Legacy
Gone but not forgotten.
Tommy Raffen was an incredible young leader who we honor each year by awarding a scholarship in his name. Tommy was an exceptional student and friend to many across the Texas State campus. He was the President of my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, and was a member of Student Foundation and Order of Omega. Tommy maintained this level of campus leadership while working multiple jobs to pay his way through school.
But it is not Tommy’s resume that made him special. It was his character. He embodied the friendship and brotherhood that are the essence of the fraternity experience. Tommy was an empathic listener before that was considered cool. He made you feel heard. I am particularly fond of him because he is in my presidential line of succession, assuming the leadership of the chapter a year after I left it in the capable hands of Jody Turnbow.
We lost Tommy in a car accident in May of 1991. It is that tragedy we remember each spring when we award a scholarship to a worthy young leader. The members of the scholarship selection committee knew Tommy well. They refer to his unique personality and quirks during their deliberations, and stories get told and retold each year.
This is Tommy’s legacy. He continues to have an impact on others 35 years after his death.
Bryce Smith is the recipient of the 2026 Thomas Dugan Raffen Memorial Scholarship. Bryce is a junior mechanical engineering student from Nacogdoches and an officer in Phi Delta Theta. He maintains a 3.77 GPA while working part-time and serving in leadership roles within the chapter. Bryce is an ideal candidate to represent what Tommy was all about, and it is not lost on me that they have the same lanky frame. Congratulations to Bryce!
The opening line of his scholarship application essay reads, “I believe a legacy is not just what is left behind, but what continues to grow because someone chooses to make a difference during their time here.”
That’s what it's all about.
You can help us support the Tommy Raffen Memorial Scholarship with a donation here.
