“It all started in room 323 Cove Building, a freshmen dorm at the University of North Florida,” said Phillip Boan, President and one of the colony members of Theta Chi’s University of North Florida Colony. “There were ten of us, and at first we joked around that we should become a fraternity, then one day I asked them if they seriously wanted to start one,” he said. “My father, Dr. John Charles Boan, was a Theta Chi at Presbyterian College and had been taking me to his old chapter house since I could walk. So when I told the guys about how we would be founders ... here at UNF, they were hooked,” Boan added. Dr. John Boan recalls speaking to his son during the Fall 2014 fraternity rush, "I had several discussions about which of the UNF Fraternities would best suit him, but finally Phillip decided that 'it would be great if we had a Theta Chi chapter here.'"
In early January 2015, the group submitted interest in starting a colony to Theta Chi’s Director of Recruitment and Expansion, Justin Jones (Iota Pi/Louisiana State 2013). Jones discussed with the men what needed to be done, and by the end of January, the group had submitted their petition.
Jones contacted Brother Pat Kilbane (Zeta Beta/Adrian College 2002) to meet with the group, and started lining up other alumni in the area to assist them. Shortly before their Colonization Ceremony in May, Senior Director for Collegiate Services, Ray Vanlanot (Alpha Iota/Indiana 2008), conducted a retreat for the men so that they could learn about Theta Chi’s history, risk management policies, and recruitment strategies.
At 1 p.m., May 30, 2015, a Colonization Ceremony was held at the Duval Lodge in Jacksonville, FL. Ray Vanlanot, presided at the ceremony where 13 men pledged Theta Chi Fraternity.
The men pledging were: Phillip Boan, Bowen Brewer, Jose Cisneros, Max Corrigian, Mark DeBolt, Nadim Issa, Cory Morabito, Sean O’Linn, Andrew Martinville, Tyler Sanders, Justin Simmons, Michael Tappouni and Tyler Williamson.
In addition to Pat Kilbane, Ray Vanlanot and, Dr. Boan, attendees included Jim Pellot (Gamma Kappa/Miami University 1963), Will Lawrence (Gamma Rho/Florida State 2012), Ed Starnes (Delta Chi/Lenoir-Rhyne University 1997), Bill Martens (Zeta Pi/Old Dominion 1969), and Chris Bible (2015), Graham Hawkins (2014), Kurt Owen (2015), Mike Paounov (2018), Daniel Perez (2016) and Phil Ruzinsky (2014), representing Iota Theta/University of Central Florida.
“The Men of the Iota Theta chapter drove all the way from Orlando to be at our colonization,” explained Phillip Boan. “Bill Martens drove from Middleburg, FL and proceeded to make a photo book of the event for us. My father, Dr. John Boan, acted as the Marshal of the ceremony and pinned myself and a few of the other brothers. He had driven five hours from Parkland, FL to be there and then drove another five hours back down the same evening,” Phillip said.
Going forward, then men of UNF Colony still have some obstacles to overcome, but the Colony soldiers on.
“These men are attempting to become the first new chapter at UNF since ATO came here a few years ago,” said Phillip. “The men who are in the UNF Colony are some of the bravest guys I have ever met. A lot of people I have talked to would not want to take ‘the leap of faith’ required to become a Colony, but these men have done that and then some. Along with that, we were unanimously voted on to IFC in April, and the other Greek organizations have been more than supportive,” Boan concluded.
The group has since been recognized by the university, as well as the campus's Interfraternity Council, maintaining an Associate Membership.