Phi Delta Theta establishes Delaware Beta Colony at Delaware State University

In 2011, a group of men at Delaware State University gathered to discuss the proposition of bringing Phi Delta Theta to campus. On Saturday, November 10, 2012, they took one step closer toward realizing that goal. On that day, Phi Delta Theta officially welcomed the Delaware Beta Colony into the fold during a colonization ceremony at the Old State House in Dover, Delaware.

Just steps away from the current Delaware State Capitol Building, the historic Old State House provided the perfect backdrop and added special meaning to the event. The building’s ties to early American history, dating back to 1787, was symbolic of the new journey that these men embark upon in Phi Delta Theta as they recited the oath and were invested with colony pins and fraternity manuals.

Many family members, friends, advisers, Delaware State University students and local area Phis were on hand for the event. Rob Turning, Gamma West Province President and David Almacy, Survey Commission Chairman represented the General Fraternity and officiated the formal proceedings.

During the ceremony, several offered words of advice and encouragement; including colony adviser Dr. Polly Steenhagen, Phi Delts from the Maryland Delta chapter at Johns Hopkins University and other Phi alumni.

Logan Mears, president of the Delaware Beta Colony had this to say upon receiving the Colony charter, “Colonization is more than a measurable milestone for the men of Delaware Beta, it is the beginning of our legacy. It is a revitalization and an important reminder of what is to come. For the last year we have remained steadfast in pursuing the very same Cardinal Principles our Founding Fathers have entrusted to us. We will not fail them.”

Delaware State University (also referred to as DSU, DESU, or Del State), originally established in 1891, is an American historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware. With a diverse population of 4,200 undergraduate and advanced-degree students on a campus encompassing six colleges, DSU is the second-largest university in the state behind the University of Delaware.

The Phi Delta Theta Fraternity was organized with three principle objectives: The cultivation of friendship among its members, the acquirement individually of a high degree of mental culture, and the attainment personally of a high standard of morality. These objectives, referred to as the “Cardinal Principles,” have guided over 242,000 men (including more than 165,000 living alumni) since December 26, 1848 when the Fraternity was founded at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta now has nearly 170 active chapters in 42 states and five Canadian provinces and over 100 recognized alumni clubs across the U.S. and Canada.

UPDATE 2/24/14
Unfortunately, due to small group size and lack of overall progress towards chapter installation requirements, the General Council and Survey Commission of the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity unanimously voted to remove recognition from the Delaware Beta Colony on February 24, 2014. Phi Delta Theta is hopeful that we may be able to revisit the opportunity to return to Delaware State University at some point in the future.

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