When brothers from Trine gathered in summer 2024 for their annual Active/Alumni Summer Work Session, they went big and went home. The 2024 session marked the fourth year in a row for the event, but was the first time it lasted an entire week. Previous work sessions had run for just two days. Over the course of the week, alumni and undergrads worked together to complete repairs, upgrades and replacements at Indiana Theta’s chapter facility.

Volunteers came from the immediate vicinity and from as far as Texas, South Carolina, Florida and Wisconsin. Many of the alumni who volunteered stayed at the chapter home.

Undergraduate brothers teamed up with an alumnus and, together, chose which tasks to tackle. Naturally, skill and experience were important, but the experience was also a valuable lesson in home maintenance for those who weren’t as handy.

The biggest task — converting the TV/ recreation room into a new academic space for the chapter’s SigEp Learning Community — started with removing the old carpeting and fireplace. To provide the privacy and quiet required for an effective study space, brothers built a wall to separate a corridor from the new learning center. In addition, the walls and ceiling in the space   were repaired and painted, and the lighting and sound were upgraded. New vinyl plank flooring was installed after classes started in August.

Other completed projects included:

• Replacing a deteriorating floor outside one of the second-floor showers
• Replacing several doors, including installing some automatic door closures
• Testing lights, switches and fire exit signs throughout the house and replacing them as needed
• Installing LED lighting in the kitchen
• Repairing the basement sound system and installing a ceiling-mounted projector
• Refreshing the landscaping

Just as significant as the repairs was how everyone pulled together. The alumni/ undergraduate match-ups provided great opportunities for mentoring, bonding, and learning from and about each other. Everyone who participated ate all of their meals together, including a dinner provided by Denise Stump, wife of one of the alumni.

Of course, an event of this scale doesn’t happen without extensive organization and coordination. All projects, including the necessary materials and tools, were planned months in advance by Indiana Theta Alumni House Manager Greg Dragoo, Trine ’82.

What’s more, costs for the event came in under budget, making the week a complete success. Indiana Theta used a grant from its Chapter Investment Fund, the Fraternity-held accounts established to help chapters improve academic spaces and support other education-related expenses. Alumni also contributed funds to the renovation project and helped the chapter purchase furniture and equipment for the new learning center.