Dr. Wesley Wicker appointed to the Norwich Housing Corporation

The Norwich Housing Corporation is happy to announce that Brother Wesley Wicker will join the Board of Directors for Norwich starting Sept. 1, 2010. He will serve in the role of Counselor.

Brother Wicker will be replacing Brother Douglas Schemenauer, who has served voluntarily for 10 years on the Norwich Housing Corporation.

Brother Wicker earned a doctorate in higher education administration from the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia in 1990, a master’s degree in history from Georgia Southwestern State University in 1985, and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Alabama in 1981.

At the University of Alabama, Brother Wicker joined the Alpha Phi chapter in January 1976 and was later elected Chapter President. After graduation, he joined the Executive Office of Theta Chi Fraternity and worked as a Field Representative, now Leadership and Education Consultant, from 1979–1981.

While working on his doctorate at the University of Georgia from 1998–2000, Brother Wicker served as the chapter adviser for the Delta Beta chapter, and was also a Regional Counselor. He again served the Delta Beta chapter from 1998–2000 as House Corporation president.

From 1990–1995, Brother Wicker was the Director of Development for Theta Chi Fraternity’s Funds for Leadership and Education, Inc. followed by two years with the United Way of Central Indiana from 1995–1997. Wicker spent the next five years as the Vice President of Major Gifts for United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta (1997–2002). During this time period, Brother Wicker served on the Foundation Chapter from 1992–1995 and as President of the Foundation from 1996–2002.

Since September 2002, Brother Wicker has served as Vice President of Advancement for Kennesaw State University and was selected in January 2005 as the Executive Director of the KSU Foundation.

The Norwich Housing Corporation is headed by five Theta Chi alumnus volunteers who provide mortgage loans to assist Theta Chi house corporations with renovating old or building new fraternity houses. The Corporation’s headquarters is in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Theta Chi announces 2010 Theta Chi For Life Award recipients

For their outstanding national and local service, their personal efforts taken for the betterment of Theta Chi, and their continual unselfish interest, Theta Chi Fraternity is happy to announce the 2010 recipients of the Earl D. Rhodes Theta Chi for Life Award:

Carlton F. Bennett
Zeta Pi/Old Dominion University 1972

Allen F. Carter
Eta Omicron/Northwestern State University 1976

Michael Davidson
Tau/University of Florida 1969

Patrick T. O’Connor
Chi/Auburn University 1978

Ronald J. Ramos
Gamma Theta/San Diego State University 1968

Douglas Schemenauer
Epsilon Phi/University of Central Missouri 1989

The Theta Chi for Life Award was established and authorized by the Grand Chapter in 1975 and was first presented at the Fraternity’s 120th Anniversary Convention. This prestigious award is considered the second-highest honor for service to Theta Chi Fraternity.

Nominations for the Theta Chi for Life Award are evaluated by the National Advisory Committee, which is composed of all past National Presidents of Theta Chi Fraternity.

Recipients of the Theta Chi for Life Award will be recognized during a special awards presentation on July 2 at the 154th Anniversary Convention Alumni Awards Luncheon at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida.

The Theta Chi for Life Award is named in honor of Past National President Earl "Dusty" Rhodes, Delta/RPI 1921, (photo above) who was known as "Mr. Theta Chi." Rhodes was the first recipient of this award in 1976.

Congratulations, brothers!

Brother Honored by School District

Originally submitted by Richard Rogers

Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc. Area Director

On Tuesday, April 13 at the Brevard County [Florida] Schools Area IV Awards of Excellence Ceremony, Brother Michael King (Zeta Theta/Troy State 1977) was honored with an Award of Excellence for going above and beyond in his support to Riverview Elementary School and their students.

Mike King is the Hi-Five Early Intervention & Prevention Coordinator at Riverview Elementary School. The Hi-Five Program is a program of Eckerd Youth Alternatives, a private, non-profit organization serving youth and families since 1968. Eckerd has served over 100,000 youth and provide a full continuum of behavioral health and child welfare services. You can find more information about Eckerd and the programs it provides by clicking here.

His program responsibilities are to facilitate classroom presentations, Super Kid Clubs (Small Group Interventions), and Family Trainings. However, Mike has gone above and beyond his job requirements with several special projects in which he gathered support of his Super Kids, school staff, and community volunteers.

Mike and his Super Kids collected pop tops for the Ronald McDonald house, started a food drive for needy families, collected donations to put together care packages for troops in Afghanistan, and collected food and basic needs supplies for the people of Haiti. Mike also started an after-school Gardening Club at Riverview Elementary.

He applied for many small grants and got donations from local businesses to get the materials and supplies to start a large garden at Riverview Elementary. Students, teachers and community volunteers have all chipped in to volunteer after-school and on weekends to build the garden, complete with a sprinkler system which they put together themselves. Plant seeds and fertilizer were donated through local businesses. The gardening club also redid the landscaping in the front of the school. They received donations for mulch and plants and spent a weekend beautifying the front of the school.

The Super Kids are really enjoying the gardening club. They are spending their after-school and weekend time volunteering and helping their school. Mike is utilizing this extra time with the kids to teach them responsibility and citizenship. The youth are taking pride in their garden and their school and Mike and school administration have notice improvement in students’ behavior since participating in the club.

Congratulations, brother!