"Theta Chi Absolutely Helped Make Me into Who I am Today"

Building Future Success with Theta Chi
A Profile of Darren Snyder ‘91

Darren Snyder ’91 was Theta Chi brother before he even began classes at Drake, and went on to live in the house and serve the chapter as Treasurer for several years. Now a partner in a private equity firm, Darren believes the secret to his secret to success lies partially in the lessons he learned as a Theta Chi.

“My college experience and Drake experience has completely set me apart and gave me that basis for the rest of my life that you just can’t get many other ways,” Darren said.

“When I was entering school, we used to rush before classes started. So, in effect I was a Theta Chi before I was a student at Drake! It was a great opportunity to get to know 200 different guys, with all sorts of different interests and areas of focus, and to really closely interact,” Darren said. “There is a great system for mentoring incoming students within the fraternity system.”

Darren believes he not only had opportunities he might not otherwise have had, but was encouraged by brothers to explore new things that he might never otherwise have tried.

“I served as a Student Senator at Drake for several years, and honestly, if it weren’t for fellow Theta Mike Elston ’91 who was also a Student Senator, I would probably have never gotten involved in campus government.”

Darren’s impressive tenure at Drake and with Theta doesn’t end with Student Senator. He was Treasurer for the Gamma Tau chapter and headed several committees while living in the house. Experience that he said “100% translates into post-graduation life.”

“When you go to get your first job, you’re going to be able to say that you were in charge of the leadership organization. I could tell those kinds of stories when I first interviewed, like how I helped lead our fraternity in the transition from kegs to cans – that type of story and experience probably helped me get my first job.”

But for as much as Darren accomplished while in school, his experience wasn’t all work and no play. “One of my best experiences was taking a spontaneous trip with two brothers to New Orleans to see Mardis Gras. We were hanging out at the house, it was 1 a.m. and they said they were making that long drive. I said, if you’re going I’m driving.

Another favorite memory of Darren’s was attending Theta Chi regional conferences and representing the Gamma Tau chapter in force. “Typically, chapters send like three to five guys. We showed up with 35 brothers, and basically took over the social side of the conference. We really made an impression on other chapters with our enthusiasm and involvement.”

When asked the advice he would give to the next generation of Theta Chis, Darren said, “I would tell them to be as active as they can possibly be. What you will get from your involvement is an exponential return on what you put into it. It’s those experiences that will teach you something when you graduate and will give you something to talk about to differentiate yourself from hundreds of thousands of other kids that went to college and have a degree."

More than 15 years after graduation, Darren still feels a strong bond with his Theta Chi brothers, and believes in supporting the Gamma Tau chapter. “As alumni, we have an obligation to try to provide for upcoming undergrads the opportunity for similar experiences that we had when we were in school. Somebody did that for us before we got there. Every class will be different, so it may not be the same as when we were there but making sure there is a Theta Chi at Drake is a huge priority so they can create their experiences and opportunities together that we were able to create.”

“In terms of donations, it’s not necessarily about the amount you are able to give, but it’s important to give back what you can and to try to be consistent whenever possible.”

Darren has been living in the Chicago area for over 15 years, where he is a partner with a small equity firm, Prairie Capital.  He lives with his wife, Anne, and they have three boys, ages six, four, and two. “Future Thetas,” Darren said. “I only hope they can have the same great experiences that I did without getting into any trouble.”

Darren added, “I think Theta Chi absolutely helped make me into who I am today."

Reconnect with Darren at dmsnyder1@mac.com.