The "winter" edition of our newsletter has been released! You should be receiving it in the mail soon, but until then, check it out here. Thanks to Frank Harrington for putting it together, as well as the authors of all of the articles.
March Gamma Report Posted
April is Here!
The actives are hard at work cleaning the house for Alumni Weekend! Big thanks to Dodds, Sohail, Joe Brust, and all others who are taking a leadership role in this crucial time. We hope to see you on 4/23 in Troy! Register here if you haven't already.
The Professor Ivor L. Preiss '55 Scholarship Award
The Professor Ivor L. Preiss '55 Scholarship Award is awarded annually to a graduating senior active that has excelled academically at RPI and who serves as a role model to younger Zetes. This year, the award includes a plaque, a $100 award, and a $100 donation to the Ira Richer (Pi) Educational Fund in the winner's name. This award will be given at the banquet at Alumni Weekend on April 24, 2010. A perpetual plaque for the house will also be unveiled to serve as a testament to the actives who have furthered the good name of Zeta Psi over the past years.
Gamma Reports Now Available Online
Justin Persin has been doing a great job as Gamma and has made his reports available online for easier access. They can be found here: January 31, 2010 February 8, 2010 February 17, 2010 March 14, 2010
Damage Fund Update
To those with Pi Zetes accounts, you can access the fund's status here.
Alumni Weekend Registration Now Open!
We'd love for all Zetes to come back to Troy in April for Alumni Weekend! You can register here for your convenience. If you have any questions, please contact Frank Harrington for more information.
Fall 2010 Pledges are Initiated
This post comes a bit late, but better late than never. The Fall 2010 pledge class was initiated on February 27, 2010 at the chapter house. Congratulations to our new brothers! Brendan Farley '13, Burlington, MA Arthur Chen '12, Windham, NH Jamie Zajac '13, Merrimack, NH Daniel Martin '13, Cohasset, MA Rob Hoy '13, Batavia, NY Redon Qello '13, Staten Island, NY Mario Iacuone '13, Syracuse, NY
Many thanks to Justin Persin '11 and Colton Anderson '12 for leading the class through the pledge process.
Old ouRPIs are Now Available
Check out the ouRPI section of the site for some old editions. We're working on putting more of them up, so keep checking back!
Reactivating this site!
Stay tuned for more news! Hopefully we can get this site rolling.
A Word From The Actives
Greetings are sent from all the active brothers. December marked the end of a successful Fall 2007 semester, with much about which to be reported. Thanks to the dedicated recruitment efforts of last year, the semester started with the strongest in house presence of active brothers in recent years, and many rooms in the wings are doubles once again. We hope to keep this momentum going and continue to grow in size and stature.
The actives would also like to welcome the class of Fall 2007 into the circle of Zeta Psi. Congratulations are sent out to Joe Beck, Justin Persin, Craig Sauter, and Andrew Darst. Each of these young men will undoubtedly bring the quality and ambition that the Pi Chapter looks for in each and every brother.
With Rensselaer's clear intention to hold its recruitment period in the Spring in the near future, we are also in the process of transitioning our own bidding procedures and have established continuing relationships with many recruits. The actives have very ambitious goals for the Spring class.
The Pi sent three representatives to the Convention at the Omicron Chapter in Omaha, NE. Each representative was intimately involved in bringing the fresh ideas and training that they received back to the Pi Chapter for future use. We also received a Bronze Chapter Award at the LTI, as pictured in the last edition of The Circle.
House elections were held in December, and it was very exciting to see many of the younger actives step up to the plate and take leadership of the house. With this passing of the torch, the house is clearly positioned to continue strong operations in the future.
Over the course of the Fall 2007 semester, community service also became more of a priority, as the actives tried to give back to both the RPI and Capital District communities. Three brothers participated in the 5K Run to Remember, which honored lost Prisoners of War. Many brothers have also contributed both time and money to organizations such as the United Way and the American Cancer Society. We hope to continue and increase these charitable efforts in the future.
The chapter also continues to capitalize on our strong social presence within the campus community, and our parties simply cannot be rivaled. With that being said, the improvements made to the basement and the willingness to host parties there have greatly reduced our liability during social events.
We strongly encourage everyone who can make it to attend Alumni Weekend this year. All of the actives truly enjoy the weekend, love the camaraderie, and get a kcik out of hearing the legendary stories that form the unmatched tradition of the Pi Chapter.
Finally, thanks are sent out from all of the actives to the Pi Chapter to the Elders, who put substantial time and money into making key renovations to the house that will ensure its safety and aesthetics for years to come. The balcony was structurally rebuilt, and new gutters were installed with the hopes that they will allow the basement at the chapter house to be refinished in the future.
As the Pi Chapter continues to expand upon the legacy of Zeta Psi, we wish all the Elders and their families good luck, health, and prosperity in the present and future.
In Tau Kappa Phi, Sean Eosefow '08
From the Elder President
Brothers, It has been a busy and successful school year for the Pi Chapter thus far. Even before the school year began, we sent 3 Actives (along with 2 Pi Chapter Alumni) to the International Convention in Lincoln, NE. It was a fun and worthwhile experience for all. We look forward to sending a large group to the next Convention in Montreal this August. Remember, you'll need a current Passport!
Although our Fall Recruitment Effort was less successful than we had anticipated, all of the actives are enthusiastic and dedicated to a strong Spring Recruitment. As was encouraged by RPI and Zeta Psi International, the pledging period was shortened and 4 young men were initiated into the Pi Chapter before Winter Break. We welcome them all! We expect a strong Spring Pledge Class and should have a full house of fine brothers living in the Chapter House next year.
The projects we undertook last summer turned out great. A new roof for the front porch, a rebuilt balcony on that roof, new gutters, and fire code doors on the third floor are some of the accomplishments. The state of our Chapter House is stable and improving.
As we all know, we depend on the continued financial support of the alumni to fund the needed projects. I urge that each on of us make a financial commitment to our beloved Pi Chapter. Please send donations to: Jim Peta, 15 Blueberry Lane, New Hartford, CT 06057.
Remember that Alumni Weekend will take place on the weekend of April 19th. All brothers should try to attend. See how things are at the Old Fraternity House; renew old friendships; and, very importantly, meet the Active Brothers who carry on our legacy. Our Alumni Weekend Banquet will be at the Troy Country Club this year. Remember to mark the weekend of April 19, 2008 on your calendar. See you there...
in Tau Kappa Phi,
Rick Kasold '70
Alumni Weekend (April 18-20, 2008)
At the end of the current issue of ouRPI you'll find the registration form and schedule of events. Please note the following:
- You should make hotel reservations directly with the hotel of your choice. You may have heard, but the Best Western - Rensselaer Inn has closed (RPI bought it and they are converting it to dorm rooms!). So, the only hotel in Troy is the Franklin Square Inn & Suites (old Super 8 location) (866-708-2233). There are several other nearby hotels in Latham and Albany. Try websites like hotels.com, travelocity.com, hotwire.com or expedia.com for selections.
- If you have AAA or ARP, you can often get a better room.
- Please respond by April 11th to make sure we can get accurate counts for the Troy Country Club and insure your meal selection.
- We're expecting a strong showing from the Class of '88 for their 20th reunion - let's help them celebrate!
A Note from an "Elderly" Elder
I arranged to visit Troy and the Pi chapter as a batting mechanics instructor for the RPI baseball team for 4 weeks in the fall of 2007. It was an exhilarating adventure in a number of ways. Jim Ljunglin volunteered a bed for me at the Pi chapter, and I accepted gratefully. I then turned my savings over to the Pi chapter via the "Capital District, etc." Staying at the house for 4 weeks was fun and exhausting. Thus the use of the "elderly" adjective above. I must have aged 4 years (not weeks) in the process, as sleep was very hard to come by. The baseball team interaction was very rewarding. The head coach (Karl Steffen) has done very well for approximately two decades. This includes many league titles and two trips to the NCAA Division III College World Series. He has collected a strong coaching staff, and my hope was to contribute in a narrow portion of this already strong program. He was quite supportive of my coaching, and that included giving me a number of helpful suggestions. The players were very cooperative. They caught on to the scientific (mostly physics) foundation of my batting mechanics approach quite quickly. What else would you expect from RPI students.
NCAA rules limited us to 4 days of coaching per week, so there was lots of time for other adventures. The base running coach (Rich Worster) joined Ed Dauenheimer (my big brother) and I for a trip to the baseball hall of fame. Our fathers had worked together during WWII, and we first met when Jim was the proctor of my freshman dorm. Also, a trip was made to Troy by Jim Peta and Joe Mauriello. The biggest interaction was with my young brothers. It was also very educational. A small sample follows: I attended several Barker Trophy football & soccer games (plus several meals at the house: ugh!). The Pi brothers are very athletic, and they claim they can win the trophy this year. On the other hand, the house GPA is below the middle range for fraternities. I also partook of two official house meetings, and was involved in many routine activities. Jim Ljunglin suggested I collect my impressions and suggestions (like better meals) that might be considered for discussion among the elders regarding changes at the Pi.
Sincerely yours in Tau Kappa Phi, John White '62
Winter 2007 Circle of Zeta Psi Published
The Zeta Psi Circle, a publication of the Zeta Psi Educational Foundation, has published its latest issue. You can download it in PDF format at the following URL: http://www.zetapsi.org/docs/circle/Circle_Nov_07.pdf
Topics in this issue include:
- LEADERSHIP
- Phi Alpha's Message
- Executive Director's Message
- Development Director's Message
- Tales from the Road
- Undergraduate Board Representative
- GROWTH
- Sigma Gamma Chartering
- Expansion Update
- Oxford Explansion
- SERVICES
- 2007 Scholarship Recipients
- Leadership Training Institute
- Wall Street Scholars
- Washington Scholars
- Career Development
- NMFN, Engineering Challenge
- Star Points
- ZeteScouts
- BROTHERHOOD
- Chapter News
- Elder News
- A Zete, he sailed around the world!
- Brother Notes - Malaysia!
- CONVENTION
- THE HERITAGE SOCIETY
- ROLL OF HONOR
Pi Zetes Featured in Rensselaer Magazine
If you happened to make it to the end of the Fall 2007 edition of the Rensselaer Alumni Magazine, then you may have noticed the picture of a bunch of well dressed Pi Zetes from the mid 80’s (perhaps ’86?). If anyone recalls the occasion or happens to know how the picture made it into the Rensselaer Magazine, let us know. Below is a link to the on-line version: http://www.rpi.edu/dept/metasite/news/magazine/fall2007/one_last_thing.html
The article is well worth a read.
Elders Spur New Donations
As many of you know, it would be nearly impossible to keep up with the ongoing maintenance and physical improvements to 25 Belle Ave without the generous financial support of the Pi Elders. This past year, several Pi Elders stepped up and actively put forth challenges to increase annual dues & donations.
Brother Ed Etess ’59 put forth a massive effort to track down several missing Zetes, and Ed also funded a survey of the entire Elder brotherhood. These results have provided valuable insight and new ideas for improving operations, communications, fundraising, etc.
Harvey Poppel '58 challenged all classes from 1992 forward in the period December 2006 to Alumni Weekend. Fourteen elders in these classes gave a total of $1585 in that timeframe. Harvey's idea was to cultivate the habit of annual giving among the recent graduates, and wrote each of the donors to thank them and encourage their continuance.
Ivan Smith '67 also challenged the class of 1961. Five of those brothers gave a total of $2800 in the 06-07 year for yet another successful outcome!
The end result was a very successful ’06-’07 donation year with a total inflow of $17,213. A special thanks to the brothers above, and those who responded to the challenges and the survey. May the challenges continue!
Class of ’57 Attends RPI Reunion
Jim Ljunglin, Nick Long, and Tilo Samter '57 attended their 50th anniversary reunion on campus in June and were inducted into the 50-Year Club at a banquet in the Commons. This room is the former Freshman Dining Hall which '57 "christened" in the spring term of 1954 after having done the same for the adjacent dorms the prior fall. Jim and Nick disputed which building was really D Dorm where they had lived. So much for memory after 70! (It's now Hall Hall.) Also attending the reunion were Art Gajarsa '62 and Brian Dean '97. Art, a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington D.C. and vice-chair of the RPI Trustees, had just been awarded the New Jersey Intellectual Property Law Associations's Jefferson Medal at their annual banquet. In his acceptance speech, Art cited the continuing value of the US patent system to the nation and its serving as a model for many countries. Art recalled that Thomas Jefferson, himself a renowned inventor, served as a patent examiner in the early republic until his duties as Secretary of State in the Washington administration required his giving up this avocation. Brian, a former President of the Rensselaer union, and his wife have acquired a residential investment property in Troy, which they see as growing in prosperity.
John White '62, a physicist retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, is an expert on the mechanics of baseball pitching and hitting. At the request of the coach, John was spending the month of September on campus helping to train the RPI team.
Jim Ljunglin '57
25 Belle Ave Renovations
As many of you may know, Brother Rick Case has been our Elder “House Manager” for the past few years now. He has put countless hours into soliciting bids for repair work and upgrades, as well as rolling up his sleeves and putting a lot of his own “sweat equity” back into the house. Heck, he’s even made his own kids work on the house! As Jay Webb will attest, this is a very difficult and time consuming job (which is why I think Jay asked Rick to take it over around 2am one Alumni Weekend – and Rick agreed).
Unfortunately there isn’t enough space to print the pictures of the improvements in this issue (which include a rebuilt roof / railings off from the library, new fascia / gutters, new outside wing sheathing & painting, etc. So, you’ll just have to come back for Alumni Weekend to see for yourself.
Kudos to Rick for doing such a great job.
Alumni Weekend Overview
Plans have been in the works for the upcoming Spring 2008 Alumni Weekend for several months now. While the events at the Albany Marriott were quite successful the last two years, the consensus was that we should try to bring the Saturday night banquet back closer to the house. So this year we’ll be holding the Saturday banquet at the Troy Country Club, which is only about 2 miles away from 25 Belle Ave. Full details with a schedule of events and registration information will be forthcoming in the next ouRPI, but in the meantime please mark April 18th – 20th ,2008 on your calendars! Many of you haven’t been back to the house in a while, so now’s the time to catch up!