Fraternal History
of Omega Delta Sigma
On a calm fall day in 1999 a group of friends got together over some beer. They then decided that they were fed up with traditional college fraternities and want to start something different. They looked at their friendship between them and compared that to so called friendships of the local fraternities.
After realizing the difficulty of adjusting and relating to college students, in 1999 Carlos and a couple of other servicemen began the process of forming a student organization for service members. This is when the small group came across a Veteran’s Fraternity out of Arkansas called Phi Chi Sigma. With an initial group of about 5 servicemen, they joined PCS as the Florida Chapter. After the first class was initiated later that year, the group of about 25 realized that their goals and principles were quite different than those of the fraternity they had joined, and this is when it was decided to form a fresh new fraternity.
In 2000 while attending the University of Florida, Carlos and the group formed the new Omega Delta Sigma, National Veteran’s Fraternity, immediately establishing a national board of directors and three Chapters; Alpha Chapter at the University of Florida, Beta Chapter at Saint Leo University and the Gamma Chapter at Santa Fe Community College. In less than 3 years ODS had a membership totaling nearly 100 members from these two chapters and was receiving requests from multiple universities to start chapters at their campuses.
Omega Delta Sigma took off at the University of Florida, Saint Leo University and Santa Fe Community College. But at the end of 2003 and beginning of 2004, the fraternity started to disband because of service obligation of our members. Our a few were left at the University of Florida. These brothers were able to keep the Fraternity and their Chapter going until 2008.
Then 2008 a Marine started school at Saint Leo University. This Marine found the transition between the military and college to be somewhat difficult. While trying to find some type of brotherhood with in the confines of the university. First he tried to get along with the different fraternities that were on the campus, but not finding what he was looking for in them.
Then in the summer semester of 2008, he contacted Omega Delta Sigma at the University of Florida. There he found an old friend from high school and fellow Marine. After talking to him and the president of Omega Delta Sigma, he reestablished the second chapter of Omega Delta Sigma on October 1, 2008. This event took Omega Delta Sigma from being a local fraternity at the University of Florida to a State Fraternity. This was the first steps Omega Delta Sigma took towards becoming a National Fraternity.
Peter Ficnerski, was that lost Marine. He, quickly reestablished a Chapter of Omega Delta Sigma at Saint Leo University. The Chapter is known as Florida Beta Chapter. Though there three Chapters in Florida when the Fraternity began in 1999; Peter Ficnerski and the Florida Beta Chapter at Saint Leo University laid the ground work of the Fraternity we know and love today.
While Florida Beta Chapter was setting the standard for the two Chapters in Florida, Peter Ficnerski was working with the Florida Alpha President. During the conversations between the President of Florida Alpha and Peter Ficnerski, it was decided that Peter Ficnerski was to start to build the ground work for the National Chapter. Even though Florida Alpha Chapter at the University of Florida is the “Mother Chapter” of the Fraternity, The birth place of the National Chapter was at Florida Beta Chapter at Saint Leo University.
While building the National Chapter of Omega Delta Sigma, Peter Ficnerski was working with other veterans from around the country to start other chapters. With in the first year of Omega Delta Sigma going National, three other Chapters were Established. Texas Alpha, Ohio Alpha, and Pennsylvania Alpha Chapters.
Building a National Chapter required National Officers. Each Chapter recommended one person from their chapter to serve the Fraternity as a National Officer. Many of the current National Officers are the original officers from the beginning.
After realizing the difficulty of adjusting and relating to college students, in 1999 Carlos and a couple of other servicemen began the process of forming a student organization for service members. This is when the small group came across a Veteran’s Fraternity out of Arkansas called Phi Chi Sigma. With an initial group of about 5 servicemen, they joined PCS as the Florida Chapter. After the first class was initiated later that year, the group of about 25 realized that their goals and principles were quite different than those of the fraternity they had joined, and this is when it was decided to form a fresh new fraternity.
In 2000 while attending the University of Florida, Carlos and the group formed the new Omega Delta Sigma, National Veteran’s Fraternity, immediately establishing a national board of directors and three Chapters; Alpha Chapter at the University of Florida, Beta Chapter at Saint Leo University and the Gamma Chapter at Santa Fe Community College. In less than 3 years ODS had a membership totaling nearly 100 members from these two chapters and was receiving requests from multiple universities to start chapters at their campuses.
Omega Delta Sigma took off at the University of Florida, Saint Leo University and Santa Fe Community College. But at the end of 2003 and beginning of 2004, the fraternity started to disband because of service obligation of our members. Our a few were left at the University of Florida. These brothers were able to keep the Fraternity and their Chapter going until 2008.
Then 2008 a Marine started school at Saint Leo University. This Marine found the transition between the military and college to be somewhat difficult. While trying to find some type of brotherhood with in the confines of the university. First he tried to get along with the different fraternities that were on the campus, but not finding what he was looking for in them.
Then in the summer semester of 2008, he contacted Omega Delta Sigma at the University of Florida. There he found an old friend from high school and fellow Marine. After talking to him and the president of Omega Delta Sigma, he reestablished the second chapter of Omega Delta Sigma on October 1, 2008. This event took Omega Delta Sigma from being a local fraternity at the University of Florida to a State Fraternity. This was the first steps Omega Delta Sigma took towards becoming a National Fraternity.
Peter Ficnerski, was that lost Marine. He, quickly reestablished a Chapter of Omega Delta Sigma at Saint Leo University. The Chapter is known as Florida Beta Chapter. Though there three Chapters in Florida when the Fraternity began in 1999; Peter Ficnerski and the Florida Beta Chapter at Saint Leo University laid the ground work of the Fraternity we know and love today.
While Florida Beta Chapter was setting the standard for the two Chapters in Florida, Peter Ficnerski was working with the Florida Alpha President. During the conversations between the President of Florida Alpha and Peter Ficnerski, it was decided that Peter Ficnerski was to start to build the ground work for the National Chapter. Even though Florida Alpha Chapter at the University of Florida is the “Mother Chapter” of the Fraternity, The birth place of the National Chapter was at Florida Beta Chapter at Saint Leo University.
While building the National Chapter of Omega Delta Sigma, Peter Ficnerski was working with other veterans from around the country to start other chapters. With in the first year of Omega Delta Sigma going National, three other Chapters were Established. Texas Alpha, Ohio Alpha, and Pennsylvania Alpha Chapters.
Building a National Chapter required National Officers. Each Chapter recommended one person from their chapter to serve the Fraternity as a National Officer. Many of the current National Officers are the original officers from the beginning.