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Phi Delta Gamma (social)

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Phi Delta Gamma
ΦΔΓ
FoundedApril 25, 1942; 82 years ago (1942-04-25)
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
TypeSocial
AffiliationCIPFI
StatusActive
ScopeNational
Chapters13
Nicknamela Phi Delta
Headquarters867 Av. Luis Muñoz Rivera Suite D-104
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00925
United States
Websitephideltagammapr.org

Phi Delta Gamma (ΦΔΓ) of Puerto Rico is the first Puerto Rican organization of Greek letters, which was founded in the western town of Mayagüez, on April 25, 1942.

History

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Phi Delta Gamma originated from a high school fraternity, Alpha Iota Omega, which was founded in 1939.[1] When the brothers of Alpha Iota Omega enrolled in the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecánicas) of Mayagüez, some were offered the opportunity to pledge one of the original Puerto Rican fraternities. The others reunited in the house of the brothers Gilberto Oliver Padilla and Otis Oliver Padilla. They decided to found a new fraternity on April 25, 1942, and to use the Greek letters Phi, Delta and Gamma.

The founding brothers are Gilberto Oliver Padilla, Otis Oliver Padilla, Raúl Romaguera, Ramón Antonio Frontera, Ignacio Beauchamp, José Ramón Ponce de León, Hilton Quintana, Angel Inserni, Rafael Ferrer Monge “El Cubano” (who also developed the shield, the first rulebook, and the motto of the fraternity), Rubén D’Acosta, Edgardo Olivencia, César Arana and Hernán Rodríguez.

These brothers established the first chapter as Alpha in Mayagüez. They had plans to expand the fraternity to all of Puerto Rico. In 1944, the first Phi Delta Gamma clubhouse was established in the Méndez Vigo street of Mayagüez.

In 1945, brother Otis Oliver commended to students Juan Mari Brás and Manuel Portela Lomba to take the Phi Delta Gamma fraternity to San Juan. They began the task of establishing the Beta chapter in the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. Some of the founding brothers of the Beta chapter are Oscar Colón, Juan Mari Brás, Jean García, Ramón Vargas, Manuel Portela Lomba and Angel Amézaga. Thanks to this effort, the first convention of the Phi Delta Gamma was celebrated in 1945, in the Condado Hotel.

The Phi Delta Gamma members are known as "the originals", because they changed the way a traditional fraternity ought to be; also, they were the first Greek letter fraternity, which originated in western Puerto Rico: town of Mayagüez. The Phi Deltas are renowned for their friendliness and honesty. Above all, the great brotherhood among its members is very characteristic of their family activities (which involve grandparents, parents, spouses, children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren).

Chapters

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Collegiate chapters

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Following is a list of Phi Delta Gamma collegiate chapters. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.

Chapter Charter date Institution Location References
Alpha April 25, 1942 College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts Mayagüez, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Beta 1945 University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras San Juan, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Gamma 1948 Mayagüez, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Delta 1952 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Ponce, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Epsilon 1954 Mayaguez, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Sigma 1957 Ponce, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Phi 1959 University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus San Juan, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Tau 1966 Caguas, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Omicron 1966 Arecibo, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Nu 1968 Guaynabo, Puerto Rico [2][3]
Upsilon [2]
Chi [2]
Psi 1985 [2]
Rho University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Beta Alpha [2]
Beta Beta [2]
Tau Xi [2]
Theta Mu [2]

Alumni chapters

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Following is a list of Phi Delta Gamma alumni chapters. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics.

Chapter Charter date Location References
Beta Delta 2019 Tampa, Florida [2]
Delta Xi 2021 Washington, D.C. [2]

Notable members

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Name Chapter Notability References
Juan Mari Brás Beta Political candidate for governor and founder of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party
Tito Lara Singer
Jose F. Ortiz Vazquez Chief executive officer of Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority
Luisito Vigoreaux Television actor and producer

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mari Bras, Juan (2006), Memorias de un Ciudadano (in Spanish), Puerto Rico: Editorial Barco de Papel, p. 66, ISBN 9780979861000
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "About Us". Fraternidad Phi Delta Gamma (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Fraternidad Phi Delta Gamma: Del Ano Mil Novecientos Treinta y Nueve al Ano Mil Novecentos Setenta" (PDF). La Paleta: 8. 1970.
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