Theta Chi officially added new initiates to its rolls, successfully redeveloping and revitalizing Alpha Zeta Chapter at the University of Rochester. On April 26, at 2:00 p.m. EDT, 20 men pledged themselves to the ideals and traditions of the Fraternity. Recruited by Growth Specialists Eric Rys and Cam Saccoccia, the 20 men are: Haoxaun Cen (2028), Jiarui Feng (2027), Yizhou Lin (2027), An Luo (2027), Matthew Ma (2027), James Mao (2027), Yan Men (2027), Xinghan Mou (2027), Zihan Qiu(2027), Zhe Shi (2027), Ray Sze (2027), Ryan Yan (2027), Sinan Yang (2028), Glen Ye (2027), Ben Ye (2027), Raymond Zhang (2027), Kevin Zhen (2027), Lichuan Zhong (2027), Jianyu Zhou (2027), and Chris Zhu (2028).
Their CAB currently consists of Alpha Zeta/Rochester alumni Mike DeMarco (1987) and Kevin McGuire (1983) who are currently searching for additional alumni support.
Following difficulties with chapter operations and recruitment on campus during COVID, membership at Alpha Zeta dwindled to base levels. International Headquarters Growth Specialists Eric Rys and Cam Saccoccia arrived on campus in fall 2024, as the boots-on-the-ground to quickly revive the chapter. They quickly identified now-Chapter President Ben Ye (2027) as a young leader on campus who would set the tone for the new chapter culture. Upon the Growth Specialists’ departure, the 11-man group received support from Assistant Director of Growth Zack Ross and continued to recruit other like-minded students naturally, finding recruitment success through mutual friends, pickup basketball, and striking up conversations in class.
Due to the lack of membership, Alpha Zeta's house on campus is currently being utilized by another student group. The house was still being used to store Alpha Zeta's Ritual equipment, IHQ staff members soon discovered that the items were destroyed or lost due to water damage. But an Assisting Hand from nearby Iota Psi Chapter at the Rochester Institute of Technology provided the necessary equipment for Ritual and and Kappa Theta/SUNY Geneseo supplied manpower to serve during the ceremony, Alpha Zeta's first initiation since 2022.
“Alpha Zeta has done a phenomenal job of hitting the ground running. The group gained a strong and unified membership early and have continued to use the momentum in all aspects of fraternity life. It was a pleasure working with its leadership and I look forward to all their accomplishments!” – Assistant Director of Growth, Zack Ross
“Assisting in the initiation of the Alpha Zeta chapter was a well deserving and memorable moment. The membership’s dedication to the Fraternity was clear and proud.” – Interim Director of Chapter Development, AJ Tu
“Being Chapter President of Alpha Zeta is both an honor and a responsibility I embrace wholeheartedly. Our chapter's rich history at the University of Rochester is inspiring and I hope our chapter can foster a brotherhood that not only cherishes our traditions and the ideals of Theta Chi but also actively contributes to our campus and community.” – Chapter President, Ben Ye
Associate Director for Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Eric Pope (Eta Zeta/Edinboro 2003) was of great help by providing insight on the campus culture and was pivotal in on-campus leadership development for the fledgling group. Alpha Zeta alumnus Jacob Ark (2012) attended the chapter’s initiation, providing a critical link within Alpha Zeta Chapter while serving a demonstrative role in transmitting the ideals of Theta Chi. The initiation ceremony was led by International Secretary Dr. James Black who served as the Presiding Officer and Assistant Director of Growth Zack Ross who served as the Marshal. Additional attendees included Interim Director of Chapter Development, AJ Tu and several collegiate brothers from Kappa Theta/SUNY Geneseo including Dominic Cotrange (2027), Tyler Day (2028), Brody Herron (2027), John Ryan (2027), and Stephen Welsch (2026).
The executive board was quickly formed, and the newly initiated and installed officers established themselves in their new roles. With a wide variety of majors – from Computer Science to Business Administration – paired with a steadfast resolve to move forward, the brothers of Alpha Zeta are excited for the future.
You can follow the new group's exploits via their Instagram click the name below to send notes of congratulations to newly elected Chapter President Ben Ye.