Testimonials

To Whom It May Concern:

We are writing this on behalf of our son, who is now a senior in his fall semester (2009) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  He is also a member of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.   Like any other parents, we always want the best of everything that is available for our children.  We cannot and will not always be able to make each and every decision for our children but hope that what we have taught them in life will help them make responsible choices that are best for them.  We believe our son's selection of R.P.I. is an excellent example of a "best choice" and good parenting.  He has always strived to succeed and excel and although he was accepted into many competitive schools, we were comfortable and proud of his decision to attend RPI.  We felt confident that he was on the road to making many future responsible choices.  

Much to our disappointment, in the fall semester of his freshman year he expressed interest in joining a fraternity.  Based upon all of the negative press, movie clichés' and stereotypes associated with Fraternities, as parents we were opposed to this idea.  For us, his education was far more important than a bunch of guys at "party central".  As difficult as it was for us, we let him know our position and left the decision entirely up to him.  Just as he had been in the past, he knew he would have to be responsible for whatever choice he made.  Needless to say, we were not happy with his decision.  Needless to say, we were wrong. 

His decision to pledge Phi Kappa Theta has proven to be "a best choice" for him.  While all fraternities are not created equal, we believe he found one that best suited his personality and ideals.  The "Brothers" (a term we had to adjust to since he only has a sister) have established a support system that goes beyond the walls of their room or, for that matter, the house.  In his sophomore year he moved into the Fraternity house.  Again, we were not thrilled with the idea.  The ''house" is home to over 40 young men.  We were concerned with his academics and feared that they would not be a priority.  Again, we were wrong.  When needed, his brothers were there to support each other academically.  Our son has been on the Dean's List 5 of his 6 semesters.  The house is entirely self-sufficient with the brothers cooking and cleaning themselves.  As it was expressed at their open house "we work very hard during the week and we like to have our fun on the weekends".  They take what they do seriously and are responsible for their activities.  As part of their Risk Management, sober transportation is available for anyone consuming alcohol. 

Since joining the Fraternity in 2006, our son has expanded and enhanced his college experience through Phi Kappa Theta.  In this short time he has held various positions within the fraternity such as Risk Manager, House Manager and is currently the President.  He has been fortunate enough to attend 3 leadership conferences hosted by the national fraternity as a representative of his chapter and has also taken on the position of a national representative for the Northeast Region of Phi Kappa Theta.  The brothers show dedication and respect to each other as well as the community around them.  As part of their mission and an example of their leadership, the fraternity routinely participates in fundraisers and charitable events for local as well as national organizations. Philanthropy is another aspect of the Phi Kappa Theta life, as evidence by their motto "Give Expecting Nothing Thereof".  

Their ability to manage the ongoing operation of a house of this size with multiple objectives is a testament to their commitment to each other as Brothers and the organization as a whole.  We believe the positive life experiences our son has attained at RPI by being a brother of Phi Kappa Theta go beyond the walls of a classroom and have far exceeded our expectations.  His decision to join Phi Kappa Theta was a "best choice".

Sincerely,

Neil and Victoria Rodgers

As a graduating senior in high school, I had good grades like all RPI candidates, but I was a mixed bag from a personal development perspective. I was part computer nerd, part sports guy, and very much introverted and insecure. Hyper-focused on my forthcoming education, I was rigidly anti-fraternity, and very much disgusted at the thought of associating myself with the common fraternity stereotypes in any way. I shyly attended Rush events at a few different houses on campus during the Fall semester of my Freshman year, and over the course of a few months, to my surprise, I found myself strongly gravitating toward the men of Phi Kappa Theta, the community, and connections they had fostered with one another. Somehow, I had curiously discovered a group of men who had managed to turn the stereotype on its head, not by any magical formula, but simply via the quality of the individuals drawn to one another there. Each Brother was unique and diverse, but shared the same solidified fraternal mission that transcended differences and brought everyone together in a very special way. Like everything I do, I deliberated intensely, taking my time to ensure I was making the right decision, and by the end of the Fall semester, my resistance to fraternity involvement, specifically this fraternity, had completely dissolved. I pledged in the Spring semester and was initiated into the Brotherhood before the end of the school year.

It is not possible to overstate the intensity and difficulty that was my experience of getting an education at RPI. My first wake-up call was the 19% I received on my very first Calculus test. It ended up being an F+. I remember that day in class like it was yesterday. The TA wrote the grade distribution out on the chalk board, all the way down to 0%, for which she somehow found it important to annotate as “F-----“ (i.e. an F with 5 minus signs). As a straight-A student coming out of high school, I was completely devastated and demoralized. In the past, I had always found a way to succeed by relying on myself, but then and there, RPI made it very clear that it was calling me to something greater. I wasn’t going to survive and grow intellectually unless I was willing to face the fear of growing socially and emotionally.

The day I choose to pledge Phi Kappa Theta was the day I committed to growing into the man I have become. I faced my fears, learned to contribute to a community and a cause without expecting anything in return, and in return I was supported not only in my intellectual journey through RPI (I ended up getting an A in Math after all), but in all aspects of my life and development since. To this day, I continue to meet other men, who were in other fraternities, in other schools, and they almost universally only keep in touch with a few of their Brothers at best, but usually none at all. They are dumbfounded when I tell them that I am in active contact with hundreds of Phi Kappa Theta Brothers spanning almost 5 decades of graduating years, continue to assist each other in all of life’s things, and gather in person at least once a year to continue to strengthen our bonds, supporting, and evolving “The House” for both the actives at RPI and the PKT alumni at large.

I am forever honored and grateful to be a Brother of Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. From the ideals, values, and ethics the experience and Brothers have gifted me, to the unimaginable vastness of enduring community that has opened up to me in my life as a result. I would be delighted to speak with any prospective RPI student and/or parents regarding our fraternity. Just fill out the Contact form and let me know you’d like to speak with me and we’ll be put in touch.

Chris Minerva

Class of 1992

Hometown: Massapequa Park, NY

Living In: Seattle, WA