New fraternity charters on UNG's Dahlonega Campus

Another fraternity has joined the ranks of brotherhood at the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Dahlonega Campus. Phi Delta Theta, commonly referred to as Phi Delt, chartered its Georgia Iota chapter in early March as 36 UNG students were initiated into the fraternity.

"Words cannot express how I felt that day, because it was the culmination of almost two years of hard work," said Joseph Anderson, the founding president for Phi Delta Theta's chapter at UNG.

The senior pursuing a degree in political science with a pre-law concentration finds his new title a little odd since he never thought of joining a fraternity.

"But my friend said one of his friends was starting a new fraternity on campus," Anderson said. "I thought 'Why not?' It would be fun to help start an organization at my university and leave a legacy."

The process took two years to go from interest group to colony and finally to a chartered fraternity. During that time, the colony had to complete a checklist, said Anderson, a 20-year-old from Covington, Georgia. The list included acquiring a certain number of members and growing that number, participating in campus activities and extracurricular events, and maintaining a high GPA.

Aubrey Frazier, director of fraternity and sorority life at UNG, said the Phi Delta Theta colony accomplished the last requirement with acclaimed success.

"In fall 2018 and spring 2019, they had the highest GPAs among the six fraternities on campus," she said, indicating the GPAs were 3.19 and 3.24, respectively. "In fall 2019, they had the second highest GPA with a 3.08."

Frazier said the Phi Delts' efforts show they adhered to their motto to "become the best version of yourself."

"Phi Delta Theta National Fraternity prides themselves on the principles of leadership, service, philanthropy, and brotherhood," she said.

Anderson explained the motto is one reason he decided to join.

"We are very goal-oriented," he said. "And we are grooming each other to become future leaders."

Notable members of the fraternity include astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon; Benjamin Harrison, 23rd U.S. president; Adam Silver, NBA commissioner; James McLamore, founder of Burger King; actor Burt Reynolds; Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn; architect Frank Lloyd Wright; six MLB hall-of- famers; and eight Pulitzer Prize winners.

"I was surprised to learn how many people are Phi Delts, and I didn't know it until after I became interested in the fraternity," Anderson said. "One of my favorite parts of joining this brotherhood are the connections that organization has and will open for me."

Frazier notes this is the fourth Greek-letter organization to establish a colony at UNG in the past two years, and this completes the second of the four to earn a charter; Sigma Nu re-chartered its Kappa chapter in May 2019. In fall 2019, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity Inc., became the first Latino fraternity at UNG and the first Greek-lettered fraternal organization on the Gainesville Campus. In the same semester, three UNG students became members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. and established the first African American sorority presence at UNG.

"While we have focused our attention to adding fraternities and sororities to Gainesville, the Dahlonega Campus needs more opportunities, too. So we are excited that Phi Delta Theta has chartered a new chapter here."

For more information, visit the Fraternity and Sorority Life webpage.