Press Release
Small Fraternity Dreams Big…Reaches 100 Years Old!
Press Contact: Shawn Dowiak
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: http://convention2010.taudelt.net,
Phone: 551-486-9478
NEW YORK, NY & ATLANTIC CITY, NJ--MAY 2010— For the men of Tau Delta Phi Fraternity, it has been an uphill battle over the last four decades. Since the 1960’s this fraternity which is big in heart (though small in stature) has sought to reclaim some of its former glory by having its 100th Anniversary Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey from July 15th to the 19th of this year.
The Convention will be held at the Dolce Seaview Resort in Galloway, NJ on the outskirts of America’s Playground. Convention participants will be treated to deluxe accommodations, a networking alumni event, a golf tournament, and most importantly a Dinner Dance, that this fraternal organization calls a Pyramid Ball.
Tau Delta Phi has made strides over the past several years to attempt to re-establish itself as a midsize national fraternity. New colonies have sprung up at notable campuses such as Penn State University and George Mason University. Over the last two years, the fraternity size has nearly doubled, going from only 5 chapters, to 10 chapters and colonies. Additionally, thanks to the help of TauDelt alumnus, Joel Buckstein, the Fraternity has moved into a new National Office in the fraternity’s hometown of New York City!
“It has been a real struggle,” says Fraternity National President, Shaun Armhold, “But we have really worked hard as an organization to rebuild what we once had.”
Tau Delta Phi was founded at City College of New York, The New York College of Dentistry (which would eventually become the NYU School of Dentistry), and the New York University main campus. It was originally founded by nine Jewish men, and was originally totally Jewish in its membership’s make-up. This groundbreaking fraternity always operated ahead of its time. In 1934, Tau Delta Phi allowed entrance into the fraternity by any man regardless of his color or creed, nearly 30 years before the heyday of the civil rights movement. Tau Delta Phi Fraternity, acting contrary to many fraternities that were traditionally anti-integration, has men such as Sammy Davis, Jr., Geraldo Rivera, and Floyd Little as brothers.
“It was amazing that our fraternity thought so far ahead of their time,” says William Paulus, Fraternity Historian, “No one else thought of integrating fraternities when our brothers did.”
In fact, Tau Delta Phi has proven itself to be a fraternity of firsts, and a fraternity of notable alumni. It has been the first fraternity on several college campuses, and sadly it was one of the first fraternities to be decimated by the struggles of the 1960’s and 1970’s. During that time, fraternities were threatened by the counter-culture movement, and were quickly become obsolete; Tau Delta Phi was hit very hard and lost much of its internal structure.
“We lost our National Office, our Executive Director, our big name chapters, and our prestigious reputation” says Steve Moulton, an alumnus from the Fraternity’s Psi Chapter at Carnegie-Mellon and a member of the Fraternity’s Executive Council who graduated during the 1970’s and is attending the convention, “despite our many famous and dedicated alumni like Jerry Stiller, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Kinky Friedman, and Tony Roberts, we just couldn’t keep the organization together.”
Luckily, that was not the end for Tau Delta Phi. Over the last forty years, volunteer boards have breathed life back into the dying organization so that it could become strong again. The fraternity now owns several chapter houses, and is currently coming to more and more new campuses. Now the fraternity is reaching out further, is having a prestigious 100th anniversary convention.
“It’s nice when a fraternity that hasn’t had some of the problems of other organizations, including fraternity deaths, and lawsuits for hazing and drinking, is able to be successful,” said one College Campus’ Greek Advisor who wished to remain nameless.
For years, it has been a story of David and Goliath for this once-failing organization, but now like a Phoenix, Tau Delta Phi is set to enter the center stage of the National Fraternity movement, and grow to become the prestigious, sizable organization it once was.