Theta Xi - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

www.alpha6294.com Theta xi W hen Andrew DeMarco '18 (A1702) and Adrian Pangilinan '17 (A1692) were looking for a fraternity to join, they both found Theta Xi to be one of the only ones that didn't have a specific "type" of brother; everyone was genuine, welcoming, and diverse, and there was a strong sense of unity. Being members of Theta Xi positively impacted each of their lives and introduced them to some of their best friends. Andrew even met his fiancé through Theta Xi, and as an active, he developed his self-confidence and public speaking skills. Adrian learned, "You get out what you put in," which he has applied to his everyday life. While the brothers are each grateful for their Alpha Chapter experiences, the one thing they both felt would have made them better was a stronger connection to alumni. That's why they've joined the Alumni Association Board of Directors and spearheaded an effort to better connect active brothers with alumni in their career fields. Their motivation? "Simple. Pay it forward," Adrian said. "I've reaped so many benefits from the fraternity and it's only fair that I give back. There were many times post-grad when I thought to myself, 'Man, if I knew XYZ in college, I would have done this differently.' Any chance I get to connect with our college students and provide guidance, I take that opportunity." "Strengthening our fraternal network is a vital task for the long-term health of our organization," Andrew said. "The better we can support actives, the stronger the fraternity grows as a whole. Fostering this connection seemed to be an opportunity we could take better advantage of. I know I would have appreciated it as an undergraduate." The brothers are working on determining the opportunities that alumni can provide and the interests of the actives. They hope to connect the two by having actives contact identified willing alumni. So far, they have completed the process of aggregating their most up-to-date data on alumni and are beginning the process of working with alumni to understand potential opportunities available to the actives and who of the actives they would like to hear from (age and major). They are also working on a mentorship program that will pair an active with an alumnus who works in the active's desired profession. "The hope is that the alumnus will be able to provide valuable insight into the field and give guidance on how to have a successful career," Adrian said. In addition, they are hosting panel discussions for the actives. In September, they had one to give advice on interviewing. "If we can help some of these young men get a head start in their careers, we will have succeeded," Andrew said. Adrian connected with a few brothers as an undergraduate who have continued to impact his life and career. "When Jon Matla '15 (A1659) was interning at a firm, he passed my résumé along to his team, which led to a couple of interviews. Roland Judd '15 (A1656), who was my membership educator, guided me through my experience at Goldman and always offered meaningful advice. David Fowkes '89 (A1275) continues to provide mentorship and guidance with his many years of experience working in finance." Though Adrian always wanted to follow in his mother's footsteps and become a doctor, he found his passion in finance. He reached out to Theta Xi alumni to have conversations about his career and found they were willing to provide guidance. Now he works as an associate in the Private Wealth Management Group at Goldman Sachs in New York City. Andrew did not connect with as many alumni, but he knows many who did, which is why their goal is to increase that rate. After graduating, Andrew pursued an industrial engineering opportunity which has evolved into a position developing supply chain management software for DHL Supply Chain. He is also pursuing an MBA from the University of Illinois. If you're interested in helping these brothers connect collegians with alumni, you can reach out to Adrian at adrian.pangilinan@gmail.com and Andrew at ange7596@gmail.com. These Brothers Are Connecting Actives with Alumni in Their Desired Profession Happy to Pay It Forward "When I was an active, the connection to the alumni was not as strong. In a way, I felt incredibly disconnected from them. I want to make sure that's not the case going forward. I want the actives to know that they can tap into their alumni network with ease and feel comfortable about reaching out to any of us for advice." –Adrian Andrew DeMarco '18 (A1702) Adrian Pangilinan '17 (A1692)

• Cover