Thank you to Jake Mays ’12 for participating in this Q&A
Jake is currently beginning his senior year as an undergrad at Phi Delta Theta. He is studying Operations Management and Finance as a major.
Why did you join Phi Delt?
I had a couple of older friends who were members, and when I visitied the house I found it to be a group of guys I really enjoyed hanging around with.
What is your best Phi Delt memory so far?
Our spring camping trip every year is the best event that I never remember.
How have you become involved in the house?
I was the Recruitment Chair last year and am currently serving as the Vice President.
How has your experience living in house been?
It has truly been an experience. When I moved in Sophomore year there were only 27 guys living in and there were extended periods of little-to-no hot water and no internet service. The house was a deal breaker when it came to convincing rushes to join the fraternity or trying to convince brothers to move in once they had joined. Slowly but surely, we have made improvements to the house and as a group made a commitment to creating a better atmosphere and the fruits of that commitment are beginning to show. We have 40 people living in the house this year and have begun work on remodeling our front room. We also had our pick of sororities for social events this year. If you had told me three years ago that the state of the fraternity would be where it is today, I would have laughed in your face. It is a testament to a solid group of guys really dedicating themselves to bettering our fraternity and taking the Phikaia oath seriously. It is also a testament to the hard work and patience of Scott Armstrong ’85 and our housing corporation, who have been front and center in helping us with these changes.
How would your life be different if you never joined Phi Delt?
There are currently a lot of guys in the fraternity that come from diverse backgrounds with different interests.I can honestly say that there is a large group of people I would never have gotten to interact with or know if I had not joined Phi Delt.
What are your plans and goals for your future?
In this economy, my first goal is to simply find a job. Also, I hope to be able to be comfortable enough to contribute some of my time/money back to the fraternity that has given me one of my best life experiences.
What other activities are you involved with on campus?
I am a member of the Business Operations Management Society (BOMS), Fisher Cares, the Business Honors Community, Keep a Child Alive and The Barbeque Club when I’m hungry.
What has been the best part of your Phi Delt experience so far?
The best part of my Phi Delt experience has been living in the house.Having 40 of your closest friends around at all times is an experience that I doubt I will ever be able to enjoy again.
Have you had any direct experience with your alumni?
If so, what was the best part about it? I honestly haven’t been able to interact with the alumni as much as I’d like, but in my limited experience I have found that is interesting to see how much things never really change in the Phi Delt house as far as the personalities and stories associated with it. I can also say that it is incredibly entertaining to hear old stories of activities that were acceptable back in the day that would lead to us getting arrested or kicked off campus today.
Why is it important for alumni to remain connected with the active chapter?
It is a great way for rushes and new members to see the potential benefits of joining Phi Delt and getting involved in the fraternity. I know that there are many, many successful alumni from Ohio Zeta, and it would be really great if we could set up more ways for them to share their stories with the actives. We have a great group of guys who would truly be interested in hearing advice on careers and life from successful Ohio Zetas.