In the spring of 1997, Joseph DeFelice, a student and football player at Albright College, pledged a dormant
chapter of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity once known as the Theta Beta Chapter. He then transferred to LaSalle
University (a school with no affiliate of Delta Sigma Phi on its campus) the following year to play for LaSalle's newly
re-founded football team. Being used to the brotherhood that he had experienced at Albright College, Joseph
sought to bring that brotherhood to LaSalle University as well. So on February 3, 1998, Joseph gathered together
19 men, who pledged an oath of brotherhood in front of each other and created a new fraternity on campus, then
know as Iota Eta Pi (IHP).
The makeup of these 19 men was quite unique. Most of these men were comprised of freshman students and
transfer students in their first year at LaSalle University. Of the original 19 members, 15 were football players. The
group of freshmen included Philip Brunozzi, Timothy Connelly, Donald Guglielmucci, Shawn Hopkins, James
Kirschner, William Stewart, John Sullivan, and Kevin Whitney. The group of transfers included Justin Beyer,
Joseph DeFelice, William Devouno, Michael Kane, Kevin Kots, Brian McShane, Michael Moffa, and Joshua
Romig. The men that already attended LaSalle University consisted of Thaddeus Grandstaff and Vincent Grego.
Even more similar were the backgrounds of these men. Timothy Connelly, James Kirschner, and Kevin Whitney
had all attended Gloucester Catholic High School together and were all members of the football team. Joseph
DeFelice, Kevin Kots, and Michael Moffa all transferred from Albright College where they were all players on the
football team. Joseph DeFelice, and Kevin Kots, had all graduated from Father Judge High School together in
1996. Joseph DeFelice also lived next door to John Sullivan, who graduated with William Stewart from Father
Judge High School in 1997, and was a cousin to Donald Guglielmucci, who graduated from William Penn Charter
High School in 1997. Michael Moffa and Philip Brunozzi graduated from St. Augustine High School together in 1996.
Once at LaSalle University Joseph DeFelice and Michael Moffa lived together with Joshua Romig in the St. Teresa
Court Apartments. Across from them lived Justin Beyer, Vincent Grego, Kevin Kots, and Brian McShane in another
apartment. Underneath of this particular apartment lived Thaddeus Grandstaff and Michael Kane, a transfer from
Community College via Allentown College who was also a football player. William Devouno and Shawn Hopkins
were members of LaSalle University's football team and fell into the group through that association.
Once the group assembled and began to become more cohesive, the next logical step seemed to become
recognized on the campus of LaSalle University. In order to become recognized the group needed to be affiliated
with a national fraternity and had to gain the approval of the university administration as well. Since Joseph
DeFelice had already gone through a variation of the Delta Sigma Phi pledge program and learned all of the
secrets concerning the fraternity, it seemed a natural fit that the group would contact representatives from the Delta
Sigma Phi Fraternity to see if they had an interest in being affiliated with the group from LaSalle University. At the
end of the spring 1998 semester, a representative from Delta Sigma Phi, Scott Rich, came into the apartment of
Kevin Kots, our first President, and addressed the group as a whole in order to see if they were serious about the
proposed commitment they were about to make. Everyone left that particular meeting and the semester with the
understanding that going national would be an option that they would have to confront as some point in time.
Certain people were for it while others were against it, but nothing concrete would happen until the group
reassembled the upcoming fall semester after summer break.
Over the summer, not much took place until about the last month before returning to school. Scott Rich had left the
National staff and his position of Director of Expansion was taken by Mike Falkowitz, who placed a call to Joseph
DeFelice in order to collect more information about the group that was interested in joining the Delta Sigma Phi
Fraternity. Upon hearing from Mike, Joseph informed John Sullivan of their conversation and asked John to call the
Delta Sigma Phi National Headquarters and answer any questions that Mike Falkowitz might have about the
group. John and Mike exchanged many phone conversations throughout the last month of the summer; so many
so that the group from LaSalle University began what would become their formal proposal to be sent to Delta
Sigma Phi National Headquarters. This proposal would formally express the interest of the LaSalle University
group. Although everything seemed to be moving forward at a rapid pace, there were so very significant conflicts
that awaited the group upon their return to LaSalle University for the fall 1998 semester.
The group underwent some changes upon returning since Shawn Hopkins had transferred from LaSalle University
to West Point. Also, there was a growing concern among the group about the pluses and minuses associated
with joining a National Fraternity. There were members who chose not to join the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity.
These members were Justin Beyer, Philip Brunozzi, William Devouno, Thaddeus Grandstaff, Vincent Grego, Brian
McShane, and Joshua Romig. Thus, the group that was once 19 strong now became only 10. The remaining 10
members committed to joining the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity were Timothy Connelly, Joseph DeFelice, Donald
Guglielmucci, Michael Kane, James Kirschner, Kevin Kots, Michael Moffa, William Stewart, John Sullivan, and
Kevin Whitney.
Now, the goal of these remaining members was to recruit as many of their friends as they could so that the group
would remain strong enough in the eyes of the National Headquarters that it would become recognized as a colony
of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. These members went out and recruited 11 more men within the next few weeks.
These men included Thomas Cole, Eric Curran, David Donapel, Edward Dixon, Michael Fedele, Michael Foley,
Justin Furman, Matthew Kuzio, Joseph Lombo, Angelo Vicoli, and Patrick Watkins. Thomas Cole, Eric Curran,
Michael Fedele, Michael Foley, Matthew Kuzio, and Joseph Lombo were now sophomore at LaSalle University.
They had expressed interest in joining Iota Eta Pi during their freshman year and were more than happy to join the
group now as they moved closer to becoming an established fraternity on campus. The rest of the newly recruited
members were all transfer students: David Donapel (Gloucester County College), Edward Dixon (Millersville),
Justin Furman (Monmouth), Angelo Vicoli (West Chester), and Patrick Watkins (Valley Forge Military Academy).
Like all of the original members, the newly recruited men also shared a close relationship with those remaining
members. Thomas Cole and Michael Foley both went to Father Judge High School and graduated with William
Stewart and John Sullivan in 1997. Eric Curran and Matthew Kuzio were close friends of Donald Guglielmucci and
other members during their freshman year. David Donapel went to Gloucester Catholic High School and
graduated with Timothy Connelly, James Kirschner, and Kevin Whitney in 1997. David was also roommates with
James Kirschner upon his arrival at LaSalle University. Edward Dixon was a transfer on the football team who had
gone to Archbishop Ryan High School. Michael Fedele, from North Catholic High School, and Joseph Lombo, from
Archbishop Ryan High School, were both football players who were close friends with Michael Kane. Justin
Furman was a transfer football player who also went to Gloucester Catholic High School and graduated in 1996.
Angelo Vicoli was a transfer football player who went to high school with Donald Guglielmucci at Penn Charter.
Patrick Watkins was also a transfer football player who went to Bishop McDevitt High School and was roommates
with Michael Moffa upon his arrival at LaSalle University.
Once this group of 21 individuals came together early in the fall 1998 semester, it was only a matter of time before
the group became recognized as a colony of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. The National Fraternity had sent its
Director of Expansion, Mike Falkowitz, into the Philadelphia area to survey the group and see if they had what it took
to become the fraternity’s newest colony. After all of the paperwork had been filled out and all of the
recommendations had been made to the National Fraternity, the group from LaSalle University was officially
recognized as a colony on September 14, 1998.
The excitement that the newly formed colony experienced was short-lived however, when word came from LaSalle
University administration that the colony was not recognized by the university, even though they were by the
National fraternity. What ensued was a period of approximately two months in which the colony had to sell itself to
the school through a series of introductory meetings, which were soon to be followed by meetings of a more
business-like fashion. Finally, after much trial and tribulation, the new colony of Delta Sigma Phi was recognized
as a colony by the administration of LaSalle University on November 24, 1998 and could now officially be
recognized on campus.
Even though the 21 members officially formed the LaSalle University Colony of Delta Sigma Phi, they had yet to
become actual members of the fraternity; they were considered to be pledges. This pledging period consisted of
bonding together as brothers as well as becoming more familiar with the history of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity.
The period lasted until January 24, 1999 when the 21 members of the colony finally became initiated brothers of
the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity as well as the Founding Fathers of the LaSalle University Colony of Delta Sigma
Phi. This ceremony took place on a Sunday night in the basement of 1801 Olney Avenue. Alphabetically, the
Founding Fathers consisted of Thomas Cole, Timothy Connelly, Eric Curran, Joseph DeFelice, Edward Dixon,
David Donapel, Michael Fedele, Michael Foley, Justin Furman, Donald Guglielmucci, Michael Kane, James
Kirschner, Kevin Kots, Matthew Kuzio, Joseph Lombo, Michael Moffa, William Stewart, John Sullivan, Angelo Vicoli,
Patrick Watkins, and Kevin Whitney.
Shortly thereafter, the LaSalle University Colony received its first big exposure on the campus of LaSalle University
with a feature article in the Collegian on February 3, 1999, which featured Michael Moffa (the President at the time),
Joseph DeFelice (the Vice-President), and John Sullivan (the Treasurer). This article enabled the fraternity to get
its name out to the campus in their attempt to attract pledges for their first official Rush Week. On February 8, 1999
the LaSalle University Colony of Delta Sigma Phi accepted their first class of pledges, the Alpha Class. This class
consisted of 5 freshmen: Joshua Brinkley, Nicholas Croce, Kevin Overdorf, Matthew Peloso, and Thomas Ryan
(the Pledge Class President). These men showed great initiative in becoming the first pledge class ever of Delta
Sigma Phi at LaSalle University. Their efforts were rewarded on April 15, 1999 when they became initiated
members on the LaSalle University Colony. The end of the spring 1999 semester brought about some new
changes within the fraternity’s structure. New elections were held on the final meeting of the semester and new
officers were put in place. John Sullivan was elected President, with Joseph DeFelice as Vice-President, Donald
Guglielmucci as Treasurer, Matthew Peloso as Secretary, and Edward Dixon as Sergeant at Arms.
Having had a majority of its members on the football team at the time, the LaSalle University Colony was unable to
take on pledges during the fall 1999 semester because of complications that would arise because of time
restraints. This being said, the group actively recruited prospective members for the pledge period that would take
place in the upcoming spring 2000 semester. On February 14, 2000 the LaSalle University Colony experienced its
most fruitful pledge class when it accepted 11 pledges. The Beta Class included Nicholas Campbell, John
DiDonato, Shawn DiVece, Joseph Fadule, Michael Grabenstein (the Pledge Class President), Shawn Hopkins,
Evan Kerrane, Bradley Morgan (the Pledge Class Vice-President), Derek Musumeci, Morgan Norful (the Pledge
Class Treasurer), and Robert Sayre. The interesting story to note here is that Shawn Hopkins, who was one of the
original members of the Iota Eta Pi group, had returned to LaSalle University from West Point and had joined Delta
Sigma Phi as a pledge. These men would become fully initiated brothers on May 2, 2000.
The summer that was to follow brought about some drastic changes within the LaSalle University Colony. Due to
delinquent status and complete apathy toward the fraternity as a whole, the LaSalle University Colony expelled
Matthew Kuzio from the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity upon the approval of the National fraternity. Also, Kevin Overdorf,
a member of the Alpha Class, decided not to return to LaSalle University thus lowering the total brotherhood of the
colony to 33 upon the returning for the fall 2000 semester.
The fall 2000 semester consisted of the most important event in the brief history of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity at
LaSalle University. On October 14, 2000 the LaSalle University Colony of Delta Sigma Phi officially received its
charter from the National fraternity; the colony was designated as the Theta Sigma Chapter of the Delta Sigma Phi
Fraternity. Thus, the process of starting a brand new fraternity on the campus of LaSalle University, which began in
the St. Teresa Court Apartments on February 3, 1998, became a reality on October 14, 2000. All of the hard work
and dedication shown by every member of the Theta Sigma Chapter was dually rewarded on this particular night
as they officially made their mark in the history of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity.
chapter of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity once known as the Theta Beta Chapter. He then transferred to LaSalle
University (a school with no affiliate of Delta Sigma Phi on its campus) the following year to play for LaSalle's newly
re-founded football team. Being used to the brotherhood that he had experienced at Albright College, Joseph
sought to bring that brotherhood to LaSalle University as well. So on February 3, 1998, Joseph gathered together
19 men, who pledged an oath of brotherhood in front of each other and created a new fraternity on campus, then
know as Iota Eta Pi (IHP).
The makeup of these 19 men was quite unique. Most of these men were comprised of freshman students and
transfer students in their first year at LaSalle University. Of the original 19 members, 15 were football players. The
group of freshmen included Philip Brunozzi, Timothy Connelly, Donald Guglielmucci, Shawn Hopkins, James
Kirschner, William Stewart, John Sullivan, and Kevin Whitney. The group of transfers included Justin Beyer,
Joseph DeFelice, William Devouno, Michael Kane, Kevin Kots, Brian McShane, Michael Moffa, and Joshua
Romig. The men that already attended LaSalle University consisted of Thaddeus Grandstaff and Vincent Grego.
Even more similar were the backgrounds of these men. Timothy Connelly, James Kirschner, and Kevin Whitney
had all attended Gloucester Catholic High School together and were all members of the football team. Joseph
DeFelice, Kevin Kots, and Michael Moffa all transferred from Albright College where they were all players on the
football team. Joseph DeFelice, and Kevin Kots, had all graduated from Father Judge High School together in
1996. Joseph DeFelice also lived next door to John Sullivan, who graduated with William Stewart from Father
Judge High School in 1997, and was a cousin to Donald Guglielmucci, who graduated from William Penn Charter
High School in 1997. Michael Moffa and Philip Brunozzi graduated from St. Augustine High School together in 1996.
Once at LaSalle University Joseph DeFelice and Michael Moffa lived together with Joshua Romig in the St. Teresa
Court Apartments. Across from them lived Justin Beyer, Vincent Grego, Kevin Kots, and Brian McShane in another
apartment. Underneath of this particular apartment lived Thaddeus Grandstaff and Michael Kane, a transfer from
Community College via Allentown College who was also a football player. William Devouno and Shawn Hopkins
were members of LaSalle University's football team and fell into the group through that association.
Once the group assembled and began to become more cohesive, the next logical step seemed to become
recognized on the campus of LaSalle University. In order to become recognized the group needed to be affiliated
with a national fraternity and had to gain the approval of the university administration as well. Since Joseph
DeFelice had already gone through a variation of the Delta Sigma Phi pledge program and learned all of the
secrets concerning the fraternity, it seemed a natural fit that the group would contact representatives from the Delta
Sigma Phi Fraternity to see if they had an interest in being affiliated with the group from LaSalle University. At the
end of the spring 1998 semester, a representative from Delta Sigma Phi, Scott Rich, came into the apartment of
Kevin Kots, our first President, and addressed the group as a whole in order to see if they were serious about the
proposed commitment they were about to make. Everyone left that particular meeting and the semester with the
understanding that going national would be an option that they would have to confront as some point in time.
Certain people were for it while others were against it, but nothing concrete would happen until the group
reassembled the upcoming fall semester after summer break.
Over the summer, not much took place until about the last month before returning to school. Scott Rich had left the
National staff and his position of Director of Expansion was taken by Mike Falkowitz, who placed a call to Joseph
DeFelice in order to collect more information about the group that was interested in joining the Delta Sigma Phi
Fraternity. Upon hearing from Mike, Joseph informed John Sullivan of their conversation and asked John to call the
Delta Sigma Phi National Headquarters and answer any questions that Mike Falkowitz might have about the
group. John and Mike exchanged many phone conversations throughout the last month of the summer; so many
so that the group from LaSalle University began what would become their formal proposal to be sent to Delta
Sigma Phi National Headquarters. This proposal would formally express the interest of the LaSalle University
group. Although everything seemed to be moving forward at a rapid pace, there were so very significant conflicts
that awaited the group upon their return to LaSalle University for the fall 1998 semester.
The group underwent some changes upon returning since Shawn Hopkins had transferred from LaSalle University
to West Point. Also, there was a growing concern among the group about the pluses and minuses associated
with joining a National Fraternity. There were members who chose not to join the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity.
These members were Justin Beyer, Philip Brunozzi, William Devouno, Thaddeus Grandstaff, Vincent Grego, Brian
McShane, and Joshua Romig. Thus, the group that was once 19 strong now became only 10. The remaining 10
members committed to joining the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity were Timothy Connelly, Joseph DeFelice, Donald
Guglielmucci, Michael Kane, James Kirschner, Kevin Kots, Michael Moffa, William Stewart, John Sullivan, and
Kevin Whitney.
Now, the goal of these remaining members was to recruit as many of their friends as they could so that the group
would remain strong enough in the eyes of the National Headquarters that it would become recognized as a colony
of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. These members went out and recruited 11 more men within the next few weeks.
These men included Thomas Cole, Eric Curran, David Donapel, Edward Dixon, Michael Fedele, Michael Foley,
Justin Furman, Matthew Kuzio, Joseph Lombo, Angelo Vicoli, and Patrick Watkins. Thomas Cole, Eric Curran,
Michael Fedele, Michael Foley, Matthew Kuzio, and Joseph Lombo were now sophomore at LaSalle University.
They had expressed interest in joining Iota Eta Pi during their freshman year and were more than happy to join the
group now as they moved closer to becoming an established fraternity on campus. The rest of the newly recruited
members were all transfer students: David Donapel (Gloucester County College), Edward Dixon (Millersville),
Justin Furman (Monmouth), Angelo Vicoli (West Chester), and Patrick Watkins (Valley Forge Military Academy).
Like all of the original members, the newly recruited men also shared a close relationship with those remaining
members. Thomas Cole and Michael Foley both went to Father Judge High School and graduated with William
Stewart and John Sullivan in 1997. Eric Curran and Matthew Kuzio were close friends of Donald Guglielmucci and
other members during their freshman year. David Donapel went to Gloucester Catholic High School and
graduated with Timothy Connelly, James Kirschner, and Kevin Whitney in 1997. David was also roommates with
James Kirschner upon his arrival at LaSalle University. Edward Dixon was a transfer on the football team who had
gone to Archbishop Ryan High School. Michael Fedele, from North Catholic High School, and Joseph Lombo, from
Archbishop Ryan High School, were both football players who were close friends with Michael Kane. Justin
Furman was a transfer football player who also went to Gloucester Catholic High School and graduated in 1996.
Angelo Vicoli was a transfer football player who went to high school with Donald Guglielmucci at Penn Charter.
Patrick Watkins was also a transfer football player who went to Bishop McDevitt High School and was roommates
with Michael Moffa upon his arrival at LaSalle University.
Once this group of 21 individuals came together early in the fall 1998 semester, it was only a matter of time before
the group became recognized as a colony of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. The National Fraternity had sent its
Director of Expansion, Mike Falkowitz, into the Philadelphia area to survey the group and see if they had what it took
to become the fraternity’s newest colony. After all of the paperwork had been filled out and all of the
recommendations had been made to the National Fraternity, the group from LaSalle University was officially
recognized as a colony on September 14, 1998.
The excitement that the newly formed colony experienced was short-lived however, when word came from LaSalle
University administration that the colony was not recognized by the university, even though they were by the
National fraternity. What ensued was a period of approximately two months in which the colony had to sell itself to
the school through a series of introductory meetings, which were soon to be followed by meetings of a more
business-like fashion. Finally, after much trial and tribulation, the new colony of Delta Sigma Phi was recognized
as a colony by the administration of LaSalle University on November 24, 1998 and could now officially be
recognized on campus.
Even though the 21 members officially formed the LaSalle University Colony of Delta Sigma Phi, they had yet to
become actual members of the fraternity; they were considered to be pledges. This pledging period consisted of
bonding together as brothers as well as becoming more familiar with the history of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity.
The period lasted until January 24, 1999 when the 21 members of the colony finally became initiated brothers of
the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity as well as the Founding Fathers of the LaSalle University Colony of Delta Sigma
Phi. This ceremony took place on a Sunday night in the basement of 1801 Olney Avenue. Alphabetically, the
Founding Fathers consisted of Thomas Cole, Timothy Connelly, Eric Curran, Joseph DeFelice, Edward Dixon,
David Donapel, Michael Fedele, Michael Foley, Justin Furman, Donald Guglielmucci, Michael Kane, James
Kirschner, Kevin Kots, Matthew Kuzio, Joseph Lombo, Michael Moffa, William Stewart, John Sullivan, Angelo Vicoli,
Patrick Watkins, and Kevin Whitney.
Shortly thereafter, the LaSalle University Colony received its first big exposure on the campus of LaSalle University
with a feature article in the Collegian on February 3, 1999, which featured Michael Moffa (the President at the time),
Joseph DeFelice (the Vice-President), and John Sullivan (the Treasurer). This article enabled the fraternity to get
its name out to the campus in their attempt to attract pledges for their first official Rush Week. On February 8, 1999
the LaSalle University Colony of Delta Sigma Phi accepted their first class of pledges, the Alpha Class. This class
consisted of 5 freshmen: Joshua Brinkley, Nicholas Croce, Kevin Overdorf, Matthew Peloso, and Thomas Ryan
(the Pledge Class President). These men showed great initiative in becoming the first pledge class ever of Delta
Sigma Phi at LaSalle University. Their efforts were rewarded on April 15, 1999 when they became initiated
members on the LaSalle University Colony. The end of the spring 1999 semester brought about some new
changes within the fraternity’s structure. New elections were held on the final meeting of the semester and new
officers were put in place. John Sullivan was elected President, with Joseph DeFelice as Vice-President, Donald
Guglielmucci as Treasurer, Matthew Peloso as Secretary, and Edward Dixon as Sergeant at Arms.
Having had a majority of its members on the football team at the time, the LaSalle University Colony was unable to
take on pledges during the fall 1999 semester because of complications that would arise because of time
restraints. This being said, the group actively recruited prospective members for the pledge period that would take
place in the upcoming spring 2000 semester. On February 14, 2000 the LaSalle University Colony experienced its
most fruitful pledge class when it accepted 11 pledges. The Beta Class included Nicholas Campbell, John
DiDonato, Shawn DiVece, Joseph Fadule, Michael Grabenstein (the Pledge Class President), Shawn Hopkins,
Evan Kerrane, Bradley Morgan (the Pledge Class Vice-President), Derek Musumeci, Morgan Norful (the Pledge
Class Treasurer), and Robert Sayre. The interesting story to note here is that Shawn Hopkins, who was one of the
original members of the Iota Eta Pi group, had returned to LaSalle University from West Point and had joined Delta
Sigma Phi as a pledge. These men would become fully initiated brothers on May 2, 2000.
The summer that was to follow brought about some drastic changes within the LaSalle University Colony. Due to
delinquent status and complete apathy toward the fraternity as a whole, the LaSalle University Colony expelled
Matthew Kuzio from the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity upon the approval of the National fraternity. Also, Kevin Overdorf,
a member of the Alpha Class, decided not to return to LaSalle University thus lowering the total brotherhood of the
colony to 33 upon the returning for the fall 2000 semester.
The fall 2000 semester consisted of the most important event in the brief history of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity at
LaSalle University. On October 14, 2000 the LaSalle University Colony of Delta Sigma Phi officially received its
charter from the National fraternity; the colony was designated as the Theta Sigma Chapter of the Delta Sigma Phi
Fraternity. Thus, the process of starting a brand new fraternity on the campus of LaSalle University, which began in
the St. Teresa Court Apartments on February 3, 1998, became a reality on October 14, 2000. All of the hard work
and dedication shown by every member of the Theta Sigma Chapter was dually rewarded on this particular night
as they officially made their mark in the history of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity.
The History of the Theta Sigma Chapter
Theta Sigma Alumni Board
P.O. Box 2351
Philadelphia, PA 19103
P.O. Box 2351
Philadelphia, PA 19103
