The re-birth of Omicron Chapter was an exercise in patience, persistence, serendipity and brotherhood. Many hands helped bring the chapter back, which had been inactive since 1996. Omicron had originally been installed on May 29,1915 and had initiated over 1000 members. With such a history at a Richmond, Theta Chi Fraternity members knew that Omicron would return. The International Headquarters staff had been in touch with Richmond administrators several times during our absence but were unable to secure permission to return. Though disheartened, the staff continued its attempts.
In the spring of 2010, then-IHQ Coordinator of Expansion, Phillip Burns, Iota Lambda/Longwood 2008 met with University of Richmond Trustee Otis Brown, Omicron/Richmond 1953 and John Girardi, Omicron/Richmond 1966 to discuss organizing a group of alumni to help bring Omicron back. The three brothers also met with school administrators to discuss what needed to happen to have Theta Chi make a return to campus.
On October 2, 2010, Omicron alumni held a reunion on campus with over 100 guests in attendance to renew and reinvigorate the spirit of Theta Chi at Richmond. The spirit moved quickly: soon after the reunion, International Headquarters staff received word from undergraduate men at the University of Richmond campus stating that they were interested in bringing Theta Chi Fraternity back to campus.
A key undergraduate at the University of Richmond that lead this effort was Robert Lee. Robert had a special connection to Theta Chi Fraternity: his cousin, Stephen Lee, Iota Lambda/Longwood 2009. Stephen Lee is a Founding Father and past-President of Iota Lambda and went through a similar process bringing Theta Chi to Longwood. Stephen talked to Robert about Theta Chi and discussed the support that would be given to him and his friends if they were to undertake this effort, both by IHQ and specifically the Iota Lambda chapter.
Later that October 2010, Robert Lee was introduced to John Girardi, then-Regional Director TJ Dolan, Iota Lambda/Longwood 2006 (another Founding Father), and former Leadership and Education Consultant Jason Carmichael, Gamma Chi/Randolph-Macon 2008 who advised him on how to build an interest group and recruit members. Lee recruited his roommates, Calum Mackay and Ryan Dickerson, and together they recruited additional members.
Another undergraduate at Richmond, Ryan Johnson, also saw a need for a new fraternity at the university and in January 2011, he contacted International Headquarters expressing interest in bringing Theta Chi back to Richmond. Johnson and Lee were soon introduced and the two united and continued to recruit prospective members. In October 2011, an official interest group received formal recognition from the International Headquarters. In April 2012, the interest group received formal recognition as a colony.
Several alumnus members joined Brown and Girardi in serving as advisors and supporters of the colony. Other Omicron Brothers include Steven Farbstein, 1983 and Jack Crosby, 1963. Brothers from other chapters also gave their Assisting Hand: Richmond native Ray Heath, Eta Kappa/James Madison 2000 stepped up as Colony Advisory Board (CAB) Chairman and was joined by Jason Carmichael as well as another Founding Father, Jason Walters, Iota Zeta/Radford 2002 and recent graduate and Richmond-transplant Greg Bartosch, Zeta Beta/Adrian 2011. Director of Recruitment and Expansion JD Ford Beta Lambda/Akron 2005 kept in communication with the undergraduates at the colony, the CAB, and administrators at the University.
After acquiring a lodge on campus, and proving their brotherhood and understanding of what Theta Chi means time and time again, on Saturday, April 20, 2013, Omicron Chapter was reinstalled at the University of Richmond, and 37 pledges of Omicron Colony were initiated into Theta Chi Fraternity. Leadership and Education Consultant Joe Macko Zeta Tau/University of Michigan-Flint 2012 led the I-Week activities. National Chaplain, Douglas A. Miller presided at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony held in the Web Room of the Student Activities Complex on campus. JD Ford, Senior Director for Recruitment and Expansion, and former Leadership and Education Consultant Stepheno Zollos Zeta Pi/Old Dominion 2011, were also in attendance. Omicron undergraduate John Ryan, class of 2014, was installed as Chapter President.
A Reinstallation Banquet was held Saturday night at the Virginia Historical Society. Otis Brown was presented the George T. Kilavos Alumni Award. Ray Heath and Greg Bartosch received the David E. DeVol Award. Ray Heath’s wife, Karen, was presented the Carnation Award of Theta Chi Fraternity. The Omicron undergraduates presented John Girardi with an award of their own called, The President’s Award. Numerous other awards were presented to undergraduates who had helped bring the colony to active chapter status.
Founded in 1830, the University of Richmond is a private, liberal arts university with a student population of 4,361 students. The university got its start when Virginia Baptists opened a seminary for men in 1830. The seminary was incorporated as Richmond College in 1840. In 1914, the college moved to its current location, 350 acres at the site of an abandoned amusement park, just miles from downtown Richmond.
The University of Richmond is home to 7 sororities and 7 fraternities. More than 1/3 of the student population at the university participates in Greek Life.