May the "Spirit of Hanna, My Delta Gamma," Help Make 2018 a Great Year

Molding detail on the door frames of the Chapter Room and Bar Room at 272 Clinton. Ave.

By Gil Gerald

May you and your families have a great 2018! As I pause as President of DGT Alumni Association to reflect on the past and coming year, I can’t help but think of Brother Tom Wong (spring ’83, Engineering ’84). 2017 ended as it began with a bit of a crisis at the House that was again largely managed by an individual who embodies the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood, or as a newer generation prefers to say, ‘family.’  It is a spirit many of us came to know in our undergraduate life at 272 Clinton Ave.

This past Thursday, during the coldest weather so far this winter, it all began with a call from one of the tenants indicating that electricity was out in her unit. Bro. Fletcher (Fine Arts), our very able and caring Property Superintendent/House Manager, was out of town for the holidays. A contingency plan was in place for residents to notify me as President and Tom as Treasurer should a need arise. I could not easily get to the House because of recent foot surgery, and after a call to Bro. Kostas Gerakaris (fall ’90, Architecture ’95), who lives in the neighborhood and who was also away from Brooklyn at that hour, as well as a text message to Tom, who lives in River Edge, New Jersey, I gained an understanding of the location of circuit breaker boxes. I was then able to direct the tenant to the one on her floor where she might flip on the circuit breaker that may have tripped. It worked, her lights were back on.  However, later that Thursday night, it became clear something else had happened, the heat was not on in the building. “Evening Gil, I’ve been home since 2:30 pm and the entire brownstone has been freezing since then,” said her 9:14 pm text message to me.

After communications with the tenant late that evening, our Bro. Tom Wong got into his Prius and drove from River Edge to Brooklyn. It was bitter cold, and yes, the boiler was down. Emergency plumbing and heating services were booked solid through Saturday at noon, the day before New Year's Eve, due to many calls. We kept all tenants appraised of the situation and Tom went back home. He then left work early, the next day, Friday, to pick up portable electric heaters for the tenants. These heaters were by then becoming harder to find in the City. Tom persisted and got them to the tenants.

On Saturday, two days after the first call, our Tom was again at the House to be there when the emergency plumbing and heating technicians arrived in the early afternoon. The tenants were beginning to think about making plans to spend the night elsewhere. They were very understanding and grateful to be kept informed but were beginning to indicate that they could not contemplate another night in the cold. The portable heaters did not do the trick.

Thankfully, heat was restored on Saturday afternoon, and Tom went home to spend New Year's Eve, the next day, with his family. At 5:39 pm, after six hours at the House, Tom texted “Boiler is running – House is slowly warming up and Patrick (roommate of Alexa Telano, a Gallery House Fellow who is a resident on the ground floor) will keep an eye on the boiler, (I’m) heading home.”  In a response to a later text from Fletcher, “Thanks Tom, sounds like a long day,” Tom texted, “was cold, but the TV (newly installed) helped pass the time…”

So, a very special Happy Holiday and Happy New Year wishes and words of gratitude go to the whole Wong family, including Emily Wong  and their daughter. We know how special one of our DGT members is, and we are very grateful for Bro. Tom Wong. Thirty three years after graduation from Pratt, he can find comfort watching TV in the bar room at 272 Clinton Ave. during a cold winter day, standing sentry for DGT.

Tom, I want to publicly thank you for embodying the Spirit of Hanna during this Holiday season, 2017. Indeed, you exemplified what it means to care as well as the phrase “It’s great to be DGT.” 2018 will be a great year as we continue to grow the number and connect with the many, far away and near, who also embody the Spirit of Hanna and contribute to the restoration, preservation and continuation of memorable undergraduate life at 272 Clinton Ave.  Happy New Year, to everyone and a big hug to all of you, my DGT family!

Change in Time and Location for Thanksgiving Dinner

There is a change in the time and venue for DGT Alumni Association’s Annual Thanksgiving Dinner.  It will take place on Saturday, November 18, at Putnam’s Pub & Cooker, 419 Myrtle Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205.  This restaurant is located at the corner of Myrtle Ave. and Clinton Ave., just two and a half blocks from the House. A group reservation has been made for 5:30 p.m. If you are among the thirteen who have already indicated that you are coming there is no need to RSVP. It is no longer a pot luck affair; dinner is on the House. If you have not yet indicated that you are coming, please do RSVP so that a seat at the table is waiting for you when you arrive. A signup webpage has been established at:

Thanksgiving Celebration at the House, Saturday, November 18

It’s that time a year again for the annual DGT Alumni Association Thanksgiving dinner, which will take place on Saturday, November 18 from 4 pm to 6 pm at 272 Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205.  Please join in the celebration. DGT will be providing the Turkey and the rest is potluck. As a bonus, this will also be the closing reception for the annual DGT Alumni Exhibit. A signup webpage has been established at SignUpGenius

Can you imagine, that the property at 272 Clinton Avenue has served us since 1964 (53 years). At this location many lifelong friendships were established. The spirit of those times, as well as before then and going back to the mid 1950’s, continues to dwell at 272 Clinton Ave., and it really comes alive when we gather together in the Chapter & Bar

rooms.

Gallery House 'Internship' Program: Applying Lessons Learned

Asa Maria Camnert, Lead Coach and Curator for the Gallery House Internship Program

Despite launching into and continuing post-graduate life, recently inducted DGT Alumni who completed the Gallery House Program in 2015 or 2016, have given innumerable volunteer hours to develop the program for continued and improved implementation in fall 2017. Alexa Telano, Eric St James-Lopez, Maria Camila Pava, Ariane Williams, Rudolph Strelis, Aika Mukhambetova, and Asa Camnert have all put in many hours at meetings and additional hours at home. Asa, pronounced 'ohsa,' will provide an important role in the fall, in the capacity of Lead Coach for a new incoming class of Gallery House interns. Asa will also serve as Lead Curator for the 2017 DGT Alumni Exhibit, scheduled for Pratt Alumni Day, October 7, 2017. Aika has committed to continuing on as a link to Pratt faculty and administration and in carrying through with logistical aspects of promoting Gallery House on campus. Maria Camila Pava, like Asa and Aika, has gone the extra mile, by putting many hours updating the 'Program Page' at the DGT Website. This page is being readied to be uploaded and launched by no later than August 15 when the application period commences for Pratt students seeking to participate in the fall internship program. The page will link to an online app for submitting a completed application with required attachments.

The group has worked hard to apply lessons learned from implementing the first three semesters of Gallery House, fall 2015, spring 2016 and fall 2016.  During the spring of this year the group evaluated for strategies to make the program far more compelling to undergraduates.  As a result, the program will now be described as an 'internship' program that not only offers a $1,000 one time wage, but also provides academic credit at Pratt.  Especially helpful in this effort was the Pratt Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) which has been and ally and supporter of the program since the beginning in 2015. The Gallery House Task Force also developed and approved an instruction manual, containing experiential learning objectives for each week of the internship. The task force is also gathering all materials and forms developed over the past two years that would be helpful as instructional aides. 

To better target undergraduates, particularly juniors who have completed their foundational work at Pratt, the Gallery House Program will be promoted through the Pratt-Pro system of CCPD, announcements on the Video Screen coordinated by Student Activities, posting and distribution of a flyer about Gallery House, and promotion of the program within each Pratt Department via Department Chairs.  In the spring the group briefed all of the Department Chairs about the program, and all the Chairs will all have an up-to-date description of the program as they return to the campus for the fall semester.  Indeed, the level of current involvement by past beneficiaries of the Gallery House Program is itself a measure of the success the program is having.  Thanks go to this dedicated group of DGT members.

A Spring and Summer of Overcoming Challenges Related to Our Beautiful but More than a Century-old Home

Work underway in the cellar

Several costly repairs and improvements had to be undertaken in the first half of 2017. The problems requiring immediate attention involved the boiler in the cellar, gas lines leading to boiler, and a series of issues uncovered as a result preparing for an inspection and test of the fire sprinkler system required every five years by New York City.  In all, when completed, these repairs and improvements will have cost in excess of $40,000 or more than 40% of annual income from rent in a normal year with 100% occupancy rate. 2017's income will be less than the full potential income since in the first half of the year DGT experienced an 80% turnover among the five rental units in the building, leaving each of four rooms temporarily unoccupied as they were being refurbished for the next tenant.

The 200 Block of Clinton Ave, where 272 is the third building from the left

The repairs to the boiler and replacement of gas lines leading to the boiler cost approximately $6,300. However the costs for the fire system related upgrades may run up to $34,000 given current cost estimates and hopefully no additional work needing to be done.  The five-year inspection and flow-test required by the New York City initially uncovered, during unofficial pre-testing, the need to replace one sprinkler head among a total of 45 in the building, the posting of a fire safety plan near the front door, the painting of risers (plumbing) and of the handle of the shutoff valve in the cellar.  It was in the course of attempting to shut off the system to replace the one sprinkler head that it was determined that the shutoff valve in the cellar, installed with the system in 1964, was frozen in the open position and needed to be replaced. In order to replace it, the water needed to be shutoff at the curb and no shutoff valve at the curb was visible, and when uncovered by the contractor and boxed in with the a cover for easy access.  However, the valve was also later determined to be in need of replacement and that would require, per code, replacement of the galvanized steel pipe running from the water main to the building. Galvanized steel pipes, like lead pipes, do not meet NYC code, and the valve could not be replaced without replacing the pipe. The work is on target for completion in the coming weeks, in advance of the now re-scheduled, official 'witnessed flow-test' of the sprinkler system.

There remain a number of priorities for the future of the building. Ultimately resources are needed for renovation. An estimate developed in 2014 indicated project costs of a minimum of $1.25 million, and that amount is certainly increasing each year. An informal attempt to assess the capacity of the organization to raise such funds from its own membership was attempted last year and no potential leading gifts for a possible capital campaign. Undertaking such a study is difficult for an organization with no real significant history in raising funds from its members. A more modest approach deserving of consideration would be to raise $250,000 to more than pay off the current principal on the mortgage, and undertake to pay as you go restoration and improvement project based on net income from rent. The structure is worth in the range of $3 million on the market. In the meantime, Bro. Paul Fletcher, the current House Manager (Building Superintendent) reported at the most recent quarterly membership meeting that there were several priorities for the very immediate future.  These projects included: radiator maintenance before the winter, repair or replacement of third floor staircase and banister, replacement of hatches for the basement and roof, cornice replacement, dumpster rental for clearing out of accumulated junk in the basement, and front yard landscaping.

Annual DGT Alumni Exhibit 2017: Call for Exhibitors

On Pratt Institute Alumni Day, Saturday, October 7, 2017 the Gallery House Program of the DGT Alumni Association (DGT) will proudly present the Annual DGT Alumni Exhibit.  The theme of this year’s exhibit is Space and Body. The designed space, among other things, can “exalt or stimulate” persons in that space (Philip Johnson). Artists can “make people see their surroundings differently” (Maya Lin).  Our surroundings increasingly include spaces and human bodies expressing very diverse cultural backgrounds and different political viewpoints. In a time of political turmoil, it is increasingly important for there to be safe space to express opinions and to pave new ways for communication through art and design. Can the human body and space, through art and design, serve as means for safe expression in a world and in communities that are increasingly diverse from racial/ethnic, cultural, and political perspectives? Can we see the ‘other’ in a new way? Can the other be exalted, celebrated? Through art and design can we bring about new awareness and understanding? Space and Body will be a multi-media exhibit of works by alumni who help answer these questions. 

Who may apply – Any DGT member or Pratt Institute alumnus or alumna, in any field currently or previously taught at Pratt is eligible to apply. Please apply online by no later than September 15.

Eligible media – We welcome all types of artistic and design work that explores/examines how we can shape our public and private spaces and our bodily connection for a new and better future. All media will be considered, including oils, acrylics, pastels, watercolors, prints, drawings, mixed media, textiles, fashion garments, architectural renderings, 3-D models, sculpture (indoor and outdoor), and photography.

Presentation – Work must be suitably framed (or sides cleanly finished or painted), and wired ready for hanging. D-rings should be used for heavy works. Drawings, prints, watercolors and pastels must be under Plexiglas (glass is permissible for hand delivery and pick-up). Sculptures and architectural models must be accompanied with a floor stand, not exceeding a footprint of 30” x 30.” No works can be hung from the ceiling.

Shipping/Receiving – Work to be exhibited and pre-approved by DGT may be hand-delivered or shipped, and must arrive at 272 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205 by September 22. Exhibitors are responsible for all shipping costs, to and from the exhibit. Please include return shipping labels.

Liability – DGT Alumni Association is not responsible for any damage, breakage, replacement or costs associated with any damage or breakage that may occur during transport, storage, packing, exhibiting and return transport. Precaution will be taken in handling all works submitted by exhibitors. However DGT Alumni Association assumes no liability for any loss or damage to the work of any artists while in DGT’s care, custody, or control before, during or after the exhibition. Each artist, if he or she wishes, needs to provide their own insurance against loss or damage.

$2500 / 825 Sq. Ft. - Brownstone One Bedroom Apartment For Rent

One bedroom - floor-through apartment in a brownstone, for rent, in the heart of historic Clinton Hill, close to subway, shops, restaurants and bars. Apartment features one bedroom, full bath, kitchenette, and balcony/deck. Basic utilities included, no pets. Credit background check required. Security Deposit and first month's rent required. Inquire by to  res-mgr@dgtaa.org 

Keep the Connection Going in 2017

Involvement in and support for the DGT Alumni Association annually starts in January with payment of $10 in membership fees. The work of keeping the connection going is volunteer based. However, the fee not only provides for the ability for you to vote at membership meetings, now held by video conference, and to hold office, but for you to also help cover the costs of supplies, stamps and communications to "keep the connection going.' It's easy to do it via PayPal. Thank you in Advance from the Board.

Pratt Alumni Day and Reunion 2016 Celebrated by the DGT Alumni Association

Pratt Alumni who as undergraduates were members of Tau Delta Phi - Tau Sigma, Delta Gamma Theta - Alpha, or Delta Gamma Theta - Omega gathered for an afternoon reception at the 'Old Fraternity House,' located at 272 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn. Alumni and their families joined with Father Michael Perry, former Faculty Advisor and also former Chaplain of Pratt Institute (1973 - 1996) to view the first Annual DGT Alumni Association's Art and Design Exhibit, as well as recall their undergraduate days and catch up on developments in the lives of fellow members. Among those gathered were Joel Davidson, Chris Duggan, Tom Fiorella, Vern Ford, Christine Friello-Fini, Gil Gerald, Kostas Gerakaris, Jon Levy, Ann Marie Michael, Tom Wong and Josh Yavelberg.

Gallery House Fellowship Application Deadline is September 30, 2016

Gallery House Fellowship, a program of the DGT Foundation, announces that the deadline for applying for a Gallery House Fellowship is September 30, 2016. During the Fall of 2016, three Pratt Institute students will each be awarded a fellowship. Participants will gain real-life experience in curating, planning, promoting, setting up and managing an exhibit of creative works. The exhibit will benefit a local charity selected by the three fellows involved in the program.  Each fellow will receive academic credit or a monetary grant of $1,000 at the completion of their semester project. At the end of the exhibit, fellows may be invited and selected to participate in coaching fellows in subsequent semesters as Delta Gamma Theta honorees of the DGT alumni Association. Applications are being accepted online.

The Gallery House Program, supported by DGT Alumni Association and its members, is a semester-long fellowship program benefiting Pratt Institute students in all fields of study taught at Pratt. The program is provided in coordination with the Center for Career and professional development at Pratt Institute.

When you next shop Amazon.com request that DGT Foundation receive a portion of the price of your purchase as a donation.

Great News: DGT Foundation, Inc., the educational and charitable arm of the DGT Alumni Association, Inc. is now listed as a charity eligible to be designated by you, the shopper, as a charity to receive a percentage of the sale as a donation in support of its activities.  Please take the opportunity to support DGT in this way! The flagship and only program currently carried out by the DGT Foundation is the Gallery House Fellowship Program, which has had a great start over the course of the past two semesters. To sign up with Amazon for this opportunity, go to Amazon.com's Smile Amazon Program. It's Great to Be!

Pratt Institute's President Thomas F. Schutte Resigns

In a letter to faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of Pratt, Dr. Thomas F. Schutte, President, announced his resignation effective after the end of the 2016-2017 academic year. After the completion of the search for a new President, Dr. Schutte will be President Emeritus per action taken by the Board to honor him in that way. A copy of the letter may be downloaded.

Support the Spring 2016 Gallery House Fellowship Program and its Selected Beneficiary Organization

If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to read about the success the Spring 2016 fellows are enjoying in putting together a fine arts exhibit that opens at DGT Alumni Association's private exhibit space, Gallery House, tomorrow, Thursday, April 28 at 7:00 pm. Gallery House Task Master, Jonathan Mark Levy has written two short pieces in the April 2016 issue of DGT Alumni Association's Quarterly E-Letter. Please also join in the effort of contributing to the fundraising effort the fellows have set up in support of the program and this semester's beneficiary charity, an organization addressing violence in the form of acid attacks! Please make a contribution of $10, $20 or more to a serious cause that doesn't get much attention and that the three Pratt students in the fellowship program have chosen to address through their semester-long project. Contributions are to the DGT Foundation, and are tax-deductible. Provide your donation through the GoFundMe campaign the fellows have set up. Thank you!

Bookkeeper Wanted

DGT Alumni Association, Inc., based at 272 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, NY, seeks to hire an independent contractor to provide bookkeeping services.  A summary of the job description is as follows:

Job Description Summary:  Via direct, voice and email communications with the DGT Alumni Association’s Treasurer, and additional similar interactions with the President as needed, the Bookkeeper, an independent contractor, performs several bookkeeping tasks, on a monthly basis, to support sound financial management. These tasks principally include entering income and expense data, of between $6K and $7K in monthly transactions (+/- $80K/year), into Quickbooks, reconciling accounts, and generating monthly financial statements.  Desired individual will work independently in their own home or office, and have advanced experience with Quickbooks, experience in bookkeeping for nonprofit organizations, and demonstrated professionalism. A complete announcement, with instructions on how to apply for the position, may be downloaded.

DGT elects the 2016 Board of Directors and announces key dates for the coming year.

Pictured in the back row, starting from the left are Ramon Lacomba, Vern Ford, Chase Hill, Alex Scott. In the front row are Tom Wong, Gil Gerald, Jonathan Mark Levy, and Tom Fiorella.

Four of the 2015 Board members, all of whom were seeking reelection, were elected by acclamation to another one-year term on the Board. Re-elected were Gil Gerald as President, Tom Fiorella as Vice President, Tom Wong as Treasurer, and Vern Ford as Secretary. Also elected was Nelson Hernandez, Sr. to serve as Sargent-at-Arms. Alex Scott, 2015 Sargent-at-Arms, decided not to run for re-election. In other actions, the membership approved the use of a proposed logo for the Gallery House Program, including the use of the logo on mugs for graduates of the Gallery House Fellowship Program. The quarterly meeting dates for the coming year were set for April 30, July 30, and October 29, and the date for the next annual meeting was set for January 28, 2017. Pending confirmation by Pratt Institute, Alumni Day will be on September 17. November 19 was set as the date for the DGT Alumni Association's Annual Thanksgiving Dinner.  A new development is that in July, an exhibit and reception featuring creative works by Alumni will be scheduled in conjunction with the July meeting of the membership. This is a new annual event that will occur in the life of the DGT Alumni Association.

"When You Got It You Got It" has a second and final night

Alex Scott, Board Member of the DGT Alumni Association, and Chase Hill, President of the DGT Foundation enjoy the final evening of "When You Got It You Got It.

Jon Levy, Gallery House Program Coordinator greets patrons

Exhibiting artist Devante Hart with a proud mother who came up from Philadelphia to see the exhibit.

In addition to the practical learning experience that Gallery House Fellows receive, one major outcome each semester is an exhibit they put together.  This year's exhibit, "When You Got It You Got it" had its second and final successful evening for the year, on December 7, 2015.  The exhibit was held in the private Gallery at DGT Alumni Association's Old Fraternity House at 272 Clinton Ave., in Brooklyn, NY.

Gallery House Inaugural Exhibit: A Smashing Success

The private gallery space, in the Chapter Room, of the DGT Alumni Association's old Fraternity House on Clinton Ave.

Strategy No.1 of DGT Alumni Association, Inc.'s Strategic Plan, "to design, develop and implement a program of semester-long fellowships, with learning opportunities for undergraduate students to curate art and manage and promote a gallery and its exhibits," got off to a very successful start in Fall Semester, 2015. The opening reception of "When You Got It You Got It," the first of the program's exhibits, which are to be held twice a year, took place on December 1, 2015. This semester, two Pratt undergraduate students applied for and were accepted into Gallery House Fellowship Program. When they complete their fellowship responsibilities later in December, each will receive a $2,250 grant. The practical learning experience involves planning a fine art group exhibit, recruiting the artist, selecting a charity to financially benefit from the exhibit, promoting the exhibit, selecting the art work to be exhibited, hanging and placing the works of art, and staffing each of two exhibits nights at the private gallery of DGT Alumni Association, Inc.  "When You Got It You Got It" includes the artwork of Ze Gao, Shannon Nisiewicz, Heather Johnson, Salvador Munoz, Richard Munaba, Olivia Pasquarelli, Alexa Wilson, Liangwei Huang, Hanisha Harjani, Gabriel Garcia Roman, Emily Ercolini, Devante Hart, Charles Sommer, Bobby English Jr., Amanda Frazier, Anna Burholt, Amber Jones, Alice Yang, Alexandra Pospelova, and Ida Stein.  This semester's fellows selected the Queer Detainee Empowerment Project (QDEP) as a beneficiary charity. The second of the two exhibits for the semester is scheduled for Monday December 7th, 2015 from 7:30-11:00pm.

DGT Alumni Association Treasurer, Tom Wong (Pratt, Engineering '84) and Mrs. Judy Wong enjoying the exhibit.

Gallery House patrons and exhibiting artists take in the artwork and refreshments.

The Gallery House Fellowship Program presents a fine art group exhibition

DGT Foundation's Gallery House Fellowship Program, Fall Semester 2015 will have opening receptions on Tuesday, December 1, and on Monday, December 7, for a fine art group exhibition curated by the program's 2015 Fellows. The opening receptions will take place in the private gallery space at 272 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205, from 7:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.  Each semester's class of Fellows selects a beneficiary charity for the fundraising exhibit.  This year's beneficiary organization selected by the students is the Queer Detainee Empowerment Project (QDEP). The exhibit will showcase work by trans, working class, and other marginalized queer artists and performers of the LGBTQAPI+ community.

The project budget estimate for renovation/restoration work at 272 Clinton Clinton Ave. is $1.3 million

DGT Alumni Association received an estimate of $1,252,151 for proposed renovation and restoration work of the residential property it owns at 272 Clinton Ave. The estimate was prepared, pro bono, by Manuel Castedo, AIA (Architecture '74), a DGT alumnus and former resident of the third floor front room. The estimate is based on an architectural program plan and schematics developed by a committee of DGT alumni, including Kostas Gerakaris (Architecture '95), Gil Gerald (Architecture '84), Nelson Hernandez (Architecture '86), and Tom Wong (Engineering '84). This working group was formed,  met and worked in 2014 to identify the physical, functional and aesthetic needs that would be addressed through renovation and restoration of the property. 

The estimate prepared by Mr. Castedo, includes but is not limited to required exterior work involving replacement of the roof, installation of new windows, entry door restoration, and cornice restoration, all meeting requirements for exterior restoration in Clinton Hill, a National Historic District.  The first floor, containing the Chapter Room, as well as the stairwell will also be subject to restoration to preserve the 19th century features that alumni from 1964, when the property was purchased, through the present can recall with great affection. On the ground floor, residential space will be reserved for two undergraduates who are inducted as associate members before they become full DGT Association members upon graduation from Pratt. The combined space on the ground and first floor, along with the rear patio, will serve the social and other program needs of the DGT Alumni Association, including its use, on three occasions during the year as a private gallery, under the Gallery House Program. The second and third and fourth floors will each be an income generating, floor-through residential rental unit. The cellar will be finished to house and store the artifacts and records of DGT. The estimate also includes architectural, engineering and other fees associated with the project.

DGT Alumni Association implements its 2014 - 2018 Strategic Plan: A Progress Report

By Gil Gerald

In January 2014, after a year-long effort involving monthly strategic planning sessions, meetings and conversations with Pratt Administrators and students, a survey of students and of alumni of Delta Gamma Theta and Tau Delta Phi-Tau Sigma, and a day-long retreat, the association, now renamed the DGT Alumni Association, adopted a five-year strategic plan. This Plan has eight goals among four core strategies, and four goals categorized as organizational and administrative. This report, developed in October, 2015, at the beginning of the fourth quarter of the second year of the Plan, is intended to provide an interim review of what has been accomplished and what remains to be done. Hopefully, this report will stimulate reflection, and consideration and adoption of changes, as may be needed, to keep an ambitious undertaking on track.

The four core DGT Alumni Association strategies are:

1. Design, develop and implement a program of semester-long fellowships, with learning opportunities for undergraduate students to curate art and manage and promote a gallery and its exhibits;
2. In collaboration with Pratt Institute, obtain multi-year grants to resource a residence component for participants in Pratt's Visiting Scholars Program and (to) support an Artist/Designer in Residence Program of the Association;
3. Invest in our capacity to house and support our educational and philanthropic programs through capital improvements to the property at 272 Clinton Ave.; and
4. Dramatically increase the number and active involvement of our members.

The first strategy addressed the need and desire to continue a fellowship, begun in 1898, in a new and very different external environment requiring a bold and different approach to engaging students in a leadership a development opportunity coupled with the life-long social and professional networking benefits that have been offered since our beginnings in the late nineteenth century. Graduates of the semester-long fellowships would under this strategy, on an honorific basis, be eligible for election and induction as DGT members.  The second strategy offers the opportunity to move the use of the House to be in line, or closer in line with the Mission of the association. In non-profit parlance, renting to the general public is an unrelated income generating activity.  As the second strategy is being fleshed out in the implementation of the Plan, the House will continue to serve as a residence for students, although the number will be scaled back to two, from among those inducted honorifically as DGT members.

The third strategy addresses the reality that the House, built in 1879, is in a historic district, and also in need of major restoration and renovation work to continue to function as our home. The fourth strategy responds to a vision for fully realizing our potential for strengthening and continuing the strong bonds that were created among many living alumni, over a period dating back to the mid-1950s.  The full progress report can be viewed online in the 'Buzz' blog by active, dues-paying members who have consequent member login privileges. In summary, the Plan anticipated the achievement of two key milestones in 2014, and five in 2015.

2014

• Strengthen corporate structure and governance, and increase alumni involvement -- This milestone was fully achieved, although such a process is and should be continuous. Through legal counsel provided by Perlman+Perlman, DGT Alumni Association gained an in-depth understanding of its corporate structure options in pursuing its mission and the Strategic Plan under IRS Section 501 Law and New York State non-profit law. The Tau Delta Phi - Delta Gamma Theta Alumni Association, established in 1973, had its articles of incorporation were amended to reflect a new name, DGT Alumni Association, Inc. The Association remains incorporated as a New York State non-profit, however, not one with a tax-exempt status under IRS Section 501 law. As such it has a desired for less-restrictive ability to function as a non-profit serving as a social organization for a defined group as opposed to being a charity dedicating its resources for the public benefit. DGT Alumni Association files income tax returns using the IRS 1120 form and equivalent state form. Tax filings for the years 2011 through 2014, in line with advice of counsel, have been handled by the accounting firm of Sattler and Company

The DGT Foundation was incorporated in New York, and successfully applied for and received its letter of determination, from the IRS, as being a tax exempt, Section 501 (c)(3) organization. The Foundation uses the IRS 990 form, and files annual reports with the NY State Department of Law (Attorney General). The DGT Foundation is a membership organization with one member, the DGT Alumni Association, Inc.  The Board of Directors of the Foundation are elected by DGT Alumni Association, and changes to its bylaws cannot be made without the consent of its sole member, the DGT Alumni Association, Inc. 

DGT Alumni Association amended its bylaws to provide for a Board of Directors of five to provide for governance under a less burdensome and more realistic schedule of quarterly membership meetings as opposed to monthly meetings. DGT Alumni Association, Inc. now has a comprehensive set of Internal Controls, adopted by the membership that are updated annually. From a financial standpoint, DGT Alumni Association, Inc. pursued a loan modification process throughout 2014, and concluded it successfully in 2015 with the interest rate lowered from 12% to 5%. In late 2014, the first annual budget was developed, for 2015, and in 2015, the Association set aside a six-months operating reserve of $20,000 which is sufficient in its amount to pay mortgage, taxes and insurance for that length of time should there be an unanticipated emergency or other issue affecting income or cash flow.

DGT Alumni Association's 2014 - 2018 Strategic Plan contemplates doubling the number of active, dues paying members annually to reach 200 in 2018.  This has essentially happened. In January 2013, seven individuals, the minimum required under the bylaws, gathered to formally begin the planning and Plan implementation process now underway. In 2014 the number grew to 14, and in the third quarter of 2015, not quite the end of Year 2, the number stood at 31. Achieving 60, in 2016, 120 in 2017, and 200 in 2018 should be feasible if the rate of increase remains steady.

In 2014 a number of activities contributed to the increased involvement.  DGT Vice President Tom Fiorella developed a spread sheet to capture contact information and data about alumni based on research work in collaboration with the Pratt Institute Office of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving, as well as researching various existing old lists and documents that were found in the House or were in the hands of individual members. Since that time, as a footnote, it should be stated, DGT is using a professional, cloud based, program to maintain and grow the data base containing information about alumni.  The data base, as of this writing includes more than 245 individual names, with verified email addresses for 91 alumni, and verified US mail addresses for an additional 50 for whom we do not have an email address.  The number of names in the database doubled between 2014 and 2015.  The work of building this database is tedious, however it is progressing and is immensely helped as members share information about who their cohorts in the organization were when they joined, or during the years in which they were active. Recently, in a member living in Northern Virginia, has volunteered to put time into the project, and because the program is cloud based, he is able to do so from his remote location.

Also, to increase involvement of Alumni, the Association began employing web-conferencing to provide for remote participation in meetings and to make it easier for the Board and for committees and task force work-groups to meet without having to do so in in a physical location. A set of workgroups were formed in 2014 to carry out a number of program refinement and planning tasks called for being completed in the first year of the Strategic Plan.  This included fleshing out the vision for an active and vibrant alumni program.

Complete conceptual program planning, budgeting and a Master Plan for the Property -- Work groups of alumni successfully completed their assignment to come up with functional needs that were to be considered and reflected in an architectural program plan to form the basis for design and construction plans for restoration and renovation work at 272 Clinton Ave. These workgroups met via web-conference, and over the course of several months produced concept program plans and listings of associated functional needs for the Gallery House Fellowship Program, the proposed residency programs, and for a program of Alumni activities. This last workgroup focused most heavily on developing a Communications Plan, which has since begun to be implemented, with the development of a new web-site, a quarterly e-letter, and the use of social networking sites.  One of the workgroups was specifically tasked to synthesize the information from the other work groups into an architectural program plan. In addition this group undertook and completed an architectural survey and a developed a set of base plan drawings, using CAD.

In the Fall of 2014, on Alumni Day, DGT Alumni Association unveiled an architectural schematic design plan. The plan calls for developing the property as a four unit residential building, with the top three floors each housing a floor-through unit available to rentto the pubiic at market rates, or as one or more units used leased to Pratt Institute for use as residencies for the Visiting Scholars Program, or funded by grant-making organizations to provide Artist/Designers in Residencies. The cellar, ground floor, and main floor is to serve as the fourth unit, housing two undergraduate DGT members, and providing areas in the cellar, backyard and Chapter Room floor for alumni gatherings at the House, and private exhibits of the Gallery House Program.

Restoration and preservation of the property and its 19th century character will be emphasized for the exterior of the building, as required by law, and for the main, Chapter room floor and the stair case.  A more relaxed, 'renovation' approach is to be reflected for the remainder of interior spaces. Manuel Castedo, an alumnus, and Principal of M. Castedo Architects was, at the time of the writing of this report, in the process of developing a cost estimate for the project, on a pro bono basis, based on the work performed by the work groups. Hence, the cost information is pending before additional planning and budgeting can proceed.  Clearly, the Strategic Plan was overly ambitious in calling for completion of this planning phase in 2014.

2015

Obtain financing and other capital funds for renovation (and restoration) work -- A cost estimate for the restoration and renovation project is pending, as of the date of this report in October 2015. Following the receipt of this report the feasibility of a capital campaign, including how much can be raised through such an effort, must be determined before the need for any financing is quantified. The feasibility of a capital campaign, as well as the need for any financing, will be explored in the remaining months of 2015 and in early 2016.

Begin and complete initial property renovation (and restoration) phases -- To date, work on the property, beyond routine maintenance and repair, has been limited to late summer and early fall refurbishing work on the main floor, involving an investment of $25,000 for painting, repairs, and carpeting of the rooms and hall on the main floor, as well as repairs in the rear patio area to provide for safety and functionality for the start of the Gallery House Program, and for the staging of a private exhibit organized by the Gallery House Fellowship Program at the end of the 2015 Fall Semester. A part of this work involved performing badly needed repairs due to a serious leak in the roof over the kitchen. A clearer understanding of property renovation and restoration phases, costs and timeline will likely emerge in the first half of 2016.

Develop Program Plans -- The conceptual program plans developed by the initial work groups in 2014 evolved further to enable the commencement of the Gallery House Fellowship Program and the implementation of the Communications Plan. With respect to the Gallery House Fellowship Program, Jon Levy and Gil Gerald met with the Vice President for Student Affairs, and with staff within the Pratt Center for Career and Professional Development to refine and coordinate outreach   and marketing of the program to students. The outreach and application process employs Pratt Institute's online system of communication with students as well as our developing web tools, including online submission of applications to participate in the program. A more detailed training plan, for use by the program was completed, and the Association contributed $1,500 to the DGT Foundation in 2014, and committed another $7,500 in mid 2015 to begin the program.   Members of the Association have provided additional gifts to support the program. 

In terms of the Alumni Program and its related Communications Plan, the Board as a whole took on the responsibility of working with a consultant, Chas Martin, an alumnus based in Portland, OR, to develop a brand, a logo, a new web-site, and a new e-letter template. Concurrent with the writing of this report, a survey of active and inactive members and other stakeholders is being implemented to gain insights about the experience of using the website.  This will hopefully help improve our communication tools over time. 

Work on the residencies was, and continues to be, envisioned to resume in the later years of the Strategic Plan. Current challenges include keeping the envisioned partnership with Pratt Institute alive and growing even more in a collaborative direction.  A reconciliation is needed to address a strong interest that Pratt Institute has expressed, though its President, Dr. Schutte, in purchasing the 272 Clinton Ave., and DGT Alumni Association's interest in not selling the property. Dr. Schutte has expressed an interest in using the property for the very purpose of providing residential space for the Visiting Scholars Program. However he has communicated Pratt's preference for doing so as the owners of the property as opposed to being a tenant. The cultivation of the relationship between Pratt and DGT is not only important but a priority. However, the Board as of necessity is an all volunteer group. Calls and meetings with Pratt are periodically needed, especially in light of turnover. Since initial meetings with Pratt Administrators in 2013, there has been turn-over in key staff, including a change in Provost, and a change in the Director of Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving. These individuals, no longer serving in those two capacities, and the Vice President for Student Affairs were consulted in the development of the Strategic Plan and have been very supportive in its development and implementation once adopted.

Apply for and obtain grants and other gifts for programs -- An initial grants research scan has been performed using the Foundation Directory Online, and a few letters of inquiry have been sent out to grant-making entities, based on the stated application deadlines for the organizations that were identified as prospects. This process is only now beginning as the goals, objectives and work plan of the Gallery House Program recently became more clearly defined.  An Engraved Brick Campaign was authorized by the membership in early 2015, and solicitation is beginning now that DGT Alumni Association has basic communication tools for reaching and engaging members.  The response has been very encouraging. A previously dormant spirit of generosity is evident in the fact that dues make up 17% of non-rent income, yet larger gifts from members make up 83% non-rent income to date for 2015. Members are responding to the opportunity to offer generous support beyond the payment of dues.

Implement the undergraduate Fellowships and Gallery House Program -- So here is the good, or best good news: The Gallery House Fellowships Program began October 5, 2015.  Two undergraduate students, among four who applied, were accepted into the program and our now engaged as 2015 Fellows.  They will each receive a $2,250 grant upon completion of their semester-long project, involving an estimated 40 hours of effort. The champion and its most impassioned advocate has been Jon Levy, and he deserves credit for his tireless efforts for 'imagineering' a new pathway to continuing a fellowship in a manner that is relevant to the size, make-up and culture of today's Pratt student body. We morn for the past a little, as happened when the Model A replaced the horse and buggy. However, we secure the future.

2016 - 2018

The key milestones envisioned in the Plan, from the present and forward through 2018, are:

• Complete the milestones or portions thereof that were not finished as planned in 2014 or 2015, as listed above
• Begin and complete intermediary property renovation (and restoration) phases
• Implement residential services for the Visiting Scholars Program
• Induction of first new associate (undergraduate) members
• Begin and complete final property renovation (and restoration) phases
• Implement the Artist/Designer in Residence Program
• Perform all program activities, and evaluate and update the Strategic Plan
• Induction of our first new Alumni Association members recently graduating from Pratt

Active members with member login privileges may review the complete report in the 'Buzz' blog after you login.