December Newsletter
Building Our Legacy
The end of the semester was a busy time for the EA Chapter. Between numerous music performances, marching band commitments, holidays, initiation, and of course finals, it felt completely non-stop. Now, we take a moment to celebrate all that has been accomplished and look ahead with excitement for what the future holds.
Welcome Alpha Beta Class:
First, we had the honor and privilege of initiating the Alpha Beta Class into our chapter. On Sunday, November 23rd, seven musicianly men successfully completed their initiation and became true Sinfonians. Following this, one additional musicianly man completed his initiation on November 30th with the Iota Alpha Chapter at Alma College.
Let hear form Class President Luke Boyd about his process and excitement of being a Sinfonian:
My time as the Alpha Beta Class President was very fun. I got to organize, coordinate, and lead the PM service project -- which was fixing the wheels in the choir risers and ushering the choir concert. I loved working with my fellow PMs and growing with them over our probationary process. Joining a fraternity was never something I explicitly planned on doing when getting to college, but I have found to really enjoy everyone and everything that comes with PMA life. There’s so much more time involved than I ever thought, but I don’t regret it at all!
Brotherhood Beyond the Chapter:
The chapter has continued to build brotherhood beyond the walls of chapter meetings and events. During our Third Degree, the Baby Hands fam line reunited with the other half of their family at the Iota Omicron Chapter at BGSU. They also started a group chat, which we hope will help strengthen their connection and foster lasting brotherly bonds.
It has become a tradition each semester to host a PowerPoint Night focused on building strong relationships between the current PMs and the collegiates they will soon be joining. Following the Second Degree Night 3 ceremony, there were once again plenty of laughs and moments of brotherhood as brothers presented their PowerPoints on topics of their choice. Presentations covered everything from water and drag queens to food classification—and much more!
Finally, as is tradition, our annual Minecraft server launched at the end of the semester. Somehow, someway, after opening the server on Wednesday night, the Ender Dragon was defeated by Sunday night during a scheduled group battle.
The server will remain active throughout break and most of the spring semester. Its main goal is to keep brothers connected over the break—giving everyone a space to talk, collaborate, and build together. Let’s see what gets created this time around!
Epsilon Alpha in the Community:
EA has been looking to get involved with the Toledo community more. The brothers were invited to sing holiday songs, along with a few classics, at the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy students’ holiday party in the Health and Human Services Building. We had a great time spreading music and holiday cheer across UT’s campus beyond the Center for Performing Arts. We look forward to continuing to grow our presence and share our music throughout campus!
This year, the chapter partnered with The Believe Center Inc., a nonprofit community development center based here in Toledo. We organized a canned food drive on campus to support their annual Turkey Giveaway and matched donations as they came in. Through these efforts, we were able to raise $250 worth of food and help serve 100 community members.
Individuals formed a line and were provided with a turkey along with a bag of food items such as mac and cheese, granola bars, canned goods, and more. The chapter could not be happier to have the opportunity to serve our community in new ways this year, and we hope to continue and expand these efforts moving forward.
Introducing our new initiative | Alumni of the week/Collegiate of the Month:
Moving forward, we will be fostering stronger connections between our Alumni and Collegiate brothers. I believe the first step in building those relationships is simply getting to know one another. With that in mind, I will be introducing an “Alumni of the Week” to the chapter and a “Collegiate of the Month” to you all here in these newsletters.
Of course, this initiative depends on your participation. I kindly ask that you take a few moments to complete a brief form about yourself, which will be compiled and shared with the chapter. I look forward to learning more about each of you and sharing those stories with our brothers.
A Reflection of Gratitude:
This ability to place a stronger focus on building personal relationships with all of you would not be possible without your continued support. The presence and encouragement of our alumni have been deeply felt and truly appreciated. Over the past few months alone, alumni attendance at events has grown more consistent and has been filled with genuine brotherhood. Your passion does not go unnoticed, and we are committed to matching that energy by continuing to invite you to experience Phi Mu Alpha with us at every opportunity.
This gratitude is not just from me, but from the chapter as a whole. Our Chapter President, Brandon Esquivel, would also like to share his appreciation.
“It has been great to see many of faces that have built the chapter that we are a part of today. It is always very cool for us to see who was here before us and learn about the people who paved the road for us to enjoy this amazing brotherhood in this Epsilon Alpha Chapter. Thank you for putting in the time and effort to come and support the chapter, we appreciate it a lot.”
The chapter you see today exists because of the work you did as collegiates and continue to do as alumni. No matter what Epsilon Alpha looked like during your time at the University of Toledo, I hope you can look at the chapter now and say, “That is my chapter—I helped build that.” For that, we are eternally grateful.
Newest Alumni: Dylan Shearer
I would like to take a moment to introduce our newest alumni brother, Dylan Shearer. Dylan was initiated as a member of the Chi Class on November 19th, 2023. During his time as a collegiate brother, he welcomed three littles: Brendan Frey (Alumnus), Caleb Wendel (Collegiate), and Bryce Tabor (Collegiate).
Dylan’s collegiate career was filled with joy, dedication, and passion, and I could not be prouder of him as a Sinfonian—especially in my role as his FEO. We are excited to welcome him into the alumni ranks.
Dylan says,
“PMA was one of the first communities I experienced at the college level. When I was very cautious about it because I sill didn’t know anyone and didn’t know what to expect. But once I was in the process I had a great time. I met most of my closest friends that I still have today in the fraternity. I am very grateful and proud of the fraternity and where it has become today. To end off my most memorable experience was my first MMM when we performed at a senior citizen home and sang to them then played games with them. This was when I really knew that Phi Mu Alpha was the place for me.”
I hope you all hear this and remember what Phi Mu Alpha has meant to you, and that you can resonate with the power that music and brotherhood hold in our lives. May it also serve as a reminder of the support the chapter gave you—and continues to give—to this day and in the years to come.
Dylan received his Associate’s degree in General Studies this fall semester and plans to attend EMT school while pursuing a career as a firefighter. The chapter wishes him the best of luck in all his future endeavors, and we hope he enjoys his time as an alumnus of Epsilon Alpha.
Please join us in warmly welcoming Brother Dylan Shearer to Alumni membership!
The Break Hiatus:
Now, we look forward to a restful break before the Spring Semester begins. While the chapter may not be meeting on campus during this time, our work and brotherhood continue. Please keep an eye out for announcements regarding upcoming events, including degrees, Chapter Day, graduation ceremonies, and any other activities that may arise.
I hope you all find comfort and pride in the work and brotherhood highlighted throughout this newsletter. Wishing each of you a safe, joyful, and happy holiday season!
OASAASLLS,