The Upsilon Alpha Chapter of
Phi Gamma Delta
The University of Arizona, Tucson
Rob Dicus joined Phi Gamma Delta in 1959 and served as the Pledge Class President. A family affair, Rob’s older brother Dick graduated from FIJI and UofA the prior spring and his younger brother, Paul, would join the chapter just after Rob graduated. While earning his bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts, Rob immersed himself in the University and the Fraternity. Rob was a member of the Wildcat freshman basketball team and an enthusiastic participant in the chapter’s intramural sports. He certainly left his impression on others as he was selected to multiple honoraries including Sophos, Chain Gang, and Bobcats. In 1962 Rob was elected President of the Student Union Activities Board and was named the Corresponding Secretary for Upsilon Alpha. Additionally, Rob was named to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities in 1963, a nationally recognized award selecting outstanding seniors based on leadership ability, scholastic aptitude, community service, and extracurricular activities. A Wildcat for Life, Rob has been a long-time season ticket holder for both basketball and football. He is a member of the Phoenix Alumni Board and is a supporter of the Donna Swaim Studies Program within the Humanities College.
After graduating from the UofA in 1963, Rob attended dental school at Northwestern University earning his D.D.S. degree in 1967. He returned to Arizona and set up a General Dentistry practice in Scottsdale. As an upstanding citizen and respected professional, Rob has volunteered as a dental provider for underserved residents of Guadalupe, Arizona, and is a member of the philanthropic organization, Scottsdale 20-30 Club. He is also a member of the American Dental Association, Central Arizona Dental Society, and the Scottsdale Dental Study Club. Through the years Rob has also coached several youth basketball teams and was a volunteer coach for a state championship runner-up Chaparral High School softball team.
A constant recruiter of high school kids to both UofA and FIJI, Rob had the following to say about the chapter: “It is hard to put into words, but little did I know as an 18-year-old graduate of Ajo High School, that I would join a fraternity that would have such a profound effect on the rest of my life. Some of my best friends to this day are the young men that I met during my 4 years at Upsilon Alpha. For that, I am extremely grateful. I’m mighty proud to be a Fiji.”
Rob and his wife, Kay, have one son, Brad, a 3rd generation Wildcat who graduated from UofA in 1994. They have two grandsons, Jake, and Luke, who continue to be the light in their grandparents’ eyes.