Theta Chi - Bradley University

MANIFESTO Fall 2020 C H A P T E R : t h e t a c h i b u . c o m | A L U M N I : g a m m a u p s i l o n . o r g Major/Minor: History/German Pledge Father: John Rice Pledge Son: Michael Peterson Q: Did you hold any executive offices as an undergraduate? A: I was secretary, treasurer, vice president, president, and steward. While secretary, we issued the inaugural issues of The Manifesto with the help of Chris Bourseau '83. As treasurer, we instituted an early payment discount to improve cash flow. As vice president, I filled in when Glenn Tisdall '82 became an IFC officer and had to resign as president. While I was president, Ray Asher '82 was my vice president, and we all worked together to improve the governance of the chapter. Ray was instrumental in driving revision of the constitution and bylaws along with creating a committee structure to get things done more effectively. We doubled the size of the chapter during my years at Bradley. Q: Rush, and especially what they called Pre-Rush, was quite a bit different back then. What caught your eye about Theta Chi and made you want a second look? What ultimately sealed the deal? A: I came to Bradley from Upstate New York where there had been some notorious alcohol-related hazing deaths. As a result, I had a dim view of fraternity life. The dean of men recommended participation in formal rush as a means of meeting people. I was attracted by the diversity of the members of Theta Chi. Unlike the other houses, they did not seem to have a type. The guys who rushed me were not just selling; they were funny and they were real. They took a genuine interest in getting to know me as a person. I also liked that they were small, at the time, and that would allow more of an opportunity to get involved right away. Q: Who else was in your pledge class? A: We started with a class of five that quickly became three members: Chris, Larry Rosensteil '83, and me. Q: Do you recall what your pledge class prank was? A: We rented a U-Haul trailer and stole everything that could be used to prepare or eat food from the kitchen. We left the food, but there was nothing with which to prepare it or eat it. Chris, an artist, drew a picture of a breakfast that we left on the center island. Somehow the three of us managed to get all of that stuff out of the kitchen, down the back steps, into the trailer in the parking lot, and drive off with it without waking up anybody sleeping in the rack room. Fortunately, nobody got up to go the bathroom. Walkout was not nearly as successful. I recall sitting on the beam in the L Room. Q: So you're a big-shot lawyer now. Can you tell us a bit about your practice? A: I have always represented the little guy throughout my career as I was attracted to the law to help people. My focus of representing injured and disabled workers in workers compensation and disability claims found me more than I found it. I have always had an interest in biology and medicine—important subject matter in these cases. Focusing on the world of work opened my eyes to all of the kinds of jobs that are done that we are completely oblivious about. That proved equally as interesting. The inability to work, particularly in a country where one of the first things we ask a person is "What do you do?" is a true stressor. As a result, I often counsel, coach and cheerlead my clients through a real rough patch in their life. Many times, clients become friends. Q: Would you say that your time as a young man at Theta Chi at Bradley fostered any of the character traits you needed for the career you chose? A: A lawyer has to be a good listener. An effective lawyer tries to build consensus toward a favorable outcome and only litigates to conclusion as a last resort. My leadership roles in Gamma Upsilon were great opportunities to acquire and practice those skills. Q: Would you even say you owe all of your success Gamma Upsilon? A: Without a doubt. The inter-relational skills I learned have been invaluable to my success. Planning, setting goals, and working to achieve them are skills that I also honed at Gamma Upsilon. Q: Are there any brothers that owe you money that you like us to track down or you would just like to hear from again and it's been way too long? A: The statute of limitations has run on any debts. Living on the east coast, I am glad to have Facebook as a means of staying in touch. I would love to catch up with Myron Wasiunec '82. He took me home for Thanksgiving and his Ukrainian mother fed me so much I hurled––the one and only time I hurled from overeating. I have not heard anything from him or about him in decades. I hope he is happy, healthy, and successful. Terry lives in Ambler, Pennsylvania, and can be reached at tsmesq@gmail.com. Q&A with Alumnus Terry McGraw '83 Gamma Upsilon Perseveres through Pandemic Thanks to decades of good financial management, generous donors, and dedicated alumni, the Gamma Upsilon Alumni Corporation is on solid financial footing. While this is good news for us, it certainly hasn't been a rosy picture across the fraternity landscape. We have also taken steps to ensure the undergraduate chapter is financially stable as we complete long-range planning and renovations to the chapter house. In the spring, Bradley University moved classes to remote learning while most students moved back home. We advised the undergraduate chapter to refund members on an equitable basis, to ensure the chapter had funds to pay fixed costs as well as refund what they could to the brothers. To assist the chapter, the house corporation chose to refund and not collect rent for two of the four months of the semester. Eighty percent of the alumni corporation's revenue comes from the eight months of the year the undergraduates pay rent. So, cutting a quarter out of that revenue makes a significant impact! This is combined with the decision to pause our fundraising efforts. Back when the pandemic hit, we chose to put a hold on fundraising due to the economic strain the shutdowns have put on so many people. We all hope that you and your family are safe, healthy, and financially stable. As things return to normal and you have the means to contribute, we ask that you consider making a donation. While we plan for the future and our large- scale renovations, we have established enough of a rainy day fund to ensure the stability of the chapter. I'm glad that we're in a much better position compared to so many other fraternities that don't have the lifelong dedication Theta Chi has. Fraternally, Mike Scheve '02 GUAC Treasurer

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