Page 1 - The Lamppost - Spring 2015

Spring 2015 | Alumni Relations Offce | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | 770-903-3987 From the Alumni Spotlight: Douglas E. Ullum ’79 Alumni Board oving into the MTKE castle, I was Editor’s Note: For this edition of the newsletter we’re shining the Spotlight on Frater Doug Ullum ’79. From the hometown of Canton, OH, Doug is our welcomed with my frst very own past President of Omicron in which he served for fve years. His house project: patching service with the chapter dates back to his active days as House Manager, Vice some dry wall just outside President, and the Halloween party mastermind. Doug left Ohio State before my 3rd foor room. My graduation and joined the Air Force – 2 years training to earn my position as fellow House Managers, an Airborne Vietnamese Cryptologic Linguist not pilot. He was then stationed no matter what year, will surely remember in Okinawa and served as an Airborne Vietnamese Linguist and worked for the the unwieldy boiler room and the surprise of NSA. After almost fve years of service, Doug returned home with six combat winter water pipe repairs. After a year and metals and the title of Staff Sergeant. Continuing his education at the University a half as House Manager, I transitioned to of Maryland, Doug earned his BS in Business Administration and Management. Today, he is working as a Spine Consultant at Alphatec Spine, and is a member alumni relations as Histor, hoping to make a of the National Eagle Scouts Association. Doug and his wife, Beth, an Alpha Phi from Ohio State, and more lasting impact. current special events coordinator for Student Affairs, have been married for 30 years now. They enjoy What’s changed since my undergraduate spending time with family, and are proud of their 4th generation Buckeyes - son, Nicholas, “Nick” – years is the strongest Alumni Board in over Ohio State grad in 2011. Nick has a BS in Welding Engineering and resides in Pittsburgh, PA; and a decade to support and sustain long term daughter, Samantha, a Kappa Delta at Ohio State in 2013 with BA Fine Arts in Photography. projects and long term goals. The Omicron chapter is beginning to get the support What led you to join Tau Kappa Epsilon? Where did your new adventure with the Air it deserves, which is already present at Force take you? competing fraternities. As the frst generation in my family to attend Although the chapter saved over $50,000 college, I was determined to get the most out When I went into the Air Force I chose to be a to repair the 3rd and 4th foor bathrooms, of my college experience. I am not exactly sure crypto linguist. I went to basic training in San there are many more large projects that are how I found out about TKE because none of my Antonio, TX, at Lackland AFB in August, 1983. in need of support. Currently, the chapter dorm friends were involved. I remember going That was no to fun in the south Texas heat. I is generating an extensive list of quotes for to the house and falling in love with that grand discovered on day while sitting on the ground prioritized house projects that will make a building. Mark (last name escapes me) was a to change shoes what fre ants were! I was lasting difference. The list includes: feld guy that was in charge of recolonizing the placed into my career as a Vietnamese Linguist. • Gutter Repairs chapter. I liked him and decided to give TKE a After basic, I was sent to the Defense Language • Historical Front Window Replacement chance. As it turned out I made great life-long Institute in Monterey, CA, I studied Vietnamese • Boiler and Replacement Pipes friendships from that wacky group of guys. taught by native Vietnamese teachers. Eight • Electrical System Upgrade How did you help make the annual hours a day and 5 days a week for a year. I could • Chapter Room Floor Sanding/ Polyurethane Halloween party legendary? barely speak English when I graduated from The current members are more focused Ullum (Continued on Page 3) than ever to restore the house, and continue I have always been a big fan 94 years of Omicron TKE tradition. I invite of Halloween. The physical you to remember how TKE has changed structure of the house you today and to support the next generation begged for a Halloween of Teke memories. For me, it was to be party. Bret Wesolek and accepted in many different walks of life, to I went crazy and had all not shirk from outlandish gatherings with the props. The frst party friends, and to be proud of the responsibility was with Alpha Delta Pi. that our highly independent culture required. It was a huge success and See you all soon at Homecoming! Keep got even bigger and better the memories coming. in the years that followed. Yours in the Bond, I remember getting a call the day after the party that we had had with Kappa Kappa Gamma from other John Harman #O-2095 sororities wanting to be invited to the next one. Doug (pictured in the back row, far right) with his team in Okinawa 1988. TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE