That same semester, Ralph Raymond Pisani, Jr. proposed to James Michael Pelis that they should organize their own Greek-Letter Society. They wanted a Fraternity that they would be proud in belonging to, a Fraternity that they would represent their ideals, and a Fraternity that had Chapters all over the United States. They proceeded to contact various national Fraternities that might be interested in establishing a Chapter at Bentley College. They looked at various Fraternities but in vain. With the help of one of Pisani's friends, a member of the Phi Delta Theta Chapter at Tampa, FL, they were able to get in touch with the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity.
A meeting was then arranged with officials of Phi Delta Theta. Finding that Phi Delta Theta upheld similar ideals and beliefs as Pisani and Pelis they decided they wanted to be a part of this Brotherhood. At the time were just the two of them spearheading the entire endeavor. These two gentlemen needed more support to achieve their objectives and hence approached their friends with similar ideals. The new members to the group were carefully selected according to their potential to succeed in making a possible Chapter at Bentley College the BEST. The following men were approached and their response were favorable, Thomas Benjamin Maslanka, Jr., Jonathon Francis Schneider, Alvan Baek Chang, George Bilton Fieldsend IV, John Edward Burke III, Giovanni Michael Verani, Jeffery Alan Stukules, Kurt Coughlin Smith, Gregory Louis Clayman, David Paul Kron, David Joseph Molin, Steve Gerard Richard.
With new members to help in achieving a Colony status by Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity, they set out to be recognized by the Inter-Fraternity Sorority Council (IFSC). Phi Delta Theta required that a group of approximately twenty to twenty five men were needed, and a seet of by-laws had to be created. Once again the sized had to be increased. These men then decided to each invite one individual they thought would be dedicated, and enthusiastic Brothers. In the following fortnight Richard John Fitzgerald, Michael Robert Hopley, David James Dulczewski, Michael James Fiorentino, John Dennis Houlihan, Peter Stefan Jakobs, Gregory Jamieson Lindquist, Brian Joseph Monahan, Martin James Pashuck, Nimish Rohit Patel, Daniel Lawrence Weinstein, and Daniel James Weiber joined the ranks with the others.
Together these men founded Phi Delta Theta on March 1, 1989. These twenty-six Founding Fathers held their first meeting on March 22, 1989. The meeting manifested a set of by-laws and a local handshake.
The next step towards colonization was approval and recognition by the Inter-Fraternity Sorority Council (IFSC). The group made a presentation before the IFSC on April 5, 1989. The vote turned out to be negative. The group’s recognition was felt hard by all the members, but their strong beliefs and high expectations held these men together.
After the initial set back, the group continued to seek recognition by the IFSC by meeting with all the Fraternities and Sororities on campus, as well as, organizing fundraising and charitable events. They wanted to show to the other Greek organization that the group consisted of competent men, willing to pursue recognition by the IFSC.
With the backing of an International Fraternity, October 17, 1989 marked the day when the group was recognized as a Colony, by the IFSC, as the twelfth Greek organization on campus. According to the Constitution of the IFSC at the time, the group had to be placed on a mandatory probationary period of one year. On October 3, 1989 at the Massachusetts Gamma House at MIT these men were initiated as the Massachusetts Delta Colony of Phi Delta Theta.
Approved by both the IFSC and the International Fraternity, they were allowed to take part in the Spring, 1990 Greek Rush. The response was overwhelming. The Massachusetts Delta Colony of Phi Delta Theta had the largest Rush, in number of rushees, the Campus had ever seen, more than sixty rushees. The selection process was difficult because of the number of rushees and the quality they possessed. It was narrowed down to nineteen bids which were given out that semester and the floowing gentlemen made it through pledging. They were Mark Christopher Allen, Brian Dunn Gallery, Alexander Peter Hazelton, Jason William Howe, Joshua Adam Johnson, Kevin Michael Kuzemchak, Matthew William McEachern, George John Russo Jr., Joseph-Alan Geronimo Santiago, Michael Francis Stachowitz, Leonard Cairns Streeter, Jr.
On April 20, 1990 the men thus far, except for Jeffery Alan Stukules, Kurt Coughlin Smith, and Michael James Fiorentino, were initiated as FOUNDING FATHERS of the Massachusetts Delta Colony of the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity. Many important officials, and other Brothers from different Chapters came to the initiation. The Brothers of Massachusetts Delta Colony were shown all the ritual and responsibilities of being a Brother. The following day, April 21, 1990, the Colony was officially installed as the two-hundred and thirteenth CHAPTER of Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity.
Expectation of each member of the Chapter to uphold the principles that the Fraternity was founded remains an integral part of each Brother’s life. The Brothers of the Massachusetts Delta Chapter continues, and will always continue, to achieve nothing but the BEST.