A Death, a Greek Village, and a Highway Clean-Up and GLO Connections

Delta State University Professor Ethan Schmidt, Ph.D. was killed in a shooting on Monday morning. He was killed by another professor while sitting in his office on the DSU campus in Mississippi. Schmidt was a member of the Emporia State chapter of Phi Delta Theta and served as his chapter’s president. Phi Delta Theta’s facebook page contained this posting:

Sending our deepest sympathies to the friends, brothers, and family of Kansas Epsilon (Emporia State) Phi Ethan Schmidt who was shot and killed on campus at Delta State University today.

In coelo quies est Brother Schmidt.

Phi Delta Theta Fraternity's photo.

The translation of Phi Delta Theta obituary epitaph, “In coelo quies est” is “In Heaven there is Rest.” John McMillan Wilson, a Phi Delta Theta founder, used the phrase in his memoirs and the fraternity continues the tradition. Condolences to Dr. Schmidt’s friends, family, and Phi Delt brothers.

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The Greek Life community at the University of Arizona received a wonderful gift last month. Geraldo Rivera, a Tau Delta Phi from the U of A chapter, and his wife Erica, donated $500,000 for the construction of a Greek Heritage Park. It will be construction near First Avenue and Cherry Avenue. According to a press release, the park will “serve as a functional center in the heart of the Greek Village for chapter and community events, fund development and donor recognition. The space will honor more than 50,000 UA Greek alumni and the 90 organizations that have been a part of the UA Greek community since 1915.”

Rivera, in addition to being the 2015 recipient of the Order of Omega Greek Hall of Fame Award, graduated from West Babylon High School on Long Island, NY. I am also a graduate of the same high school.

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Here’s a shout out to the Kappa Alphas on the SIUC campus and a thank you to all the GLOs who have adopted a spot to clean. It’s not an easy job (my Rotary Club adopted a stretch of highway, so I speak from experience), but it makes the highway look so much cleaner.

The first time out at our Adopt-A-Highway! Keep an eye out for our sign on Route 13.

Kappa Alphas on Highway 13

Kappa Alphas on Highway 13 in Carbondale, IL.

© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2015. All Rights Reserved. If  you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/

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