PHOTO: JUSTIN MUIR
“I didn’t know how much out of my depth I was. I had a rough first semester but the upperclassmen in the fraternity helped me to survive and to graduate on time.”
As Nyi sees it, MIT gave him opportunities. “It opened doors because people saw the MIT degree in the record even though it wasn’t from an outstanding student.”
When Nyi was in a position to make philanthropic gifts, he chose to support the Independent Residence Development Fund (IRDF) established by alumni in 1964 to provide financial support to MIT’s fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups, hoping to help provide the kind of undergraduate experience that meant so much to him for today’s students. “My wish is that MIT’s independent residences survive—because I think that they offer something special.”
Nyi fondly recalls the Chi Phi residence at the intersection of Hereford Street and Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. “It was magnificent 60 years ago, and it has been well maintained. I was told recently in a visit that the IRDF has made funds available for Chi Phi over the years at some significant level for capital improvements.”
Perhaps the biggest advantage of his MIT education, Nyi reflects, was the assurance he gained. “When you get through MIT, there is a confidence that comes from that saying, ‘if I can do this, I can do anything.’”