Note: Several members of Eta Phi/Oakland University traveled from Michigan for the Installation of Iota Omega Chapter at SUNY Cortland in Upstate New York. They came to support their chapter brother and Iota Omega Chapter Adviser Justin Howland (Eta Phi/Oakland 2007) and to show the spirt of brotherhood to the new initiates at SUNY Cortland. Eta Phi brothers shared more than brotherhood: coincidentally, Eta Phi Chapter was installed 34 years prior on the same date: May 2, 1981. As members of the Iota Omega Installation Committee, these Eta Phi Brothers were all made Honorary Members of Iota Omega Chapter.
Eta Phi alumnus Joseph Current was asked to share an account of the trip from Michigan to New York.
It started off as an offhanded comment by an alumnus brother during a fundraiser, “This chapter hasn’t had a road trip in far too long.” From those words and a chance e-mail, the long and winding road from Rochester, Michigan to Cortland, New York was traversed and an epic story unfolded.
As I was reading through my e-mails a few days prior to our annual alumni casino night, I noticed one from Brother Justin Howland (Eta Phi/Oakland 2007) with the subject line of “Installation at SUNY Cortland”. The message stated that Brother Howland had been acting as an alumni advisor for the colony at SUNY Cortland and that in a few months they would be installed as the Iota Omega Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity. After reading that and hearing the comment regarding the unfortunate dearth of road trips in recent history, a plan began to take shape and the road trip to Cortland came to fruition.
I contacted Brother Howland in New York to ensure that if we had a group of guys driving out to Cortland, there would be places to stay when we arrived. After receiving confirmation that we would, indeed, not be sleeping on the street, I then approached Eta Phi Chapter about putting together a road trip and gauge whether this would be a drive or a convoy. A core group was identified as being interested and it was decided that a single vehicle could be rented for all to travel in and that there would be a paddle presented to the newly installed chapter on behalf of Eta Phi/Oakland in the spirit of brotherhood.
Very early on the morning of May 1, Eta Phi Chapter President Matt McClure (2016) Griffin Kinder (2016), and Zach Rabideau (2016) joined myself and fellow alumni Justin Wojas (2004), Phil Stene (2010), Ryan Croft (2013), and Zack Livingston (2013) and piled into a van and drove off into the sunrise. Barring a slight mishap at rest station on the Ohio Turnpike (sorry, Matt) the trip went smoothly and we arrived in Cortland that evening. After meeting up with the colony members, the brothers from Eta Phi joined in a massive I-Week candle pass and shared some brotherhood afterwards while getting to know the colony members a little better.
The installation was a rousing success, with the charter and our ceremonial paddle being presented during Iota Omega's Installation Ceremony. The following was inscribed onto the ceremonial paddle:
Installation Ceremony 5/2/2015
Presented to SUNY Cortland
On Behalf of Eta Phi Chapter
A banquet (complete with a visit from the SUNY Cortland President!) followed. Coincidentally, Eta Phi and Iota Omega shared the same installation day, May 2, which gave another link in our chain of brotherhood between these two chapters.
Joseph Current (bottom left) with his Eta Phi Chapter brothers and representatives from the International Headquarters and Grand Chapter.
After all the good memories and enjoyment we felt in this experience that few in our chapter have taken part in, it was refreshing to share this moment as friends and brothers; taking home stories that will, hopefully, inspire others to take to the road in the name of brotherhood.
Joseph R. Current
Eta Phi/Oakland 2010
Editor's Note:
Earlier this month, Brother Current made another trip - this time to New England to Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont to receive his Masters of Science in Nursing with a focus in education. He shared via a Facebook post on June 15, "Graduation week. This week, I will be walking in the footsteps of Freeman and Chase as I receive my degree from Norwich University and visit the site of the Old South Barracks. I am humbled and in awe that this is finally happening and I wish to thank all of you who have supported, understood, and stood by me as I have worked to make this a reality. Alma mater First and Theta Chi for Alma Mater." While in Vermont, Brother Current stopped by the little town of Norwich to visit the Theta Chi Monument:
Congratulations, Brother Current, and thanks to the men of Eta Phi for extending the Helping Hand and welcoming Iota Omega Chapter at SUNY Cortland!