your story! 

We want to take a moment to thank our alumni brothers represented in the all-time donor table for their annual fund contributions. The all-time donor chart includes any brother who has given back at some point since leaving campus. If you’re interested in how your decade has performed in all-time giving, here’s a breakdown:  

We’d also like to extend an extra special thanks to the brothers who have already given this year! Phi Delta Theta’s give year began again in September 2020, to see how your decade is performing for the current giving year, check out the breakdown below. 

Congrats to you ’60s grads— you’re currently leading the pack!  

Thank you to each Phi Delta Theta alumnus from every decade who has given back and made a contribution to our annual fund. Our fraternity would not exist without your help. For those who have never given before or who have yet to give this year, CLICK HERE and consider making your first donation today. 

Every fraternity thinks they have the best; the best Intramural sports team, the best-looking group of guys, the best parties, and now, as alumni, the best stories to share. What are some fun facts you remember about Phi Delta Theta? 

Take a look at some history facts below: 

Phi Delta Theta was established in December 1848.  

Phi Delta Theta was founded by the “The Immortal Six”.  

The Phi Delta Theta flower is the white carnation flower.

The Phi Delta Theta motto is, “One Man is no Man.”  

The most famous alumni from Phi Delta Theta are:

• Adam Silver ‘84, NBA Commissioner
• Brian Niccol ’96, CEO, Chipotle
• Burt Reynolds ’57, Actor

Can you remember your fraternity history? How about some unknown secrets that bring back memories of the good ‘ole days? We want to know about them! CLICK HERE and tell us your fun facts! 

We recently caught up with our very own Phillip Cobb ’65 and had the chance to ask him about his Phi Delt experience, and where life since Ohio State has taken him. Here’s what he had to say: 

Where has life taken you since you graduated? Give us a brief recap up to this point including career and family highlights.

After leaving OSU, I took a job with International Paper Co. that got me to Dallas where I met a guy named Gene Street that wanted, like me, to get into the bar/restaurant business. So in 1971 we opened a bar named J Alfreds, I got the name from my Toledo buddies that reminded me about a bar at BGSU named J Alfred Prufrock’s. Since I ran the PDT kitchen at OSU for 3 years, as did my older Phil brother Dave Cobb, I knew I would eventually get into the Food & Beverage business. In the next 17 years our company built a chain of down home cooking places known as the Black – Eyed Pea and also the Dixie House restaurants and sold our 45 units to a British firm in 1986. From 1986- 2004, I did 6 more restaurants with my second wife, Janet, and finally semi retired in 2004. On the non profit side, I decided in 1983 to bring back a historic Trolley system to the Dallas area and we opened in 1989. Today 32 years later we are still operating a 7 car system with 600,000 riders per year, and we are the third largest historic system in America after San Francisco and New Orleans. Other notable ventures that I’ve been involved in over the years include: Majority owner of the Dallas Sidekicks indoor professional soccer team for two years, Chairman of the USA Film Festival for two years, Founder and Chairman of the Uptown (Dallas) neighborhood association, and Board member of The Dallas Arboretum. As for my family, I have two daughters, Savannah and Sierra, two step-sons , Brian and Blair, and 4 grandchildren. Janet and I have been married 26 years.

What are the most important lessons you learned because of Phi Delta Theta?

The lessons I learned as a Phi Delt: whether it’s playing intramural sports, running the kitchen , or just getting through Hell Week…..you have to work things out together as a team. That has guided me throughout my business and personal career.

When you look back on your time in Phi Delta Theta, what moments do you tend to remember most?

The moments I remember as a Phi: really good times with my roomie Doug Wahl, who is also from Toledo, having beers at the Char Bar or Don’s on the weekends, going to Buckeyes sporting events, and living at the house over two years.

Would you or a brother you know make a great alumni profile subject? Email us at alumninews@affinityconnection.com or CLICK HERE to let us know! 

With vaccines being distributed, Ohio State Phi Delt alumni can’t wait to get back together in 2021! Are you planning anything fun? Whether it’s a tailgate, happy hour, backyard BBQ, or just another virtual reunion, we want to know about it. 

CLICK HERE to let us know what you’re planning so we can add it to our Alumni Events Calendar! This way, we can keep each other updated and informed about gatherings happening online or in your area. Keep an eye on our website’s EVENTS page for upcoming gatherings; though the calendar may be sparse now, we’ll keep you posted with any updates in our monthly e-letters.  

You can even use our interactive alumni locator map to find out which brothers live near you to plan a get-together with nearby alums. Or, for those of you who’re still not sure about in-person events, there are plenty of ways to connect online. Click here for some of Stanford’s tips and tricks on how to have the perfect mini-reunion online. 

We look forward to continuing to connect you with your alumni brothers this year. 

’70s brothers: get ready for a blast from the past. Check out this shot; doesn’t this 1978 Ohio State Phi Delt hangout look radical? Here’s some 1978 trivia that’ll take you right back:

Ohio State Football: The Buckeyes were coached by Woody Hayes, had a record of 7-4-1, and outscored their opponents 339 to 216.

Ohio State Tuition: Students paid around $932 in tuition and fees per semester as a full-time student. I’ll bet that stings for you 2010s grads…  

Top Movies: 

• Grease
• National Lampoon’s Animal House 
• Superman 

Top Songs: 

• “Shadow Dancing” by Andy Gibb
• “Night Fever” by Bee Gees
• “Stayin Alive” by the Bee Gees

 Top TV Programs: 

• Three’s Company 
• Mork & Mindy 
• Happy Days

Were you there? Are you in these pictures? If you remember this event, CLICK HERE or email us to share a story about it.  

If you have great photos from your glory days to share, log in to upload them to our photo gallery or email them to alumninews@affinityconnection.com! 

What were the best nicknames you called your brothers and how did they come about?  

When’s the last time you saw a Ohio Zeta Chapter brother in person? Who were you with, where were you, and what was the occasion? Do you have a photo from that day? 

What do you remember about the top social event the year you graduated? Do you remember your date? Did you happen to marry them? 

What was Phi Delt known for during your time at Ohio State? 

Read on to find out how other Ohio Zeta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta alumni answered these questions.  

Phillip Cobb ‘65

Nicknames: My older brother, Dave Cobb ‘61 was called “Trimmer” so they called me “Clipper”. Jim Argo ‘64 was called “Argo f-yourself”, but you probably can’t print that!

Last time you saw a classmate: Dave Cobb and Doug Wahl ‘65, both on Nantucket and Dallas in 2019.

Top social event: Mostly weekend Phi Delt parties my last year on Saturday nights. I didn’t marry until 5 years later in Dallas when I married my first wife Diana, a DG from Florida State.

What Phi Delta Theta was known for: Good intramural sports teams, high grades, and winners of Gold Diggers quite a few times

James Phipps ‘72

Nicknames: As best as I can remember, the nicknames were: Tom Backus as “Backo”, Phil Newbold ‘70 as”Fast Eddie”, a very slick operator, Paul Huff ’70 as “Huffer”, Jim Phipps ‘72 as “Feasible” because as the President repeatedly advised members that motions voted in Chapter meetings were not ‘feasible’, Alan Pierce ‘71 as “Black Al”, Rick Bowen ‘71 as “RiBo”, Mike Akers ‘71 as “Mountain Mike” as he was from West Virginia, Tom Budiscak ‘71 as “Buda”, Mark Sheehan ‘71 as “Sheik”, Pat Fahey ‘71 as “Foo”, Dave Berardi ‘71 as “Panda Cub”, Pat Hylant ‘70 as “Tuna”, Jim Wyland ‘73 as “Wylo”, Bob Sallade ‘72 as “Blob”, and George Darah ‘73 as “Broadway”.

Last time you saw a classmate: Reunited with Dan Dorsheimer ‘72 in Del Ray, Florida on 11/20.

Top social event: Toss up between Shipwreck and TOGA. No one took a respectable date to Shipwreck, it was wrong on every level!!! Surprisingly we did not all go to jail! Could never get away with that today! TOGA was slightly more tame, I brought DeeDee Boulton to that one and ended up marrying her in 1973, still married to her today!

What Phi Delta Theta was known for: Pretty much face men, jocks, and anything that was NOT Delta Tau Delta! We prided ourselves in being the non-conformist fraternity.  We assembled an amazing group of young men that for the most part, studied hard and partied harder!

Want to share your own stories? Click here to submit your answers to the questions above. We’ll publish your response in a future alumni e-letter! If you have a picture to share, email it to alumninews@affinityconnection.com with the subject line “Phi Delta Theta Ohio State Photos.”