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Welcome to my Alumni brothers and guests! First, a little background about the Foundation. The Missouri Delta Foundation was formed in 2001 and is the official alumni association of the Missouri Delta Chapter. Its Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated alumni ranging from founding members of the chapter to recent graduates (current board roster below).
The Foundation has redefined the goals of the chapter with emphasis on leadership, alumni mentoring, university relations, scholarship, service and social activities. The new mission of the chapter is:
To Develop Leaders in The True Gentleman and Jesuit Tradition
The Foundation has worked with the University to insure that SAE will continue the rich tradition that began over thirty years ago. For the first time we have established written criteria for admission which will serve as a continuing reminder of the goals of SAE.
In the Fall of 2004 the Chapter was permitted to pledge again, and six energetic new brothers were initiated. In the Spring of 2005 another four were initiated. Five seniors were graduated in May 2005, meaning that we now have five undergraduates (one junior and four sophomores) to begin the 2005-2006 school year. We could not have asked for a better group of men. During the 2004-2005 school year our actives quickly became leaders on campus and developed an excellent relationship with the administration.
Obviously our goal for the upcoming year is to recruit more quality members, which should be easier due to the very large class of freshman men attending Rockhurst this Fall. We anticipate continued success in building the Chapter back to it's previous position on campus with a possible rechartering as soon as April of 2006. It is important to note that, in our drive to regain the charter, we will never sacrifice quality for numbers. Rest assured, we are stressing our requirement that any man given an SAE bid will meet the high standards set by our national office, foundation board and you, our dedicated alumni. The return of the Charter will represent the last step in overcoming the suspension in 2001 and we invite you to attend the installation (date to follow) to celebrate with the Chapter. Be sure to register your information (link not yet active) with us so we can get you on the mailing list.
Why have so many alumni donated countless hours and/or financial support in the effort to rebuild the Chapter? Images of “Old School” immediately come to mind, but they could not be further from the truth. First, we all know that the experience of brotherhood can last a lifetime. We want to make sure that others have the same opportunity to benefit from SAE. In addition, the alumni are able to influence and guide the young men who choose SAE. There is nothing more rewarding than instilling the qualities of The True Gentleman.
To insure the success of the SAE chapter, we need your continuing support and involvement. For example, we are committed to making sure that each year several of our actives attend leadership school and the national convention, and it is our responsibility to pave the way financially for that to happen.
We have found that it is almost impossible for a small, rebuilding chapter to compete with the others on campus without alumni donations of time and money. If you would like to become involved as a Board Member, Officer or mentor to an active brother in your field of expertise, please contact the Foundation at admin@saemodelta.com. Of course, we would always welcome your financial support as well!
We invite you to join the Foundation and participate in whatever degree you feel comfortable. Whether serving as a Foundation officer, actively working with or on the Foundation’s Board or simply participating in social or philanthropy events, we believe you will find membership in the Foundation to be a personally rewarding experience. Moreover, you will be helping preserve the legacy you worked so hard to establish during your undergraduate days.
We look forward seeing you in the upcoming years and months.
Yours in the Bonds,
Jerry Bales (’71)
Chairman, Missouri Delta Foundation
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