On April 9, 2005 twenty-one young men made the half-hour trip from Cortland to Syracuse in central New York with no idea of what they were about to encounter. Waiting in the lobby for what seemed like days, the group was comprised of mostly baby-faced freshman with sweaty palms wearing awkwardly-fitting suit coats. This was the night they were to become founding fathers in the fraternity of a lifetime, Delta Chi. That night in Syracuse will never be forgotten by any of the new Cortland Delta Chi brothers.
However, it was another night, just over two years later on April 21, 2007, that the same group of men, this time over fifty strong, made another half-hour drive from Cortland to Syracuse that will truly go down in Delta Chi history. This time however, the group had become a bit older and wiser. This time they were grown men. This time their suit coats were filled out. This time they walked with confidence and looked the "CC" and the "DD" square in the eyes while giving them firm-gripped handshakes. This was the night that their hard work had paid off. This was the night of their chartering banquet and the night they became the newest Chapter of the Delta Chi Fraternity in high fashion. They shared the night with Ratheen Damle, "CC"; Tom Horowitz, "DD"; Greg Hauser, past "AA" and former President of the NIC; David Weber, ABT President of Cornell; Duane Meyer, Regent (VII); and Mike Tumolo, Vice-Regent (VII).
The banquet was great, one of the best nights of their lives, but a funny thing happened the next morning. Cortland Delta Chi was not satisfied. They were not complacent. Although they had a Charter Proclamation on the mantle and the Region VII Chapter of the Year award on their table it wasn’t good enough. They still strive to win an Award of Excellence and bring home a Buff division President’s Cup. They want to raise more money for the Jimmy V Foundation and spend more time doing community service. They want to get alumni initiates. They want to find more ways to reach out to their alumni and improve campus presence. They want to have the best Alumni Board of Trustees around and to host a Regional Leadership Conference.
That was April. This is now. Since getting chartered they have moved into an eighteen-person chapter house and hung the fraternity letters out front. The fraternity has raised $1,300 for the Jimmy V Foundation. They are set to host the 2008 Region VII Regional Leadership Conference. They hold both the President and Vice-President positions of the Cortland Inter-Greek Council. They have participated in a Crop Walk, a Halloween Fest, Cortland’s local Pumpkin Fest, and the Relay for Life. They won the Dragon Olympics at Homecoming. They have a new website (www.deltachicortland.com). They sent two brothers to the Leadership College and brought home a plethora of awards including; Outstanding Alumni Newsletter, Outstanding Campus Leadership, Outstanding Community Service Program, Key "E" Award – Matt Muzza ’08, Marge Lee "C" Award – David Bernacki ’08, and the Delta Chi Humanitarian Award – Ed Reiser ’09.
Delta Chi Cortland has also redeveloped their Alumni Board of Trustees, getting Mike Tumolo, current Vice-Regent and "BB" of Cornell, to sit as ABT President and David Weber, current Vice-Regent and former "BB" of Cornell, to serve as well. Behind the leadership of Tumolo, they have started the "Delta Chi Campaign for Cortland," a $10,000 fundraising goal to be used through the Chapter Scholarship Account (CSA) under the Delta Chi Educational Foundation (DECF). Scholarships will be given out to the undergraduate members at the discretion of the Alumni Board of Trustees to offset the costs of tuition, room and board and/or textbooks. To prove his sincerity in this project, ABT President Tumolo has personally pledged $2,500 to the "Delta Chi Campaign for Cortland"
"These fine undergraduates make us all proud in so many ways. In two and a half years, the Brothers of Cortland have become a model for fraternity life on campus and continue to set the bar high. In short they have become a beacon of light for Delta Chi here in Upstate New York," Tumolo recently said.
Through the recent success of Cortland and the latest dive into the Educational Foundation for our fundraising goal, the fraternity has received quite a bit of attention from some high-profile member of Delta Chi. During the fall semester they received visits to their chapter house from Steve Bossart, "AA"; Tom Horowitz, "DD"; Karl Grindel, Assistant Executive Director; Fred Hammert, President of the Delta Chi Educational Foundation, past "AA", past "CC" and Order of the White Carnation; Patrick Weber, Secretary of the Educational Foundation; and Mike Carroll, member of the Educational Foundation, past "AA", past "CC", past "DD" and Order of the White Carnation.
Not only did these great men of Delta Chi stop by the small town of Cortland but they had great things to say about the Chapter and its new house. "We were all impressed with the pride they take in their house and their Chapter. Nothing is taken for granted, you worked hard for what you have accomplished and you have a right to be proud. What a great environment for young men to learn to accept responsibility," said Carroll. Educational Foundation President Fred Hammert also extended the chapter praise saying "we were all very impressed with the chapter and the quality of their members and their chapters’ commitment to excellence."
To get involved with the "Delta Chi Campaign for Cortland" donations can be sent to The Delta Chi Educational Foundation; P.O. Box 383; Columbus, IN 47202 and be sure to designate the "Cortland Chapter Scholarship Account" in the memo section of your check. Checks can be made payable to The Delta Chi Educational Foundation-Cortland.
In conclusion, it was "AA" Steve Bossart who said it best of the fraternity men of Cortland, "You all should be proud of the presence you now have on the Cortland campus. The house is beautiful and you all make Delta Chi proud. Please keep up the good work." And that is just what the Delta Chi Chapter at Cortland will continue to do.
-Matt Muzza
Cortland Delta Chi
Founding Father
ABT Secretary