Theta Xi: Delta Chapter

Since November of last year, Delta Chapter has placed an increased focus on improving service efforts throughout the community. With the advancement of the Community Service Chairman to a full officer position, currently held by Robert Warden, Δ1077, our chapter has found newfound leadership in organizing humanitarian endeavors. Theta Xi looks forward to a fall semester highlighted with a variety of community service events. Here’s a look at our numerous projects since last November:

Boston Living Center

This past year, we volunteered at the Boston Living Center’s annual Thanksgiving dinner. The Boston Living Center (BLC) is a nonprofit community resource center for HIV-positive individuals in the Boston area. The center strives to foster a better understanding of HIV/AIDS through community education and outreach programs, and its success is largely dependent on the efforts of Boston volunteers. We helped set up for the night’s events, served food throughout the dinner, and manned the kitchen. We also had an opportunity to interact with members of the BLC. It was a moving experience; speaking to people that may only have a few more years to live really opens your eyes to the world. It was an experience that we all gained from personally.

We headed back to the BLC again in early March to serve dinner to members. We had a great time helping out throughout the night. We have done some volunteering over the summer, and will certainly make it back for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner.

PSC SciPro Tutoring Program

Brothers of Theta Xi have also been heavily involved in programs that aim to promote academic success among younger students. SciPro tutoring through the MIT Public Service Center, for example, is a program that several brothers continue to participate in. Through this program, brothers have mentored high-school students from Boston public schools. This has provided an opportunity for several brothers to help younger students pursue their passion for science and mathematics.

ESP Splash

In November, several brothers volunteered for Splash run by MIT’s Educational Studies Program (ESP). Splash, ESP’s largest event of the year, offers high school and middle school students an opportunity to learn about cool topics in math and science. The event was fun to be a part of, and we will definitely participate again next year.

ESP HSSP

ESP’s High School Studies Program (HSSP) offers a variety of courses to both middle and high school students in the Boston area. This spring, brothers volunteered to teach HSSP classes at MIT. This program has given brothers a chance to reach out to younger students interested in certain academic and non-academic subjects. Brothers who have participated in this program have had a great time. Our house’s involvement in this program will continue into the summer; brothers have expressed interest in teaching classes about genetics, cosmology, neuroscience, and cool topics in physics.

Greater Boston Food Bank

On May 13, about half of our house headed to the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) to help sort and pack meals for homeless shelters and low-income families in Boston. We worked the afternoon shift at the food bank. With 19 brothers at the event, we packed over 4800 meals and almost 6000 pounds of food in total. If you do the math, that comes out to about 320 pounds of food packed per brother! The event was a particularly rewarding experience because we were able to reach out to a significant number of families in need. The GBFB event’s success has left many brothers excited at the opportunity to return to volunteer each semester and turn this worthy cause into a new house project.

Habitat for Humanity

Brothers of the Delta Chapter have held leadership roles in MIT Habitat for many years. Sidharth Puram, Δ1045, served as president of Habitat for Humanity for three years and really pushed the organization forward during his time at MIT. Jeffrey Borowitz, Δ1057, has also served as president and has helped expand the organization in the past year. In February, Jeff represented MIT Habitat in Row for Humanity, a fundraiser put on by the MIT women’s crew team. Ten percent of all the proceeds were donated to MIT’s Habitat chapter. Other brothers have also played major roles in Habitat for Humanity. Rishi Puram, Δ1068, helped put together a breakfast fundraiser for Habitat in late March. With donated foods and drinks from Starbucks, Forbe’s Café, Brugger’s, Star Market, and Costco, the fundraiser raised over $300 for the organization. Other brothers have participated in on-site work days to help in the construction of low income housing or volunteered at the on-campus build day during MIT’s spring weekend.

Spring Break Trip to New Orleans

Kurt Stiehl, Δ1054, and Anthony Kesich, Δ1081, are two brothers who are striving to give back to the community. During MIT’s spring break, Kurt and Anthony traveled with other friends of the house to New Orleans to help with house reconstruction through a national service program, Common Ground. One of Common Ground’s central missions is to provide long-term support in revitalizing communities affected by the hurricanes in the gulf coast region. With thousands of communities devastated by the disaster, volunteers like Kurt and Anthony helped to begin the rebuilding process. Kurt and Anthony had a very memorable experience. More information about Project Common Ground and its mission can be found at http://www.commongroundrelief.org/. Pictures from their trip have been included on this page.

Elderly Assistance Program

Other brothers have taken community service into their own hands. Alexander Bagley, Δ1064, is a model example. This past summer Alex started the Elderly Assistance Program (EAP), a group that aids the elderly in managing their prescription drugs. EAP aims to help the elderly in finding pharmacies near their homes, setting up mail-order accounts for medications, and arranging for the delivery of their prescription drugs. Alex has met with dozens of seniors and has helped them set up healthcare plans and order medications. He continues to keep in touch with them. You can find more information about this program at http://web.mit.edu/abagley/www/eap.html.

Emergency Medical Technician

Aaron Bell, Δ1046, is a member of MIT-EMS, a group that aims to provide emergency medical assistance to members of the MIT community. The group operates an ambulance and all EMT’s are proficient in life support techniques. MIT EMS also offers emergency medical training for both undergraduate and graduate students at MIT. Aaron served over 90 hours as an EMT during IAP and throughout the semester and, even as an alumni, continues to serve as an active member of the MIT-EMS team.