Message from Brother John Lyden, Omicron Class

In the fall of 1997 the chapter rented a house on Mullica Hill Road, right through the (former) hole in the fence behind Mansion Park Apartments. The house formerly belonged to Sigma Pi, who had moved across the street when Phi Kappa Sigma moved into the Whitney house. The chapter also welcomed the 4 members of the Omicron class, with Brother Lou Crescitelli as PE. The semi-annual Heaven & Hell party went very well, with alumni coming from all over for the event. It also served as a substitute for Homecoming, which we were forced to pass up due to reasons both financial and manpower.

During the Spring of 1998, the Pi class endured Dance Marathon (Postulants were heard stating, "isn't this school-sponsored hazing?") and were welcomed into the fold. The chapter remained there for a year until May of 1998. The house then moved to 111 North Main Street, in a better location as the hole in the fence was closed up that summer with the installation of the metal perimeter fence added to the east side of campus. The summer saw some renovations to the house, and many barbecues as we worked to get the house in shape for the upcoming semester. Brothers John Howey, Mike Forte, Hank Klausman and John Lyden lived in the house at the time. They also kept a pet House Chachi.

Spring 1999 came and left the Sigma class and a Dance Marathon that was easily forgotten. The summer between semesters was marked with a barbecue every weekend, and the introduction of something we had sorely missed our first year in the house: carpeting in the living room.

Fall 1999 was an interesting semester, considering it marked Alpha Chi Rho's return to the Homecoming festivities. We partnered with Alpha Delta Epsilon, and the float was themed "B4RU" so as to come into line with the overall Homecoming theme of "Rowan University: Past, Present, and Future." The Tau class (Chris Drakulich and James Tomasino) participated with vigor.

Spring 2001 saw an infusion of new blood as the Psi class entered Brotherhood, one of the largest postulant classes in years. Fraternity Advisor Kevin Miller becamse actively involved with the fraternity. The following summer saw the fraternity again relocated, this time to Beau Rivage 44. The fraternity acquired a full slate of advisors, however: Brother John Lyden, after a year of employment with the University, became Advisor with Kevin Miller assuming the position of Scholarship Advisor. Former Executive Director/National Secretary James Spencer, currently Rowan's Coordinator of Annual Giving (Alumni office), was also available as a sounding board for ideas.