Transit Club News
Connecting Purdue-Chapter Alumni of Triangle Fraternity
Chapter House Summer Refresh Initiative
The Purdue Triangle Alumni Board has authorized a new project to “refresh” the interior décor, furnishings, exterior façade, and landscaping of the Chapter House. These renovations will provide a more inviting and livable environment for our Active Brothers while increasing our pride in the Chapter for both Actives and Alumni Additionally, we believe these improvements will greatly help recruit new members during Rush. We have code-named this project the Summer Refresh Initiative (SRI). Further, we believe these improvements will meet our needs for the next 3-5 years, before a major renovation/ rebuild project can be started.
The current House was completed in 1957, with expansions in the 1960s and 1990s After 65 years, the House exterior looks dated, and the interior has fallen into disrepair. The Board unanimously agreed that we needed to update the exterior and interior’s visual appeal to match our desired brand image and achieve our strategic growth plans. Accordingly, we identified improvement areas that could be completed by the start of the Fall 2023 semester and formed an Alumni team to fundraise a minimum of $100K. To date, we have raised more than $210K thanks to the outstanding work of the SRI team and our generous Alumni donors, which have allowed work to begin and additional improvements.
We have hired Lori Graham, a DC-based Professional Designer, to work with the SRI team to develop a new “look and feel” for the Chapter House, consistent with our STEM Vision/Mission while creating a comfortable living space for the Actives and visiting Alumni
June 2023
The image-changing scope of SRI now includes: Exterior Façade and Entrance (paint and stain); Foyer/Front Hallway/Pledge Desk area (new flooring, drywall ceiling, light fixtures, and paint); Formal Living Room (new flooring, drywall ceiling, light fixtures, and paint); 1st-floor Dorm Hallway (new ceiling, paint, light fixtures, and water fountain); Stairwells (new paint, floors, and light fixtures); Dining Room (new ceiling, paint, drywall segments, light fixtures, and furniture); Chapter Room (new ceiling, drywall segments, paint, and light fixtures); and Social Function Room (new paint and light fixtures).
Project implementation started on May 17, with interior demolition of existing flooring and ceiling tiles, and exterior façade painting and staining See the included photos illustrating the work in progress.
For Alumni who have already donated – thank you very much! If you have not yet donated – there is still time to help with SRI. The initial demolition has exposed some additional fire alarm/sprinkler and electrical work that will be required, as well as several additional improvements needed to meet our desired brand image and further enhance the living experience in the House These additions include: conversion of the 2nd-floor library to a new social area, new custom shelving and benches in the living room, new furniture for the Chapter room, and a new audio-visual system for social areas. With these additions, the revised total project estimate is now $285K. So, we have a revised goal of an additional $75K.
To donate to the SRI project, see our new Alumni website for details to pay by either check or credit card: https://PurdueTriangle.com
First, thank you for making SRI a reality and helping to rebuild our brand image on the Purdue campus! To date, more than 250 Brothers have supported this initiative. And more than 40 Brothers (Board of Directors and non-Board members) from across the United States are currently giving a significant amount of their time and talent to rebuilding Alumni engagement and relationships with our Actives, mentoring the Actives, helping recruit new members, and establishing new standards and operation plans to improve the cleanliness and maintenance of the Chapter House. We are really making progress toward our strategic growth goals!
Also, I am pleased to announce we have a new Chapter Faculty Advisor. As you know, Dr. Mark Bowman, who served as our Facility Advisor for more than 40 years, announced his retirement last year. Mark, we thank you again for your years of service and dedication, and we wish you much happiness in your retirement! Our new Chapter Faculty Advisor will be Dr. Gerhard Klimeck, a world-renowned expert in nanotechnology and Purdue Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He will begin his term with the start of the Fall 2023 semester. Additional information regarding Gerhard and his new role will be presented in future newsletters and website updates.
Our SRI team continues to amaze! The fundraising team, managed by Brother Dave Gary, has smashed our initial dollar goals and has re-established personal connections with many of you, furthering our Alumni engagement objectives. The design and construction team, headed by Brother Rob Searle, identified and hired an outstanding Professional Designer, Lori Graham, who really “gets” the vision and branding we are creating to build the leading STEM fraternity. And Rob is also serving as the general contractor and program manager to supervise the various sub-contractors – a huge job requiring countless hours per week. We look forward to showing you the finished project during the Fall 2023 Homecoming Alumni Meeting and Open House!
To that point, start planning to join us for our Annual Purdue Triangle Alumni Organization meeting during Homecoming, Saturday, September 30, 2023 – in person or via our webcast. We will discuss the current “State of the Union” with facts and figures to satisfy an engineer’s mind. And Committee Chairs will present our recruitment, branding, renovations, career planning, mentoring, cleanliness, cultural, and food service initiatives. Our legal team will also present, for your voting approval, new organizational bylaws and governance policies. We will also tour the newly “Refreshed” Chapter House. And for those attending via video streaming, we will stream a slideshow highlighting the many improvements.
Finally, our 40-Brother Alumni Board team has come together over the previous nine months, giving their time and talent, AND they are definitely RAISING THE BAR! Thanks, team! However, we do have lofty goals; we have much more to accomplish, and we continue to need your help with the many initiatives going forward. Thanks in advance for your continued help and support in making Purdue Triangle THE leading STEM fraternity!
In F, S & C, Randy Herrel (A&AE 72)
President, Purdue Triangle Alumni Association Board of Directors
