New York Tau-Gamma    
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On March 12th, 2004, the True Gentleman's Club of RIT became the New York Tau-Gamma Colony of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. With 20 members, New York Tau-Gamma strives to change the reputation of the Greek community at RIT, to work with the community and promote the positive aspects of Greek life. Seeing that the Greek community is mostly frowned upon and stigmatized for isolated incidents, the Brothers of SAE are out to do their very best and leave a long-lasting impression in the Greek community, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the general community around them.
 
The new school year immediately started with New York Tau-Gamma’s first Rush. For a week and a half, the brotherhood hosted many events to attract potential future brothers, including a pancake eating contest, a Buffalo wings night, and a night at the local pool hall.
After multiple nights of interviews with the Rushes, the brothers of NYTG voted on the students who would form their inaugural pledge class. In the end, seven upstanding men were approved and accepted their bids to form New York Tau-Gamma’s historic first pledge class, Pledge Class Alpha: Kyle J. Hadcock, James M. Simonds, Matthew M. Brennan, Justin D. Cole, Joshua M. Goldman, Michael S. McGovern, and Christopher P. Yang. Although the Colony lacked any experience training a pledge class, its zeal helped to instill an adamant unity amongst the members of “PCA” which propelled them to great success.
After six long weeks of pledging, the members of Pledge Class Alpha completed their objectives set forth by Aaron Guhin (who had become the Colony’s Pledge Educator), and were allowed to become brothers. On November 6th, 2004, New York Tau-Gamma held its first pledge initiation ceremony, and the membership rose to twenty-four devoted men. Work immediately began on the Winter Quarter’s Rush period.
            With optimistic momentum, the brotherhood conducted their second Rush program during the university’s second trimester. With doubts cast off after seeing the success of Pledge Class Alpha, all six bids that were extended were enthusiastically accepted, and Pledge Class Beta was formed by Matthew D. Risi, Gregory A. Hinchey, Andrew Z. Milinichik, Sean M. McSherry, Andrew C. Berghauser, and Alexander K. Essex.
picOn January 15th, the Colony held its “Shave-A-Thon,” a philanthropic event sponsoring the Gilda’s Club of Rochester, an organization which aids cancer victims and their families. In the “Shave-A-Thon”, the highest donators were given the opportunity to shave the heads of any participating member of the Colony. Sixteen members, including almost all the current pledges, volunteered to have their heads completely shaved to demonstrate not only their support toward patients of cancer suffering from chemotherapy, but also their unity and dedication toward each other and their Fraternity. The “Shave-A-Thon” was a success, raising more than $500 dollars.
Also in January came time for the Colony to hold its annual elections to determine the future leadership of the organization. By a majority vote, the brotherhood elected Michael McGovern as Eminent Archon and Kyle Hadcock as Eminent Deputy Archon to guide them through the transition toward chapterhood, which was scheduled to take place in a few months.
Though still a Colony, the brotherhood was not left out of one of Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s finest traditions, the True Gentlemen Day of Service: On the sunny, Saturday afternoon of April 16th, the brothers spent their day cleaning the play area of the children’s wing of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital and making it safe for summer usage. The work entailed hauling and washing dozens of rubber tiles, rain-proofing wooden benches and tables, and cleaning indoor play equipment. The strain of the labor was deflected by the bonds of friendship among the men, and the total of over eighty-five hours of community service was attained with ease.
Shortly thereafter, on April 30th, 2005, thirty-one men of the colony, both current brothers and graduated alumni, were ritualistically initiated as full brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and the chapter of New York Tau-Gamma, after nearly four years of hard work and preparation, had finally become a reality.
picThe banquet celebration held later that night was a momentous celebration. Distinguished guests from across the Realm included Eminent Supreme Archon Thomas Bower, his wife Odie, Province Nu Archon Fritzgerald Lauture, Assistant Executive Director of Region II Michael Wymant, and Director of Extension Michael Corelli. Speeches by Mr. Bower, his wife, and Mr. Lauture brought remembrance to the great ideals New York Tau-Gamma was founded upon. Eminent Archon Michael McGovern proudly recited a brief history of the chapter and received a commemorative gavel from Brother Bower, and the other four officers of the Executive Council were formally installed by the Eminent Supreme Archon. The presentation of the charter christened New York Tau-Gamma as the 288th chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and distinguished the historic night as one that will forever live in the hearts of all the founding fathers of the New York Tau-Gamma chapter at RIT.