Tom Sanders says that while he was in school, Zeta Beta Tau was known for the “best cook on campus.”

When not at the house, he and his brothers could often be found at the student center playing pool.  

A standout story from his fraternity days involves a mischievous plan that we executed to perfection, until it wasn’t: “For our pledge prank we moved all of the living room furniture onto the roof of the house. This was very funny, but, of course, we didn’t expect rain – not so funny while we scrambled to get the furniture back inside.” 

Other great memories include the house Halloween parties – “even if I can’t remember much!” – and road trips to the north Georgia mountains in the fall to see dawn when the Fall colors were out.

For Tom, the lasting legacy of ZBT is the bond of friendship that stands the test of time. “I’ve stayed in contact with a few brothers over the years and manage to see a couple who live in Florida on my road trips to see relatives/in-laws who live in the southeast Georgia area. No matter how much time passes since seeing a brother, it always feels like yesterday.”

Within four weeks after graduation, Tom got married, moved to Miami, and began a job working for the Florida Power & Light Company (FPL). He retired from FPL in 2012 and currently resides in Miami with his wife of 49 years, about one mile from their son’s family. 

 

ZBT’s annual Get on the Ball campaign starts this month, as brothers will roll a 6-foot diameter beach ball around campus to publicize the efforts and collect signatures and pledges of support from the campus community.  Proceeds go to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH) to aid research of childhood diseases and treatment of children with serious health issues.  The local affiliate in Atlanta is Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA).  CMNH is an official philanthropy of ZBT Fraternity.



ZBT’s GotB Week kicks off on February 27th and concludes with the campus-wide Dance Marathon, which is hosted by Georgia Tech’s umbrella organization that supports CHOA and CMNH .  Campus partner organizations such as ZBT will present their donation collection amounts for a total campus donation.



If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution, please use the following link and select the Support Us link.  Thanks for your consideration.



Link:  https://events.dancemarathon.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=62880

Here’s a quick snapshot of things happening around the house this month:

• Brothers recruited two new members in rolling rush for spring.
• House upgrades and renovations included new paneling in the stairwell, new carpet in the bar room,  new side door, and new fixtures in the upstairs bathroom.
• The pool table was refelted and moved upstairs thanks to generous donations from recent alumni.
• The brothers are excited to participate in the upcoming Get on the Ball effort.  One brother, Irvin Angeles, recently visited with children at the local Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta who will benefit from ZBT’s GotB fundraising.

Pundit Scott Galloway reporting on the dearth of friendships in men. (LinkedIn) 

In the United States, friendship is on the decline. In fact, in the decades since 1990, the percentage of Americans who say that they have less than three close friends has doubled, going from 16% to 32%. Those reporting no friends at all? That number has risen sharply from 3% to 12%. Thought leader Scott Galloway reports that 1 in 7 men have no close friends at all outside of their family. 

This is a problem. Beyond the obvious benefits of friendship — connection, shared memories, someone having your back — there are incredible health benefits attached to having strong friendships.  

Robert Waldinger, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard, runs the world’s longest study on happiness. He explores the question: “What keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life?”  

Waldinger is the fourth director of the longest-running study of adult life. Since 1938, the Harvard Study of Adult Development has been following a group of 724 men through work, home, family and health. Over 80-plus years of the study, some experienced meteoric success, some epic failure. But who was happiest? 

“The biggest lesson we learned is that it isn’t wealth, fame or hard work that matters. Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. Period,” he said. He added that the healthiest 80-year-olds turned out to be the ones who were most connected in their 50s. Those with good relationships had healthier bodies and clearer minds than their counterparts. 

People who do not have vital connections as they walk through life’s joys and challenges show marked differences from people with strong friends. In Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam posits that participating in even one social organization and forming friendships could cut your odds of dying in the next year in half. A recent report showed that loneliness registers an impact on your well-being similar to that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day and rivals alcohol and smoking as a cause of early death. 

Recently, a survey went out to alumni of a fraternity that doesn’t have an undergraduate chapter. The survey invited alumni to weigh in about the future of the chapter and the value of reopening the house on their college campus. The questions boiled down to “Why?” What is the value of their chapter — or any Greek organization — in today’s culture? One alumnus answered with just one weighted word: camaraderie. 

There are hundreds — thousands — of other words to back up that shortest answer. Fraternity groups like this one, and like Zeta Beta Tau, are ideal leadership training grounds, hot spots of philanthropy and mentorship. But Zeta Beta Tau’s most basic element is also its most valuable: the camaraderie gained during pivotal years forms ironclad friendships that last decades. And while they are making life richer and better, these friendships are actually making us healthier, happier and live longer.  

Here’s a challenge for us in 2023. Let’s buck these statistics. I’ll wager someone came to your mind as you were reading this. Reconnect with them — do it this week. Make plans to see a game, or plan a weekend. If travel is not in the cards right now, just keep in touch. Share an old story, or dig up a picture from the good old days. Your friendship — and your health— will thank you. 

There’s a new era dawning for Georgia Tech football, but the road to renewal got bumpy in 2022. After Geoff Collins got off to a listless 1-3 start, Brent Key injected new focus into the team and went 4-4 the rest of the way, including a 21-17 upset of North Carolina. 

We want your stories, updates, and photos from the season. Did you catch the Yellow Jackets in person? Attend (or host) a watch party? Travel back to campus? Did you get to watch the team with any of your brothers? Tell us how you experienced this past football season, and send us some great photos from your road trip, tailgate, or gameday party to share with the brotherhood. 

Are you optimistic about the Ramblin’ Wreck’s future in Brent Key’s first full season at the helm as head coach? What are your expectations and record predictions for 2023? 

Send your thoughts, photos, and stories to: [email protected] or submit them here!

It’s almost the halfway point of our giving year and we still have a ways to go to reach our goal! Will you join the brothers listed on the HONOR ROLL?  

Your contribution makes an impact. It is at the heart of everything we do. Your contributions ensures that new generations of Zeta Beta Tau have the same opportunities as you, and not only that, it supports all funding for alumni events and communications!  

DONATE HERE

With your donation, you support something we all need, which is our community. Being part of something bigger, embracing shared values, and creating lasting relationships—these life experiences are at the core of the Zeta Beta Tau experience and are a living example of the true meaning of community.   

Gifts of all sizes make a difference. Make your gift and make sure our Zeta Beta Tau community thrives.   

DONATE HERE

This month, we are taking it all the way back to the year 2001. Check out this throwback of Xi-Lights! The newsletter features a letter from president Douglas A. Bodner ’87, an alumni picnic, homecoming 2000, class reunions, several alumni updates, and more!

For our next newsletter, we would love to include an update from our alumni of all decades! What updates do you have to share with the chapter? Did you recently move or get a new job? Maybe you recently made a visit to Georgia Tech! Let us know HERE or send an email to [email protected]. 

Happy New Year, Brother! Our wish for you in 2023 is for a year filled with happiness, peace, good health, and prosperity. As we continue to reflect on 2022, we must keep at the for front of our minds, the mission and objective of Zeta Beta Tau, and the responsibility we have as alumni to the place that has provided us with the foundation skills for our success we have now.  

Now as alumni, we ask that you continue to put your best foot forward to help support not only our alumni events and communications, but that we continue to help perpetuate our undergrad chapter forward. So that these fine young men can experience all the opportunities we had during our time in Zeta Beta Tau. Help keep us strong message so we can succeed.

For those who are able, please consider a monetary donation by CLICKING HERE, this will also get you a spot on the Honor Roll, FOUND HERE. We thank you in advance for your continued support. 

Even on crutches, Steve shows how to throw a frisbee.  With brothers and friends on the front porch.

We are saddened to report the passing of Steve Novak ’83.  Brothers from the 1980s shared memories of him over the past several weeks.  Among the accolades, he was cited as a good friend and a “force of nature.”  While in school, he was vice president of Xi Chapter.  He will be missed.

Obituary courtesy of The Daily Star:

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – Stephen Eric Novak, “Steve,” of Amelia Island, Florida, passed away on Nov. 29, 2022, at his home, surrounded by love. He was a beloved husband, brother, uncle, business partner and friend.

Steve was born on Sept. 6, 1960, in Syracuse, to the late Gene and Alyce Hunt Novak.

He was a graduate of Morris Central School in Morris, and Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

After graduation he worked in the chemical industry in the Atlanta and Charlotte areas until his retirement. While in Charlotte he met and married the love of his life and best friend, Taisa. They moved to Fernandina Beach in 2015 where he began a second career in consulting and as a partner in Srion Tech.

Steve had a lifelong love of cooking, the beach and football. Weekends were always celebrated with his great food from the grill or smoker. He was a fan of the Ramblin’ Wreck and Carolina Panthers, no matter how good or bad the season. He even tolerated the UT orange his love insisted on wearing on Saturdays saying he would just put on his sunglasses. He was known for his uplifting sunrise pictures he posted online every morning. He was also an avid reader and always had a book nearby.

Steve had a kind heart, infectious laugh and was always ready for a good joke. He was a generous man and dedicated to his family and friends. He truly lived life to its fullest. He is free now to let his spirit soar.

Steve leaves behind his wife of 29 years, Taisa; their dog, Kali; his sister, Gene Novak and husband, Matt Hanson; brothers, Kevin and Darryl Novak; nephews, Sam and Alex Hanson and Garrett Novak; and sister-in-law, Tanya Essary.

The family thanks Dr. Vu and his staff at MD Anderson and Community Hospice for their care.

A Celebration of Life will be planned for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Special Olympics or one’s local humane society.

Congratulations to the Class of ’67, whose members gathered at Homecoming back in October for their 55th anniversary reunion.  Here they are at their reunion dinner.

L-R Myra Witten, Eileen Benator, Barry Benator ’66, Mark Witten ’68, Steve Steindel ’70, Renee Karchmer, Howard Karchmer ’69, Lynne Steindel, Harry Lutz ’67, Rosanne Lutz, Dane Ismart ’68, Carolyn Ismart

 

Are you ready to take on our 2022 Holiday challenge? Without all of us, the Xi Chapter of Zeta Beta Tau simply does not exist. Your 2022 year-end gift can help to make this our best year yet. Are you in? 

Why should you give back? Alumni contributions are at the heart of everything we do. Your gifts help to support our undergrad chapter and keep the house in good shape to stay competitive during recruitment. Our contributions also support every alumni experience like reunions events and make it possible for us to stay connected through news and updates. 

Will you step up to lead the way by being the first from your grad year to add your name to the Honor Roll of Donors? Don’t miss the chance to give back to the organization that defined our Georgia Tech experience. Even just $10 will let your brothers know you’re out there and you still care.  

Help us make this giving year the strongest one yet. To give to the 2022-23 annual fund today, use any of these methods:  

• Click here to donate online 
• Call our toll-free donation hotline at 1-800-975-6699 
• Mail a check to our donation processing center

 Click here to see who’s on the 2022-23 Honor Roll of Donors. Add your name now. 

Zeta Beta Tau is a student-run, living-learning society that advances leadership skills, cultivates innovation, and promotes social responsibility by engaging the Zeta Beta Tau community and its resources through projects, events, and mentorship.  

While active brothers are able to learn and develop through our traditions and amongst each other, it is evident that alumni involvement and connections are far more important now than ever. Brothers of all ages can pay it forward to our actives by choosing to mentor the younger generations.  

Mentoring: 

• Provides students with experiences and knowledge so they can explore their potential outside of their core coursework 
• Prepares students to be future leaders through innovation, collaboration and networking 
• Assists with finding internships and first jobs as well as a network to assist in mid-career support 
• Enables actives to gain unique, meaningful, practical, resume-enhancing experience 
• Develops leadership skills by starting a new organization that can have a meaningful impact to the Zeta Beta Tau community and college life across the nation 
• Establishes a network of relationships with students, alumni, faculty, and the administration that will support actives while at Zeta Beta Tau and throughout their career 
• Builds life-long relationships gained through a living learning organization that goes beyond the years spent at Georgia Tech 
• Enhances personal and professional development through a structured mentoring program that includes students, alumni, and faculty 

Zeta Beta Tau aims to create an environment that promotes mentorship at various levels throughout the Georgia Tech community to assist brothers in their personal, academic, and professional development, bringing together students, alumni and faculty.  

As many of you already know, we said goodbye to Brother Paul Mandé ’69 earlier this year. He led our alumni board for many years during the 1980s and 1990s and actively supported Xi Chapter throughout his alumni experience. He made a real difference for generations of Phi Eps and ZBTs.  

Brothers, if you have any stories, memories, or special moments you shared with Paul, we are asking that you submit them to our alumni communications partner at [email protected]. 

Source Courtesy of Atlanta Jewish Times 

Paul Mandé, a devoted family man and standout musician with a passion for serving his community, passed away peacefully on May 3 at the age of 74.

Paul was known for his engaging personality, his love for storytelling and his dedication to family, friends and the organizations he so passionately served. His commitment to his many causes was surpassed only by his love for his wife, Audrey, his three children and their spouses and his four beloved grandchildren.

Paul was born in Mamaroneck, N.Y., and raised in Miami, where he attended Coral Gables High School and honed his skills on the clarinet. He later attended Georgia Tech on a full academic scholarship, where he was president of the Georgia Tech Band and a proud member of Phi Epsilon Pi.

After earning a physics degree in 1969, Paul embarked on a career in engineering before beginning his own company, Cherry Systems, which specialized in data recovery. Later, he branched out into an emerging new cybersecurity realm by launching Discovery Computers and Forensics.

Inspired by his experience on Georgia Tech’s campus, Paul was an executive trustee for Zeta Beta Tau’s House Corporation for more than 15 years, and a generation of graduates still remember him fondly. His passion for Judaism ran deep. He was a proud member of Temple Emanu-El and, later, Chabad of East Cobb.

For much of his life, Paul could often be found on nights or weekends in friendly competition on the tennis court, speeding through choppy waters on his boat at Lake Arrowhead or playing clarinet and saxophone for the Modernaires Big Band and other large audiences.

His passion for music was a constant throughout his life and he relished the chance to play music in shows at the Marcus Jewish Community Center, his Dixieland group and the Cobb New Horizons Band.

In addition to bringing joy to his many audiences through music, he served for years on various committees for the Willow Point Homeowners Association and more recently took on a role as a patient and family adviser for Emory Healthcare. He never missed a chance to volunteer his time when he felt he could make a difference in people’s lives.

Paul is survived by his wife of 28 years, Audrey, whom he loved dearly, and his children and their families: Chris and Marion Mandé, Craig and Pam Marbach and Sheryl and Greg Bluestein; and four grandchildren: Noah Marbach, Claire Marbach, Nicole Bluestein and Brooke Bluestein. He’s also survived by his sister, Fran Pollack, and his niece, Michele Gust. He was predeceased by his former wife, Debbie Mandé, and his parents, Sally and Pierre Mandé.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Winship Cancer Institute at https://winshipcancer.emory.edu/support-winship/give/ or Chabad of Cobb at chabadofcobb.com.

We want to wish all our current Xi Chapter undergraduates as well as all of our alumni members a Happy Thanksgiving. The holiday season is always a time of reflection, celebration, memories and most importantly, gratitude. 

Whether it be through donations or time spent volunteering, we are thankful for your support in more ways than one. As Zeta Beta Tau brothers, we share a passion for the brotherhood that contributed to our personal development, our relationships, and our lives as students and far beyond to our roles as husbands, fathers, professionals, volunteers, neighbors, and friends. 

We can’t overestimate the true meaning of adding your name to the ranks of our alumni donors. We want to share our continued gratitude to those brothers listed on the honor roll HERE who have graciously given back to Zeta Beta Tau this holiday season. 

The national fraternity of Zeta Beta Tau shares an up-to-date digital magazine for brothers of all chapters to enjoy. The publication includes stories of success, academics, athletics, culture, student life, and more! Check out the archive of the The Digital Deltan, including the latest edition, here! 

Why do we give back to Zeta Beta Tau at Georgia Tech? This year, brother after brother answered that question and said it was because of how much Zeta Beta Tau changed their life. Zeta Beta Tau gave them leadership skills and friendships that have weathered life’s ups and downs. Together, our gifts can make sure that the important benefits of fraternity membership live on — both through us as alumni, and with the next generation of students.   

While the Zeta Beta Tau experience of today and tomorrow might be different from your personal experience, the core values remain. Leadership, integrity and service to others still form the foundation of our brotherhood. Lifelong friendships, like the ones you continue to enjoy today, take root in new Zeta Beta Tau brothers.   

Your financial contribution to Zeta Beta Tau at Georgia Tech does more than honor these ideals. It perpetuates the lifelong impact that Zeta Beta Tau has on our alumni brotherhood and the next generation of brothers who will gain leadership experience, camaraderie, and friendships that will last long into their life after graduation.   

Did the Xi Chapter change your life? If so, we hope you’ll join us with a donation to the Annual Fund.  

We are looking forward to adding your name to the Honor Roll of Donors and to keeping you informed about the impact of your support.   

Please feel free to reach out with any comments, questions or concerns you may have –  We would love to hear from you.  

As summer has come to a close, we would love to hear about your favorite summer adventures! Did you travel abroad with your family or make a trip back to campus to visit some old college buddies? Whether it was this summer or a summer 50 years ago — let us know your answer, and we will share it with your fellow alumni in our next communication! 

 

Do you have a favorite adventure photo or story to share? Tell us all about it!