The distinction of “Fellow” is reserved for upstanding undergraduate brothers who successfully complete a 500-hour or 60-day service learning project before completing their senior years. At the Brotherhood Luncheon on Friday, Aug. 14, two brothers were honored with the distinction of their remarkable acts of service to the communities around them.

Michael Paciero, Lawrence Tech ‘ 15
As an architectural engineering major at Lawrence Tech, Michael Paceiro has a passion for sustainable development projects. As a Michigan native, he also has a passion for preserving his state. In pursuing his Fellow project, he sought to combine these passions while developing himself as a balanced man.

Paceiro recently led a 50-man team through a sustainability-focused construction project known as “reconstruction” with his chapter brothers and friends. In this method, a building that would otherwise be torn down and sent to the dump in scraps is instead analyzed for the value of its individual parts. Then, using a specialized method, the building is carefully deconstructed to preserve the usable parts of the structure. With these parts in tact, developers are able to design and construct new buildings using the materials.

Paceiro said while the project was focused on sustainable building, he also used the opportunity to educate his team on the grim reality that many Detroit residents are facing concerning the sustainability of their city. The team had the opportunity to interact and build relationships with the local residents during the project, exposing them to the people most impacted by the challenges. The increased awareness has motivated many of his chapter brothers to get involved in other service opportunities in the metro-Detroit area.

Paceiro and his team are now not only working to complete the deconstruction process, but also seeking funding to design and build a prototype house in Detroit utilizing the materials from the project.