Phi Mu Delta

Phi Mu Delta (ΦΜΔ) is a small, national fraternity founded on March 1, 1918 at the Universities of Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The fraternity is focused on the ideals of democracy, service, and brotherhood.

Phi Mu Delta
ΦΜΔ
FoundedMarch 1, 1918 (1918-03-01)
University of Connecticut, University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont
TypeSecret, Social
ScopeNational
ColorsPrinceton orange, white, black               
PhilanthropySt. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Chapters14 active chapters, 3 colonies[1]
Founding principlesDemocracy, Service, Brotherhood
Headquarters216 Haddon Ave., Suite 602
Westmont, New Jersey
United States
Websitewww.phimudelta.org

History

Phi Mu Delta was originally derived from the National Federation of Commons Clubs (NFCC), which was formed at Wesleyan University in 1899. Clarence Dexter Pierce, one of the fraternity's founders, petitioned the NFCC to form a Greek letter fraternity at the 1918 NFCC meeting. Four colleges initially agreed to join the organization, the University of Vermont, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Connecticut and Union College. Union College's Commons Club members later decided against joining, so there were only three founding chapters.[2]

The fraternity expanded slowly during the 1920s, merging or expanding to seven additional chapters by 1930. Expansion of the Fraternity was slowed during the great depression. Phi Mu Delta merged with another fraternity, Delta Alpha Pi in 1934-1935, gaining three chapters, all of which closed shortly afterward. In 1936 one of the founding chapters, the University of Vermont, also closed. By the end of World War II, the Connecticut chapter had also closed.[2]

After the war, the fraternity expanded more rapidly, coinciding with a general increase in fraternity enrollment. This trend petered out by the late 1960s, and by the late 1970s the organization was making plans to shut down. A reorganization effort centered on the State College, Pennsylvania chapter, stabilized the fraternity, and prompted a resurgence in growth. It was at this time that the University of Vermont was recolonized. In the early 1980s, the organization rewrote its constitution. During the 1980s, the fraternity only gained one chapter (California University of Pennsylvania).[2]

Since then the fraternity has expanded steadily. In 2006, the fraternity established an Executive Director position. In 2015, the National Office was moved to Westmont, New Jersey.[2]

Chapters

Notable members
  • Roger Blough (1904 – 1985) – Chairman of US Steel Corporation
  • Bill Gardner (b. 1948) – Secretary of State, New Hampshire
  • Dan Gwadosky (1954 – 2011) – former Secretary of State, Maine; Speaker of the House of Representatives
  • Tyler Hinman (b.1984) - five-time winner of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament and software developer
  • Theodore H. Kattouf (b. 1946) – former US Ambassador to United Arab Emirates and Syria
  • Chuck Mather (1915 – 2006) – former football coach for the University of Kansas
  • Dick Muri (b. 1953) – Pierce County, Washington council member; former US Congressional candidate
  • John Rigas (b. 1924) – former CEO of Adelphia Communications Corporation; former majority franchise owner of the Buffalo Sabres (NHL); convicted of fraud
  • Robert Rounseville (1914 – 1974) – tenor on Broadway and in opera
  • George Wiley (1931 – 1973) – civil rights leader; chemist
  • Harrison Richardson (1930 - 2009) - American lawyer and politician from Maine
  • Jim Hazlett (1926 - 2010) - American sports figure who was head football and baseball head coach for several universities in the northeastern United States
  • Frank Burrill (1906 - 2001) - Archbishop of Chicago for the Episcopal Church
  • Peter George Peterson (b.1926) - businessman, investment banker, philanthropist, and author, who served as United States Secretary of Commerce in the Nixon Administration
  • Leon J. LaPorte (b.1946) - is a retired United States Army General who served as Commander, 1st Cavalry Division from 1995 through 1997 and as Commander, United States Forces Korea until 2006.
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References
  1. "Find A Chapter". Phi Mu Delta. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  2. "A Brief History of Phi Mu Delta". Phi Mu Delta. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  • The Oracle, published by the national fraternity of Phi Mu Delta, revised August 2007
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