DGT acknowledges and thanks its members for their generosity in 2018

The good old days are represented in the smiles of the present and the generosity of members.

DGT Members and individual supporters contributed a combined $2,520 in donations to DGT Alumni Association and DGT Foundation in 2018. This total included $510 in dues and $788 in donations to the Association, and $1,222 in tax deductible contributions to DGT’s charitable arm, DGT Foundation. The total of $2,520 in combined gifts supplemented rental income Of $94,685 in 2018 from DGT’s residential property, the Old Fraternity House at 272 Clinton Ave. in Brooklyn. Most of the rental income goes for amortizing and maintaining the property. DGT is also the major source of financial support for Gallery House and this is made possible through rental income. DGT’s Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge the loyalty and generosity of its members. Every gift made a difference, thank you!

Donors to DGT Alumni Association

Julius Babilonia, Ryan Baker, Harold Bernstein, David Cerame, Ike Cheung, Carl DiGregorio, Yuda Drattler, Jason Grefski, Rod Finkle, Christine Friello-Fini, Al Hansen, Ken Hebel, Bruce MacKenzie, Michael Madia, Chas Martin, Ann Marie Michael, Oran Mills, Chris Pantazis, Robert Pasternak, Maria Camila Pava, Gregg Rajczewski

Donors to DGT Foundation

Allen Baki,* Vern Ford, Christine Friello-Fini, Gil Gerald, Ken Haber, Ken Hebel, Network for Good,* Fr. Michael Perry, Thomas Wong

Dues Paid Active Members 2018

Julius Babilonia, Ryan Baker, Harold Bernstein, Lance Bottari, Stan Brown, Asa Maria Camnert, David Cerame, Ike Cheung, Yuda Drattler, Carl DiGregorio, MIchael Esposito, Rod Finkley, Tom Fiorella, Paul Fletcher, Vern Ford, Gil Gerald, Jason Grefski, Ken Haber, Richard Haff, Ken Hebel, Al Hansen, Jonathan Chase Hill, Ira Holst, Douglas Kupfer, Ramon Lacomba, Howard Lee, Jonathan Levy, Bruce MacKenzie, Marcus McLaurin, Michael Madia, Chas Martin, Anne Marie Michael, Oran Mills, Aika Mukhambetova, Sean Murphy, MIchael Neiman, Paul Oberlin, Chris Pantazis, Robert Pasternak, Maria Camila Pava, Joseph Pierz, Fr. Michael Perry, Gregg Rajczewski, Luis Rivera, Peter Schirling, Richard Shankey, Limore Shur, Alexa Telano, Frank Verni, Dianne Vita, James Vita, Ariane Williams, Thomas Wong, Josh Yavelberg

*Donations through Network for Good includes aggregated donations from members and non-members, listed and unlisted here, donating through one or more GoFundMe pages. These pages are usually set up on Facebook by a member or a Gallery House Intern to benefit DGT Foundation and or Gallery House.

Gallery House's spring 2019 exhibit is themed "It's Not Me, It's My Image"

In this digital era, nearly every facet of our lives interacts with distortion in some sense. From our artistic expectations to personal self-image, the lines of authenticity become blurred as we grow increasingly comfortable with the many faces we upload.

“Its Not Me, It’s My Image,” an exhibition curated by Gallery House Interns of Spring 2019, includes works that offer an experiential exploration of the implications of rapidly developing technology, social media, and the curation of multiple identities. The exhibition embraces a wide variety of media, including installations and video and film as well as more traditional media of painting and photography. Original works will be sold and auctioned to benefit the Children’s Arts Guild, a local beneficiary organization committed to providing underprivileged children with arts education.

The opening reception, Thursday, May 2, 2019, 7 - 10 PM, will feature live performances from Wrecked (https://wreckedsketches.bandcamp.com/), Prophet (https://soundcloud.com/thestrangedavinci/tracks), and Segami (@_segami).” The closing reception is Thursday, May 9, 2019, 7- 10 PM. To RSVP and receive you free advance ticket, go to Eventbrite.

Gallery House is a program of DGT Foundation, Inc., the tax-exempt arm of DGT Alumni Association, made up of Pratt Institute Alumni who were once part of a local fraternity dating back to 1898. As a legacy from the past, DGT Alumni Association members, and income from the property, support an organization that has now been re-purposed as Gallery House to continue to enrich student life and professional preparation in an Innovative way that supports the fostering of leadership and professional development among students in the creative fields of study provided by Pratt.

Please RSVP

DGT Calendar for 2019

Subject to periodic updates, the 2019 Calendar for DGT Alumni Association is now published at the DGT Website. Additionally, a Google Calendar of Events at the House is viewable by the public. Key events include monthly Board of Directors meetings via web-conference calls, quarterly membership meetings with light lunch and refreshments, opening and closing receptions for exhibitions produced by Gallery House Interns, a strategic planning retreat, the 4th Annual DGT Alumni Exhibit held in conjunction with Pratt Alumni Day, and an Annual Thanksgiving Dinner.

Please visit the Events Tab, under Activities in the Navigation Bar for the most up to date information. DGT members may participate in Board meetings and in membership meetings, via web-conference. Alumni Day and Thanksgiving Day are family events in which members are encouraged to bring along family, dependent children, significant others and friends. DGT plans to install video equipment to broadcast events so that they might be viewed remotely by members around the globe. As of this notice, please note the following dates:

• Saturday, March 23 - Board of Director’s Meeting

• Saturday, April 20 - Board of Director’s Meeting

• Saturday, April 27 - Quarterly Membership Meeting

• Thursday, May 2 - Spring 2019 Gallery House Exhibit, Opening Reception

• Thursday, May 9 - Spring 2019 Gallery House Exhibit, Closing Reception

• Saturday, May 18 - One Day Strategic Planning Retreat

• Saturday, June 22 - Board of Director’s Meeting

• Saturday, July 20 - Board of Director’s Meeting

• Saturday, July 27 - Quarterly Membership Meeting

• Saturday, August 24 - Board of Director’s Meeting

• Saturday, September 21 - Board of Directors Meeting

• Saturday, September 28 - Pratt Alumni Day and 4th Annual DGT Alumni Exhibit

• Saturday, October 19, Board of Director’s Meeting

• Saturday, October 26, Quarterly Membership Meeting

• Saturday, November 23, Board of Director’s Meeting

• Saturday, November 23, Annual DGT Thanksgiving Dinner

• Saturday, December 21, Board of Director’s Meeting.

• Saturday, January 25 (2020), Annual Membership Meeting

Gallery House engages in networking at CAA 2019 Conference

left to right, Tom Fiorella, Laura Arike, Josh Yavelberg, and Gil Gerald at the 107 Annual CAA Conference

A delegation of four DGT Alumni Association (DGTAA) members were present on Thursday, February 14, at the 107th Annual Conference of the College Arts Association (CAA). The Conference took place at the New York Hilton, Midtown, February 13 -16. Two DGT Members, Laura Arike, a Junior in Art History at Pratt Institute, and Gil Gerald (BArch ‘74), Secretary of DGTAA and President of DGT Foundation participated on the CAA 2nd Annual panel on Artists’ Space-Making Initiatives. Gallery House’s innovative approach was well received although it contrasted in important ways with the other solutions and experiences expressed on this year’s panel regarding approaches to creating and building spaces for artists. The experience of participating in the panel represented a step forward in establishing stronger connections between Gallery House and other efforts in New York to create and preserve affordable artists living and workspaces. Other DGT Members present were Josh Yavelberg (BFA/MA Art History ‘02), and Tom Fiorella (Industrial Engineering ‘74), President of DGTAA. Dr. Yavelberg, who regularly attends CAA’s annual conferences, submitted the abstract leading to the inclusion of Gallery House on the panel. Laura Arike is Gallery House’s current Lead Coach/Program Coordinator.

Laura Arike and Gil Gerald take a moment and chat with Panel Moderator, Amy Cheng, Professor at SUNY, New Paltz

DGT Alumni Association, Inc. elects its Board of Directors for 2019

At the Annual Membership Meeting of DGT Alumni Association, by acclamation, five members were elected to serve in 2019, for terms of office that will end at the next annual meeting in January 2020. Tom Fiorella, Electrical Engineering ‘74, a resident of Brooklyn, NY was re-elected to serve a second term as President. Asa Maria Camnert, Design Management M.P.S. ‘17, of Norrtalje, Sweden, will serve as Vice President. Elected for a third term as Treasurer was Tom Wong, Engineering ‘84, of River Edge, NJ. Former President of the Association (1974 - 1976, 2013 - 2017) Gil Gerald, Architecture ‘74, of Roosevelt Island, NY was re-elected for a second term as Secretary (click on image above to see additional photos). Anne Marie Michael, Architecture ‘81, of Pompton Lakes, NJ, will serve on the 2019 Board as Sargent-at-Arms. The newly elected, all volunteer Board will pioneer working together in virtual mode as its members are spread across two continents and two states. This is seen as the future of a viable DGT Alumni Association tapping into its talent spread across the globe, including but not limited to active members in Japan, Sweden, Latvia, and Kazakhstan among other countries, as well as across the USA. The team is supported by a House Manager, a bookkeeper and a tax accountant, serving as independent contractors, as well as a Lead Coach/Program Coordinator for Gallery House, also paid a stipend for her work in managing the undergraduate program.

Saturday, February 2: Board Elections

The cast for the 2018 Board, (L-R) Vern Ford, Tom Wong, Aika Mukhambetova, Gil Gerald, and Tom Wong, exits stage right

At least two new Board Members of DGT Alumni Association should emerge from the Annual Meeting on February 2, 2019 as annual elections take place. Your participation is important in what is anticipated to be a short, 90 minute meeting, starting at 12:00 p.m. You may participate via web-conference if traveling to the House is not an alternative, or by phone, by dialing (646) 982-0003 and using Access Code #: 990-812-429

DGT’s Board is made up of five individuals, President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Sargent-at-Arms. Three current Board Members, Tom Fiorella (Engineering ‘74), Tom Wong (Engineering ‘84), and Gil Gerald (Architecture ‘74) are all running for re-election to their current seats, President, Treasurer, and Secretary, respectively. Ann Marie Michael (Architecture ‘81) is running for the position of Sargent-At-Arms. Nominations have not yet been received for the position of Vice President. Nominations will remain open until the President declares that nominations are closed and votes are to be cast. DGT is forever grateful and indebted to Vern Ford (Communications ‘63) and Aika Mukhambetova (MFA 2017) who are retiring as Board Members.

DGT leadership is inviting and encouraging all members, spanning the generations from those who joined, starting in the mid-1950’s through the years and up to Spring 2017 Gallery House Program, to consider and run for office. An exciting period of renewal is imminent as students respond positively to DGT’s current incarnation, at the undergraduate level, as Gallery House. A relatively stabilized DGT, compared to a crisis beginning in 2006, should make a commitment for a year on the Board far more feasible for many based on significantly less demand on time. Distance or location on the planet should not be an impediment to serving on the Board, as long as their are sufficient Officers in the New York region, available to sign contractual, legal and financial documents. The all volunteer DGT Board meets roughly once a month, by phone, usually ten months out of the year. There are four quarterly membership meetings. The Board is supported by a paid bookkeeper/CPA, a paid Tax accountant, and a House Manager and a Gallery House Program Coordinator, both of whom receive stipends for their time. For further questions about possibly serving on the Board, email Tom Fiorella at tfiorella@dgtaa.org.

DGT Alumni Association’s Exhibit on Alumni Day

Photos from DGT Alumni Association's collection of images of Greek Letter Fraternity Life at Pratt during the 1950's through early 2000’s will be among the items being exhibited on Pratt Alumni Day at the former fraternity house at 272 Clinton Ave. The building and the organization have since been re-purposed to provide the current Gallery House Internship Program. The exhibit will also include digital images of the organization’s re-purposing to provide and house the Gallery House Internship Program. Members of the Pratt Community — students, administration, faculty, an alumni are invited to the exhibit on Pratt Alumni Day, Saturday, September 29, 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., at 272 Clinton, Ave. Tickets are free via Eventbrite.

A New Generation Steps Up to the Plate

Rddhima Goylan, Interior Design, 2018.

All three members of the Gallery House Internship Program, fall 2017, have volunteered to support the program in fall 2018. Serving as Lead Coaches will be Laura Arike and Rddhima Goylan. The role of Curator of the DGT Annual Alumni Exhibit will be filled by Adam, Colello.  The retention of this group of three graduates of Gallery House is a promising indicator of success in engaging undergraduates on a peer-to-peer level, to run the program to and further develop their professional skills and build a professional and social network to be continued through life. As the trend snowballs and reaches a critical mass, it is hoped that ten or more undergraduates at a minimum, within a few years, will voluntarily elect, on a continuous basis, to enrich the lives of successive waves of students for years to come.  This should be abetted by a new goal of engaging four interns per semester in the program.

Rddhima Goylan, a spring 2018 graduate in Interior Design, enthusiastically said yes when asked if she would serve as a Lead Coach to take up where Asa Maria Camnert and Aika Mukhambetova left off after their efforts to lead the program over the past three semesters. Rddhima is originally from New Delhi, India. She attended high school in Bangalore, and while at Pratt she consistently made the Dean's List.  Her most immediate professional and life goal has been met. This goal was to live and work in New York, and since graduation in the spring, she has been employed by an Interior Design firm in the city. "I now have the opportunity to build on this phase of my life." She reports that the recruitment and application process is underway for fall 2018 Gallery House. "I believe Gallery House is a great platform for student learning. Posters are up, and applications were already being submitted and received before students were scheduled to return for fall classes. 

Laura Arike is from Mamaroneck, Westchester County, NY, where she attended Mamaroneck High. She is currently in her junior year at Pratt, as an Art History Major and a minor in Museum and Gallery studies. Laura has been on the President's list for all semesters at Pratt to date. Her ambition is to work for one of the major museums in New York. Laura said yes, again with the same enthusiasm of her colleagues, Rddhima and Adam. "I'm confident in Gallery House. There is a lot of interest in the program among students. We expect to have a larger pool of applicants and to be in a position to be more selective in developing a team of interns."  Both Rddhima and Laura are committed to team building early in the process. "Communication among the Interns and coaches will be promoted through more group sessions and activities rather than the once a week group coaching session and dolling out of individualized tasks assignments."  Gallery House Interns receive three credits per semester for performing 20 hours of internship work a week.

Adam Colello is beginning his sophomore year at Pratt. He is a Communication Design Major and he is pursuing a concentration in Art Direction. As a Freshman his original focus and interest was in pursuing a BFA in Photography.  As an intern working on "Yesterday's Tomorrow,"  the fall 2017 Gallery House Exhibit, Adam was described as evoking emotion and a sense of loneliness through his photographs and other works of art. Paul will be lending a hand leading the curating of the 2018 Annual DGT Alumni Exhibit, with a focus on the photography to be exhibited at the show and and also exhibited via the DGT Website. 

Developing Connection, 1898 to the Present: The 2018 Annual DGT Alumni Association Exhibit

Developing Connection, 1898 to the Present, opening Saturday, September 29, 2018, 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. will provide a window into the DGT story, especially over the past seventy years. The exhibit, held on conjunction with Pratt Alumni Day, will provide a view into the history of the organization, especially during the lifetimes of current members. Exhibited work will capture or recall treasured and memorable moments involving DGT members contributing to the life of the organization and to student life at Pratt.

ELIGIBLE MEDIA: All members of the DGT Alumni Association are invited to submit photos, negatives, film, digital media, paintings, drawings, silkscreen posters, flyers, or artifacts, such as plaques, paddles, or relevant copies of the Prattler or other Pratt publication, for potential inclusion in the 2018 Annual DGT Alumni Association Exhibit.  

Developing Connection, 1898 to the Present will provide a window into the DGT story, especially over the past seventy years, providing a view into the history of the organization during the lifetimes of current members. Submissions should capture or recall treasured and memorable moments involving DGT members contributing to the life of the organization, or student life at Pratt. You are encouraged to send in your submission, not only for potential inclusion in the show, but for inclusion as a digitized image on a new page to be created at the DGT website, and for safekeeping by DGT for future display and research into the history of DGT. If you wish the material to be returned, the request will be honored. However, please indicate this and provide a prepaid label for return delivery of the item(s).

EXHIBIT DATES: The show will run from an opening reception on September 29, Pratt Alumni Day, through a closing reception on November 17, DGT Alumni Association's Annual Thanksgiving Dinner. You are encouraged to send a preview (image or images) of your proposed submission, using this online form. Otherwise, please mail or have it delivered to DGT Alumni Association, 272 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205, Attention Gilberto R. Gerald, Secretary (646.634.3319). If you have negatives or film that must be printed or require projection equipment for viewing, the team of curators for the show will handle this.

RECEIVING: All material should be received by Saturday, September 15, 2018. Hand-delivered work must arrive to 272 Clinton. Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205 on September 15, 2018, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (or any earlier date by appointment). Substitutions and late arriving work will not be hung. Work must remain for the duration of exhibition.

LIABILITY: DGT Alumni Association is not responsible for any damage, breakage, replacement or cost associated with any damage or breakage that may have occurred during transport, storage, unpacking, exhibiting, packing and return transport. Every precaution will be taken in handling the entries, but DGT Alumni Association assumes no liability for any loss or damage to any item while in its care, custody or control, before, during or after the exhibition. Each DGT member, if they wish, should provide their own insurance.

REMOVAL: All items requested for return to the member must be picked up from the House by Monday, November 19th between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 pm. Works not removed will be placed in storage and released at DGT’s convenience.

USE OF IMAGES: Any image submitted may be used for marketing and promotional purposes directly related to this show. This use may include placement in any publications, printed materials, advertisements, or electronic media. Copyright and all other rights remain that of the artist.

CONTACT/QUESTIONS: Please direct all questions to ggerald@dgtaa.org and (646) 634-3319. Address: DGT Alumni Association - 272 Clinton Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205.

ENTRY AGREEMENT: With the submission of work or items the submitting individual agrees to all the terms and conditions set forth in this prospectus.

DGT Alumni Association's 2017 Annual Report

Strengthening 'connection' among members and with our Alma Mater

Alumni Program Task Force engages as a 'think tank' to increase connection among members

2017, as depicted in photos included in this article (click on photo to view all), pointed to the potential for successfully connecting and re-connecting DGT members on a grander scale. Captured are two Delta Gamma Theta brothers, Chase Hill and Harold Bernstein, and their families, gathered for lunch in Dallas to meet each other for the first time ever. John Comiskey and Marty Nystrom had not been to the House in decades until Pratt Alumni Day 2017. Also at the annual reunion, 10 brothers pose for the camera in the Chapter Room. That group represents five of the last six decades-50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. The Thanksgiving Dinner gathering took place at nearby Putnam's Pub & Cooker. Bro. Pete Schirling, one of the first members to live at the House, and his bride, were visiting from Japan. They just had to come back to the House where Pete then reminisced and glimpsed at the mug with his name on it. Ariane Williams, a Spring 2016 Gallery House Intern, returns to support the program and experience the exhibit of a subsequent class of Interns. Two Fall 2017 interns, Rddhima Goylan and Adam Colello, smile for the camera. Finally, in the last image, Paul Fletcher and Aika Mukhambetova, both DGT alumni, are actively involved in making Gallery House happen.

Volunteers Opportunity

DGT looks forward to a future of more of these moments, for more DGT Alumni, in many more places than New York City.  In early 2017 a Special Task Force of DGT Alumni was established to develop recommendations to build on the success DGT Alumni Association has had since 2013 in re-connecting and engaging its members who were once undergraduate fraternity or sister-sorority members, or since 2015, Gallery House Interns. The Task Force came up with a plan, released in early 2018.  The Plan has objectives and a timeline organized under five goals: (1) DGT Member List and Member Information Easily Accessible to Members; (2) Distance Engagement Through Live Video Streaming from the House; (3) Make the DGT Website a More functional and Valuable Tool (for member connection and re-connection); (4) Regional and Out-of-state Member Get-togethers and Reunions; and, (5) Recover Missing Names and Contact Information for Members. 

There is an opportunity for DGT Alumni to volunteer as many hours or as few hours as you may have to carry out the plan. The tasks are all not time sensitive.  There is an opportunity for all members, inclusive of individuals with skills, interest and experience in the field of communications (including webmaster, website administration, digital graphics design, blogging, and data entry and management). Volunteers are sought to research and obtain contact information for members, or to recover, catalog and display documents and artifacts of historical interest to DGT.  Alumni members interested in planning or supporting the organizing of reunions, regionally or at the house, are also being sought. To explore how you could help, from wherever you are on planet earth, contact Gil Gerald, Secretary, by email to ggerald@dgtaa.org. 

Alumni Affairs, Office of Student Affairs, Center for Career and Professional Development, and Department Chairs serve as key points of engagement with Pratt Institute in 2017.

In 2017 DGT continued a tradition of service to and collaboration with Pratt Institute. As indicated in the DGT Foundation's Annual Report, Gallery House is working effectively with various Pratt Departments and organizational units, especially Alumni Affairs, Center for Career and Professional Development, and Department Chairs. DGT Alumni Association coordinates with Alumni Affairs to participate in and contribute to the success of the Annual Pratt Alumni Day program. Pictured above, in early 2018, Pratt Institute rents the gallery space to host a daylong meeting of Department Chairs. The group requested the use of the space, and consequently DGT became a vendor to Pratt, perhaps for the first time. 

2017 Finances

Income

In 2017 DGT Alumni Association's income totaled $88,427, mostly from rental income (97.7%). All other sources, including member and non-member donations, dues, and interest totaled $2,037 (2.3%). Significantly, direct public support, including members donations, and other individual and business contributions,  doubled from the previous year, increasing from $798.00 in the previous year to $1,490 in 2017. Similarly, as detailed in the 2017 Profit and Loss Statement, income from membership dues increased from $375 total in 2016 to $547 in 2017. Higher income in 2018 can be anticipated as 2017 was marked by higher than usual turnover in tenants with a resulting higher than usual vacancy and less than optimal income. DGT Alumni are increasingly responding, year by year, to solicitations to support DGT through donations and annual dues payments. The donations and dues received in 2017 were matched by additional donations made by these same members to DGT Foundation, the tax-exempt non-profit arm of DGT. For additional detail view the Balance Sheet for December 31, 2017 and the DGT Alumni Association's Federal Tax Return for 2017.

Expense

DGT Alumni Association expended $93,834 in 2017 with a resulting pre-tax net operating income of -$5,407, a loss, as shown on the 2017 Income and Expense Statement. The loss was primarily due higher than usual renter turnover and resulting additional vacancy days at the DGT Home at 272 Clinton Ave., in Brooklyn, NY. There were also higher than usual costs for repair and upgrades to building systems. These expenses are reflected in higher contract services costs, and also in capital expenditures and depreciation costs detailed in the DGT Balance Sheet for 2017.  At year's end, DGT had increased liabilities in the form of a credit card balance of $28,846. These funds were used primarily to cover capital expenditures mandated by building code requirements uncovered as part of a scheduled five-year, New York Fire Department inspection of the fire sprinkler system. The water main for the system, from the street to the house had to be replaced to meet current code requirements. A real challenge for the future is the need to raise significant capital funds for restoration and renovation work. In 2014 those cost were estimated at $1.25 million and are likely higher now. For additional detail, view the Balance Sheet for December 31, 2017 and the DGT Alumni Association's Federal Tax Return for 2017.

Replacement of the water main for the fire sprinkler system

2017's major capital investment

(click of photo to view all) A required 5-year inspection of the fire sprinkler system by the New York Fire Department uncovered the need to replace the main valve for the sprinkler system. Complications in replacing the valve led to further discovery that repairs would necessitate replacing the water line, from the city's main supply line back to the house. Repairs required an upgrade of the line to meet current code requirements. These and other repairs required the expenditure of an unanticipated $28K.

Thank You!

Active DGT Alumni members: Chuck Anderson, Ryan Baker, Harold Bernstein, William Border, Lance Bottari, Stan Brown, David Cerame, Yuda Drattler, Martin Eskow, Rodney Finkle, Tom Fiorella, Paul Fletcher, Vern Ford, Christine Friello-Fini, Gil Gerald, Jason Grefski, Ken Haber, Alan S. Hansen, Chase Hill, Ira Holst, Douglas Kupfer, Ramon Lacomba, Jon Levy, Bruce McKenzie, Michael Madia, Chas Martin, Marcus McLaurin, John Pagan, Fr. Michael Perry, Luis F. Rivera, Jr., Joe Pierz, Peter Schirling, Richard Shankey, Eric St. James-Lopez, Alexa Telano, Frank Verni, Diane Vita, James Vita, Thomas Wong, Chris Worsley and Josh Yavelberg. Donors to DGT Alumni Association: Ryan Baker, John Comiskey, Lance Bottari, Chris Duggan, Yuda Drattler, Marty Eskow, Vernon Ford, Christine Friello-Fini, Kostas Gerakaris,  Gil Gerald, Jason Grefski, Paul Fletcher, Kenneth Hebel, Chase Hill, Michael Madia, Austin Lawther, Anne Marie Michael, Elycia Lerman, Howard Lee, and Thomas Wong. In-kind services: HYBEK (Ira Holst)  Volunteers: Asa Maria Camnert, Tom Fiorella, Paul Fletcher, Vern Ford, Gil Gerald, Aika Mukhambetova, Eric St. James-Lopez, and Tom Wong. Exhibitors in the Annual DGT Alumni Exhibit: Manuel Castedo, Chris Duggan, Maria de Los Angeles, Paul Fletcher, Charles Martin, Robert Pasternak, Alan Rand, Carl Saieva, and Alexa Telano.

Donate to the DGT Foundation

DGT Foundation's 2017 Annual Report

Strengthening our signature program, Gallery House

Evaluation and planning: the focus of Spring Semester 2017

Aika Aigherim, Co-lead Coach, Gil Gerald, DGT Foundation Board President, and Asa Maria Camnert, Co-lead Coach. Asa and Aika, former interns of Gallery House, emerged out of the spring 2017 program evaluation and planning process to lead the program in Fall 2017.

In 2014, DGT Alumni Association formed DGT Foundation to carry out charitable activities consistent with the DGT Alumni Association's mission and vision. The mission of DGT Foundation is to promote creativity and artistic flourishing through a variety of educational and charitable activities; to foster leadership and professional development among students and professionals in creative fields; and to conduct and fund a variety of educational and charitable activities that benefit neighboring communities in the New York City region. DGT Alumni Association members volunteer with the DGT Foundation and provide financial support for the program as do a broader set of donors who are not members. 

Gallery House Internship Program is the signature and only program of DGT Foundation. Annually, at the beginning of fall and  spring semesters, students apply to serve as interns who participate in a semester-long real-life learning experience in curating, promoting, fundraising, and managing a fine arts or design exhibit to benefit a local non-profit organization of their choice. Social needs and Issues addressed by beneficiary organizations have included LGBT immigration into the US, victims of acid attacks, and art instruction for school-age children.  Between three and four students participate each semester in the Gallery House Internship Program and receive three credits towards graduation in their course of study at Pratt Institute.  Gallery House Internship Program uses a private gallery space within the DGT Alumni Association’s residence at 272 Clinton Avenue.

In early 2017, after three initial and successful semesters, fall 2015, spring 2016, and fall 2016, the program was paused for the spring 2017 semester to evaluate for ways to improve the program and better target marketing and outreach to attract relatively more undergraduate students. The program was envisioned in 2014 as a peer-led volunteer coaching effort in which program graduates coached and supervised subsequent groups of interns engaged in producing an exhibit. Thus a corps of former interns, still enrolled at Pratt for one or more years after their internship, would provide the volunteer peer-led leadership for program continuity. Coaches now receive a small, per session stipend as an incentive and in appreciation for their volunteer efforts.

During spring 2017, seven of the eight interns from the previous three semesters all participated in the work of evaluation and program improvement for Gallery House. The group met to identify evaluation and planning tasks, and to agree on when and how the tasks would be performed. They assigned responsibilities for carrying the tasks out and tracked their completion. A week by week, ten-week coaching guide was developed and written so that there would be consistency from semester-to-semester in implementing the program while also providing for continuous quality improvement. The program's on-campus marketing approach was revised and the web-site content related to the program was improved. The team also collected sample forms and documented strategies that had been developed during the previous three semesters, and assembled them into a digital library for use and reference by future interns. Out of the process, two volunteers, Asa Camnert and Aika Mukhambetova emerged to serve as Lead Coaches for Gallery House Internship Program Fall 2017 and beyond.

Effective outreach to undergraduate students

A 2017 achievement was the implementation of quality improvements identified in in the spring

Rddhima Golyan, a Senior in Interior Design, Laura Arike, a Sophomore majoring in Art History, and Adam Colello, a Sophomore majoring in photography, represented an important change in the Gallery House Internship Program. Previously the program succeeded in mostly attracting graduate students. 

DGT Foundation's Gallery House Internship Program coordinates its on campus recruitment of applicants with the Pratt Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) and Pratt Institute's Office of Student Affairs. The internship opportunity is posted digitally through Pratt PRO, the go-to-resource for students and alumni seeking employment. Students apply through the DGT website, and International students studying at Pratt and accepted into Gallery House are further assisted by CCPD to comply with special requirements that apply to them. All students accepted into the Gallery House Program are assisted by CCPD to register to receive credit for their internship, and this support is performed in an efficient and timely manner. Through the Office of Student Affairs, the internship opportunity is posted on campus video screens and flyers about the program are distributed throughout campus. Pratt faculty participate in the program as exhibiting artists, and also provide information about the internship opportunity to students. Outreach to faculty is performed in coordination with Pratt Institute's Department Chairs who thus also help maintain and increase awareness about the program. As a result of quality improvement, the opportunity is now described in marketing materials as an internship program rather than a fellowship.  Academic credit is offered to participants rather than a $3,000 shared fellowship grant, the practice for the first three semesters of the program.  These strategies and changes resulted in achievement of the goal of recruiting and engaging undergraduate students, for the first time in more than a year. Previously, only once, in the fall of 2015, were undergraduate students engaged in the program; the re-calibration in spring 2017 worked!

Finances

2017 Revenue

Gallery House Internship Program was the sole program of DGT Foundation in 2017. Donations totaling $7,043 to DGT Foundation included a $5,750 gift from DGT Alumni Association, and additional individual support of $1,292 from donors, primarily DGT Alumni Association members. This is  more fully detailed in DGT Foundation's Statement of Activity for 2017. Additional information is also posted in the form of DGT Foundation's IRS tax return for 2017.

2017 Expenditures

DGT Foundation's expenditures totaled $7,661.58 in 2017. Major expenses included $5,233.31 in fellowship grants to students offered by Gallery House and disbursed in 2017. A total of $1,525 in business expenses included $1,000 in incentive stipends for volunteer coaching provided to students through Gallery House Internship Program. For further details see DGT Foundation's Statement of Activity for 2017. Also Available for review is DGT Foundation's 2017 IRS tax return.

Yesterday's Tomorrow

Fall 2017's Exhibit produced by Gallery House Interns

Photo credits: Ike Cheung, Pratt Visiting Instructor and Lecturer, and a DGT Alumni Association Member.

Thank You!

Individual Donors: Lance Bottari, Manuel Castedo, John Comiskey, Paul Fletcher, Gil Gerald, Ken Haber, Alan Hansen, Kenneth Hebel, MIchael Madia, Anne Marie Michael, Fr. Michael Perry, Jakub Skoda, Greg Rajczewski, and Thomas Wong. Corporate Contributors and Sponsors:  New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Material for the Arts Program, Pratt Institute Center for Career and Professional Development, and Pratt Institute Office of Student Affairs. Collaborating Partner/Beneficiary Organization: Children's Arts Guild. Fall 2017 Interns: Laura Arike, Adam Colello, and Rddhima Goylan. Exhibiting Artists: Tess Adams, Panyagal Charm, Xuan Chen, Carola Dixon, Nina Kou, Mark LaRiviere, Xander Maclaren, Michael Lee, Anna Marcelo, Christopher Smith, Anna Williams, Jingwen Zhu Volunteers: Asa Camnert, Paul Fletcher, Vern Ford, Gil Gerald, Aika Mukhambetova, August Ou, Maria Camila Pava, Eric St. James-Lopez, Rudolph Strelis, Alexa Telano, Ariane Williams, and Tom Wong. 

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Knowing Me, Knowing You: The Opening Reception

A freshman, a junior and a senior at Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, NY, successfully pulled off a well attended opening reception of 'Knowing Me, Knowing You,' on April 26, 2018.  Samuel DiBiasi, Yejin Ha, and Christine Hwang, curated the exhibit as part of their Spring 2018 Internship with the Gallery House Program, an experiential learning opportunity provided by the DGT Foundation, the educational and charitable arm of the DGT Alumni Association.   They are part of a growing corps of Pratt students who are taking responsibility for running the Gallery House program, based at was once a traditional Fraternity House, and that has now been re-purposed as a private gallery and the residential home of Gallery House, an experiential learning opportunity in curation and producing and promoting an exhibit that benefits a non-profit organization.  A beneficiary is selected by the 3-4 students serving as interns each semester. Knowing Me, Knowing You is the fifth exhibit put on by Interns of Gallery House since 2015.

Knowing Me, Knowing You, Spring 2018

DGT Task Force Recommends Projects and Activities

In a detailed report, a task force made up of eleven DGT alumni recommended a set of discreet yet synergistic short-term projects to continue to build a more meaningful program of activities interconnecting and engaging DGT alumni living in the New York City Metropolitan Area, elsewhere in the US, and internationally.

The report, developed over the course of many months in 2017, outlines activities to be carried out under five goals: 

1. DGT Member List and Member Information Easily Accessible to Members
2. Distance Engagement Through Live Video Streaming
3. Make the Website a More Valuable Tool
4. Regional and Out-of-state Member Get-togethers and Reunions
5. Recover Missing Names and Contact Information for Members.

Contained in 20, pages, the report provides background information related to the development of the Task Force and the report, a review of the process of developing the report, a listing of the projects and activities that will support goal attainment, and a work plan for carrying out proposed projects and activities. Alumni Program Task Force members included Harold Bernstein (Arch '90) of Texas, Lance Bottari (ME '73) of FL, Ike Cheung (Arch '91) of NY, Chris Duggan (Illustration) of NY, Tom Fiorella (IE '74) of NY, Rod Finkle (ID '55) or AK, Gil Gerald (Arch '74) of NY, Elycia Lerman (IE '82) of NJ, Anne Marie MIchael (Arch '81) of NJ, Alexa Telano (BFA '16) of NY, and Tom Wong (ME '84) of NJ.

In reviewing the draft of the report, members of the task force stressed the importance and opportunity to meaningfully engage alumni and newly emerging members from the Gallery House Program in implementing the recommendations of the report.  There is plenty of opportunity to involve alumni throughout the country with various skills, including those involving the use of digital technology, to those related to organizing small gatherings in various regions of the country, or doing what it takes to providing historical information, documents, and photos that may be buried in an attic somewhere.  Additional involvement will bring the goals of the report to fruition and complement the work of an already overburdened Board of Directors and corps of volunteers associated with the Gallery House Program. The recommendations of the report are found on pages 12-13, and a detailed 12-month work plan follows on pages 14-19. The report is scheduled for approval at the April 28 membership meeting of the DGT Alumni Association. For questions, commentary and indications of interest, please use the comment box, below, or email ggerald@dgtaa.org. 

Quarterly Meeting Notice and Invitation to Induction and Celebratory Lunch for New Undergraduate Members

Asa Maria Camnert and Aigerim Mukhambetova, Gallery House Program's Lead Coaches, will formally recommend three Pratt undergraduate students for induction as Associate (undergraduate) members of DGT Alumni Association, Inc. The three will receive the honorary letters, Delta Gamma Theta for their accomplishments in Gallery House Program, Spring 2018.

DGT Alumni Association, Inc. serves notice that the next Quarterly Membership Meeting of the DGT Alumni Association will be held Saturday, April 28, starting at noon, eastern.  The agenda normally includes reviewing reports from the officers, including the Treasurer, as well as reports from the Property Manager and Gallery House Internship Program’s Lead Coach. Anticipated old business and new business items include:

Old Business

• Rear Patio Design Competition
• Alumni Program Task Force Report, including adoption of its recommendations
• Landscaping the Front Yard
• Updating the Strategic Plan

New Bussines

• No items under new business have been requested as of the date of this notice.

The meeting will be held at 272 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205.  Members, including Associate (undergraduate) Members, can also participate via web-conference..

The meeting will start at 12:00 p.m. Eastern. It is scheduled to last no more than 90 minutes, adjourning to Good and Welfare at 1:30 P.M.  The meeting will be followed at 2:00 p.m. by an induction ceremony for three new undergraduate members, the participants in spring 2018 Gallery House Program. Starting at 3:00 p.m. the new members will be further welcomed during a celebratory late lunch at Putnam’s Pub & Corker, located at the corner of Myrtle and Clinton Ave. in Brooklyn.  All DGT members are invited. Please indicate by email to ggerald@dgtaa.org if you intend to participate since an accurate count is needed as the reservations for late lunch are updated so that everyone can be accommodated. Excluding wine, beer or mixed drinks from the bar, expect a cost of $20 to $25 for meal selections on the menu.

Gil Gerald, Secretary
DGT Alumni Association, Inc.

P.S. if you intend to participate in the late lunch at Putnam’s, please RSVP to ggerald@dgtaa.org

DGT's Calendar Updated

The calendar of DGT Alumni Association's events and meetings for the remainder of 2018 has been updated at the DGT Website. Key dates to keep in mind include:

• Thursday, April 24, at 7:00 p.m., Opening Reception of Knowing Me Knowing You, an exhibit curated by Gallery House Interns, Spring 2018
• Saturday, April 28, 12:00 p.m., Quarterly Membership Meeting; followed at 2:00 p.m. by an induction of three new undergraduate members, and a celebratory late lunch at Putnam's Pub and Corker, located at the corner of Clinton and Myrtle avenues in Brooklyn, NY. RSVP to ggerald@dgtaa.org if you plan to attend the late lunch.
• Thursday, May 3, at 7:00 p.m., Closing Reception of Knowing Me Knowing You, an exhibit curated by Gallery House Interns, Spring 2018
• Saturday, July 28, 12:00 p.m., Quarterly Membership Meeting and Backyard BBQ
• Saturday, September 29, Pratt Alumni Day and  DGT's Annual Alumni Exhibit and Reception
• Saturday, October 27, 12:00 p.m., Quarterly Membership Meeting and Social Gathering
• Saturday, November 17, 3:00 p.m., DGT Thanksgiving Pot-luck Dinner

For a complete listing of meetings and events, including the dates and times of Board of Directors' Meetings, and additional events as they are planned, visit and revisit the calendar posted at the DGT Website. Members may participate in meetings from the comfort of their home, using a desktop computer, tablet, smartphone, or land line telephone. 

One in Five DGT Alumni in the Rolls is Active for Calendar 2018

DGT Alumni Association Treasurer, Tom Wong

A loud, self congratulatory applause is due for DGT Alumni. More than 20% of members whose names have been recovered and entered in the rolls are current in their dues through January, 2019. Fifty one members paid their dues, including many who made an additional donation. The January annual membership drive raised a combined total of $2,000 in dues and donations.

Adam Colello, Laura Arike and Rddhima Goylan join the Ranks of Pratt Students and Graduates Committed to Continuing Gallery House Internship Program

On Saturday, January 27, In a brief afternoon ceremony, the graduates of the fall 2017 Gallery House Internship Program, joined the ranks of the graduates of fall 2015, spring 2016 and fall 2016 committed to help continue the program, in a volunteer capacity, as they are able. Adam Colello and Laura Arike, Pratt Institute sophomores, and Rddhima Goylan, a senior, opted, as have 100% of the program's graduates since 2015, to demonstrate their satisfaction with the program and their interest to see this student-run program continue. Participating in the ceremony were officers of the DGT Alumni Association, and Asa Maria Camnert and Aika Mukhambetova, who recently received graduate degrees from Pratt Institute and served as coaches for the fall 2017 Internship Program. Asa and Aika are graduates of the fall 2016 Gallery House Internship Program.

Rddhima Goylan, Laura Arike and Adam Colello

Gallery House, a program of the DGT Foundation, is a semester-long Internship Program in which students earn academic credit for participating in an experiential learning opportunity that involves planning, curating and promoting an art or design exhibit benefiting a charity of their choosing. The class of fall 2017 produced 'Yesterday's Tomorrow' benefiting the Children's Arts Guild.  The DGT Foundation is the educational and charitable arm of the DGT Alumni Association, and organization dating to 1898 with living members who graduated from Pratt Institute in the 1950s through the present. Since 2006 a former local fraternity has engaged in the process of transformation to meet the leadership development and professional networking needs of students in a new 21'st Century era and as a response to the changing culture and demographics of Pratt Institute. 

The celebration for the Gallery House class of 2017 concluded with dinner at Putnam's Pub & Corker on Myrtle Ave.

Elections and Financial Recap of 2017 Highlighted Annual Membership Meeting

From Left to Right: Vern Ford (BFA '63), Sargent-at-Arms; Tom Wong (Engineering '84), Treasurer; Aika Mukhambetova (MPS-Design Management '15), Vice President; Gil Gerald (Architecture. '74), Secretary; and, Tom Fiorella (Industrial Engineering '74), President.

DGT Alumni Association's Annual Membership Meeting concluded with the election of the 2018 Board of Directors. This group will be responsible for continuing to manage transformation and transition in an organization first begun in the late nineteenth century to one that thrives through the 21'st century. The team will be led by Tom Fiorella, a 1974 graduate of the School of Engineering. Aika Mukhambetova, who completed her Masters in Design Management in 2015 will serve as Vice President in a visionary arrangement that provides for greater sharing of the roles and responsibilities formerly carried out by the President. Tom Wong, a 1984 graduate of the School of Engineering was re-elected as DGT Alumni Association's Treasurer. Gil Gerald, immediate past President, will serve as Secretary after five years of wielding the gavel. Vern Ford,  a 1963 Fine Arts graduate in the field of Communications will hold the fifth position on the Board, Sargent-at-Arms. In remarks, Vern pointedly welcomed the election of Aika to the Board, in addition to other developments at DGT reflecting changes at Pratt, including the election of the first female President and a student body that is now 60-70% female. 

Tom Fiorella, (Engineering '74) is handed over the gavel and the 'Consul's (President's) copy of DGT's Internal Controls from Gil Gerald, retiring President of DGT Alumni Association. Since January, 2014 all Board Members, upon election, have been handed over a copy of this living document as the torch is passed from the previous office holder to the next.

The other agenda item that took up a considerable part of the meeting time was a review of the finances looking back at 2017 as the books are closed and being handed over for tax returns preparation by DGT's tax accountants. The income and expense statement for 2017 reflected over $17.6K in net operating income on gross income of $88.4K. Capital expenses of $30K, for necessary improvements to the property are reflected on the DGT Balance Sheet, which includes a liability of $28K in credit card debt that must be reduced in the coming months. Cash in DGT's Bank Accounts on December 31, 2017 was $8.3K. Monthly gross income from rent, arriving at the beginning of each month, is currently $7.8K.

For it's meetings DGT Alumni Association is taking steps to make better use of technology. In recent years, members have logged on from their homes in CA, FL, HI, NJ, upstate NY, and Japan. Efforts are made and often met to limit meeting time to 90 minutes. A new Smart TV serves as a projection screen limiting the need for printing reports and other documents.

Attending the meeting, which requires a quorum of 7 active members, were seven individuals on site, at 272 Clinton Ave., and one member online. A ninth active member logged on in California but was not present for the entire duration of the meeting. As of the start of the meeting, active membership (currently paid annual dues) totaled more than 50 men and women, a new high in active memberships, out of a total of 300 names that have been identified and entered into the database. The membership drive for 2018 ends on January 31.  By comparison, in January, 2013 there were 7 active members total, the minimum for a quorum under By-laws first adopted in 1973. The next quarterly membership meeting is scheduled for Saturday, April 28, 2018, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern. 

The Mug Story

Aika Mukhambetova, Fall 2016 Gallery House, and Asa Maria Camnert, Fall 2016 Gallery House, finally receive their mugs

As DGT manages transition and transformation, from bright past to bright future, from pledging to the Gallery House Internship Program, the Mug Story merits sharing. A new generation wants and appreciates that mug. It appears some things change and somethings remain as shared joys and experiences across the generations, inclusive of members who received theirs in the 1950s and those who now receive them in the second decade of the 21st Century. As 'Bolero' played for a brief 10 minutes in the afternoon of January 27, to a seated and anxious audience of three, in a 'waiting' area on the ground floor, just before the Induction Ceremony, DGT alumni placed three mugs with newly printed membership certificates on a wooden ledge in the Chapter Room. Getting to the details of that moment was a pesky problem and the subject of much discussion between 2015 and 2018.  One could say that long discussions are still a feature today.

The long and short of it, is that the sources of the old mugs, as well as available sizes and design defied any intention of continuing the use of the mug traditionally selected by DGT, going back to the 1950s. The issue of designing the graphics for a new one that made some respectful homage to the past -- one that would look right next to the older ones -- made for interesting discussion to say the least. Our 'connection' with one another survived that three-year-long tug of war. Best of all, just before the Induction Ceremony, it was discovered that a box full of the new mugs had unexpectedly arrived just in time to hand them out to Gallery House graduates from the past three years as well as those about to be celebrated as new undergraduates, voluntarily opting to be members of DGT committed to support the continuation of the Gallery House Internship Program.

Dues are due; Maintain your Connection!

With your active participation as a dues paying member, DGT Alumni Association will continue on a path of progress that has been followed since re-organizing efforts in 2012 and 2013. If you have already sent in your $10 dues for 2018, thank you! If you haven’t yet done so, the month of January has been designated for when dues are renewed. Please use a convenient link to PayPal to make the payment.

Your dues payment of $10, less than the cost of most meals at eating establishments, provides for the maintenance of ‘connection’ begun in our undergraduate years at Pratt. It supports communication, and the maintenance of records that make and sustain the ability to keep the connection going. Dues support the mission of the DGT Alumni Association.

As active dues paying members, DGT Alumni can elect to participate in one annual and three quarterly membership meetings and cast votes on motions that are then implemented by a Board of Directors during the intervening months.  Active dues paying members can also hold office, and our new digital world is making it possible for interested members who do not live in New York to hold office and participate in the governance of DGT Alumni Association.  All meetings involve web-conferencing.

Members’ ability to volunteer and participate more actively does vary as time, circumstances and geography allow. However, your dues payment does provide valuable moral support to members who at some given point in their lives are able to be relatively or significantly more active. These individuals, to the best of their ability, are a an extension of you in the effort to give back and make it possible for our connection to be maintained and enhanced, and also for a very special group of current Pratt Students to have a memorable experience they will carry for the rest of their lives.

Do take a moment, it’s easy, via PayPal. Otherwise, if it is your preference, please enclose a check for $10 to DGT Alumni Association, 272 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205, to the attention of Tom Wong, Treasurer. Thank you!

P.S. The next annual meeting is at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern), Saturday, January 27, 2018.