Theta Xi - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Y our alumni association has continued to focus on the tenets of the 10-year plan we launched three years ago: to support our active brothers, to better connect our alumni, and to maintain and improve our chapter house. Your undergraduate chapter, alumni association, and chapter house are all stabilized and strong post-COVID. We've transitioned our focus back to executing our strategy and increasing our operational resilience. The board continues to evolve with two new members injecting renewed energy and Adrian Pangilinan '17 (A1692) moving into a leadership role as our newly elected Vice President. This year, we launched an increased effort to help active brothers focus on preparing for and pursuing internship and employment opportunities. Alumni volunteers organized and facilitated LinkedIn tips and other workshops for the undergraduates, connecting them with the roughly 300 members in our Alpha Chapter LinkedIn group. (This has also helped alumni connect across eras!) If you're not yet a member of our LinkedIn group, please join to connect with Alpha brothers with similar interests. For more info on getting connected, contact Adrian at adrian.pangilinan@gmail.com. Our alumni programming is always evolving to foster participation. Our streamlined 6294 schedule and annual meeting process have received positive reviews from returning alumni, and it provides an opportunity for all to connect with brothers old and new. We're listening to alumni suggestions, and as a result, next year will include: • A campus walking tour on the history of Theta Xi before our annual meeting at the chapter house. • A Troy Alpha history walking tour. • Non-alcoholic options to our traditional schedule of Saturday downtown events. In addition, we're exploring a Texas Hold 'em tournament upstairs in memory of Pete Larochelle '98 (A1435). We are also targeting specific alumni groups to return to campus for mini-reunions, including: • Those initiated 75 years ago (1950), 50 years ago (1975), and 25 years ago (2000). • A 40th anniversary of the Alpha Chapter reorganization—featuring the refounding brothers, the 24 alumni initiated in the 1985-86 school year, and the alumni board members and donors who led the renovations that summer. • Close brothers of Pete and Rob Robles '09 (A1577). We lost brothers Larochelle and Robles a couple of weeks before and after this year's 6294 celebration. Plans are underway to gather at 6294 next year in celebration and remembrance of two brothers we lost far too young. Please contact David at dwfowkes@verizon.net for more on participating in alumni activities and 6294. Your board is focused on maintaining our chapter house and shoring up reserve funds, which we materially depleted last summer with the major kitchen renovation. As you know, we relaunched our annual fund at the end of the capital campaign. We're off to a good start, but our goal is to return to the broad participation (number of alumni donating and amount collected annually) we enjoyed before the capital campaign. Over the past year, between alumni donations and rent payments, we collected enough to replace the kitchen hood this summer. Plans are underway to have the project completed before brothers return in August. Our focus for next year is to build our reserves up to $50,000 (our ultimate target reserves are $75,000) and collect enough to replace our 1986-era boiler (including adding an upgraded utility room to meet current recommended fire safety standards). We're asking all alumni to consider supporting your alumni association and chapter by making whatever annual donation you feel comfortable making. ALPHA CHAPTER OF THETA XI SUMMER 2024 ALPHABET Give today at ThetaXiAlpha.causevox.com. ALPHA CHAPTER CONTINUES TO BUILD ON POSITIVE MOMENTUM AND RESULTS Robert Robles '09 (A1577) (left) and David Fowkes '89 (A1275) in the formal room on April 27, 2024. Rob passed away two weeks after this photo was taken. Paul Vescio '90 (A1295) (left) presents the Distinguished Service Award to his Little Brother, Dr. Chuck Boylen (A1593). (Continued on page 2)

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