Theta Xi - Bradley University

The Pursuit of Excellence I would first like to thank you for the honor of serving as the president of Alpha Sigma Association of Theta Xi. In 2011, my life was forever changed when I was initiated as the 926th member of Theta Xi Fra- ternity's Alpha Sigma Chapter. The rich history of our chapter's 70 years carries with it the contribution of all of its past and present members, and I am humbled to have been given the opportunity to serve in this capacity. We have faced many challenges over the past decade and I am happy to report that the state of our chapter has not been stronger in recent memory. Through the generous support of our alumni and the tireless efforts of our active chapter, we have grown in numbers and strength of membership each year. 2018 has been a roller coaster of triumph and trials. However, it has also been a time where the steadfast dedication and love of our fraternity has shone through. The spring semester came and went with our chapter rank- ing second amongst Bradley's fraternities in GPA. As no active members were up for graduation, we remained secure in our belief of a bright future. On July 19, the plans and excitement for the new semester came to a halt. That was the day we learned that one of our own, Alex Williams '21, had passed. The love and resilience of our chapter was immediately appar- ent. I am extremely proud of the way the chapter rallied around Alex's family and continued on with bravery and strength in the light of tragedy. For more information on Alex, please read the memorial written by Chris Leonard '19 on page 2. Despite everything this group of young men has been through these past few months, the chapter has remained strong in its pursuit of excellence. Through the combined efforts of alumni and active members, several house improvement projects were completed over the course of July and August. These projects included the completion of a new kitchen floor, installation THE TAXI NEWS ALPHA SIGMA CHAPTER OF THETA XI • BRADLEY UNIVERSITY FALL 2018 of a state-of-the-art Wi-Fi system, and the replacement and repair of doors in the common areas. Additionally, we had another strong performance in formal recruitment with eight accepted bids. I want to personally welcome our new associate members to the fold! As we have all come to understand, our fraternity is only as strong as the sum of its parts. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank each and every Alpha Sigma alumnus for your continued support of our mission. Whether you have contributed financially or through your time and efforts, I want it to be known that no contribution has been unnoticed or taken for granted. Together, we have accomplished a great deal for our beloved fraternity. Our work is not complete, however! We will continue to focus on building our capital im- provement savings so that we can work to execute the necessary upgrades to the chapter house on a timely basis. In the near future, we plan to invest in much-needed upgrades to the kitchen and ex- pect to incur expenses related to the roof and replacement of our old furnaces, which are nearing the end of their expected life. As we march forward, we have a significant opportunity to con- tinue the positive momentum gained over the last few years and to make our mark on campus. It is in this vein that I invite you, my brothers, to contribute to our cause of caring for the house and brothers within. Please visit the Giving Back section of our website, thetaxias.org, to donate. YITB, Andrew Potter '15 Alumni Association President awpotter926@gmail.com (309) 825-4640 Pictured above: Brendan Glennon '21, Ryan Kopp '20, Nathan Wagner '21, Jacob Brodner '22, Alex Kuphal '22, Christopher Leonard '19, Sam Welling '21, Andrew Bogetz '19, Trevor Smith '21, Allen McClean '22, Ried Chapman '20, Jordan Ingram '19, Trystan Maricle '22, Howard Kline '21, Jon Mueth '22, John Pokorn '22, and Joe Tarnowski '20 after the new associate members accepted their bids at Anadexus.

• Cover