In a gentle way, you can SHAKE the world ~ Mahatma Gandhi

The Alpha Chi Rho Educational Foundation cultivates academic excellence and leadership development through financial assistance and program support for the educational pursuits and initiatives of the Brothers, Chapters, the National Council of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho, and other students. The Foundation fosters lifetime commitment to personal enrichment and community service by members of Alpha Chi Rho as Men of Word and Deed.

This new mission and list of recommendations were presented by a committee appointed by Foundation Board President, Gary DelPiano, in response to challenges presented by the current pandemic. DelPiano selected Nancy Jones, lifetime giving society member and AXPEF scholarship benefactor, as chairperson of the committee.

“For 70 years, [the Foundation’s] purpose was to fund, educate, and support the Fraternity objectives. COVID made us realize that we can make an even bigger impact on the member experience and serve a broader audience. I charged the committee with reinventing AXPEF,” stated DelPiano.

This initiative comes on the heels of the 2020 Cygnus Research Project, a large-scale Alumni and Donor Engagement Survey, in which AXPEF joined over 35 inter/national fraternity and sorority foundations to understand the motivations, perceptions and intentions of graduate Brothers toward the Foundation and the Fraternity. In particular, the feedback will inform communication timing and content, design more effective strategies for alumni engagement, and identify where investment is best placed to increase philanthropic support.

Collectively with the Cygnus data, the committee conducted a thorough review of foundation best practices and sample profit and non-profit mission statements and secured feedback about the purpose of the Foundation. The results are intended to lay the groundwork for a strategic planning process commencing in 2022.

“Our challenge was to create a realistic plan in the current pandemic with the economic downturn, resulting unemployment, remote work and education, change in leadership for the country and potential tax law changes,” commented Jones. "We truly believe the new mission and our recommendations provide a supportive framework for lifelong achievement and service.”

The committee consisted of the following members: Nancy Jones, Chair, AXPEF Scholarship Benefactor; Jay Anhorn, Lehigh 1995, COO/Director of Development; Byron Connell, Penn 1963, Chairman, Foundation Board of Trustees; Dr. Charles H. Lippy, Dickinson 1965, Trustee Emeritus; Dr. John DiSarro, Geneseo 2007, Trustee; Michael R. Giardinelli, Drexel 2007; and Anthony Massa, Miami Ohio 2020.

Anthony Massa, past Chapter president at Miami University of Ohio, said "In creating this new mission, we have taken into account all of the stakeholders that the Foundation serves and renewed our commitment to supporting all of them in becoming people of Word and Deed."

To volunteer with the Foundation or participate in the strategic planning process, contact Jay Anhorn at janhorn@alphachirho.org.