Chi Psi - University of Washington

CHI PSI • UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON • SUMMER 2021 CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF CHI PSI AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON Funding Alpha Theta Delta's Future into Its Second Century S ince 1921, Chi Psi has made a significant impact on the lives of more than 1,000 Alpha Theta Delta men at the University of Washington. Chi Psi's values and rich history have sustained generations of our brotherhood and impacted members of the university community. We all gained from our Alpha Theta Delta membership, and many of us can say it helped form who we are today. Meeting Today's Needs Our Lodge and annex have provided a safe and nurturing environment for our brothers to grow and learn for 100 years. As our membership expands, we must ensure we keep offering the formative experience that has made Alpha Theta Delta flourish well into the 21st century. Investing in Our Future An investment during Alpha Theta Delta's centennial will allow us to offer experiences and facilities that complement our efforts to produce outstanding citizens, scholars, and leaders for years to come. Our goal is to create an environment where our brothers learn and grow in a comfortable, safe facility and to maintain a competitive edge in the UW Greek community, all while remaining fiscally responsible. The ability to recruit and retain the best young men requires that our facility be among the best with respect to modernization, educational programming, internet access, and safety. Your Part in the Plan Brothers, we need your support to reach our goal of $100,000 to kickstart another 100 successful years on campus. We know that you have memories and friendships from your Chi Psi days that have enriched your life. As we embark on a second century at the University of Washington, we need your support now more than ever. With your help, we can ensure the legacy you helped build will live on for many years to come. The National office has set up an Alpha-specific 501(c)(3) for accepting donations for events like this. This can be accessed via the main Chi Psi webpage at chipsi.org under the Make a Gift tab. When making your donation, there is a drop-down designation for you to select Theta Delta. If you prefer to write a check, it can be sent to the Central Office at 45 Rutledge St., Nashville, TN 37210 and made payable to "Chi Psi Educational Trust" with Theta Delta on the memo line. YITB, Kent Smith '90 (206) 683-9399 kent.smith@comcast.net I 've been active on several of Alpha Theta Delta's boards since 2000. I was originally recruited to join what was then called the Corporation Board, which at that time had a dual function of serving as the owner and landlord of the Lodge and advising the undergraduate leadership of the chapter. My role was (and still is, primarily) managing the maintenance and improvements to the Lodge. Since that time, I've participated in two major initiatives/improvements that have really paid dividends for Alpha Theta Delta. 1. The Advisory Board was created to take over advising the undergraduate leadership. The Advisory Board has been a huge success. It's filled with enthusiastic young alumni who can better relate to the current leadership, and they are doing great work in guiding the collegians. What was called the Corporation Board was renamed the Building Board, as that's our focus. 2. In a never-to-be-forgotten talk with Craig Chelius '83 and Dave Nordfors '60 after Founders Day, Dave pointed out that we very likely have enough land that we already own to build our own annex instead of paying $100,000 or more every year to rent one. That conversation led to the three of us walking the edges of the property in a downpour to do measurements. We then discussed if it would be feasible for our alumni base to raise $1 million so that the new annex could be adequately funded. This has been a huge bonus for Alpha Theta Delta. No more rent has been paid out and all brothers can now live on our property instead of several blocks away at a rented annex. I mention these two initiatives to answer a question I'm sometimes asked: "Why are you (still, after all these years) so involved on the Alumni Board of your fraternity?" The answer is that it's incredibly fun and rewarding to work together with such great people—both other alumni and undergraduate brothers. It's a lot of challenging work to maintain and grow a fraternity of excellence, and I so enjoy being a part of this effort and part of a team of such dedicated, talented people. The Alumni Board is comprised of super dedicated brothers who give their time and energy without hesitation. In my mid-50s, when some of my age cohort falls into the cliche of thinking that there's something "wrong" with the younger generation, I get to talk with them about how amazing the Alpha Theta Delta undergraduates are and how they would enjoy meeting them if they had the chance. Year after year, I'm amazed at the gentlemen who join Alpha Theta Delta. They are smart, hardworking, interesting to talk to, engaged in the world, and they clearly care for and take care of one another. It's a privilege to support them. Yes, the world has changed; it always does. However, one thing hasn't changed. There is still a need for a fraternity dedicated to excellence. The fraternity experience, when done well, is of immense benefit to young men while they're at the university and throughout their lives. So many fraternities don't do it well, but we do at Alpha Theta Delta. My immense gratitude and respect go to all the dedicated alumni who have been a part of this success. John Blacksmith '89 Shares the Benefits of Being an Active Alpha Theta Delta Alumnus

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