The end of the Spring Semester means many things to Bucknell students, but for graduating PLTs, few events precede the annual Senior Dinner in terms of anticipation, enjoyment, and emotion. This year, Phi Lambda Theta’s twenty-nine graduates assembled to celebrate four years of friendship, memories, and brotherhood over a delicious dinner at the Temperance House. The seniors told story after story of funny, happy, sad, and sometimes outrageous events they experienced over the past few years. Later on in the night, they shared their plans for the future, which ranged all the way from graduate school to engineering to acting to entrepreneurship.
Every class of Phi Lambda Theta is comprised almost solely of extraordinary gentlemen, but even among such company, some members stand out. It is tradition to honor these men with awards in the names of great PLTs from years past. This year, The Mel Woodward Award for dedication, work, and leadership within the chapter was awarded to Andrew Hendrickson. Nicholas Stetz received the Hoffman-Giannetti-Hess Award for significant contributions to the fraternity, campus, and community. The Walt McConnell Award for commitment to serve the chapter and university was awarded to Ryan Kelly and finally, the Steve Gyrsting Award for commitment to serve the chapter as a senior until graduation was awarded to Peter Hemme and Mark Paleafico. All five awards were greatly deserved, and the active chapter wishes congratulations to the award winners.
Tom Deans ’55 assumed his usual role as emcee for the event, which was planned and also attended by current chapter Alpha Davis Gallinghouse ’14 and Beta Matt Argiro ’14. Tom spoke highly of the men all night, but most notably, he shared that the class of 2013 was among the top classes in his memory of PLT and that he took great pride in their ability to be one of the premier chapters on campus and among the national fraternity while still fostering a strong brotherhood and having a great time along the way.
The Phi Lambda Theta class of 2013 set the standard for achievement within the chapter, on campus, in the community, and at the level of the national fraternity. To say they will be missed would be a grave understatement, and the active chapter eagerly awaits their return to the chapter house to share their new wisdom, meet new brothers, and recall old memories of days past.