President’s Report
The highlight of this issue is Rush. It’s interesting that fraternities continue to thrive in a sometimes hostile environment. Despite a last-minute shift from in-person to on-line rush demanded by the administration to address the Omicron variant in late January, the fraternities had a very successful rush. 920 first year men participated, representing 53% of all male first year admissions, with 655 receiving bids.
Xi Chapter pledged 21 new members, the majority of them first-years.
Clay Hardy ʼ23, the outgoing President, assumed office in late 2021 and successfully guided the chapter through a period of shifting quarantine rules and cutbacks in social activities. It was a challenging time, and Clay did a great job of re-focusing the chapter on philanthropic activities. Thanks, Clay!
In November, James Troiano ʼ24 was elected President for 2022. James is a second year Commerce major. He will provide more information about rush and other activities in the Chapter Update.
Reunions Weekend
The Alumni Association is catching up with all the classes that had their in-person Reunions Weekends postponed over the last three years. The following schedule has been published for multiple graduating classes:
June 2-5, 2022
Classes of 1962, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987
and the Thomas Jefferson Society of Alumni
June 10-12, 2022
Classes of 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017
Theta Chi will host a free barbecue at the house on both Saturdays for returning Xi Chapter brothers and their spouses. Please plan to visit 600 Preston Place and share food and drink with fellow alumni.
The dates and times are:
- Saturday, June 4 from 12:30 to 3 PM
- Saturday, June 11 from 2 to 4 PM
Again, the barbecue is free. We will send a reminder in April including a registration site so we can get a head count of attendees for planning purposes.
When you visit in June, you will notice some changes to the neighborhood. Preston Court Apartments, directly across the street from 600 Preston Place, completed a multi-million-dollar upgrade in 2020. It’s listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and does not rent to undergraduates. 605 Preston Place, the white frame house next to Preston Court, plans to construct a new building and 25-car parking lot on the west side of that property.
Check the Alumni Association website for details on your Reunion as well as hotel reservation information.
Annual Giving Update
When the Annual Fund was closed in 2020, it was replaced with the Annual Giving Program. Besides undergraduate rent, donations are our only other source of income. Many alumni have given generously to this program and we sincerely appreciate your support. For the 2021-22 school year, we’re paying down our mortgage, increasing reserves, and keeping the house and grounds properly maintained. As you are well aware, we’ve seen significant increases in the cost of labor and materials associated with house upkeep and repairs. Some of our recent expenses have included a new clothes dryer, oven, and dishwasher.
Use the link below to make a donation to Theta Chi and help us continue to maintain and improve our facilities.
Help Improve and Maintain Theta Chi’s Facilities
Martin Powell Fund
Martin has been a long-time friend of Xi Chapter, with a relationship that dates from the 1980’s. Martin is a Charlottesville native and lives very near Theta Chi. Despite his cerebral palsy, Martin leads an active life and has even written a book about his experiences and challenges. Perry Williams ʼ94 has been instrumental in maintaining the connection between Martin and current brothers. In 2020 the brothers created the position of “Martin Chair” and scheduled weekly lunches with him. This past year, during a time of constrained activities, current brothers Adam Hurwitz and Will Neal were still able to arrange lunches and outside activities with Martin and other undergraduates.
The house has requested the support of Alumni in continuing this effort. With more money, they can plan more activities with Martin. They’ve set a goal of $1000, to be raised by June 1. The Alumni Board is pleased to help, and have set up a fund for Martin that can be accessed on the Xi Chapter Alumni Page. We will share a donation link with you shortly.
Contribute to the Martin Powell Fund
Any donations to the Martin Powell Fund with be used solely to pay for activities involving Martin, ideally 2-3 events per month. This past year the brothers organized several lunches at Martin’s house, and they have also taken Martin to a volleyball game. Please help to strengthen the bonds between Martin and the undergraduate brothers by making a special donation to this fund.