Rho Alpha Review s SPRING 2022 RHO ALPHA CHAPTER OF ZETA PSI FRATERNITY AT MIT t
Report from the Alpha Sigma Dear Active and Brothers of the Zeta Psi Rho Alpha Chapter, Welcome to the Spring 2022 edition of the Rho Alpha Review. This semester has been a return to normal: MIT’s relaxation of masking, Miles Roper eating, and social gathAΥ ’25 ering guidelines are a product of Cambridge & Boston’s recovery from COVID-19. Myself & the actives wish that you and your families are all in good health. The house has been busy. Prior to the start of the semester brothers renovated the house during Work Week: projects included the annual pledge bedroom renovation, replacing outlets, constructing elevated platforms, and more. In the following weeks our rush chairs coordinated Spring Rush, a rare series of dinners, events, and conversations hosted by brothers that resulted in the introduction of the Alpha Phi pledge class who will be initiated following spring break. Prior to break, brothers attended Lions Weekend in Dublin, Ireland to connect with the Theta Omicron chapter and celebrate Zeta Psi’s internationalism. As you can tell, the Rho Alpha Chapter has begun to return to its regular activities. While Rho Alpha Night, Pass the Gavel, and other crucial traditions have remained untainted, the house can now commence its larger events for the spring semester. With this in mind, on Saturday, May 7, 2022, I would formally like to invite you all to the Zeta Psi Rho Alpha Chapter’s 42nd Annual Elder Weekend. On this day, actives and elders will be invited to compete against one another in a softball game at MIT’s Briggs Field. Following this will be a barbecue at the house where elders & brothers can reconnect, dine, and explore downtown Boston and Cambridge. The day will conclude with the Elder Reception at MIT Media Lab from 6:30pm-8:30pm, where we will provide refreshments and present the awards for Most Honorable Zete, DTD of the Year, and more. If you are interested in Continued on Page 4
The Phi Reports on a Fast-Moving Semester The first half of this spring sethe rush chairs to pursue a spring mester has been fast-moving in rush, something that had not many different facets. Due to the been attempted in 15 years. The Omicron wave, MIT started the seperseverance and vision of the mester banning food events and rush chairs have been a privilege requiring twice-weekly testing; to witness; in the span of just six weeks later and the masks are one year, we will have initiated now off. It was strange for every22 new members, matching the one as we tried to judge what prerecord set by the Alpha Omicron John Polinak cautions were rational, but while pledge class. These feats have put ΑΣ ’23 we all attempted to navigate the house in an incredibly good through the changing landscape, there was position and make me incredibly optimistic one thing that held constant: our support for for the future of Rho Alpha. each other. We dealt with two large waves of Lastly, I would like to express my COVID-19 through the house, and in both in- utmost appreciation to Serafin Garcia, stances, every brother stepped up to help out AP ’22 for his outstanding contribution as when needed. Seeing brothers making food Phi during 2021. Serafin was instrumental in for those quarantined (and delivering dumb- both keeping the house together during the bells from the gym for the athletes) made me various COVID-19 restrictions last spring and proud to be a member of such a connected facilitating the transition back to traditional and loving society. Zeta Psi procedure in the fall. Serafin also did The theme of returning to normalcy has this amazing work while excelling academibeen ever-present, with the return of Lions cally, graduating a semester early. While his Weekend in Dublin and our annual Elder presence is certainly missed, his legacy reBanquet. Brothers have brought enthusiasm mains within a more cohesive and inclusive and excitement to these in-person events house. TKΦ Serafin for your work as Phi. and can’t wait to rekindle our elder relaIn Tau Kappa Phi, tionships and explore our Zeta Psi network. John Poliniak, AΣ ’23 However, something that was certainly not Phi normal this semester was the decision by
Rho Alpha Chapter Undergraduate Leadership 2022 GREEK LETTER POSITIONS PHI
John Polinak ΑΣ ’23
ALPHA PHI
DELTA
ALPHA SIGMA
NEW MEMBER EDUCATOR
Andrew Manwaring ΑΣ ’23
Donavon Clay ΑΥ ’25
Miles Roper ΑΥ ’25
GAMMA
SIGMA
SIGMA RHO
Fritz Humm ΑΣ ’23
RUSH
STEWARD
Albert Kwon ΑΣ ’23
Marco Andrade ΑΥ ’25
Alan Vasquez ΑΥ ’25
CHAIR POSITIONS SUPREME COUNCIL
Darius Chan ΑP ’22 Fritz Humm ΑΣ ’23 Matt McGillick ΑΣ ’23 DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Donavon Clay ΑΥ ’25 Miles Roper ΑΥ ’25
ACADEMIC
Mark Razanau ΑΥ ’25 ATHLETIC
Alan Vasquez ΑΥ ’25 BROTHERHOOD
Ben Hunsberger ΑΥ ’25 Sebastian DeJesus ΑΥ ’25
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Peter Scott ΑT ’23 IT
Jayden McNab ΑΥ ’25 HOUSE MANAGER
Matt McGillick ΑΣ ’23 Oliver Rayner ΑΥ ’24
Amogh Bhatnagar Max Katz-Christy ΑT ’24 ΑΥ ’24 Ben Carlson SUMMER HOUSING ΑΥ ’25 Franklin Nguyen ΑΥ ’25 SOCIAL Mark Razanau Lleyton Elliott ΑΥ ’25 ΑΥ ’25 SUPERINTENDENT Sawyer Sands Miles ΑΥ ’25 Kaming-Thanassi ΑΣ ’23
Theta Omicron at Trinity College Dublin Over the past few years, the elder board, with your generous support, has sponsored our actives to attend the European LTI, commonly known as Lions Weekend. Normally, this consists of educational sessions led by Zeta Psi IHQ staff, a rugby match between Trinity and Oxford in memory of a lost brother, and events around town organized by the host chapter. But, this year was special, because it was the 10th anniversary of the Theta
Omicron Chapter at Trinity College Dublin. We found it extremely important for our actives to be present for this moment in Zeta Psi history, hence our decision to cover flights and lodging for all 10 who showed interest. I’d say they had a great time; you can read some of their stories below. Attending Lions Weekend is a unique opportunity for our undergrads to make connections with our overseas brothers and to see up close
how expansive Zeta Psi is. It also continues to build on a long-standing relationship between the European chapters and Rho Alpha specifically. ΤΚΦ to all of you who provided support to make this possible. If you’re interested in supporting Lions 2023 and beyond, do not hesitate to reach out. In Tau Kappa Phi, Akil J. Middleton, AG ‘08 Elder Phi
Memorable Weekend in Ireland Lions Weekend was a fantastic time with my brothers and a much needed retreat from campus. We blew off classes for Friday and headed to Ireland, heading far out of the MIT Andrew Manwaring bubble! For some of AΣ’23 the brothers on the trip, it was the first time traveling out of the country. In what felt like a blur, I woke up on the plane in Ireland, and we headed to a coffee shop to shake off the jet lag.
From there, a memorable weekend of brotherhood began. The Trinity brothers showed us around their campus and showed us the best local establishments. In our first evening, brothers from MIT, Oxford, Dublin, and Paris faced-off in a rugby match. I had never seen rugby before in my life, so it was quite the learning experience. The next day, we took a deeper dive into the world of rugby by watching the England-Ireland rugby match at a local pub. This was a close match, and people were definitely on edge. Straight after the match, we threw on suits to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our chapter at Trinity. This was
a special evening, with a fancy dinner in a castle, and one which is important in Zeta Psi history. With the remaining time, a few of us wandered into the Irish countryside. We took a bus far out of Dublin and wandered for miles up a hill and into the forest. All in all, Lions Weekend was an important brotherhood event, allowing us to span the Atlantic and to visit our brothers on the other side. I was extremely grateful for this opportunity to represent Rho Alpha. In Tau Kappa Phi, Andrew Manwaring, AΣ’23 Αlpha Phi
Once in a Lifetime Experience
Justin Ferris APA
Traveling to Dublin for Lions Weekend was a oncein-a-lifetime experience. When we first arrived, I noticed that the architecture and scenery looked very similar to back home in Boston (aside from
driving on the opposite side of the road). I got to meet several Zetes from the European chapters, and it was a big culture shock to hear how different education and daily life is for them. However, I smiled when I realized that we’re very similar when it comes to shenanigans and general tomfoolery. My favorite moment of Lions Weekend was convincing every Zete at the banquet to sing “Happy Birthday” to Ben Hunsberger,
even though it was nowhere near his birthday. My second favorite moment was hearing the European Zetes cheer for Ben. It showed me that Zetes come from and live all around the world, but at the end of the day, we’re all united under the same roof of the Zeta Psi brotherhood. In Tau Kappa Phi, Justin Ferris APA
Celebrating Zetes Across the World
Sebastian DeJesus AΥ’25
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zetapsi.mit.edu
I joined Zeta Psi in the fall of 2021 to become a part of extremely supportive and kind-hearted men. When I was given the opportunity to go to Dublin to celebrate the 10th anniversary
of the Omicron Chapter, I instantly took it. To travel across the world and to meet other Zetes was an experience I will never forget. I had never met any of these men prior to this celebration. However, everyone was extremely kind, and it felt like we all knew each other. We were all able to bond over shared experiences of being in Zeta Psi and effortlessly to create genuine friendships. From
plying to rugby to singing in pubs, I experienced true brotherhood, and the trip was one to remember. In Tau Kappa Phi, Sebastian DeJesus, AΥ’25
An Interesting Learning Experience Hello everyone! Pictured A Members of the Alpha Upsilon class of the Rho Alpha Chapter at Revere Beach in October (left to right): Jayden McNab, ΑΥ’25, Miles Roper, ΑΥ’25, Aidan Blum Levine, ΑΥ’25, Mark Razanau, ΑΥ’25, Oliver Rayner, ΑΥ’24, Sawyer Sands, ΑΥ’25, Ben Carlson, ΑΥ’25, Marco Andrade, ΑΥ’25, Andrew Spears, ΑΥ’25, Max Katz-Christy, ΑΥ’24, Franklin Nguyen, ΑΥ’25, Donavon Clay, ΑΥ’25, and Sebastian DeJesus, ΑΥ’25. Pictured B Brothers and elders of Rho Alpha visited the Theta Omicron Chapter in Dublin to commemorate Lions Weekend this past March: (upper row) Akil Middleton, AG’08, Darius Chan, AP’22, Sebastian DeJesus, AΥ’25, William Cuozzo, AΣ’23, Franklin Nguyen, AΥ’25, Ben Hunsberger, AΥ’25, Andrew Manwaring, AΣ’23, and Νick Janovetz, AO’22; (lower row) John Poliniak, ΑΣ’23, Justin Ferris, AP’22, Matt McGillick, ΑΣ’23, and Sebastian Mendez, AP’22.
My name is Jayden McNab; I’m in the class of 2025 and an aspiring 6-3 from South Florida. To be honest, this semester’s difficulty has Jayden McNab exceeded my expecAΥ ‘25 tations. It feels like there is not enough time in the day to get everything done. If I had three classes, things would be fine, but having four classes, two of them being 6.009 and 6.042, makes time management so much more complicated. Yet, I still choose sleep over the completion of psets, and I still don’t know if that is the best decision. By this point, I have completely dissociated my grades with my happiness which I think is pretty good so now I can smile through the pain. This semester has provided me with some good data, though, so now I know what to expect from future semesters. I was thinking about my future schedules to see if I could avoid running into the same issues, but it seems like it’s inevitable; at some point this institute wants you to suffer and there’s no escaping it. Aside from academics, I learned a lot of IT chair stuff which was cool and new. The server nearly failed due to bad hard drives but we managed to replace them in time, avoiding a catastrophic server meltdown (it was very stressful at the time). I am also the one who is in charge of revamping the ZΨ website, and I think it will turn out well. Spring break should be a nice break though; I am going back to my hometown in Florida so that should be a nice mental reset. Overall, this semester was an interesting learning experience. I hope everything is well with you all! Thank you for reading!
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Pictured C The Alpha Phi class of the Rho Alpha Chapter in rural Massachusetts in April (left to right): Edward Finman, AΦ’24, Clay Davis, AΦ’25, Jack O’Leary, AΦ’25, Aaron Becker, AΦ’25, and Juan Flores, AΦ’25.
Our Intramural Basketball Team
In Tau Kappa Phi, Jayden McNab, AΥ ’25 IT Chair
DECEASED We regret to report the death of the following brother since our last issue:
Suresh T. Segaran August 11, 2021
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Actives and elders, consider joining the Zeta Psi–Rho Alpha Chapter group on LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com groups?gid=4116516
The Rho Alpha Chapter’s intramural basketball team for the spring 2022 semester (left to right): Donavon Clay, ΑΥ’25, John Poliniak, AΣ’23, Sawyer Sands, AΥ’25, William Cuozzo, AΣ’23, and Alan Vazquez, AΥ’25. SPRING 2022
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Find us on Google+, or visit our website: zetapsi.mit.edu.
Pursuing a Passion in Intramurals I had a pretty unremarkable high school basketball career. I didn’t make the cut for our school’s freshman team, and it wasn’t particularly close. I had grown a bit too fast at the end of middle school and had ended William Cuozzo up wobbly, frail, and unAP ’22 coordinated. I resorted to playing in a rec league where, even there, I was far
from our team’s best player. Still, I had found a passion for the little things in the game such as hustling for a loose ball, setting a good screen, or making the extra pass to the teammate with the hot hand. On Zeta Psi’s intramural basketball team, I’ve had the chance to continue pursuing this passion alongside brothers who share the same love of the game. Still, I found so much more. I found that basketball was a way to connect with my brothers by working toward a common goal. For two 20 minute halves, all there is to focus on is winning, and that can be beautiful. Seeing my teammates
care about the little things, play unselfishly, and give it all inspires me to be better and brings me closer to them as people. Having to strategically adjust our gameplan in huddles–without pointing fingers or letting ego get in the way–tested and built our communication skills. And finally, doing something that we all enjoy together has simply been an incredibly gratifying and memorable way to spend time with my fellow Zetes. In Tau Kappa Phi, William Cuozzo, AP ’22
From Superman to Boomerang This January I had the opportunity to take part in our annual pledge project during work week, the complete renovation of a room in the house as a pledge class. This year we worked on Superman, a secΒen Ηunberger ond-floor single that AΥ ’25 was in pretty terrible shape. The room started out with deteriorating furniture, once-white carpeting now varying shades of mustard, paint chipping off the ceiling,
tattered blinds, and really anything one would expect from the oldest room of greatest neglect. Throughout the week we put in a collective 100 hours to change all of this, replacing the blinds, flooring, and trim; repainting everything; refinishing the loft; and even adding new lights and outlets. The musty scent was replaced with fresh paint fumes (which are finally dissipating after a month) and the old furniture was swapped for newer pieces, untarnished by mice. Seeing the change we had made in only a week was incredibly gratifying, but even more rewarding was the time spent working with each other, telling stories, jokes, or even just listening
Spring Rush Brings Five New Members Following the completion of our fall rush, the general atmosphere in the house was one satisfied exhaustion. Determined to rush a large and vibrant new class, every member of the house put their all into the goal Amogh Bhatnagar of bringing diverse, enAT ’24 ergetic, and charismatic new members into our brotherhood. I distinctly remember observing our new pledges in commons the day after closing the book on rush and reflecting upon how we absolutely achieved our goal with these new pledges - pledges that I am more than proud to now call my brothers in TKP. Yet, even then a faint note of dissatisfaction lingered in my mind, and I am sure too did it linger in the minds of many brothers. While we were extremely pleased by our new pledge class, we still knew a few freshmen who decided to turn down bids to our fraternity out of concern about fraternity life, among other reasons. Over the following weeks these notes harmonized into a chorus that implied one thing: that we must 4
attempt a spring rush. As our house had not attempted a spring rush in 15 years, our newly elected rush chair Ben Carlson ’25 and I undertook developing a spring rush program from scratch. We determined that, due to the smaller scale of a spring rush, most of the rushing should take place via 1-on-1 interactions. As such, we designed events, such as an escape room and a sit-down dinner, that facilitated these types of interactions. We also decided to make this a closed rush, in which all events were invite only, to better tailor events for these 1-on-1 interactions. As any previous rush chair can attest, despite the weeks of planning and discussions involved with rush, it always feels as though everything falls apart during every rush event. Yet somehow, at the end of that crazy week, we find ourselves with 5 exciting new pledges. So now, I again can find myself in the commons reflecting upon our wonderful new pledges playing pool in the game room, while ruminating about the amazing things I am sure they will do for our brotherhood.
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In Tau Kappa Phi, Amogh Bhatnagar, AT ’24
to music as we went. The chance to spend time together with a common goal and to cement ourselves to the house through a physical improvement to it was fantastic. I moved into the house only a day after the room’s completion and have the honor of residing in this new room, now titled “Boomerang.” It’s certainly not perfect, but every missed brush of paint or questionably installed fixture is a reminder of a great moment spent among the Alpha Upsilons. In Tau Kappa Phi, Ben Hunsberger, AΥ ’25 Brotherhood Chair
Alpha Sigma Report Continued from Page 1
attending, please RSVP via the link below. We hope you can attend. https://w w w.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ zeta-psi-elder-reception-tickets-295842933177 In the following articles you will hear stories about our return to campus, reflections on our time at MIT, and moments that provide inspiration, reflection, and amusement. I hope you enjoy this edition of the Rho Alpha Review! In Tau Kappa Phi, Miles Roper, AΥ ’25 Alpha Sigma
Rho Alpha Review is published by the Rho Alpha Chapter of Zeta Psi at MIT for its members and friends. News and photos are always welcome and should be sent to Alumni Records Office, The Rho Alpha Chapter of the Zeta Psi Fraternity, P.O. Box 390528, Cambridge, MA 02139-0006.
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SPRING 2022