This past June, Brother John Bloom (Miami University- Ohio, ’67) was honored for his service to his chapter as editor of the newsletter, producing over 250 editions.
In his early life, Bloom had a strong appreciation for English literature as his mother and high school English teacher both played a vital role in his writing. While they guided him in correctly understanding the “King’s English,” it was often up to Bloom to understand and correct his errors in writing, even if that meant fixing a missing comma or semicolon. From there, Bloom had the skills to take on writing in a more professional setting.
His time at Miami University was nothing short of exceptional. While he was shy at heart, in 1964, he joined Lambda Chi Alpha as a Brother. His mother, a member of Zeta Tau Alpha at The Ohio State University, could not have been more thrilled. Being a part of such a social group was intimidating, so Bloom took a role that allowed him to “shine in silence.” Bloom knew he had the skills to take on the position as editor of the chapter’s newsletter “Brothers on Bishop.” This is where his previous writing experience began to play a crucial role in his development at Miami University.
By the mid-1960s, computers were an invention of the future. Bloom became enamored with the thought of majoring in ‘Systems Analysis,’ a major specifically built around studying and troubleshooting business systems. It was not long after that Bloom quickly realized he was more cut out to immerse himself in the world of literature and English.
While exploring his creativity and passion for writing, Bloom had a profound fascination for community service and volunteering. In high school, he was an active member of Key Club (part of Kiwanis International), a student-led organization that encourages leadership through service and community outreach. Bloom took it upon himself to start Miami’s first Circle K Club, a campus-wide community service organization. He now has played an active role in his local Kiwanis Club for over 45 years.
After graduating from Miami University, Bloom found himself on the move, living in different cities across the nation. Bloom moved to Arizona, where he spent 19 years teaching graduate courses in counseling and psychology at Northern Arizona University. However, he never lost his strong connection with his former chapter and fellow Brothers.
It wasn’t until 1996 that Bloom made the trek from Arizona to Indianapolis, where the Lambda Chi Alpha International headquarters was only a short drive away. In 2001, Bloom began his streak of writing the current version of the Lambda Chi Alpha newsletter for the chapter at Miami University. Of course, he had written these in the past, but times had changed in this new age of technology and journalism.
“The biggest change was being able to send out newsletters via email and just push a button,” said Bloom. “All of a sudden, over a hundred Brothers would get newsletters which made it easy for me to do that 12 times a year”.
For over 20 years, Bloom has put his creative spin on every Lambda Chi Alpha newsletter. He is more than excited to keep in contact with old and new Fraternity Brothers nationwide. His passion for building connections within the community has made him an extraordinary alumnus of the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter.
We thank Bloom for all of the hard work he has put into this chapter newsletter over the past two decades. He is an inspiration to many as he has dedicated much of his career to the future of Lambda Chi Alpha.
