As a Syracuse University alumna and an American whose roots are Italian,* I offer Alpha Phi Delta best wishes upon its 99th birthday.
Alpha Phi Delta was founded on November 5, 1914 when seven young men, all of Italian descent, formed the organization. Its history goes back a few more years than that. Italian immigrant Cesidio Guarini entered Syracuse University in 1911. Syracuse University, with its Methodist roots and traditions, especially after the turn of the century, must have seemed like a foreign land. Guarini met Ferdinand DiBartolo, another immigrant and a quick friendship was formed. They sought out other Italian-Americans men enrolled at Syracuse. On May 5, 1913, the men organized Il Circolo Italiano at the home of Charles W. Cabeen, a Syracuse professor of French language and literature.
Nicholas Frunzi, one of the members of Il Circolo Italiano, suggested the men form a fraternity. More than 20 men’s fraternities had been established at Syracuse by that time. Di Bartolo, who was by now working as an instructor at Syracuse, requested administrative permission for the fraternity’s formation. Ninety-nine years ago today, Frunzi, DiBartolo and five other men – Joseph Cangiamila, Dominic Ciolli, Otto Gelormini, Cesidio Guarini, and Anthony Frascati – became Alpha Phi Delta’s founding fathers.
In the fall of 1915, four Columbia University students of Italian descent formed a similar fraternity; they named it Sigma Gamma Phi. In January 1916, Frunzi left Syracuse for New York City where he enrolled at Columbia. He told the Sigma Gamma Phis about Alpha Phi Delta. Correspondence took place between the Syracuse and Columbia men. A meeting took place in June 1916 and a merger was discussed. The group honored the name of the older chapter. Sigma Gamma Phi became the Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Delta.
In 1967, Honorary Membership was conferred upon Frank Sinatra after he performed a Sunday afternoon concert in Pittsburgh, PA. The Alpha Phi Delta chapter at Youngstown State University sponsored the honorary initiate.
While Alpha Phi Delta had its beginnings as an Italian-American heritage fraternity, for more than four decades it has been open to men of all backgrounds.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2013. All Rights Reserved.
