That regular pattern of giving can be found in another benefit housed at the Levere Memorial Temple. The Toledo Area Alumni Association and Ohio Nu members made possible the Chapter Education Fund for brothers at the University of Toledo. Those funds, donated by generous alumni, provide the resource for collegiate members to advance their educational pursuits, such as a tuition endowment to attend the annual John O. Moseley Leadership School.

But Hodge and other association leaders have ensured alumni receive tangible benefits in return for donating their hard-earned money toward association dues or Foundation gifts. A good example is the group’s challenge coin, mirrored after the Pensacola Area Alumni Association. The coin contains artwork of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon badge on one side and the coat-of-arms on the other side and contains the words “Toledo Area Alumni Association.” When the Toledo members pay their annual dues, they receive the coin. In addition, anyone who donates 20 bucks on the spot to the association gets a coin.

And as great a plan the Toledo Area Alumni Association maintains for its yearly events and donations, Hodge says the most rewarding benefit to his group deals directly with the young members at Ohio Nu. When the chapter faced closure in the 1990s, the alumni association stepped in to assist in their re-organization efforts. During that time, the alumni members had a unique opportunity to provide guidance, mentoring and advice to the chapter— serving as father figures who wanted to protect their investment in brotherhood.

“A lot of these young guys need role models and father figures when they’re in school,” Hodge says. “It’s incredible how many college guys come from a single-parent home or divorced families. These guys need the mentors and role models, and that’s the beauty of what the association can provide. Alumni need to show them how to have personal interactions and conversations.” In return, Hodge finds many of the collegiate members stay involved with Sigma Alpha Epsilon after they graduate and maintain those networking opportunities and bonds with fellow alumni. Most of all, association members convey their care to the collegiate members, which helps the young men feel as though someone is looking out for their best interest.

With a long-standing recipe for its business model, the Toledo Area Alumni Association maintains its success without much fanfare, Hodge says. He believes anybody can organize an association if he has the time and desire— and if he sticks to a consistent, simple plan.

“Invest your life in an association, and it will never ever leave you short,” he says.

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