350 Brothers, Three Regional Conferences, One Weekend
On February 28, 2026, Brothers across the country gathered for Theta Tau regional conferences to build brotherhood, support the community, and learn new things as engineers. From California, to Florida, to North Carolina, hundreds of Theta Taus came together for our common purpose. While each conference hosted the standard national updates and health and safety case studies, they also had their own personality reflective of the regions.
Gulf Regional Conference, University of Central Florida
Rho Gamma Chapter hosted Gulf Regionals at the University of Central Florida and did a great job organizing the event. There was strong participation from chapters across the Gulf Region, with over 150 attendees. The conference opened with chapter updates and highlights from the past year and discussed initiatives happening across the region.
The keynote speakers were brothers Celena and Brett Crews, founders of Crews Engineering Services, LLC which provides civil engineering services throughout North Florida. They spoke about their careers, life after graduation, and balancing professional and personal responsibilities. It was especially meaningful that two of their sons are currently active Theta Tau brothers.
The conference included multiple breakout sessions covering recruitment, event planning, chapter operations, alumni engagement, and preparing for life after graduation. There was great participation during the breakouts, with lots of thoughtful questions and discussion between chapters.
“My favorite thing about Gulf Regionals was the chance to meet face to face with brothers and answer questions from them about the future of their region and the fraternity at large”
- Colby Stevens, Gulf Regional Director
One of the highlights of the conference was the breakout dedicated to planning inter-chapter events. The Gulf chapters wanted to prioritize building bonds across the chapters in the region, and dedicated time to planning an event where they can spend more time together.
Phi Delta Chapter was selected to host next year’s Gulf Regional Conference and they’re already excited to build on this year’s momentum.
Southeast Regional Conference, North Carolina State University
Walking into the Titmus Theatre, attendees were instantly surrounded. With over 120 brothers in attendance, the energy was absolutely palpable. The conference kicked off with the keynote speaker, Dr. Kara Peters, the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, who spoke on the importance of building a firm foundation for your team. She emphasized the obligation to make good decisions in our work, knowing that it will affect the lives around us. “You will graduate, and sooner than you think someone will ask you what they should do. You will rely on your fundamentals: team instincts, clarity under pressure, and courage to make a decision.”
Following the speaker, the chapters sent up a representative to speak on the strengths and needs of each chapter. Taking time to share these details helps the chapters see who they can reach out to for support to grow in their areas of need. This conference had a very special guest, Andrew Fretwell, a student from our candidate chapter elect at the University of Manchester. He flew from the United Kingdom to share about the work he is doing with their interest group to bring Theta Tau “across the pond”.
Southeast Regionals opens the opportunity to present a breakout session to all the chapters in the region. The speakers submit presentations prior to the conference and are proud to present on things their chapter is passionate about. This conference had an excellent assortment of breakouts, covering professional topics like successful leadership and time management and fraternity-specific support with rush, professional development, and event brainstorming. There were also several national officers in attendance which opened the door for a Leadership Q&A and an open forum with the Southeast Student Advisory Committee representative.
“In the Southeast, our yearly regional conferences always bring our best students together. Being a large geographical region can make connecting with other chapters tough during the semester. But during this one weekend, all of our members come together with a great desire to learn from one another. This consistent desire to learn and grow via the advice of their peers is what makes these conferences so special”
- Jose Villa, Southeast Regional Director
After breakouts, attendees prepared for the closing awards banquet. To close the conference, Theta Tau’s Grand Regent David Parker made a very exciting announcement – the University of Manchester Candidate Chapter (elect) will find its home in the Southeast region! Finally, it was also announced that the host for Spring 2027 will be Mu Chapter at the University of Alabama. We hope to see you all there!
Thank you Rho Chapter for hosting an exceptional conference.
Southwest Regional Conference, Cal Poly SLO
Brothers from across the Southwest Region gathered at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo for the Theta Tau Regional Conference, graciously hosted by the Iota Zeta Chapter. The conference brought together members from multiple chapters for a day focused on strengthening brotherhood, sharing ideas, and building connections across the region.
The conference began with an interchapter mixer followed by a service activity where attendees created thank-you cards for first responders, recognizing the dedication and sacrifices made by those who serve our communities. Brothers also participated in a Health & Safety case study session and engaged in small group discussions about new member education processes, chapter culture and brotherhood, and ways to build stronger interchapter connections across the Southwest Region.
“My favorite part of the conference was meeting the Regents I have been texting this semester. It was great putting faces and personalities to numbers!”
- Saul Manzano, Southwest Regional Director
In the afternoon, attendees joined interactive breakout sessions that featured Bob Ross-style painting, matcha making, and volleyball, giving brothers the chance to connect in creative and active ways outside of traditional discussions. They also joined some discussion huddles on Inter-Chapter Communication, Brotherhood & Culture, and New Member Education
The conference concluded with dinner and a beach bonfire, where brothers gathered to relax, share stories, and celebrate the connections built throughout the day.
A special thank you to the Iota Zeta Chapter at Cal Poly SLO for hosting an incredible regional conference and bringing chapters together for a memorable weekend of service, learning, and brotherhood.
