Architecture fraternity returns after 16 years
Student contacts national organization to help revive UTA’s Alpha Rho Chi chapter.
By Alicia Kania
Contributor to The Shorthorn
The UTA chapter of the architecture fraternity Alpha Rho Chi is returning after 16 years of absence.
The Shorthorn: Manikandan Sachidanandan English senior Jessica Tedder is the president
of newly reinstated architecture fraternity Alpha Rho Chi. The fraternity has a new chapter
at UTA after it was closed in 1989.
Jessica Tedder, English senior and chapter president, said she got involved with its resurrection after coming across the Web site and contacted the national organization to see why the UTA branch no longer existed.
“The alumni in the area are very enthusiastic, and this will be a great way to get students connected to the alumni industry,” she said.
Tedder said the turnout has been good so far. More than 20 students are currently involved.
The fraternity is not only open to architecture majors but to any interested students.
Xenocles, the university’s chapter of the professional coed fraternity, began in 1970 and ended in 1989 due to declining participation, said Vicki Horton, chief operations officer for the national organization.
Horton served as the fraternity president during her time as a student here and said she is ecstatic to see it returning.
Architecture Dean Donald Gatzke supports the fraternity and said that when he initially met with the student representatives, he thought the return of the fraternity would reflect positively on the university.
“Anything that supports the professional advancement of the students is a good thing,” he said. “The principle of fraternity organizations is to establish networks with people that benefit the individual throughout life.”
Samantha Curtis, interior design junior and the new chapter’s vice president, said she got involved with the organization after seeing fliers posted during the summer. She knew Tedder before and asked her for details. Curtis said she hopes the fraternity will increase communication between several sections of the university.
“A big part of it is trying to form ties between architecture, engineering, interior design and landscape architecture,” she said. “In the real world they all have to work together, but right now we don’t really have anything to do with each other.”
Tedder said members will be sworn in Oct. 22 during the pledge ceremony. She said that officers are planning events but have not set dates.
This article appeared in The Shorthorn, the student newspaper at the University of Texas at Arlington, Oct. 5, 2005. It is used with permission of The Shorthorn.
