Words from the Past Phi Alpha

Stuart Bowers (Phi Epsilon ’81), Phi Alpha CXXXVII

Zeta Psi has persevered through wars, prior pandemics and other major events, but the current COVID-19 global pandemic seems likely to disrupt almost every aspect of our lives, including those of our actives and elders.

The great news is that Zetes are creative and adapting quite well to the current sheltering in place restrictions. I am proud of our chapters, our IHQ staff and our elders, who have continued  communicating with their brothers and have figured out how to do so while respecting social distancing and other restrictions.

Zeta Psi was proud to charter our Kappa Delta chapter at George Mason University via a Zoom call.  The young men were all on camera and prepared and were dispersed all over the country at their homes, with one brother located on the other side of the globe. Some aspects of the initiation will take place when they can next assemble in person, but they are all now brothers in Tau Kappa Phi.  Other chapters have adapted this approach and held their initiations via Zoom. Again, other aspects of their respective initiations will be performed when they get together again in person.

We held the fourth version of The 1847 Pledge – with a goal of having as many brothers as possible check in electronically, update their info and make a small contribution of $18.47 or more. We exceeded our goal while most active and elder brothers sheltered at home. We rolled out a new version of our website that is cleaner, much better organized and adaptable to any device.  We also finished the migration of our member management tools from Chapter Spot to Member Planet, which will help get us to the goal of a single source in which we will store our member data and provide individual chapters with the necessary tools to communicate with their members.

This period will challenge us both operationally and economically, but I am confident that we can prevail through this difficult and unprecedented time and continue to bring major lifelong benefits to young men in their college, working and retirement lives. Now, more than ever, brotherhood matters. I ask that you help us with deepen the bonds of brotherhood. Please reach out to five brothers that you have not been in touch with for some time and reconnect.  Have a conversation to catch up and see how you’re doing.  Work to stay in touch and be the friend and brother that we all took an oath to be.

I hope to see many of you in the coming year and feel free to reach out to me in the meantime.

In Tau Kappa Phi,
Stuart Bowers, Phi Epsilon 1981
Phi Alpha CXXXVII