Quite a bit of change

There have been a few things that have stayed the same, but also quite a bit of change as well. For housing fraternity row still exists, but chapters also rent “satellite houses" off campus. A satellite house is essentially a place that is not officially owned or paid for by the fraternity, but is housed with strictly brothers. These tend to be places where most social events occur and is just another good spot for our men to be able to hangout. There is a group of Gamma-Delta Fraters that will be renting one for this year. The dorm scene at Miami has definitely improved over the last few years and many of our guys will either be living together on campus or in apartments right near campus. 

The colony also has secured a suite in the Panhellenic Building for this year which they will use for smaller meetings, to study, hangout and smaller events. For Colony Meetings I have recommended they get in the habit of using a classroom or lecture hall. I have found that will groups that have their meetings in more casual places (like a house) it is harder to fit everyone in the meeting room when the group reaches its growth potential and the business of the fraternity isn’t taken as seriously. 

It is also very common for chapters to claim a section of the library and study together as well as hangout on the patio. 

I am always happy to assist where I can and answer questions. 

YITB/Sincerely, 
PJ Malafronte

Successful end to the semester

As the summer begins I am very happy to report a successful end to the semester for Gamma-Delta. I recently received the grade report from the University of Miami and the colony finished the semester with a 3.604 GPA which was the top in the IFC and 4th best out of 28 Greek Organizations. For comparison, the all-male university average is 2.97. Additionally, the men raised $4,200 for various philanthropic causes through philanthropy weeks put on but on by sororities on campus. 

The group has not taken the foot off the gas since the end of the semester. The officers will continue to meet regularly throughout the summer to prepare for a successful fall. Additionally, Gamma-Delta will be sending two men to TKE Leadership Academy in August- Prytanis, Jacob Bolling and Crysophylos, Nader Youssef.

The next step to move toward Chartering is to finalize who will serve on the Board of Advisors. I have received interest from Fraters in the Miami area (some of which are included on this email) and will be finishing up conversations with them in the next week so the Board can be fully operational by the start of the Fall Semester. If there are any Gamma-Delta alumni or other Fraters in the Miami area who you think may be interested in helping please let me know. 

Lastly, I wanted to make you all aware of a new opportunity for volunteers this summer.  There is a new slate of volunteer programming called the summer series that will start in a couple of weeks. Registration for this will be open until Friday so feel free to go ahead and sign up. There is no expectation to attend all sessions, but you are more than welcome to. https://www.tke.org/SummerSeries 

If you have any questions about anything please let me know!

YITB/Sincerely, 
PJ Malafronte

Volunteer Education and Onboarding

As I described, we have developed six modules from our existing content in response to volunteer feedback and to provide you better support. There is valuable information here that will help you understand and anticipate how things work, become aware of the many resources, and be more familiar with some of the language and content that is being shared with collegiate members. You can view the Volunteer Onboarding modules at edu.tke.org. I ask that you complete the six modules over the next two months and will follow up with you about that. You will also see our other online courses that are available. I encourage you to take advantage of the material and to encourage other volunteers to do the same.  

Fraternity for Life Ritual

We are celebrating an online version of the FFL ritual on June 2 and June 6.  Visit tke.org/events for more details. Please consider joining us and encouraging graduating seniors and other alumni as well.

Summer Series

We are offering more than a dozen interactive online sessions throughout the summer hosted by professional staff, other volunteers, and outside experts. There is also a new event being provided by St. Jude exclusively for TKE alumni and collegiates; you will find that on the schedule. Visit tke.org/summer series to view the full schedule of offerings. You can participate in all sessions or pick and choose the ones that are of greatest interest. Splitting them up among you and your fellow volunteers is a great way to build out your collective knowledge base. Registration links for each individual session are on the website.

Life Loyal Teke

I encourage every alumnus to actively support our leadership programs and educational initiatives with an annual donation to Life Loyal Teke. And I believe every volunteer shares in a greater responsibility to model the way and do their part. I am proud that every one of the Fraters on the professional staff donates to Life Loyal Teke. I ask you to contribute annually and to make Life Loyal Teke a part of your dialogue and initiatives with other alumni throughout the year. You can learn more and make a 2021 donation at tke.org/llt.  If you have any other questions about Life Loyal Teke, the Chapter Assistance Program, or other Foundation giving options, I am happy to discuss more with you. 

• MyTKE.org is our membership portal. The Chapter Module is your primary volunteer resource along with the general tke.org site.  

• Find a wide range of our resource guides at tke.org/resources.

• The Year-at-a-Glance page shows the annual calendar with key events and deadlines. Currently, you’ll see last year’s details; that will be updated soon.  

• Talk with other volunteers and with chapters/colonies to make early plans for Regional Leadership Conferences in February (2022 details will be added online when available) and Conclave 2022 in Houston.

• You can become a certified recruiter at tke.org/phiredup whether you’re helping directly or coaching others. This valuable training on dynamic recruitment is available to both collegiates and alums  at no additional cost.

• Take the “Money Vehicle” financial literacy course at no charge as a benefit of membership. See more information and other partnership offers at tke.org/member-benefits

Christopher Niles

Alumni Engagement Director
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity
Better Men for a Better World

Initiation of the first class

I am very excited to initiate the first class of the new iteration of the Gamma-Delta Colony this Sunday at 1pm EST. Due to the effects of COVID-19 this year I have made this a hybrid event. If you are interested in joining us, you can watch on Zoom. I will have a projector and speaker in the room so those who wish to speak can be seen and heard during the gavel pass. You will find the meeting information below. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Topic: TKE Gamma-Delta Initiation Live Stream 

Time: Apr 25, 2021 01:00 PM America/Indiana/Indianapolis

Yours In The Bond, 
PJ Malafronte

Gamma-Delta was approved

This morning I received some great news that Gamma-Delta was approved unanimously by the Grand Council to colonize. We are well on our way and will be initiating the newest class of Gamma-Delta Fraters on Sunday, April 25th. If you would like to tune into the ceremony virtually, I will be sending out a Zoom link next week. 

The Colony has been working hard recently to continue recruiting and have gotten involved on campus. Last week they participated in their first sorority philanthropy with Chi Omega and came out victorious. They have also signed up to do this with Sigma Delta Tau and Tri Delta this week. Getting involved philanthropically is great for the group and will help bluster their reputation on campus. The group is on track to Charter and become a full-fledged chapter at a fast pace. I anticipate them submitting a petition to charter at the end of the Fall semester or early in the spring of 2022. 

If you would like to follow along with what they are up to on social media, you can find the links to their Instagram and Facebook pages below. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/umiamitke 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umiamitke/ (@umiamitke)

Yours In The Bond, 
PJ Malafronte

Questions about the Gamma-Delta Alumni

The four guys you have listed are all affiliated with Gamma-Delta and have been since they transferred and were added to your roster.  There is no difference in their status or affiliation because their original initiation was at another chapter.  They are definitely part of your alumni and should show up on your lists.

I have attached a copy of our honorary guide.  Yes, men can be initiated as alumni members.  That is, in fact, how I joined back in 1999.  I would be happy to talk with you and/or any of them about the process.  There is a $300 initiation fee; it cost the same for every man to join TKE whether they join as a collegiate member or as an alumnus.  We can discuss the possibility of having them initiated at the same time with the new student class or setting up a separate ritual just for the honorary/alumni guys.  Though we use “honorary initiation” language, that is just to specify that it’s not a traditional student initiation; it is full membership in the Fraternity with full rights and privileges.  We have actually had two Past Grand Prytani who originally joined through the honorary initiation process.  

Regarding the Order of Diana, we no longer support that or a Little Sisters program.  You are certainly welcome to include them in your locally managed contact list, to be communicating with them, and invite them to some or all of your alumni events.  Some groups also stay connected similarly with past house moms and former advisors/campus deans.  It would not be allowed to elect anyone other than an initiated member as an officer of the association.

I’d be eager to talk with you about initiating those guys who never had the chance to make it official.  When would be a good time this week to connect?

YITB

Christopher Niles
Alumni Engagement Director
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity
Better Men for a Better World

Level of commitment

I understand there’s a decision to make about which level of commitment that you want to select.  I encourage the discussion and am happy to share more perspectives if you wish.

The one thing I would discourage, though, is tying your commitment for the Alumni Association to how the colony is working.  I am thrilled that the rebuilding on campus has sparked this effort, but I hope the association takes on its own life and maintains a focus on your fellow alumni.  Even in a worst case scenario of the colony/chapter being closed again at some point in the future, I would hope the association persists.  

Imagine what the relationships might be like now across the generations and segments of Gamma-Delta alumni if there had been a formal association for the past several years.  What kind of support might there be for the rebuilding effort if the association already had been in place.  I just hope you don’t limit your vision for the association based just on what’s happening for the students.  It’s much more than that and can drive the legacy of Gamma-Delta for everyone.

YITB
Christopher Niles
Alumni Engagement Director
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity
Better Men for a Better World

Gamma-Delta alumni fraters apply for the status of an Alumni Chapter

Thank you for the work you all have done to get to this point and for your commitment to your fellow Fraters from the Gamma-Delta chapter.  And thank you for your patience with me over the weekend.  

The officers have been listed in the system.  When we communicate with all associations, we sometimes reach out to just the presidents, sometimes to the primary officers (Pres, VP, Sec, Tres), and sometimes to any/all officers listed.  I encourage you to share communications internally amongst yourselves to make sure everyone remains in the loop.  

The chartering fee can be paid online at aa.tke.org.  Select Gamma-Delta from the dropdown list and you can pay online with a card.  If someone will be paying with a check, it should be made out to Tau Kappa Epsilon and mailed to Karen Coleman’s attention at the HQ address listed below in my signature.  A term fee of $200 will give your group status through the next Conclave (August, 2022) at which time it expires and needs to be renewed, or the lifetime fee of $1,000 will persist as long as the group remains active and communicative with HQ.  

We will also register and maintain a domain for an association webpage.  Please let me know whether you have a specific request or desire for the url or not (we prefer to keep them simple) so we can establish that for your group.  It will be a simple page – similar to the automatic pages that all chapters have.  It will list officer contact info, social media links, and your association’s events that you post to tke.org/events.  I know that alums aren’t browsing the TKE.org website looking for Gamma-Delta’s alumni events, but posting all your events there allows prospective members and families all across TKE Nation to see the variety of events happening when they’re on the site.  Posting your events on our main site populates your own site and allows you to list attendees after the fact for tracking and historical purposes.  It gives you an event page that you can link to on your social media pages and we can also assist with broadcast emails and/or social media promotion to support your events.

I look forward to working with you over the next year and beyond.  As soon as your payment is processed, your group will have official standing with the Fraternity.  

Yours in the Bond
Christopher Niles
Alumni Engagement Director
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity
Better Men for a Better World

Progress of the Gamma-Delta colony

 I am excited to share an update on the progress of the Gamma-Delta colony. We have made significant progress and currently have 23 Candidates. There are 10 other interested men I am ready to extend bids to and the goal is to be at 40 Candidates before my departure on April 2nd.

 We have appointed six officers so far and others will be appointed in the next few weeks. The leadership have begun to carry significant weight and want to grow Gamma-Delta quickly. The students have set a goal of 50 initiates by the end of the semester. 

 The colony has also begun to branch out and connect with other organizations on campus. We have partnered with Tri Delta for a March Madness St. Jude Bracket Challenge and we will have some men playing in their golf tournament next month. We have also created good ties with Chi Omega and a few other groups. 

 I want to congratulate Frater Rey Morales and thank him for accepting the position of Chapter Advisor. Rey is an FIU alum and serves as a Province Advisor in the Apollo Province (FL). Rey will be able to provide great insight and guidance for these men as the group continues to develop. 

 We are looking for other alumni who are willing to support the efforts on campus and these fine young men. If you are interested in staying updated about what is happening on campus or interested in learning about ways to get involved, please respond to this email so I can follow up again soon. 

YITB, 
PJ Malafronte

Gamma Delta re-charter

  You can work with me directly on chartering the group.  Having a formal association can help bridge your alumni factions.  Even if the group starts with a core from your era, it can naturally extend and engage others as well.  I know some groups prefer to have separate Facebook groups for different eras who are more connected to each other, but the presence and the communication from the association helps tie everyone in.

   Starting the chartering process is as easy as sending me an email with the names and email addresses of 20 interested Fraters along with the initial slate of officers.  Per the Black Book, there must be a minimum of 3 officers: president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer.    If someone will be paying the chartering fee on a card, I can provide a payment link for that, or I can give you the details for sending a check to HQ.  

Please let me know what other questions you have and how I can be helpful.

YITB
Christopher Niles
Alumni Engagement Director
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity
Better Men for a Better World

Momentum has continued to build

Momentum has continued to build throughout the last week on campus as we continue our efforts to revitalize Gamma-Delta to the University of Miami. I am happy to share that COVID-19 cases in the community are now under better control and we have resumed in person activities. TKE held our first in person event last night at TopGolf. This was the first opportunity men had to get to know others who are interested in person. Attendance at the event was maximum capacity for what the university/TopGolf are permitting and everyone seemed to have a great time. We also have 4 events planned for this week and will continue to plan things out for the coming weeks in a safe manner. There are currently 7 bids that have been accepted with another 8 that have been extended that we are waiting to hear a decision on. I expect more acceptances as the men have more opportunities to engage with one another.

I will be holding an alumni update Zoom meeting tomorrow night at 8pm EST to provide updates, answer questions, and discuss needs and opportunities for alumni involvement; call details are below. As the group develops, there will be a further need for alumni support. No matter your location or availability there is absolutely a way you can contribute to the revitalization of TKE here at the University of Miami. If you cannot make the meeting but would like to be involved please do not hesitate to reach out to me at  pmalafronte@tke.org. 

Looking forward to meeting with you tomorrow night!!

YITB, 
PJ Malafronte

Second full week of expansion efforts

I hope you all are staying safe and doing well. We are through our second full week of  expansion efforts to revitalize the Gamma-Delta chapter at the University of Miami. Upon arriving to Coral Gables, there was  positive traffic on campus despite the impacts of the virus. Recently we have run into a spike in COVID-19 cases halting in person student involvement activities for two weeks, including Greek Life. This prohibits us from in person events and tabling on campus, but there remains plenty of interest in TKE. 

 In total around 500 men who came out for recruitment this year and only 274 accepted bids. There has been growing momentum so far in terms of interest in TKE. Despite the current restrictions, I have been able to meet one-on-one with 48 men, extending 8 bids and I have meetings set in the coming days to extend 3 more bids. I will also be following up with many men I spoke with in the first two weeks to extend more bids to them, as I see fit. Additionally, there is a full slate of virtual events for men to attend and meet each other next week. I am very encouraged by the early success and looking forward to the next few weeks. 

 I am hosting a Zoom call for you and your fellow alumni on Monday, February 22 at 8pm Eastern to provide updates, answer questions, and discuss needs and opportunities for alumni involvement; call details are below. As the group develops, there will be a further need for alumni support. There are three critical ways you can help support the recolonization of Delta-Gamma – Time, Talent, and Treasure. Men can contribute their time by serving as a volunteer for the chapter as a Chapter Advisor or as a member of the Board of the Advisors. You can extend your talent by assisting the future Tekes as they pursue their careers or by coming in and educating on an area of passion. Lastly, you can invest your treasure by donating to Life Loyal Teke, the Chapter Assistance Program or even forming a scholarship fund. I look forward to speaking with you about  our plan  for Gamma-Delta as we navigate new developments and explore opportunities to fuel the growth of the colony. 

YITB, 

PJ Malafronte

Gamma-Delta Chapter of TKE has been approved at University of Miami to return

  I am very excited to share that the Gamma-Delta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon has recently been approved at University of Miami to return this spring! As an Expansion Coordinator on the TKE Professional Staff, I will be living locally for 2 months spearheading our recruitment efforts, guiding the men through their New Member process, appointing officers and other intangibles to ensure the group is set up for success.  

  As we work to build a new generation of Gamma-Delta Tekes and recruit men that carry our values, there are multiple opportunities for alumni to support their efforts, invest in their success, and share your personal and professional experience. 

  I would like to meet more Gamma-Delta alumni and share more information with you. I will be hosting a Zoom Call on Sunday, January 31st at 7:30pm eastern to discuss the process of bringing the group back to campus, how alumni can be involved, resources alumni and collegiate have access to and answer any questions you may have. 

YITB,
PJ Malafronte

Gamma-Delta Expansion at UM

The Director of Expansion and I, along with our Chief Risk Officer made a presentation to the university and the IFC earlier this year and TKE has been approved to return to campus.  My understanding is that is currently slated for Spring 2021, but those timelines are subject to change.  

I regret if you and your fellow Fraters were not already aware of this.  Without an organized alumni association in place, it is often harder to share the news with the alumni and, given the timing, I don’t believe we have made any concerted effort to spread the word.  My email about the alumni was part of a broader outreach to all groups without chartered alumni associations.  It was not directly tied to the upcoming expansion, but getting the alumni organized can certainly be a supportive step toward a successful rebuild on campus.  

I am happy to help in any way I can.  

Yours in the Bond,
Christopher Niles
Alumni Engagement Director
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity
Better Men for a Better World

Gamma-Delta alumni association

I am reaching out to you as Past Prytani from the Gamma-Delta chapter.  My name is Chris Niles and I serve as TKE’s Director of Alumni Engagement.  I would like to spark a conversation – and ideally start a movement – toward reorganizing an alumni association with you and your fellow Fraters.  Based on what I can see, your association was last chartered in 2013 and has not been in good standing since; I do not assume, though, that means your alumni are not active or connected in various other ways.  And with the impending return of the chapter, this can be all the more reason for the alumni to remain actively engaged, have an official connection to TKE and keep the spirit alive.  

  I hope you and those you care about are safe and well in the midst of the pandemic.  While this is a challenging time and a major disruption for all of us, both personally and professionally, it also provides an important moment for reflection.  This moment represents a valuable opportunity for us to leverage our brotherhood and our values – to demonstrate the best of what TKE has always been.  I believe that organizing and motivating your alumni can bring new life to the TKE experience, help bridge the entirety of your scroll, and demonstrate the true meaning of Fraternity for Life.  Chartering your alumni association can be done quickly and easily, and the payoff is well worth it.

  Here is a link to our association resource guide.  Whether you are willing to be directly involved or are in a position to refer/recommend others, I would be eager to talk with you or anyone else directly to share perspectives and answer questions and I can offer a video conference call if a group of you would like to connect about this.  I am also hosting virtual “office hours” every week for and about alumni associations; I am online and available on Wednesdays 11am-noon and again 9-10pm (eastern times).  Call-in details are below for any individuals or clusters that want to talk during those times, and I am readily available at other times throughout the week.

  I look forward to working with you and your fellow Fraters.  We had over 100 delegates representing their alumni associations at our last Conclave and the trend for alumni engagement keeps going up.  It would be great to help you organize and get chartered so that the Gamma-Delta alumni can be a more active part of the TKE family and be officially represented the next time the Grand Chapter gathers in Houston in 2021.  I am happy to support your efforts in any way I can.

Yours in the Bond,
Christopher Niles
Alumni Engagement Director
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity
Better Men for a Better World