OX Alpha Psi 2023 Year in Review

2023 has been a great year for our fraternity and we have so many Alpha Psi alumni to thank for their efforts. So many alumni brothers contributed their time and effort in 2023 to help the Alpha Psi Alumni Association, Chapter Advisory Board and Housing Corporation. Below is a summary of our accomplishments from 2023 and a preview of what is to come in 2024. Enjoy!

January

• OX Alumni Association continued with their monthly meeting cadence.  Over 20 alumni brothers meet every month on the first Wednesday to lead communications, fundraising, social, scholarship, and undergrad career mentoring efforts.  The meeting is open to all alumni.
• OX House Corporation Board of Directors (BOD) continues to meet monthly to tend to the affairs of the House.
• The Chapter Advisory Board (CAB) held a half day retreat at the House with the new undergraduate officers to help them plan for 2023.
• Over the weekend of January 6-8, four Alpha Psi undergraduate executive officers traveled to Indianapolis for their respective Officer Conferences. Rece Gardner (President) attended the Sasser Presidents Conference, Alex Kolb (Vice President of Health and Safety) attended the Our Sacred Purpose conference, Jon Rubano (Marshal) attended the Marshals Summit, and Emmanuel Calaroa (Recruitment Chair) attended the Amplify Theta Chi conference.  The Alumni Association funded the undergraduate executive’s travel expenses.    
• OX’s Super Bowl LVII Squares Box Pool raised funds to support Theta Chi Alpha Psi Alumni Association’s funding of undergraduate and alumni initiatives.

February

• The undergraduate chapter initiated 6 new brothers.
• BE THE MATCH PHILANTHROPY CAMPAIGN CONTINUES WITH ALPHA PSI ALUMNI AND UNDERGRAD SUPPORT.  Adam Marcus (F86) continued his sponsorship of a campaign with the undergrads to support the Be The Match program. The campaign centered around the undergrads running events to sign up potential bone marrow donors to help the thousands of people diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. 

March

• On 3/6, the Alumni Association organized a Terp vs PSU basketball watch party at Terrapin Turf. Terrapin Turf provided the food and drink, the AA provided door prizes and over 50 alumni and undergrads attended.
• On 3/12 a number of alumni convened down at the House for a mini alumni work party to install 35 engraved bricks into the House front yard walkway. Smilin Jim Michalik (S86) led the effort. Big thanks to the following alumni who came out to help install our inscribed bricks into the House walkway: Jeff Lunenfeld (S89), Chris Marchand (S85), John Huddle (F86), David Reyes (F96), Tom Gardner (F88), Albie Esposito (S90), and Rob Mercer (F84).
• OX NCAA Tournament Pool Fundraiser raised funds for alumni and undergraduate programs.

April

• Red OX Review Alumni Newsletter Issue #9 is published (LINK). 
• On 4/15 we celebrated the Founder’s Day at the House. Over 50 alumni and undergrads enjoyed a catered lunch and happy hour.
• Founders Day 2023 Giving Campaign Kicked Off.  The Alumni Association’s goal is to raise funds twice per year for programs that benefit both the alumni and the undergraduate brotherhood. Any donation $250 and above received an inscribed brick with the brother’s name and pledge class to be installed in the House walkway.  Any donation between $100 and $250 received an awesome OX rocks glass for your drinking collection.  19 Brothers donated $4,550 to our spring campaign. Thanks to all of generous donors:  David Lively (F96), Dirk Allen (F82), Robert Greenblatt (F95), Darren Hugo (S87), Albie Esposito (S90), Andrew Bonic (S98), Thomas Kramlik (F88), Mark Miller (S85), Keith Shorter (F87), Nicholas Tangney (F03), Tom Gardner (F88), Jim Haley (F56), James Gallagher (S75), Pete Knuppel (S87), Jamie Hupprich (F88), Thomas James (S85), John Gardner (S74), John Huddle (F86) and Rajeev Arora (F96).  
• Jim Crossan (F88) joined the OX Housing Corporation Board of Directors.

May

• On 5/8, Sam Castaneda, one of our OX Alpha Psi undergraduates, died in a car accident. Sam, who pledged OX in 2022, lived at home in Germantown, MD and the accident occurred late in the evening on his way home from a friend's house. Sam, whose nickname was “Tik Tok”, was a sophomore information science major and was only nineteen years old.   A contingent of OX undergraduates joined Sam’s family and friends at Great Seneca Elementary School in Germantown a few days after Sam’s death, holding mismatched candles and sharing memories of him as the sun set. His family also hosted a funeral service, burial service and celebration of life Saturday. A large number of OX undergraduates and alumni attended Sam’s memorial service.  The OX Alpha Psi alumni made a contribution to the costs of Sam’s burial.

June

• A number of OX Alumni gathered to celebrate the 94th anniversary of the founding of Alpha Psi at UMD on 6/10 with a happy hour on the deck.  Steve Broadman (F86), Albie Esposito (S90), David Reyes (F96), Tom Gardner (F88) and Mickey Hickey (F84) came out for the event.  Slab and Mickey’s sons (who are OXs from the University of South Carolina) and a bunch of undergrads joined us for some beers and pizza. 

July

• Tom Gardner (F88) represented the House Corporation at OX National’s two-day meeting in Indianapolis, IN to meet with other House Corporation leaders to gather/share some ideas/best practices for running the House.
• The annual OX Ocean City Fishing Weekend Away from 7/27-7/29.  Over 30 OX alumni invaded Ocean City, Maryland for the annual OX Fishing trip. Thursday night Happy Hour/Close Down the Bar at Fager’s, Friday Fishing and Saturday night Poker at Saad’s. 

August

• The House Corporation welcomed 32 undergraduate OXs as they moved into the House for the 2023-2024 school year.  The House was filled with all OXs for the first time in years.
• Led by Rob Gloekler (F88), House Corporation Treasurer, we started investing a portion of the House Corporation’s reserve funds into short term certificate of deposits (CD) to yield more income.
• Mike Camal joined as our new House Director. Mike was a referral to us from UMD's Division of Fraternity and Sorority Life (DFSL) and has spent the last five years as the Senior Alumni in Residence for the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars in Washington DC).  Mike is also a full-time employee of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  Mike was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon at the University of Rhode Island. 
• Crave Catering was hired to work in our kitchen this year to vastly improve the meal service for our undergrads.  August 27th is the first day of House meal service (day before classes).
• The House Corporation signed an agreement with CSL, Advanced Greek Housing to manage all of our expense collections and undergraduate housing contracts.  CSL is a national vendor that works with fraternities and sororities across the country.  We also introduced Greekbill, an online system for contracts, billing, payments associated with living in the House.  Undergraduates now pay all their fees associated through this platform.  
• The House Corporation sponsored other important House projects to get the House ready for the Fall semester.  We added a foosball table, upgraded the House WIFI to 1.25 GBs, added a 2nd refrigerator in the dining room, bought some new lawn chairs for the deck, bought a restaurant grade ice machine for the kitchen, re-felted the pool table   added a new large screen TV to the red room, and did a complete refresh of the kitchen.
• The Alumni Association released the limited-edition OX Tailgate Season Tour T-Shirts!    Just go to www.thetachimaryland.com and click on donate to get one for yourself! The back of the shirt has the entire Terps football schedule combined with this season’s OX AA social events!  

September

• OX Alpha Psi Undergrad “Career Pathways Night” was held on 9/18.  Rohit Shyam (F88) and John Donoghue (F18) led a seminar on career opportunities and goal setting. The event was attended by the entire undergraduate brotherhood and was very well received.   
• The Alumni Association sponsored the 51st Annual OX Crab Feast on 9/23.  Brother Jason Tepper (S90) worked the grill and Brother Slo Van Dyke (F71) was the master of ceremonies for the annual tradition.
• The undergraduate chapter had a magnificent Fall rush, welcoming 35 new OXs into our brotherhood.
• Red OX Review Alumni Newsletter Issue #10 was published (LINK).
• The OX Alumni website we refreshed.  Jim Nolan (F88) led the effort to add more features to the website…check it out here: https://thetachimaryland.com/.  Some features of the new website:

1. Brothers can pay for alumni events and donate directly from the home page.
2. We have an Events page showing dates of our Alumni Association events.
3. We have a History page detailing the history of our founding at UMD. We have a ton of historic documents we plan to get up on the site.
4. Our current Red OX Review newsletter and all old editions.
5. Pictures...electronic versions of our composites, homecoming pictures, etc.

• On 9/30, the Alumni Association held their 2nd Annual Chili Cook off tailgate at the Indiana vs Terps football game.  We had over ten chili entries in the contest, and Rob Mercer (F84) was awarded the coveted Chili Bowl trophy.  Soleil Beer, by Auger Brewing Company, brewed by Jay Spies (S88), your brewing brother by another mother.  

October

• On 10/14, the Alumni Association sponsored the “Bloodys, Beer and Breakfast Homecoming Tailgate”.  Well over 120 brothers, friends and family attend the Lot 1 tailgate before the Maryland Terps vs Illinois football game.
• The Paul J. Richardson (F79) Theta Chi for Life scholarship committee bestows the Theta Chi for Life Leadership Award and Scholarship to undergrad brother Rece Gardner (F21).  The Paul J. Richardson Theta Chi for Life Leadership Award is a Chapter Fund established to honor Paul's legacy and to support the collegiate men of the Alpha Psi Chapter of Theta Chi at the University of Maryland. The fund provides annual scholarships and resources for eligible members of the chapter who demonstrate service and leadership to the fraternity, and it is presented during Homecoming Weekend. Liz Richardson, Paul’s wife, continued to promote Paul’s legacy of fraternal service and leadership by recognizing current undergraduate president
• On 10/13 we had 47 OX alumni golfers teed it up to battle in the "SNIDELY" Memorial Theta Chi Alumni Homecoming Golf Tournament at Falls Road Golf Course.  Big thanks to Chris “Peanut” Grant for organizing the annual tradition.  The tourney was won for a second year in a row by the team of Ebo Olds (S90), Brian Goodwin (F89), Tom Mavrikes (F89) and Kevin Brown (F88). 
• The House Corporation stayed busy by installing a new internet switch and Eero gateway to provide enhanced WIFI throughout the House.  We had our annual House Fire Inspection as well and passed with a minimal punch list of items to resolve.
• On 10/7, the newest batch of bricks from the Alumni Association’s “Bricks and Rocks” fundraising campaign were installed!  Thanks to all the brothers who donated to the future of the house and added their name to the to the front walk!  Remember....if you don't have a brick, or would like to buy one for another brother, you can do so by going to www.thetachimaryland.com and donate $250.  Don't forget to put your name as you would like it to read and your pledge class in the notes!   FD Campaign Brick Install
• Three distinguished alumni were awarded the 2023 Helping Hand Award at Homecoming.  Congrats to Rob Mercer (F84), John DeRosa (F88), and Keith Shorter (F87) for their recognition as the 2023 Theta Chi Alpha Psi Helping Hand Award recipients.  Each year we recognize outstanding contributions from Alpha Psi alumni and these three brothers were the 2023 recipients.  As the tradition of the Alpha Psi Helping Hand Award goes, the awardee gets the honor of selecting next year’s recipient.

November

• The House Corporation entered into a contract with Green Coast Services LLC to take over regular cleaning, maintenance, snow removal, and lawn care for the House.  Green Coast currently services numerous fraternities and sororities on campus.  The House Corporation ended our contract with College Living after three years of them providing property management services.
• On 11/4, the Alumni Association sponsored the “Mexican Mayhem” tailgate before the Terps vs Penn State game.  The event was catered by our own amazing chef Jason Tepper (S90) with Mexican themed food.  The margaritas were flowing, Jay Spies’ (S88) Auger brewed Mexican Lager (think Modelo Negro) was served, and Scotty's Vodka Screwdrivers were consumed by over 100 alumni and undergraduates.

December

• In early December, the undergraduates elected a new slate of officers to run the day to day of the undergraduate chapter:

1. Jackson Hochhauser- President
2. Connor Owens- Vice President
3. Ethan Richarson- VP, Health & Safety
4. Isaiah Zack- House Manager
5. Stephen Jardim- Secretary
6. John Diab- Rush Chair
7. James Marinello- Rush Chair
8. Aishik Palit- Rush Chair
9. Owen Connelly- Social Chair
10. Bobby Eloshway- Social Chair
11. Benjamin Scrivanich- Treasurer
12. David Malament- Steward
13. Brian McDowell- Philanthropy
14. Darsh Mehta- Scholarship

What’s up with OX Alpha Psi for 2024?

• The OX Alpha Psi Alumni Association, Chapter Advisory Board, and Housing Corporation enter 2024 with a ton of momentum. Our alumni and undergraduates should expect to see more from these three groups in 2024 and we expect to see more engagement from our brotherhood. Below is a summary of what to expect this year:

1. Spring 2024 and Fall 2024 Rush will help to increase the numbers in our undergraduate chapter.
2. Our reconstituted Chapter Advisory Board (CAB) will continue to work with the undergraduates to guide and advise them on best practices for running the chapter.
3. Fall 2024 we hope to have the House full of OXs for the 24-25 school year.
4. The "New Year's Resolute-men" fundraising campaign will kickoff in January 2024. 
5. OX Alumni-led career events to help provide career advice to undergraduates
6. More Red OX Review quarterly newsletters will be published.
7. Five cornerstone Alumni Association social events will be held…Founders Day (April), OX Alpha Psi Founding Celebration (June), OX Ocean City Fishing Trip (August), Crabfeast (Fall), Homecoming Golf and Tailgate (Fall). We will have a few basketball away game watch parties this winter and of course more Alumni Association sponsored football tailgates.
8. The House Corporation will need to refinance our mortgage and are planning projects to replace the deck, replace the front steps, and repair the brick façade of the House.