Presidential Address
Hey there,
As a Michigan Engineering student, I know fully well the difficulties of studying Engineering at this esteemed university. The long hours, difficult coursework, and highly competitive environment are a drain on even the best student. It is difficult to find your niche on campus, the group of people that you can truly feel at home with. At the beginning of my time at Michigan, after going through the enormous change that is going to college, I felt lost, without purpose or direction. I was unsure of my place on campus, where I would be able to fit in and feel comfortable, to grow and thrive as a student and as a person. I never thought that place would be the Michigan Chapter of Triangle Fraternity, but now I am speaking to you as President.
The purpose of pursuing a degree in Engineering is to have a positive impact on the world, through the research, development, and creation of technology that can benefit all of society. This cannot be accomplished without holding oneself to the highest standards of academic excellence. As a brother of Triangle, I am constantly driven and supported by my brothers to work harder, to push myself to do higher quality work, and to strive to stay at the top of my classes. This drive goes both ways, as I find myself doing the same for my brothers, encouraging and supporting them in their academics the same way that they encourage and support me. This encouragement of academic excellence is one of the essential parts of Triangle Fraternity, and one of the key tenets that sets our organization apart.
As a fraternity, we seek to build better men, who leave a positive impact on the world. One of the most direct ways that this can be accomplished is through community service and philanthropy. In my position as president, I seek to provide the brotherhood of Triangle with opportunities to serve their community whenever possible, and to encourage participation in various community service events around Ann Arbor. We organize, put on, and participate in various philanthropic events such as our yearly haunted house, raising money to donate to charity. Through this, we seek to better ourselves as members of our community, another key tenet of Triangle.
Being a student, I recognize that my time at the University of Michigan is limited, and that I will one day leave school, leave Triangle, and proceed into the professional world. At Triangle, we recognize the importance of preparing oneself to enter into the workforce. To better prepare ourselves for this, we organize events where older brothers are able to provide younger brothers with their experience and knowledge in preparing to enter the workforce, helping young men to prepare resumes, practice interview skills, and connect with recruiters at various companies. Our national alumni network of over 25,000 men with positions at various levels in many companies across the world seeks to connect with current Triangle members and to help them establish themselves in fulfilling careers. This combination of professional preparation and connection with alumni helps to ensure that each and every one of Triangle’s men is able to find not only a job but a career following graduation, one of the main goals of Triangle fraternity.
The most important aspect of any fraternity, Triangle included, is the brotherhood that is formed. This brotherhood was the main reason that I made the choice to join Triangle, and is what I credit my success at Michigan to. I have never felt more welcomed and connected to a group as I do here at Triangle, and the support of my brothers is something that I feel every day. This organization is the best support system that I have ever been a part of, with each brother of Triangle being there for every one of their brothers. The brotherhood has supported me through every hardship I have faced, and I couldn’t be more grateful for it. As president, I try to do everything that I can to help to support my brothers as well, and I believe that every Triangle brother does the same. Many of my closest friends are people that I have met as a result of my involvement in Triangle, and I could not be happier with the group of friends that I have become a part of. This brotherhood is the best thing that has happened to me since I came to Michigan, and the greatest of all aspects of Triangle.
I am incredibly thankful for everything that I have been able to be a part of as a member of the Michigan Chapter of Triangle. Joining Triangle was the best decision I have made since coming to the University of Michigan, and one I reap the benefits of every single day.
- Emory Townley