Delta Tau Delta celebrates 75th year on campus
On Homecoming weekend, 240 undergraduate and alumni members of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity celebrated the fraternity’s 75th year on campus. International President Alan Brackett of New Orleans flew to Grand Forks to mark the milestone. Norm Skalicky ’55, CEO of Stearns Bank in St. Cloud, was the keynote speaker from the alumni group. President of the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation, Nick Hacker, ’05 of Washington D.C., presented the chapter members with $16,000 in achievement awards for the semester.
The UND Chapter of Delta Tau Delta started out as Beta Chi local fraternity 90 years ago, being formed in 1920. This was the third fraternity on the UND campus, following Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi, both of which started out as local fraternities as well. The members of Beta Chi desired to affiliate with the strongest national fraternity available, and that group petitioned Delta Tau Delta from 1928 until successful in 1935, in the midst of the Great Depression.
Over the 75 year history, the Delta Tau Delta chapter at UND has been in constant operation. During WW II, when the members were called to duty, the chapter house was used as a military barracks.
The Delt chapter has produced many leaders. Four Delts have received honorary degrees from UND, nine have received a Sioux Award, and four alumni were recipients of the International Fraternity’s highest honor for service, the Distinguished Service Chapter: George Allen, ’36, Ordean Dahl, ’34, Merlin Dewing, ’56, and Thomas Hanson, ’69. Four alumni were recognized nationally with the Delt Alumni Achievement Award: Harold Bangert, ’28; Stan Moe, ’34; Merlin Dewing, ’56; and Robert Feidler, ’72. Merlin Dewing served on the international fraternity board of directors for six years, following his service as president of the UND Foundation for two terms during the Centennial celebration. It was noted that Nick Hacker, ’05, was the youngest state senator elected to office in North Dakota’s history, and in the nation. He is now working in Washington, D.C.
In 1978 Delt alumni made fraternity history by forming the nation’s first chapter educational foundation at the same time as Phi Delta Theta at UND. These alumni organizations placed a strong focus on the educational and leadership purpose of the fraternity, and allowed alumni to support academic excellence, educational programming, community service, and leadership training. More than half of the Delt alumni have made financial contributions amounting to over $1.5 million, plus more than $1 million in estate gifts. Alumni wanted to ensure that young men of potential could afford a fraternity experience if they put forth effort, plus they wanted to reward fraternal, academic, professional and personal excellence.
In the last 25 years, the UND Chapter has been recognized 16 times as a top 20 Chapter in the International Fraternity, and six times was recognized as a Hugh Shields Chapter, being a top 10 chapter. This recognition is based on meeting criteria to mark organization excellence including performance in finances, academics, community service, alumni relations, membership education, etc.
This fall, the UND chapter of Delta Tau Delta fraternity will initiate its 1,000th member, as the chapter is just 17 initiates short of that milestone. There are 24 new members this fall.
— Bruce Gjovig, academic advisor, Delta Tau Delta director and entrepreneur coach, Center for Innovation, 777-3134
