An unlikely pair attended Eta Upsilon/Texas A&M's reinstallation on November 22, 2014. Epsilon Psi/NJIT members Diego Jimenez (2016) and Alemnehe Lemma (2015) made the trip from Newark, NJ to College Station, TX and we wanted to find out why. So we went to the source and discovered that the trek was a result of a promise made at this past summer's Initiative Academy. Brother Jimenez provided us with the details:
"The reason I decided to attend the reinstallation of Eta Upsilon was the promise I made to Long Tien, one of the coloniy members I met this past summer at Theta Chi's Initiative Academy at Indiana University. He mentioned to me that his colony might get his charter soon. Once he told me that, I replied saying that I've never been to Texas, but always wanted to go. After getting to know him, my group, and our facilitator Justin Jones, I made Long promise that if [Eta Upsilon Colony] gets [its] charter next semester, I will personally fly down and attend the reinstallation."
Diego continued, "[A few months later,] I got a message from Long telling me [Eta Upsilon] was getting [its] charter on November 22nd. After that, I bought my ticket and convinced my chapter brother Alemnehe Lemma (2015) down with me. Not only did I want to be there for Long, but I really wanted to show the colony real brotherhood, not just as a chapter but as an International Fraternity. Once you become a Theta Chi, you don't just get 50 or 60 brothers - you get thousands and they are your brothers for life."
Diego explained that the trip was not as simple as they had intended, "The trip was pretty interesting, it included leaving the fine city of Newark which we thought was unsafe as it is, to going to Trenton NJ, which turned out to be a lot worse. We took a train from Newark to Trenton and found out no more trains were going to Philadelphia International Airport. After that, a NJ Transit worker we befriended during the trip there offered to take us there safely, and not miss our flight. That was our only and last time getting a ride from someone we just met but he was a really kind person in the end. We then got on our plane, with a layover in Detroit, MI, and got to College Station. Waiting for us was a one of the colonists, Addison Symank."
What did two members from New Jersey thinking about the great state of Texas and visiting Texas A&M? Diego commented, "Throughout that whole weekend we really felt the southern hospitality from our newly initiated brothers. Whether it was eating the best BBQ of my life with Ryan McDonald, to shooting a gun for the first time with Patrick Quintero, or even seeing the great campus that Texas A&M had to offer with Long Tien."
Epsilon Psi/NJIT's Diego Jiminez (l) pauses for a photo with Eta Upsilon's Long Tien (r) at Texas A&M. Jiminez met Tien during 2014's Initiative Academy and promised to attend Eta Upsilon's reinstallation.
Diego added, "Not only did I get to experience the Texas Culture, but I got to experience how they ran their colony along with their long road to becoming a chapter. After attending their last meeting of Initiation Week, I witnessed how well these men carried themselves, how determined they were to become a chapter, and how much respect and professionalism they had towards one another. Once these great colony members were initiated, I was extremely proud to call each one of those men my brothers. Eta Upsilon has a bright future ahead of them and I wish them all the best."
Thanks for sharing your story, Brother Jimenez, and our thanks to you and Brother Lemma for demonstrating to Eta Upsilon Chapter the spirt of Theta Chi Fraternity, its Helping Hand and our lifelong brotherhood.