As Indiana Alpha returned to Purdue’s campus in 2019, it became clear that the 110-year-old chapter house would need a complete renovation. Since its construction in 1915, the house had only undergone cosmetic changes. As such, the AVC embarked on a three-year capital campaign, raising $2.1 million. The AVC enlisted the help of SigEp National Housing to broker a $4.3 million construction loan through Union Bank and Trust. All told, the $6.5 million project will be one of the largest in SigEp history.

As rising interest rates threatened the project's viability, the AVC quickly pivoted to a phased renovation. Rather than closing the house for upwards of 18 months, the AVC began renovating floor by floor, allowing other areas of the house to remain occupied in order to offset operating costs. Ultimately, the project is expected to be completed ahead of schedule, with work anticipated to be finished by the end of this calendar year.

For the first time in its history, the house will be fully sprinklered with fire protection, underscoring the AVC’s commitment to safety in this project. The house will sleep up to 62 members while providing a study lounge on each floor, a 60-seat classroom and all-new mechanical systems. This project comes at the right time, given that the chapter has nearly tripled in size and doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. The completed project will retain the home’s ornate wood floors, wood trim and original fireplace, making it a perfect blend of modern and functional space while highlighting the storied past of Indiana Alpha.

Since its founding in the early 1960s, Indiana Eta has occupied a 100-year-old house with historic ties to the city's past, across the street from Indiana Tech’s main campus. As the university and private developers built brand-new housing adjacent to and around the chapter house, it was apparent the dated house had fallen behind. The AVC discussed a new build and even began fundraising in the early 2000s. However, the project stalled and fell far short of the intended capital campaign goals.

Another 20 years passed. While relatively small, the alumni base remained committed to the dream of a new home. The AVC decided to go all-in on building a new chapter house. Between alumni savings and generous donations, the AVC was able to fund over $600,000 toward a new house, with a goal of raising an additional $200,000. The AVC also solicited help from SigEp National Housing to secure a $750,000 loan to make the new build a reality today instead of years into the future. All told, the new house will be completed at a cost around $1.4 million in time for move-in this fall.

The house will feature a specially insulated study room on the first floor that will reduce noise from other areas of the house, six fully furnished bedrooms, a media room that will provide space for everything from chapter meetings to group projects and a second floor collaborative study area to complement the one on the first floor. The house will also be equipped with a buildingwide security system and sprinkler system, emphasizing the importance of safety for our members.

While many alumni and volunteers have been integral in the project’s completion, special thanks go to Don Lomont, class of ’64, who has served as the AVC’s New House Committee chair since the early 2000s. Don has spent countless hours organizing this project, doing so while living in California and recently battling health challenges. Don has also been a generous donor to the project, which could not have happened without him.

The AVC for Indiana Theta at Trine University understands the importance of year-over-year investment in their fraternity house. This investment takes the form of an annual alumni work session, which has proven to be a great way to keep the alumni base engaged while enhancing the experience for undergraduate members. This year, the AVC focused on building a SigEp Learning Community space within the house.

As a result of generous gifts from alumni and the time and talent invested by the AVC, the chapter now boasts a new SigEp Learning Community space, complete with a new privacy wall for individual study, new lighting, furniture, and technology upgrades that include new computers and a printer. The space is a selling point for new members and has been touted by parents and university administration alike as an example for others to follow.

Since these updates, the chapter has experienced tremendous membership growth, reaching a total manpower of 80, the highest in the chapter's history. The improved learning environment fostered by the new space is already paying dividends: The chapter GPA has increased by over a tenth of a point. With an average GPA of 3.37 and a new member GPA of 3.50, the results are undeniable.

For the better part of a decade, this AVC has worked diligently to create a new vision for the New York Delta chapter at Rensselaer. Despite setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AVC persevered and completed a full renovation of the Grassett House, one of its three historic chapter houses.

Thanks to generous donations totaling $260,000, an additional $155,000 in AVC savings and a loan from SigEp National Housing, the chapter was able to complete a $870,000 renovation. The now-modernized Grassett House was updated with a new sprinkler system and to bring wiring up to code, while also providing fully renovated bedrooms for members, a new kitchen and new technology to execute SigEp Learning Community programming.

Special thanks to volunteers Steve Fallick, Dave Tomkins, Alex Lin, Don Burgio, Sean McGuigan, Brian Michalka, Randy Oltman, Justin Zeth and Dennis Scurletis for their work bringing this vision to life.