Phi Kappa Psi - University of Texas

Page 4 Texas Alpha to the Top Q: Why did you decide to join Phi Kappa Psi? A: After rushing around at a few different houses freshman year, I got a sense that the brothers at Phi Psi were different. There was no pressure to be someone you weren't or to fit a particular mold. The rush team, along with the rest of the brotherhood, really put their best foot forward and convinced me this could be a great fit for me in school and beyond. The opportunity to find such a close-knit group of men made the transition to college life easier and continued to provide a backstop of support and friends throughout my time as an undergraduate and to this day. Q: What sense of pride do you have in Texas Alpha? A: I am proud of the strides that the brotherhood has made over the past five years. I've been able to witness firsthand a transformative period for the chapter, and am proud of the resiliency and spirit of the brotherhood. I know that the chapter is also very thankful to have such supportive and active alumni advisors. I'm very excited for what lies ahead for the young men of the Texas Alpha Chapter. Q: What was your experience like as part of the Texas Cannon Crew? A: Serving on Cannon Crew my senior year was an incredible experience and the opportunity to represent both the organization and the university was an honor. Junior year provided plenty of opportunities to serve, but senior year was special because of how actively engaged with the community and fan base we became. More than that, the year really solidified friendships made throughout college that remain close to this day. Q: How does it feel to have been a part of the old chapter house and see the new house, but not have the chance to live in it? A: We all knew and appreciated the fact that we were in a transitory phase. We were excited about the new house but knew that it would take hard work to get us where we wanted to be. The undergraduate brotherhood was more than supportive of this initiative and understood the sacrifices that would have to be made. Q: How do you think Texas Alpha helped prepare you for life after college? A: As I think about my fraternity experience and its impact on my professional career, the easy answer is to speak to the network and support system it has provided me with. Whenever I'm unsure of the next step, I have a close friend who was in my very shoes just several years before that I can turn to. What I think is more impactful, though, is the lessons learned regarding relationships, how to treat people. I'm a much more mature man today thanks to the experiences made and lessons learned alongside my brothers. JAY TRAPP '13 REFLECTS ON HIS TEXAS ALPHA EXPERIENCE Degree: BBA in finance Current position: Analyst with Bank of America Merrill Lynch's oil and gas investment banking team TEXAS ALPHA 30 UNDER 30 Q: Why did you decide to join Phi Kappa Psi? A: I was originally connected to Phi Kappa Psi through some friends from my high school. I rushed during the spring and immediately connected with both the fall class before me and my pledge brothers. Q: What does your undergraduate experience mean to you? A: I came to U.T. knowing I wanted to focus on my grades. I double majored in economics and accounting while sneaking in a few Texas football and basketball games along the way. Being an undergraduate was all about getting the slightest taste of "real life" and learning how to respond to it. Q: What sense of pride do you have in Texas Alpha as an alumnus? A: I have a tremendous amount of pride for Texas Alpha. The fraternity is extremely resilient and has gone through an incredible amount of change since I was a freshman. I'm excited to see what's next. Q: How did Texas Alpha prepare you for life after college? A: When I was interviewing for my first job I used to describe the challenges of being a treasurer of a fraternity in 2009, right after moving into a temporary chapter house. While our numbers were dwindling, our financial obligations remained. That experience taught me, and the rest of the executive team, an incredible amount about how to solve difficult problems. The management lessons from my Phi Psi experience still show up today. Q: Tell us about your career path. What led you to your current position? A: I started my career in Dallas, working as an auditor in the newly formed financial services office at Ernst & Young. I worked mostly with private equity groups and after two years I knew accounting was not the right fit. I was determined to land a more front-office job working in investment management. I came across Amherst Holdings and loved their data-driven approach to real estate investments. I've spent the last three years working for their single family rental strategy, helping to develop an institutional asset management platform that now serves over 13,000 homes nationwide. Q: What career advice do you have for those who have recently graduated? A: First, don't be afraid to pivot quickly—it's much easier to change paths a year or two after school. Second, I can't emphasize enough the importance of communication skills. It's not just about public speaking, it's the little stuff, like knowing when to not respond to an email, or when to speak up on a conference call. This really takes practice in being more aware of yourself and others. TEXAS ALPHA PREPARES ZACHARY RABINOVITZ '08 FOR PROFESSIONAL CAREER Degrees: BA in economics, BBA in accounting, master's in professional accounting Current position: Analyst at Amherst Holdings investment management team (Continued on page 6) (Continued on page 6) Through the next several Texas Alpha Avalanche newsletters, we will highlight 30 of Texas Alpha's finest under age 30.

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