Delta Tau Delta - Cornell University

3 J ason Saltsberg '94 joined Delta Tau Delta—and his childhood best friend and future best man, Bradley Kaufman '94 (whom his daughters know as "Uncle Brad")— under circumstances similar to what today's undergraduates have faced: a large graduating class and disappointing recruitment results. "The following year was not going to be easy—we were living out of the Shelter, and recruitment was everyone's top priority," he recalled. "A few opted out, but most stayed the course and, led by the incredible rush efforts of Dan Shur '94, helped ensure the survival of the chapter." As Our Home, Our Legacy. winds down this year, Jason hopes each alumnus will remember their responsibilities to those who follow and support Beta Omicron accordingly. "We all benefited from the generation that built our Shelter almost 60 years ago. Now it is on us to ensure future generations get to enjoy the same experience we all cherish." PIVOTAL LESSONS Looking back, Jason is astonished at how little he knew as a Cornell freshman and how much he learned from Delta Tau Delta. The fraternity taught him to mature as a man, harness his strength while controlling his weaknesses, and understand people of different backgrounds and beliefs— all of this while learning to run an organization prepared him for success in many endeavors. "Those lessons proved invaluable to me as an attorney, both in terms of interacting with clients and as a partner within my law firm as well as in my philanthropic endeavors with my synagogue and the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation," Jason explained. "There is no doubt that I am a better person, better husband, better father, better lawyer, and better friend because of my experiences as a Delt." Jason stayed at Cornell after graduating and was fortunate to live in the Shelter while earning his master's degree and serving as chapter advisor. As his career progressed, he became a leader in the national fraternity and served as Beta Omicron's House Corporation Secretary for many years; he remains a member of the House Corporation Board. A highlight of Jason's many volunteer years has been meeting and befriending outstanding brothers like Richard Schrade '82, John Pirie '83, Mark McCarthy '86, and Scott Rice '90. When he meets brothers who graduated years before or after him, he's continually amazed at how easily he can imagine them sharing their college years in the Shelter. "We have never been a chapter that recruits from any particular demographic on campus, yet there seems to be an intangible characteristic about Beta Omicron Delts that crosses generations," he said. "My children, now in college, are just starting to understand how unique it is that no matter what city we visit, there is always a Delt for us to meet up with." PERMANENT FRIENDSHIPS Jason's favorite college memories often come from spending time together at the Shelter, be it cards, foosball, video games, or simply talking. He used to organize local gatherings at Cornell hockey games for brothers of all ages, and he appreciates the efforts of Sankha Lahiri '97, Young Hur '11, and others to gather Delts together over the years. As Greek life navigates the pandemic's after-effects, Jason realizes that today's college students aren't necessarily interested in fraternities for the same reasons as his generation. "I hope that Delt continues to adapt and promote its strengths to ensure that future Cornellians can enhance their college experience and make lifelong friends as we did." Jason lives in Syosset, New York, and can be reached at jsaltsberg@olshanlaw.com. D O I N G T H E W O R K Why Jason Saltsberg '94 Proudly Serves Delt "We all benefited from the generation that built our Shelter almost 60 years ago. Now it is on us to ensure future generations get to enjoy the same experience we all cherish." T hank you so much for all the support you have given us over the last semester. It is in large part due to your support that we can maintain the strong traditions of Delta Tau Delta at Cornell University. Our gratitude toward our alumni cannot be overstated, and we continue to be inspired by the ongoing actions of our predecessors. On campus, the brothers shine as strong leaders and scholars. Vice President Gian Syki '27 is a member and recruitment head at the Blockchain Club, which focuses on consulting and cryptocurrency. Treasurer Ilian Vakarelov '27 participates in two different research labs: one focusing on the nutrition of urban bird species and the other on nitrogen reallocation in plants. Sergeant-at-Arms Andrew Chung '26 will soon be a published researcher with a paper in Nucleic Acids Research. Our seniors also continue to make us proud. Jatin Mukerji '25 does advanced biotechnology research alongside John Rey Martin '25. Jatin has also been accepted into the Cornell Master of Engineering program with Jacob Fernandez '25; both will remain at the Shelter for an extra semester or year in pursuit of these degrees. Noah Diamond '25 continues to lead the Humor Us comedy group, a role he accepted in his junior year. Personally, I have been working as a TA for the Introductory Public Policy course, shaping the assignments and class structure for next semester. I am also working on the Soil Factory subteam of the Cornell Sustainable Design project team, which is designing an ammonia air filter to recycle nitrogen and a water filter to remove fertilizer from farm runoff. So far, Philanthropy Chairman Sean Dempsey '27 has organized our participation in two successful philanthropy events alongside the larger Cornell community. After the St. Patrick's Day parties, the brothers joined the Collegetown cleanup alongside the wider IFC. A week later was the Polar Plunge, an event hosted by Special Olympics New York. Separately from these events, brothers like John and Marty Stallone '25 have provided opportunities for volunteering through their work in a local fire department and 4-H respectively. I can't wait to see what this chapter will do for the rest of the semester. Once again, thank you for your amazing support. Fraternally, Max Berry-Stoelzle '27 Chapter President Undergrads Finish Strong in the Shelter's First Year You Made Our Success Possible

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