This year, Triangle Fraternity will host a
Virtual Founders’ Day celebration
on Saturday, April 17 at 3 PM Eastern time!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
This conference will be hosted on Zoom conferencing services and will include a live message from Triangle President Joe Cerrato, audio recordings of Triangle Founders and early initiates, and the introduction of Triangle initiate number 30,000.
This will be an online meeting, where you can participate via computer browser or dial in by phone. Regardless of how long you can join us, we hope you will partake in the celebration. Participants on computers will need to download a Zoom client file to have access to all features. Those dialing in on phone don’t need to do anything special. Once you register for the event, you will receive an email with all the details to particpate.
Whether you are able to join us Saturday or not, please enjoy the following Founders Day Message from National President Joe Cerrato os05.
National President’s Founders Day Message
In 114 years, Triangle has been able to reach the lives of 30,000 members. Our members have gone on to do good deeds in the fields of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics), the communities in which we live or serve, and for our own families. We have done so based on strong moral foundation taught by our Ritual as evidenced by the actions of those that came before us and stand next to us. We are not perfect Triangles, but in many ways, we aspire to be even if our “angles” may all not be in equal alignment all the time.
Our Brotherhood, our existence, was tested this year. Our chapters were tested in their ability to recruit under difficult university conditions. Our active members were tested with the challenges of keeping each other safe and minimizing risk of exposure to COVID-19. Our alumni members were tested with the challenges of continuing mentorship, fellowship, and volunteerism in an all-virtual environment.
Instead of searching for excuses to success, we leaned into these challenges with the determination and passion that comes from technically trained problem-solvers. Chapters conducted themselves with high levels of responsibility by organizing proper COVID-19 protocols to minimize risk of exposure and spread. Many of our chapters saw record-setting recruitment classes or overall growth, year-over-year, from the 2019-2020 school year. Virtual hangouts have become the new normal amongst our members finding new ways to forge our bonds of brotherhood.
Our national organization pivoted to an all-virtual model, providing chapter visits, recruitment coaching, online self-study courses, and, for the first time ever, a virtual Leadership & Training Weekend which had an all-time high attendance record. Last, but certainly not least, our alumni stepped up in a major way, donating over $100,000 to the Fraternity. These funds helped continue our professional services to our chapters, provided economic relief by issuing credits to all chapter invoices, and enabled us to fund two new positions that will focus entirely on chapter growth over the next two years.
While we have re-tooled our methods and support of our undergraduate experience, Triangle serves a longer-term purpose that goes far past the university years. That is why it is so vital, in a year that we celebrate our growth to 30,000 members, that we focus on extending our reach to new members and existing members and GROW. We need to grow our membership. We need to grow our chapters. We need to grow our volunteers.
Today we celebrate the Founders of Triangle 114 years ago. But also today, we are the Founders of the next 114 years. Go forth as such and fulfill your legacy! We must begin our plans to further grow Triangle with renewed purpose and passion.
And if you have to stop and ask why,
… look to the Brother who said they wouldn’t have made it through some of the most difficult undergraduate studies one could pursue without the support of their Triangle Brothers…
… look to the Brother who would not have had the confidence in themselves to start a company, lead a team, create a new invention, or solve a societal problem without the leadership experience they forged in their local chapter…
… look to the Brother who came before you and said, “let me tell you about Triangle” and introduced you to a group of men that became your family or home, when maybe you did not have a consistent family or home before…
… look to the Brother who donated their time, talent, or money, because they stated, without a doubt, that you are an investment they believe in…
Go and fulfill your Founders’ legacy and ensure it finds its way to 30,000 more members in far less time!
To all of my Brothers, I wish you a safe and wonderful Founders’ Day!
In FSC&T,
Joe Cerrato os’05
Triangle National President