Starting this month, thousands of fraternity brothers of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity could be connecting using an app designed by local startup, Myriad Mobile. The mobile developing company recently released their latest project – an app designed specifically for Phi Delta Theta as a way to connect with other “Phis.”
“The purpose of this app is simple,” wrote Rich Frabitius, Phi Delta Theta President, General Council in a blog post. “Connect Phis of all ages via technology to enhance their career development and professional networks.”
Steve Good, Senior Director of Engagement for Phi Delta Theta, explained how the app is a step forward towards strengthening their network. In recruitment, the 250,000 members is a big draw, Good said. Yet, little was being done to connect all those people.
“It’s been alumni clubs for the longest time, and those are hit and miss because you have to go to a meeting,” he said. “We’ve got tech, so we can use that to factliatie the connection.”
Enter the Phi Delta Theta app, a custom built app for iOS and Android. The app features an advanced filter that allows you to find Phis near you, Phis looking for jobs and Phis looking to hire. Each user will have a Facebook-like profile – name, photo, brief description. LinkedIn is integrated as well, allowing users to quickly make a LinkedIn connection.
Phi Delta Theta first came to Pocket Hercules Digital Lab (PHDL) based in Minneapolis with the idea, in January 2015. The team designed and wireframed the app, and referred the fraternity to Myriad Mobile for development. Both teams worked on the strategy sessions which results in the final product, the mobile app launched on December 16, 2015.
“We have a living population of about 150,000 people,” Good said. “We want to have 20,000 users by the end of June.”
So far, so good, according to Myriad Mobile mobile strategist Amanda Hanson.
Only Phi Delta Theta members can download the app, a process that is kept in check through unique “bond numbers” assigned to each Phi when they join the fraternity. Without a bond number, you are unable to access the app. The app is also an opt-in for Phi Delta Theta members – encouraged, not required.
One can see why the network is a bragging point; the Phis boast a star-studded network of alumni. There’s Drew Houston, Founder of Dropbox; Mark Hurd President of Oracle; Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn; and Kevin Hart, Co–Founder & CEO of Eventbrite to name a few.
Whether the big names choose to join the app or not, Good hopes to see this app foster more connectivity among the vast network of Phis. Other fraternities are in conversation to get a mobile app as well, he said – but Phi Delta Theta is the first to release a built-from-scratch app for their fraternity. He hopes to keep building into the future.
“We don’t want this to be an app that we launch and leave it. We budgeted it to be evolving,” he said. “If this [network] is the make-up of the fraternity, we need to bring this to life.”
Photos courtesy of Phi Delta Theta.
