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Illinois Newsletter - Spring 2026

Page 1


The ILLumINatI

March 12, 2026

Chicago Alumni Events

Downtown Chicago: The Dearborn

�� 4:00 – 6:00 p m

West Suburbs: Naperville Granite City Food & Brewery

�� 6:00 – 8:00 p m

North Suburbs: Glenview Yard House �� 6:00 – 8:00 p m

Register Online at www.triangleef.org/alumni-events

The Daily Illini, a student-run newspaper, polled Illinois students and community members of ChampaignUrbana about the best aspects of our community. When the polling was over, Triangle Alpha Chapter was voted the best fraternity of 2025!

Each brother in the Alpha Chapter was very proud, as it speaks to our character Brothers make a positive impact in our community in many ways. Our chapter continues to support and donate to the local high school First Robotics team and also raise money for victims of sexual assault

This also reflects our reputation on campus. Triangle is known for balancing academics while fostering a fun and welcoming house culture. We are not afraid to sit in the first row in class!

We are honored to be recognized by our community. Yet, we continue to strive and be Better Men every day.

BuILLding the Future

Homecoming

We remain committed to excelling in our studies, creating meaningful community impact, and upholding the core values of Triangle!

Major Bylaw Changes

New major changes to our bylaws are our living-in-house requirement Each brother must live in the chapter house for at least one year or until the capacity is full at 52 brothers.

This change was essential in protecting the long-term health and operation of our chapter home Consistent and full occupancy is necessary to support the basic cost such as maintenance and renovation repayment to Triangle Building Housing Corporation. Beyond money, having a full house keeps brotherhood strong, tight-knit, and creates brothers who are truly passionate about our fraternity

This did affect RUSH, as potential number members were hesitant about signing contracts to live-in house.

RUSH Director Brother Joey Magee comments that many potential new members were turned away due to the long-term commitment without fully experiencing what Triangle has to offer.

With more brothers moving in, major efforts by House Manager Brother Dan Drobnic ensured daily operations kept the house clean and organized He implemented a ticket system maintenance tracker to document areas of the house needing repair. Our goal is to lower operational costs by doing the repairs ourselves and then taking the steps to one day fully own our chapter home

With all these challenges, the Alpha Chapter believes that living in a house is vital to get the full Triangle experience. Our house is where friendships are built, and each brother becomes a part of something bigger than themselves

We are currently on pace to hit our initial goal of 50 brothers living in the house next semester!!

Makerspace Upgrade

The Makerspace is a defining attribute of Alpha Chapter Many brothers use the Makerspace to work on school, personal, and house projects that benefit all brothers in the house. Due to the generous donation of alumni Brother Mark Tolliver, the makerspace is getting upgraded! Recent improvements include better organization of 3D printing equipment, new storage for personal projects, additional workstations for group collaboration, and refreshed office materials The laser cutter and CNC machine have also been fully restored and are ready for use. The chapter is incredibly grateful for the continued generosity of our alumni, and we encourage brothers and alumni alike to support future improvements that will help the Makerspace continue to grow and serve the chapter.

Feature us on Home and Garden Channel

One week before the start of the Spring 2026 semester, brothers came together to improve our chapter home. Our biggest concern was that our house did not feel like a home I felt similar to an office building due to the lack of color and overall bleakness The Alpha Chapter decided that painting the walls would make our house more cozy and welcoming. We painted hallways, decorated the living room, dining room, and lounge with accent marks and triangle mottos The brothers were very pleased with the final result, as it turned out better than expected!

This is one step toward making our chapter house feel like our home Projects undertaken by brothers, such as building a small firepit area and constant maintenance upgrades, make the house truly unique and an environment all brothers can call home

I’m All In! A Growing Culture

House culture is constantly evolving, with a growing tradition of weekly late-night poker sessions Roughly 25 brothers, ranging in many skill levels, play Texas Hold’em in a friendly, but competitive game. These low stacks allow newer players to learn the game from more experienced brothers. Poker has been a way to connect with potential new members during rush, giving them a glimpse of house life. These late-night games are full of a ton of laughter and memorable moments shared between brothers.

Alumni Speaker Series

In an effort by the active chapter and Illinois Triangle Alumni Council (ITAC)l, brothers want to focus on professional development

Beginning this academic year, every month, an alumnus, attending either virtually or in-person, gives a presentation about their career and offers brothers personal professional advice. These talks help bridge the gap between brothers and alumni by providing mentorship and real-world perspectives that prepare brothers for life in the workforce If you are interested in giving an Alumni Talk, please reach out to ITAC president Bob Weder.

Building Stronger Men!

The gym got an upgrade! Our chapter bought brand-new dumbbells, ranging from 5 to 100 pounds, additional weight for the cable machine, and new foam floor tile. These improvements reflect the chapter’s commitment to support both the physical and mental well-being of our members. We hope that this improvement will persuade potential new members to live in the house!

SwampWater Continues

This upcoming April 18th, Triangle Alpha Chapter will be hosting the annual SwampWater house show. Bands come from across the midwest making our show one of the most anticipated house shows of the year The featured band is the Alpha Chapters' very own The Slaymakers. These musically talented brothers work all year to put on a great show! SwampWater continues to be a longstanding tradition that brings together brothers from every generation

Home improvement day
Active brother studying
Snow day

SUPPORT ILLINOIS’ LEGACY

The Chapter Endowment Fund exists to help address individual chapter needs. The program is designed to provide additional funding to chapters each year to support educational, leadership, and academic programs that advance the mission of Triangle in building better men in the fields of engineering, architecture, and science.

The brothers, the chapter, and the house deeply appreciate your generosity; hundreds of generous brothers and friends have made their investment in the future of the Illinois Chapter of Triangle, and we still have opportunities for our most generous supporters to be recognized. Thank you for helping to support our Second Century!

SHARE YOUR NEWS

Illinois alumni, we want to hear from you! Share your exciting news, your favorite Triangle photos or stories from the past, and more for a chance to be featured in the newsletter!

LOST CONTACT?

Know a brother who’s changed emails, moved, or fallen out of contact? Help us bring him back into the fold. Send updated contact information to communications@triangle.org so we can keep every Triangle member connected.

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