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| HISTORY OF OMEGA |
It all started as many Rutgers Engineering students have said to themselves in the past, “Why isn’t there an engineering fraternity on campus?” Simple question, no answer… And so Gregory Perkins and Steven Weiss met in their first semester math class back in the fall of 1998 and said the same thing to each other. Every other group on campus has a fraternity, why not the engineers? A year goes by with no change. Greg and Steve are still friends after that time and Greg said to Steve, “Why don’t we start an engineering fraternity?” Simple question, easy answer, there’s nothing to stop us. They start contacting national engineering fraternities in order to start a chapter at Rutgers. Steve generates interest in the group by announcing it at the Engineering Governing Council meetings. Greg starts to look into the national engineering fraternities around the country and finds the perfect one.
Sigma Phi Delta was the one that met our professional and social needs. So, they went ahead and contacted them. That weekend Grand Vice President Keith Hileman and two other brothers from the Kappa chapter, Alix Minden and Andy Hoshock arrived to prepare what was soon to be Sigma Phi Delta's first new chapter of the new millennium. That Friday afternoon on October 8, 1999 the officers were immediately sold on Rutgers Engineering and began the process by talking with Assistant Dean of Special Programs, Donald Brown about the possibility of an Engineering Fraternity on campus. And so after a weekend of showing Keith and his Kappa brothers around and letting them see what NJ has to offer, which included a losing football game and a campus social gathering, Greg and Steve are hooked and ready to go forward. Greg and Steve decide to set up a meeting for those interested and start advertising through mass email and flyers on campus. And so they find more men that are interested. Golam Bokhtier and Ankoor Naik join our group and start recruiting for more. That brings us to the year 2000.
At the start of the new semester we sadly find out that Greg is no longer with the University. And so the diminished group goes on, they have another meeting with even more interested people and start planning for the colonization. Jonah Blake, Endrit Gjona, Jeff Chang, Jeremy Nacer, and Mike Torntore join the group at that meeting to be followed by Serafin Icasiano and Jon Werner shortly later. Finally the group of 10 pledge to become The Colony of Sigma Phi Delta at Rutgers University on April 9, 2000. The group comes together quickly as they attend The Stress Factory, set up study tables, and participate in various sporting events as some of the first activities as a group. The Colony loses one member, Serafin Icasiano. Finally, the pledges perform the necessary steps to become The Omega Chapter of Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity on May 13, 2000. Over the summer of 2000 the newly initiated chapter gets acquainted with their local alumni John L. Fitzgerald II aka “The Hootman.” The Hootman brings the chapter closer together by going with us to the McGuire Airforce Base Airshow, through generous monetary support, and by offering advice on how to create the structure of our new chapter. The Brotherhood also grows stronger by way of many social functions throughout the summer.
By the beginning of the Fall 2000 semester the chapter is ready to conquer Engineering at Rutgers. During the 2000-2001 academic year the chapter uses Silvers 233 as its temporary chapter meeting place. With great preparation, the chapter is able to have a successful rush and is joined by the Alpha Pledge Class consisting of Justin Bocian, Murtaza Manaqibwala, Michael Piemontesi and John Powers. They begin to pledge on October 1, 2000 and are initiated on January 20, 2001. The spring 2001 semester sees even more additions to the chapter. The Beta Pledge Class consisting of Christopher McComiskey, Derek Ng and Christian Sienicki is pledged on February 4, 2001 and initiated on April 21, 2001. This semester was a huge turning point for the chapter as a suitable chapter house is secured through the endless amounts of hard work and dedication by Alpha pledge class member Michael Piemontesi and founding member Steve Weiss. On June 1, 2001 the Omega Chapter moves into 6 Union Street New Brunswick, New Jersey. Over the summer of 2001 the chapter brotherhood grows incredibly stronger. A new frontier is on the rise for the Omega's as there is now a strong, central location in which we reside. And so, the chapter strives onward, knowing that no one can stop what they have created… |
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