Rickus Interruptus: A note to the Chapter about Alumni Weekend from Shawn Selby '92

Dear Brothers:

I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you all how much I enjoyed the Spring Alumni Weekend!

I am so proud of you all and so proud to know you all!

You all are a great group of young men, and more importantly, a great group of Delts!

I would Rush Delt all over again.

Your Ritual team obviously has worked hard to take the Delt ceremonies to a new level. The Rite of Iris on Friday night and the Ritual on Sunday morning was the best I have ever seen them done. And that’s high praise, because Michael Moffitt and Dan Castelli from my years were just incredible with ceremonies. But you’ve topped them.

(The coloured sashes for Rite of Iris are a great touch. There’s also other things during the Ritual that were outstanding, but I dare not mention in open communication).

I also want to tell you now what I was unable to on Sunday: Asking me to fill in for Fergie was a singular honor I will never forget. I do not feel worthy, but the words of what I was required to express continue to weigh heavily on my heart and in my mind. It is one thing to hear them, quite another to have to say them. Thank you for letting me do that.

Your Formal was well-done and tasteful. The singing of “Delta Shelter” at the end along with the cheer was incredible to experience.

I also appreciated very much being invited back to the Shelter afterward to hang out with you all. It was great being back in my old room, doing the same things I used to and hearing some of the same songs.

And I’m so glad that the outings to the Mountaineer I would lead on the weekends have evolved into a Chapter activity. I would have probably gone to the Mountaineer before I left Marietta, but it was so much better being able to go there with you all.

A strength of the spring weekend vs. Homecoming is that it gives us alumni time to focus on you all instead us of trying to see as many people in for the weekend that we can. And I think it works better for you all, too. You all didn’t have your own campus events competing with “Delt time.”

As such, I was able to not only meet most of you all, but to spend time getting to know many of you all.

What struck me the most was that in many of you I could see either a physical resemblance or a spiritual likeness to Delts from my time. Scott Dettra reminded me of my Little Brother, Jimmy Long. Mark Hirschfeld reminded me of my Big Brother, Gary Hritz. Andy Byers seems to be the reincarnation of Jeff DeWerth. Dave Borrelli could be a new and improved Tracey Howard. Craig Sundstrom’s handling of the meeting recalled Barrie Yochim’s presiding skills. Ashley Wollam evoked memories of Greg Manko. Hunter Jonsson could be equal parts Mike Porath, Graham Cochran and Chris Kurtz.

I could go on, but you all are not those people. You are yourselves, your own Delts. But because I could see “my” brothers in so many of you all, that means Epsilon Upsilon still is picking the same type of quality individuals who have what it takes to become Good Delts.

That, along with the fact that approximately one in four of you all are my Little Brother descendants, makes me very happy.

Again, thank you for a wonderful weekend.

In Brotherhood,
Shawn Selby ’92