Dear Phi Delta Chi Brothers,

It may be years since the fraternity has had any correspondence with you. As Phi Delta Chi alumni, you would be proud to know that our Collegiate Brothers are leaders on campus not only scholastically, but also in community service and leadership in professional organizations. Many things have changed over the years, but our goal to make the Phi Delta Chi Fraternity the leader on campus remains the same. That is to promote professionalism, friendships and fraternal brotherhood. Most of us have not had the opportunity to mentor a student and see this person develop and grow into a competent professional. Fortunately, I was in a position at the University of Illinois for 22 wonderful years and while working, I became active with the Alpha Sigma Chapter. After my retirement from the college in June of 2011, I could no longer represent the Collegiate Chapter as a faculty advisor. This has not made me any less supportive of the Alpha Sigma Chapter, and I have remained active with both the collegiate and alumni chapters. The collegiate chapter has grown and become a true leader on the college of pharmacy campus and I firmly believe that this growth can be enhanced by alumni support.

It has been 49 years since my graduation and my school memories grow faint, but I still remember my pledge class and fraternity brothers. The Phi Delta Chi - Alpha Sigma Alumni Association was officially recognized and chartered by the National Chapter on November 10th 1996. Part of the Alumni Chapter purpose is to create a bridge between our school experiences and our careers as pharmacists. Many of us have lost touch with friends and the fraternity that meant so much to us. As alumni we now have the opportunity to give back a little to the Collegiate Chapter. Our chapter was created with the charge to promote the overall interests of the profession pharmacy, to assist the collegiate chapter in their functions and operations as it relates to activities on and off the UICCOP campus and to the funding and management of the PDC Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The Alumni Association established the Phi Delta Chi Memorial Scholarship Award at the College of Pharmacy. This award has been presented every year to a P3 student since March of 2004 during the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy Honors Convocation. The Alumni Association is happy to announce that we have officially teamed up with the University of Illinois Chicago - College of Pharmacy to deliver quality Continuing Education Programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. This will be accomplished in part by the development of a second scholarship grant. When fully endowed, the earnings generated would be available in the form of a grant to help defer the costs encountered when presenting a CE Program at the UIC College of Pharmacy. The future endowment process of the Phi Delta Chi “CE Fund” will be a large undertaking. The alumni chapter has set up an account with the University of Illinois Foundation and we hope that with everyone's help we will reach our endowment goal of $25,000.

Remember our motto - Alterum Alterius Auxilio Eget - Each Needs the Help of the Other

Fraternally yours,

Ray Traficante
Alpha Sigma 388