Society History
Our Founding
In 2007, Julie Ann Benken, longtime Drum Major and Staff member, passed away after a long and recurring bout with breast cancer. After fighting through two different recurrences, the cancer finally overcame her. This was a great tragedy to the Band Program. She left in her wake a strong desire to recognize Drum Majors in some way - a project her family shared in both determination and zeal.
Nick DelleCave, a student, former Drum Major of the band, and friend of Julie, determined that a social recognition Society should be formed in her honor to create a formal way to thank and honor ALL Drum Majors for their service to the band, the University, and the community at large. He, along with Chris Kannel, assumed Chair and Vice-Chair positions, respectively, and began the work of building the necessary internal support to make this a reality.
Around that same time, the University had assigned a resource from the UC Foundation to the band program. Seeing this as an opportunity to reach out to those past Drum Majors, Nick met several times with now Honorary Member Christa Flueck, to determine the best course of action to fund and host a reunion event. With Christa's help and after subsequent meetings with the band director, Dr. Frenz, Nick was able to secure funding from the Foundation to purchase gold whistles for each past Drum Major we had on record.
Nick then approached then bandmember and Drum Major Rob Jaques to assist in utilizing his skills to create the logo of the Society. With Nick's vision and Rob's skills, the two were able to create the symbol which now exists as the Coat of Arms, or Crest, of the Society. Nick immediately used this design to create the official lapel pin of the Society - the symbol of membership within our ranks. Nick secured funding from the Department of Bands to purchase and order the pins, which arrived in time for the first Drum Major Society Reunion.
A few months later in 2007, Nick again approached the Foundation to get the word out about the Society Reunion and did so in conjunciton with Homecoming the following fall when most alumni return to campus. The Foundation paid for postage and assisted in the design of the invitations to send to those who were to be inducted. At Homecoming, nearly 17 past Drum Majors were formally recognized and thanked for their past service with both a Society pin and a Gold Whislte and red lanyard. Hence, the Society was unofficially founded on campus.
