Announcing the Class of 1968 Great Room!
We have some very good news to share with everyone regarding the Capital Campaign. As many of you have heard, we have launched an ambitious plan to renovate and expand the existing chapter house at 125 Chancellor Street. Those efforts received a big boost this month. Thanks to the tremendous generosity of John and Nancy Rich, we are pleased to announce that the new Great Room planned for the west side of the house will be named in honor of the Class of 1968!
John, who graduated from the Engineering School and served as Worthy Master during his time at ATΩ, earlier circulated the following letter explaining his and Nancy’s decision to sponsor the Great Room:
To the brothers,
Following the presentation at our October reunion, my wife Nancy and I made a significant contribution to the House Renovation Project. This was Nancy’s idea. We have attended most of the ATΩ reunions over the last 30 years and she has seen what the fraternity has meant to me and to many of you – the shared values and sense of brotherhood it has instilled, and the life-long friendships it has created.
Given the life-changing event we experienced this past year, we have been thinking more about the legacies we leave behind. We decided that one such legacy should be the perpetuation of the house, so that future generations of brothers have the same opportunity we had to be part of a true fraternity, which uniquely complements the UVA experience, and builds the life-long friendships that we all have enjoyed.
As a result of our contribution, we were granted the naming rights for the Great Room that will be built as part of the renovation project. We have decided to dedicate the room to my class, the Class of ’68, since this group has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the house and to the friendships we established during our time together. Our class composite is currently being restored and will be prominently displayed in the new Great Room.
I am writing to encourage each of you to consider what the ATO experience has meant to you, and to think about the legacy you wish to leave behind. Your contributions could be made individually or jointly, in small or large groups. The important thing is to contribute whatever you can to ensure the values, experiences and friendships we have shared will continue to be available to future generations of brothers.
With love and respect,
John
Great Room Renderings
John and Nancy’s contribution will go a long way towards realizing the construction of what is sure to be the centerpiece of the improved chapter house. With the help of our very own Matt Godfrey (ARCH 2010), the below designs and renderings show what the new Great Room will potentially look like once it is completed. The composite photograph over the fireplace in the bottom rendering is meant to represent the Rebuilders’ Society Composite, which will contain the college portraits of everyone who donates at least $5,000 over 5 years to the Capital Campaign (more information on this on the following page). Additionally, the Class of 1968 composite will be displayed in a special wall inset.
Demolition and addition plan, first floor
Great Room addition
Great Room interior
Donor and Pledge Recognition
We hope John and Nancy’s generosity will inspire you to make a contribution of your own. As an incentive, all donors will be listed in the Spring edition of the Delta Dispatch in accordance with the giving levels listed below. Additionally, in a nod to the long-term nature of this capital campaign, special recognition will be given to alumni who donate at or above certain cumulative thresholds over a 5-year period. Anyone who makes a 5-year pledge will also be listed in the Spring newsletter.
“5-in-5” Pledge
One cumulative donation threshold we are strongly encouraging is a gift of $5,000 over 5 years, which we call the “5-in-5” pledge. To date, 31 alumni have made a pledge at this level or higher. In recognition of their generosity, all donors who give at this level or higher will be featured in a Rebuilders’ Society special composite photograph, which will contain the college-age portraits of Taus across generations and will be displayed above the fireplace of the new Great Room (as depicted on the previous page).
Sponsor a Room
The Class of 1968 might have nabbed the Great Room, but there are many more rooms in the house that need to be named! Other classes are already discussing pooling their resources together to get a room named after them. You may consider doing the same with your class, or donating an amount to have a room named after yourself or a loved one. The donation thresholds for each room will be announced in our December fundraising update.
| Donor Tier | Minimum Donation | Frequency | Recognition* |
| Top Donor Society** | $100,000 | Cumulative, 5 years | New Great Room named in your honor** |
| Temple of Friendship Society | $10,000-50,000 | Cumulative, 5 years | One room of the house named in your honor (to be discussed on a case by case basis) |
| Rebuilder’s Society | $5,000 | Cumulative, 5 years | Photo and name on special Donor’s Composite over the fireplace in the new Great Room |
| Drewary Brown Benefactor | $2,500 | 1 year | Name listed on donor plaque at 125 Chancellor Street |
| Rudolph Carey Benefactor | $1,000 | 1 year | Name listed on donor plaque at 125 Chancellor Street |
| Glazebrook Benefactor | $500 | 1 year | Listed in annual newsletter |
| Maltese Cross Benefactor | $250 | 1 year | Listed in annual newsletter |
| Chancellor Street Benefactor | $125 | 1 year | Listed in annual newsletter |
| Delta Chapter Benefactor | $75 | 1 year | Listed in annual newsletter |
| **In the case of multiple donors above the $100,000 threshold, Great Room name would be decided by mutual agreement and approved by the Board of Trustees. | |||
*For donations above a given threshold, all Recognitions below that threshold apply, with one exception: recognition for Top Donor Society and Temple of Friendship Society are mutually exclusive.
**Note: As of November 2016, the Great Room has already been named in honor of the Class of 1968 following a donation by John and Nancy Rich.
***Group donations aggregating to these levels will also be considered for room naming rights on a case by case basis.
How to Donate
The easiest and most secure way to donate to the capital campaign is to give online here. There you can set up a one-time or recurring donation. Monthly recurring donations are by far the most popular option chosen by alumni to date, especially for those looking to make larger donations. A monthly donation of $83, for instance, would translate to $1,000 over the course of a year, and $5,000 over 5 years.
Donate by Check
Donations by check should be made out to ATΩ Capital Fund and mailed to:
UVA Fund
c/o Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity
P.O. Box 400314
Charlottesville, VA 22904
To Make a 5- Year Pledge
First , please do it! Having your pledge helps us forecast future donations and determine whether we are on track to hit our fundraising goal. We will announce our updated cumulative pledge and donation amount in the December newsletter – please add yours to that total! No amount is too small! Pledging is as simple as emailing JohnHSweeney@gmail.com and saying “I would like to pledge $_______ over 5 years.”
For further information on the Capital Campaign, please contact:
John Sweeney (COMM 2009)
ATΩ Delta Board of Trustees, Finance Chair
+1 931-510-0023 ; JohnHSweeney@gmail.com