Phi Mu Delta

ΦMΔ
Fraternity Information
Name:	Phi Mu Delta
Founding Date:	December 3, 1987
Founding Campus:	University of Connecticut, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont
Number Chapters:	8 active, 3 colonies
Council:	NIC
Website:	www.phimudelta.org
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NAME	Phi Mu Delta
LETTERS	ΦMΔ
FOUNDING DATE	December 3, 1987
FOUNDING UNIVERSITY	University of Connecticut, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont
TYPE	Social
SCOPE	National
COUNCIL	NIC
COLORS	Princeton Orange, White, Black
CHAPTERS	8 active, 3 colonies
HEADQUARTERS	316 Cherry Hill Boulevard Cherry Hill, NJ, USA
WEBSITE	www.phimudelta.org

Founders' Creed

I Believe in Democracy... a democracy characterized by the practice of justice in every relation of life. I hold that justice is the foremost principle to be considered in making my decisions as a voting member of Phi Mu Delta, the student body, and as a citizen of the United States. I believe in that broad conception of democracy which seeks freedom of opportunity, and recognizes no color, race, creed, or position.

I Believe in Service... service to the college; service to every group organized for the common good; service to the individual. I believe in service defined in the terms of voluntary sacrifice for the welfare of those with whom I come in contact.

I Believe in Brotherhood... Brotherhood that reaches beyond the limits of Phi Mu Delta and welcomes every man as my Brother. I believe in the intrinsic worth of the man at my side, and in his ability to make good and justify my faith in him.

I hold these beliefs as my profound conviction, and I pledge my fellow men to live up to them to the best of my ability.

Mission statement

Founded nationally in 1918 as the first national fraternity to accept men regardless of their race or religious affiliation. Phi Mu Delta has as its mission, to provide a positive fraternity experience for today's college man, encouraging high personal standards, morally, mentally, and spiritually, and, to help its members live the ideals of our founders: democracy, brotherhood and service.

Founders

Clarence Dexter Pierce (Nu Gamma 1918)

Clarence is the father of the Phi Mu Delta fraternity. In 1917 he and the other founders took part in the National Federation of the Commons Clubs which was the fore runner of to days fraternities. He led the movement that led to the creation of Phi Mu Delta. Clarence truly lives up the ideals set by the founders.

Arthur Conrad Bird (Nu Alpha 1919)

Arthur was at the 1918 convention and a great supporter that led to the Greek formation. In Phi Mu Delta he was elected the secretary of the newly founded fraternity. He received his graduate education at the University of Massachusetts which was the Phi Mu Chapter Nu Zeta.

Otis Raymond Garland (Nu Beta 1918)

Otis who is one of the New Hampshire chapter (Nu Beta) was also apart of the 1918 convention. He graduated from University of New Hampshire and went on to serve our country in the US Army. Otis was a loyal supporter of Phi Mu Delta all his life and lives up to the ideal of brotherhood.

Charles S. Rising (Nu Gamma 1919)

Charles was a natural born leader. The fraternity found this out when he was the elected for the National President of Phi Mu Delta. After college he was an educator and was the superintendent of schools.

Robert C. Stimson (Nu Beta 1918)

Not much is known about Robert. He was Born in New Hampshire in 1896. He was one of the most active members of Phi Mu Delta. After the convention in 1918 he graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a chemical engineering degree. He died in Holland from unknown college on September 19, 1920.

Lloyd A. Woodward (Nu Gamma 1918)

Lloyd was a classmate of Clarence at the University of Vermont. In WWI he was an artillery officer; after the war he returned and became a schoolteacher in New York. Later he returned to the University of Vermont and was a professor in physics. He retired in 1961 from UVM. Throughout his career there he served the Nu Gamma Fraternity with everything they needed.

History

Founding and expansion

Phi Mu Delta traces its roots to the National Federation of Commons Clubs. The Commons Club was founded at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, in 1899. The Commons Club grew to an impressive 19 chapters from Washington state to Maine prior to the formation of Phi Mu Delta. At the 1918 Conclave, held at the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now UMass), Clarence Dexter Pierce and many of his supporters petitioned the assembly for the formation of a Greek letter fraternity. The petition was adopted and the original plan was in favor of all chapters of the Federation to join Phi Mu Delta. However, only four chapters did so: the Universities of Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut, as well as Union College.

The formation of the new fraternity met with some early resistance when the alumni of the Union chapter refused to join Phi Mu Delta. So, the Universities of Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut went on to become the founding chapters. Chapter designations were determined by lottery. The Connecticut chapter drew the number one and therefore became the Nu Alpha chapter, New Hampshire drew the number two ticket and became Nu Beta and Vermont became Nu Gamma (the Nu prefix was determined by the location of the chapter, New England Region).

Expansion was conservative with the first new chapter at Northwestern University (Gamma Alpha) in 1921. This was soon followed by chapters at the University of Michigan (Gamma Beta) and M.I.T. (Nu Delta) in 1922. Mu Alpha at Susquehanna University was the first expansion into the Mid-Atlantic Region and Pi Alpha at The University of California, Oakland (now Berkeley), was the first Pacific Region expansion. The end of the 1920s came with three new chapters. At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the Nu Theta Chapter was formed and a merger with a local fraternity at Penn State, Omega Delta Epsilon, became the Mu Epsilon Chapter in 1930 and the Mu Beta Chapter in 1926 at Ohio Northern University which is still active today.

Depression and war years

Both the Depression and World War II hit Phi Mu Delta chapters hard. They merged with Delta Alpha Pi in 1934, acquiring three chapters, but these chapters were short-lived due to the Depression. The University of Vermont chapter closed its doors for 21 years beginning in 1936. The war was especially tough on Phi Mu Delta. While many PMDs enlisted and fought in the war, their chapters crumbled away. As many as 800 Phi Mu Deltas took part in the war effort, and about 90 made the supreme sacrifice. The last chapter casualty of this period was the Connecticut Chapter, which remains closed.

The Golden Age

Expansion began to take off during the "Golden Age" of fraternities of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Several new chapters were started in New England. Nu Zeta at UMass-Amherst was founded from a local organization known as Zeta Zeta Zeta. The Nu Epsilon Chapter at the University of Maine helped to establish a new chapter at The University of Southern Maine from a very old local called Alpha Lambda Beta. Also, a local Latin letter fraternity, QED, had established itself at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, after a schism in the local Delta Phi chapter. QED approached Phi Mu Delta in 1964 and became the Nu Lambda Chapter. This chapter went on to win several scholarship awards before closing in the mid-'70s due to anti-fraternity legislation. In addition, The Bald Eagle Club at the Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, became the Mu Zeta Chapter. The Sigma Delta Chi fraternity, a young local from Keene State College in New Hampshire became the Nu Omicron Chapter in 1970.

Decline and rebirth

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, fraternity membership began to decline all around the United States, a trend which did not spare Phi Mu Delta. They had begun to prosper in the 1960s and even opened their first National Headquarters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There was a complete professional staff and traveling consultant. However, with the declining membership, it was getting harder and harder to maintain the office. While several new chapters were started in the 1970s, they all died due to a lack of support and membership.

In 1974, another small, financially strapped national, Delta Phi, approached Phi Mu Delta about a merger. Plans were made and both organizations planned to merge under the name, Delta Phi. However, Phi Mu Delta's crest and colors would be retained. All started well, but due to an impeding lawsuit against Delta Phi, the merger was called off. Instead, a new innovative plan was established. Phi Mu Delta and Delta Phi would remain separate organizations, but share a National Office and pool other resources. In fact, this plan looked so successful, that another small, national organization, Alpha Delta Gamma, entered into the deal. This deal also had its problems when one of the organizations could no longer afford their percentage of the agreement. Phi Mu Delta was on its own again.

In the late 1970s, it appeared that Phi Mu Delta would dissolve. Many alumni and undergraduate members were actually calling for such an action. The chapter at MIT left in 1977 and has continued to exist as a local, Nu Delta, to this very day. However, a group of very young new alumni, led by the more experienced alumnus, Eli Henry, began to rebuild the organization. A new National Office was established in State College, Pennsylvania, when they hired Stewart Howe Alumni Service to run their daily affairs. The Triangle began to be published again and the chapter at the University of Vermont was reestablished.

The 1980s began as a time of rebuilding. Phi Mu Delta rewrote its constitution, re-established the Phi Mu Delta Foundation and began to invest much time in its remaining chapters. The only new chapter of this period was established at California University of Pennsylvania. The Mu Pi Chapter was once a part of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity. However, in 1979 the Pi Triton local fraternity separated from Theta Delta Chi and petitioned Phi Mu Delta in 1985.

The 1990s were a great time of growth for Phi Mu Delta. Their chapters were extremely strong and active in their communities. The Nu Beta Chapter at the University of New Hampshire had closed its doors in 1981. In the spring of 1995, the chapter was re-activated and has helped renew PMD's interest in expansion efforts. Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and Lycoming College were added to the fraternity in the late 1990s. In April 1999, Mu Pi chapter was closed for an inability to maintain viable chapter operations.

A new millennium

Phi Mu Delta was the first fraternity to form at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, a Penn State affiliate campus, in 2001. The fraternity was invited to colonize at SUNY Plattsburgh. Phi Mu Delta was sought after by a group of men at Frostburg State University and in 2006, the Mu Omicron colony was formed. On April 15, 2009 the Mu Omicron chapter at Frostburg State University became a full chartered member of Phi Mu Delta, and on April 17, 2009 the Mu Alpha chapter was also rechartered at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. The Nu Theta Eta Colony at New England College was added in April of 2009 and we re-colonized our Founding Chapter at the University of Vermont in October of 2009.

In addition, The National Fraternity implemented the "Vision for Excellence" standards program to ensure that members are living the values of the organization. Phi Mu Delta created an Executive Director position and moved their headquarters to Cherry Hill, NJ.

Phi Mu Delta has maintained that its strength lies in its manageable size and the overwhelming commitment of its alumni. The National Council is headed by California University of Pennsylvania alumnus Paul Kittle and is made up of 8 other volunteers. Tom Murphy is the current National Executive Director, and the only salaried member of the National Council. The Phi Mu Delta Educational Foundation is Chaired by Penn State Alumnus, Michael Mallon. The last thirty years have been slow and steady, but they have come back from near financial disaster to become one of the strongest small national fraternities in the United States.

Entities

Active Chapters

Nu Gamma - University of Vermont (colony)
Mu Alpha - Susquehanna University
Mu Beta - Ohio Northern University
Mu Epsilon - Pennsylvania State University
Mu Zeta - Lock Haven University (colony)
Mu Xi - Pennsylvania College of Technology
Mu Omicron - Frostburg State University
Nu Pi - SUNY Plattsburgh
Nu Omicron - Keene State College
Nu Theta - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Nu Theta Eta - New England College (Colony)

Dormant Chapters

Nu Alpha - University of Connecticut
Nu Beta - University of New Hampshire
Nu Delta - M.I.T.
Nu Epsilon - University of Maine
Nu Zeta (Original) - Boston University
Nu Eta - University of Rhode Island
Mu Gamma - Ohio State University
Mu Delta - Wittenberg University
Mu Iota - Lycoming College
Mu Lambda - Mansfield University
Nu Zeta - University of Massachusetts
Nu Iota – Tufts University
Nu Kappa - New York University
Nu Lambda - Trinity College (CT)
Nu Xi - University of Southern Maine
Mu Eta - Kutztown University
Mu Kappa - Slippery Rock University
Mu Pi - California University of PA
Mu Omega - University of Toledo
Mu Theta - Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Gamma Alpha - Northwestern University
Gamma Beta - University of Michigan
Gamma Gamma - University of Illinois
Gamma Delta - University of Wisconsin–Madison
Gamma Epsilon - University of Minnesota Morris
Gamma Psi - Tarkio College
Pi Alpha - University of California, Berkeley
Pi Beta - Oregon State University

Notable Alumni

Roger M. Blough - Chairman, U.S. Steel Corporation
Bill Gardner - Secretary of State, New Hampshire
Dan A. Gwadosky - Former Secretary of State, Maine and Speaker of the House of Representatives
W. Douglas Scamman, Jr. - Former Speaker of the House, New Hampshire
Edward C. DuPont, Jr. - Former Senate Majority Leader, New Hampshire
Ronald H. Jury - Former North-American Interfraternity Conference Board Member
French Schwemmer - Inventor of Pearldrops Toothpaste
Dick Muri - Running for Congress in Washington State's 9th District
Chuck Mather - Former Football Coach for the University of Kansas
Robert Rounseville - Famous Tenor on Broadway and opera
Jack Tsui - Former CEO, First Hawaiian Bank
Sivaporn Dardarananda - Secretary General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand