This past weekend, something truly extraordinary happened. Nearly 100 Penn Theta alumni brothers returned to 3908 Spruce, spanning over four decades of our chapter’s history, to join the current brothers — and what unfolded was magic.
There was laughter, tears, bear hugs, and stories that felt like they’d only been paused a moment ago. We played a tournament of 83 games and 6 rounds, and Mike Liptak and Dave Schneider won a decisive victory. I dare say every brother that came found one of the organizers and said something along these lines. Frank Fehrenbach: “GREAT JOB and what a great weekend!! You brought a lot of joy to us.” Hadley Harris: “Still buzzing from yesterday. Huge phi alpha… So special being transported back to such an amazing era of our lives with you all!”
It wasn’t just a reunion — it was a moment of rediscovery. A moment where we saw, crystal clear, just how powerful this brotherhood still is.
And now, it’s time to build.
We met our $50,000 campaign goal. That alone is a tremendous feat. With Josh Harris’s generous $10,000 contribution and support from so many of you — Josh Blatt, Brian Terp, Vijay Chattha, Paul McCafferey, Rana Prasad, Tom Murtaugh, Gus Lipman, Craig Meyers, Honorably Chappy, Ari Greenman, Miguel Torres, and so many more beyond — we now have the funding — and the momentum — to lay the foundation for a new era of Penn Theta SAE.
Please see this speech rallying the brotherhood around this re-union, everyone’s contributions, and the future of Penn Theta SAE. Please also see some of the photos from the event attached below, as well as a few more here. The spirit of this gathering all points to one thing: a renewed pledge to the legacy we’ve inherited and the legacy we must build.
But here’s the truth: we need your help.
For years, brothers like Steve Sloan, Steve Saltzman, and Harry Fisher have carried the torch with honor and dedication. Now it’s time for all of us to step up and join them in writing the next chapter of Penn Theta. The strongest fraternities on campus today — as confirmed by both the brothers and Penn’s OFSL — have active Alumni Councils to help advise, support, and guide their future. And the current brothers have also actively reached out and asked for our help, mentorship, helping them carry the house forward in a way that captures the magic of this weekend for ages to come. This is our moment to shape our part of one of the greatest universities in the world, Penn.
We are now organizing the Penn Theta Alumni Council — a permanent structure to ensure our chapter thrives going forward. Our mission spans:
- Alumni correspondence and events
- Fundraising and treasury oversight
- Advisory support to the undergraduate chapter
- Capital improvements and house stewardship
We’ve already got initial leaders stepping up — including Rick Abeyta, Gus Lipman, Josh Blatt, Paras Shah, Vijay Chattha, myself, and many more — but we need you.
Our first initiative is planning how to invest the $50K+ raised now, along with up to $50K in existing Penn-held SAE funds. Initial project focus:
- Modernizing the Library, Great Hall, and Foyer — core spaces for brotherhood and memory-making
- Restoring and reframing composites, refurbishing original chapter books, and protecting historical materials — a mission Rick Abeyta is spearheading
- Outdoor upgrades — power washing, copper accents, re-installing the SAE letters
- An A/V overhaul, already spearheaded by the current brothers
The spirit is high — but we need your engagement to match it. We have the spark. Now we need your participation.
And rest assured, that our bold mandate forward — is a new mission rooted in the spirit of the True Gentleman and expanded by the values we now carry with us. Scholarship. Leadership. Brotherhood. Diversity. Propriety. Protecting and Preserving the House. Fun Social Experience. And the current brothers are as deeply committed to this as are the alums — current executive officers will sign a pledge toward this mission on an annual basis.
So we ask:
Reply and raise your hand. Be part of the magic. Join the Council and pitch in on one of the alumni committees, bring your class back for a mini-reunion, or simply commit a couple hours a year to help move the needle forward. That’s all it takes.
👉 Join the Brotherhood WhatsApp here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CRLf9MD5UnSGlQ3rWAPOtI
(We’re spinning up class-based, regional, and project-based groups next.)
Together, we are CEOs, Managing Directors, General Partners, Engineers, Investment Managers, Founders, Doctors, Attorneys, Creative Directors, and other thought leaders; along with being proud SAE and University of Pennsylvania alumni. We are the True Gentlemen and collectively across 50 years — just like we did on April 5th — we can set forth a new legacy for the brotherhood; a Penn Theta SAE legacy that endures for generations to come.
