[Dg] Honored

[sbossart at aol.com]

  Mark Sluss is a great brother and a great role model for all of us. He is completely deserving of "BB" Emeritus status and I know will continue to strive to help make Delta Chi better. We are better because of men like Mark.
 
 ITB,
 
 Steve Bossart, "AA"
 
 
  

I wanted to write to express how honored I am at being made a "BB Emeritus".  
Since the Missouri State brothers phoned me from the floor of the convention to 
give me the news, I have been trying to form a response to them and to the 
fraternity.  The words however seem to fail in expressing the full range of 
emotions that I have going through my brain.  What I can write about is what I 
believe, and what I believe is that this honor is not just for myself alone, for 
I could not have arrived at this point without acknowledging some very 
supportive and equally enthusiastic men.
 
First off, most recently the Men of the Missouri State Chapter.  When I was 
first contacted about support for the reborn colony at Missouri State, it was 
like I was given a chance at reconciliation to right a wrong.    For you see 
Missouri state (then Southwest Missouri) was my chapter, I was a Founding 
Father, and I felt we had given birth to something very wonderful, something 
that I and others had hoped would be around for years to come, something to 
leave our mark on the world.  Life it seems is complicated and we do not always 
get what we want.  When our chapter closed in the early 90's, many of us were 
shocked and angry that "Nationals" would allow this to happen. The truth is, we 
did it to ourselves, life steps in and alumni who had graduated went on to try 
to establish their careers, leaving the chapter in the hands of the 
undergraduates and those scarce Alumni in close proximity to take care of our 
baby.  Many of us, myself included moved on hoping that everything
 would be ok, and that someone else would take care of the chapter, in a sense 
we abandoned our baby.  Life it seems gave me and the men of Missouri State a 
"Do-over" and we were able in 2000 to help in the reestablishment of our 
Chapter, I was elected as BB of my chapter and with the enthusiasm of the 
undergraduates and a group of equally enthusisastic Alumni, who were now 
established in their careers, we were given a second chance.  To the 
undergraduates and alumni of Missouri State, thank you this honor is not just 
mine, but equally yours.

After I graduated, in 1987, I moved on to Columbia, Missouri and was chosen as 
the "BB" of the young reestablished colony at the University of Missouri.  The 
men there were inspired and it because of my age, felt like being an 
undergraduate to me, helping to establish a new colony, I thrived on the 
excitement.  I learned a lot from these men, and was truly honored to be 
associated with them.  In particular I was pleased to be tutored at the knee of 
a stellar alumnus, and dear brother, J. Nick Gray.  Nick was an amazing 
individual and he loved our fraternity, so very much.  One thing Nick showed me 
was that no matter where life takes you, you will always meet a brother, whether 
it be in an airport or a hotel lobby, and that man deserves your respect.  Nick 
never had an unkind thing to say about any brother that he met.  He also taught 
me that no one else is going to do things for Delta Chi, except for Delta Chis.  
If we are in a position to help the fraternity, we should do
 so, with time and talents, and financial support when possible.  I learned that 
no matter where life will take us, we should search out our brothers and offer 
our support.  This honor is not just for me, but also honors those men from 
Missouri who taught me so much, including our Executive Director Ray Galbreath, 
and my dearly departed mentor J. Nick Gray.

After a few years, life stepped in again and I was transferred with my company 
to Omaha, Nebraska.  I sought out and offered support to the Creighton Chapter.  
The men of Creighton, elected me their BB as well.  It was truly a wonderful 
feeling to be able to help with yet another chapter.  To the men of Creighton, 
you taught me many things about what it means to be a Delta Chi, it was here 
that I learned how much our values stretch beyond my own chapter, and is lived 
out in other's Chapters, this honor is yours as well.
Life moves on, and I was offered a job in Chicago.  And here as in other places 
I was tapped to help with expansions, I was asked to support young colonies at 
Elmhurst College, and at Loyola University.  Those seeds however did not 
germinate, but the lesson learned is that alumni support is immeasurable to the 
success of any of our chapters.  Young or established, we all need those Alumni 
to check in with us, to inspire us, to rekindle the love of our Fraternity, to 
ground us in our history and to remind us of the values that we hold dear.  The 
Alumnus, is there to offer guidance and financial support, to remind us that our 
affiliation with Delta Chi is not just our local chapter, but that we are part 
of something greater.  Delta Chi is truly an international fraternity, and no 
matter where you go, you will be called upon to help out a brother, or a whole 
chapter.  To those men of those colonies, Elmhurst and Loyola, who were 
initiated as Delta Chi's this honor is yours as
 well, for here you taught me that in trying we never truly fail, and I pray 
that one day you may be called upon to support a group of men, and you can 
remember the support I so tried to give you and your brothers.

And so that brings me to today.  Deeply honored for this great recognition, but 
humbled to be associated with such great men, quality men, who inspire us to 
achieve those things we dare not think possible, men who inspire us to reach 
beyond our comfort zones, to try, and to show no fear for we know we will have 
the support and admiration of our brothers.  That is what it is like to be a BB 
for the fraternity, we have the support and admiration of our brothers for 
making an effort and showing we care.  "Doc" Underwood Kansas '51 has mentioned 
many times that "BB" is the best job in the Fraternity and I could not agree 
with him more.  It allows the most exposure to other Alumni and to interact 
closely with the Undergraduate men.  It feeds you, and inspires you.  I have 
learned so much from many of you, and I pray that, that learning never ceases.  
My life could have taken such a different course, but it has been made better, 
by being a Delta Chi.  With much thanks for this
 honor I remain;

In the Bond


Mark Sluss
BB Emeritus
Missouri State '87
President ABT Missouri State
Secretary Missouri State Delta Chi Housing Corporation

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