EVOLVE THRIVE
INNOVATE
Growth Through the Pandemic
by Troy Medley, CEO
For a generation, men have fallen behind in almost every statistical category. Many of the institutions once relied upon to assist boys growing into men have been discarded with devastating results. Today, 1,000,000 fewer men are in college than in 2015. This downward trend is expected to continue as year-over-year applications decline.
Men are increasingly unhappy. Earlier this year, the Harvard Gazette reported that 61 percent of men aged 18 to 25 reported high levels of loneliness “frequently” or “almost all the time or all the time.”
Another report from Journal of the American Medical Association, noted that young men are nearly four times as likely to die by suicide than young women. We have seen this trend tragically play out at Lambda Chi Alpha far too often.
Something must be done; these statistics are simply unacceptable. Someone must address the gap and do the hard work required to help young men prepare for life and show them that there is, in fact, hope for their bright future. This is the purpose of Lambda Chi Alpha. It is our duty to inspire and equip men to lead a life of growth, service, and leadership. If not us, then who?
I have struggled with how to best answer these questions. How do we better equip men for life? How do we help men build skills that produce healthy relationships? How do we reverse the negative trends in men’s education and men’s health? How do we foster hope? I have found my answers and assert that Lambda Chi Alpha must evolve and become more. We have broader work to do. It is up to us to ensure that men of all ages have the tools, support, and communities they need to lead fulfilling, satisfying lives. We are meant for more!
We have launched two programs designed to better prepare men for all that life will throw their way, so they can succeed no matter the circumstances. At the High Alpha Summit in January, the result of a 24-month redesign was unveiled. The Ideal Man Program and Leadership Skills Certification Academy work in conjunction to improve a man’s character and competence.
The Ideal Man Program provides men the tools needed to understand who they are, build relationships with others based on trust, listen effectively, manage conflict, and be physically,
mentally, and emotionally healthy. It combines content provided by partners such as The JED Foundation, OneLove, and Movember with internally generated lessons that help bring our initiation ritual to life.
The Leadership Skills Certification Academy prepares our members to thrive professionally after graduation. It provides chapter officers skills needed to succeed in their role and then demonstrate to prospective employers they are equipped for the workplace. It includes personality and skills assessments, 20 hours of role-specific content, and a third- party-reviewed capstone assignment that leads to a digital certification. In addition, it provides all members access to career readiness tools, resume writing, and career placement training.
LambdaOnline will launch in conjunction. It is a “one-stop-shop” portal that allows members to access messaging, calendars, personality, and skills assessments, learning modules, and mental health resources, all in the palm of their hand.
We have invested significantly to improve capabilities, and I am happy to report the early results show these bold innovations are working!
After a membership decline of 37% from 2015 –2019, Lambda Chi Alpha grew by 4% from 2019 to 2021. Last year, for the first time in a long time, Lambda Chi Alpha’s average GPA of 3.15 eclipsed the male all-campus average at our host institutions. And this past fall, Lambda Chi Alpha launched regional pilot programs designed to increase the number of pathways to membership, whether they be through traditional colleges/ universities, community colleges, trade schools, or other entities that serve college-aged men.
Membership is ahead of projection, which demonstrates men desperately seek the valuesbased experience Lambda Chi Alpha provides, regardless of location.
As we look forward, 4,000 new men will seek belonging within our Brotherhood in the coming year and entrust us with their development. Throughout our past, we have proven ourselves worthy of this trust. I can think of no better way to honor our past than to lead in the present.
To do so, we need you, our members, to be willing to innovate and evolve. If we are to meet the needs of men for another 100 years, we must examine everything we believe, do, and are. If what we find positions us to best develop men of character, it should continue. If not, we must decide what we are willing to lay down to become something greater.
Nothing that lies ahead will be easy. To seize our potential and play our part in reversing negative societal trends, we must invest sizable amounts of labor. But I say to you that Lambda Chi Alpha is worth the effort; current and future Brothers are worth the effort; you are worth the effort. Men need a champion. Men need Lambda Chi Alpha. In this needed and noble work, I ask for your help.
in ZAX
Chapter Growth Highlights
November 2020 - November 2021
Lambda Chi Partners with Indiana Tech
by Matt Hornyak, Director of Client Success & Partnerships
Lambda Chi Alpha has announced a new corporate partnership with Indiana Tech, a comprehensive private non-profit university, to provide new educational opportunities to Lambda Chi Brothers seeking to further their education.
The Lambda Chi Alpha Alumni Scholarship at Indiana Tech is being conducted through its College of Professional Studies and allows Lambda Chi Brothers and their spouses who meet Indiana Tech’s admission criteria to receive 20% off the university’s standard tuition rate for any course they choose to pursue and is applicable to any Indiana Tech online certificate and degree program, including its Master's and Ph.D. courses.
Some areas of study that Lambda Chi learners can pursue include, but are not limited to:
• Ph.D. in Global Leadership
• MBA
• Accounting
• Business Administration
• Psychology
• Marketing
• Health Information Technology
• Cybersecurity
“Indiana Tech understands that lifelong learning is a never-ending process that builds leaders and motivates them toward lives of greater significance and worth,” noted Troy Medley, Lambda Chi Alpha Chief Executive Officer. “The Lambda Chi Alpha Alumni Scholarship at Indiana Tech affirms the value that we place upon the long-term success of our Brotherhood by removing many of the
upfront financial costs associated with pursuing an education,” he added. “We are confident this new effort will help develop the next generation of Lambda Chi leaders.”
Founded in 1930 as Indiana Technical College, Indiana Tech is a comprehensive, private, nonprofit university specializing in career-oriented degree programs in business, engineering, computer science, and criminal justice, among others, and was among the first in the nation to offer fully-accredited online programs. Unlike traditional semester-based programs, Indiana Tech’s rolling enrollment dates ensure that courses begin regularly.
Recently introduced new online programs at the university include supply chain management, construction management, InsurTech, electrical engineering technology, and global health leadership. Indiana Tech’s online business programs were named among the top 100 in the nation for 2021 by U.S. News and World Report. The university is also developing new online programs in cybersecurity and information technology.
Eligible individuals can access the scholarship by contacting the Indiana Tech Admissions office at 1-800-288-1766 or cps@indianatech.edu. The Lambda Chi Alpha Alumni Scholarship at Indiana Tech may not be combined with other scholarships that an individual may already be receiving from Indiana Tech. Learn more about Indiana Tech’s wide range of programs at online.indianatech.edu.
Gaining Strength, Growing a Business
by Taylor Weitzer, Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
Division I (DI) athletes are a different breed. Forged in the weight rooms which act as more of a temple than a gym, leaving the blood, sweat and tears out on the field, these competitors learn from an early age the meaning of hard work and sacrifice. So, when the season is over, the cleats are traded in for a briefcase, how do these men and women find that same intensity?
This has been the age-old question that Cody Romness (USC, ’12) has sought to answer in his own strength-training business, Allegiate.
A former DI football player, Romness grew accustomed to the world-class training he received. But when he graduated and found himself in situations where elite training was not accessible, Romness noticed that he was missing the experience, which got him thinking: Why not build his own brand that took elements from the top athletic programs and turned it into a strength-training model for everyone?
“I always wanted to make something that I believed in and could stand behind, but also something that was generating some real value,” said Romness. “This is something I could spend the rest of my life building.”
During his stint working in the music business following graduation, Romness began a blog writing down his workouts and connecting
how the athlete’s mindset pays off in the business world. Through his initial musings, he reconnected with co-founder Steve Blackhart, a former teammate at USC. Blackhart was going through the pains of not having a place where he loved to train or an engaging training program to follow.
Soon after, the two connected with co-founder Tim Caron. At that point, Caron was the head strength coach at Army West Point. In 2016, Caron helped spearhead Army to an explosive victory over Navy – their first win in the historic series in 15 years.
After the victory, Caron was poised for his next professional challenge and opportunity. He wanted to leverage his knowledge, passion, skills and potential in a way that would impact more people.
“The amount of energy is absolutely tremendous to get it to something you can be able to live off of and sustain,” said Romness.
Through the grueling work and the long days and nights, Romness and his team have found immense support through their various networks, including Brothers of Lambda Chi. In fact, some of the very first members of Allegiate happened to be chapter Brothers.
I always wanted to make something that I believed in and could stand behind, but also something that was generating some real value. This is something I could spend the rest of my life building.
A few weeks later, our three co-founders quit their jobs, moved to Los Angeles and went all in on Allegiate.
But the road to creating the perfect group training atmosphere was not easy. Romness and his team felt the strain of making the dream reality but realized that they had something really special. The men were putting all of their energy into work that at times, became the most challenging thing any of them had done.
“I appreciate having a close-knit group of friends and a group of men I can talk to when things are tough, and my go-to guys were all part of Lambda Chi,” said Romness.
Romness credits much of what he learned of recruitment from his days in Lambda Chi. At the end of the day, Romness says, much like Lambda Chi, Allegiate is selling an experience. It is up to Romness and his team to overcome the gap of people who don’t typically look into group fitness and how they can be engaged. This is incredibly similar to how Lambda Chi can reach new potential Brothers.
As Allegiate has grown, Romness has found the importance of a solid network and making sacrifices to better his brand. And it seems to be paying off – Allegiate recently opened its second location and Romness has his eyes set on a third in the Los Angeles Area.
Looking forward, Romness and his team are hopeful to expand their brand to 50 locations across the United States.
“We are trying to build this experience, this brand, this approach to training and pioneer a smarter, more efficient way to strength train,” said Romness.
To those looking to make the leap to open their dream business, Romness has one bit of advice: Shoot for the stars but be prepared to work.
Throughout his years of creating an exciting space for the people, Romness has mastered the champion mindset and is eager to keep inspiring the next generation of greats.
I appreciate having a close-knit group of friends and a group of men I can talk to when things are tough, and my go-to guys were all part of Lambda Chi.
Grand High Zeta Announces Dates and Location of 59th General Assembly
by Jeffrey A. Stuerman, Grand High Alpha (GHA), Chairman of the Board
The Grand High Zeta has approved the dates and location of the 59th General Assembly and Stead Leadership Seminar. They will be held Thursday, July 28 through Saturday, July 30, 2022, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
This will mark another amazing opportunity for our Fraternity to come together to share in the Bond of Brotherhood. The gathering will be held at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, where our members will enjoy luxurious guest rooms with high-speed wireless Internet access and other amenities, such as outdoor pools and a full fitness center.
At this General Assembly, we are putting into effect many of the learnings from our virtual 58th General Assembly in 2021. For example, we plan to do much our legislative work, such as the Alumni Conference and the Legislative Committees, in advance of the Assembly. This will free up more time at the General Assembly itself for informational and educational programming and for more interaction among our members.
The Grand High Zeta and the Office of Administration are hard at work to offer the best conference possible, from pre-conference registration, to leadership training, to ritualistic
education, to fun and energizing activities. We do all this with a focus on the continued growth and renewed hope for the future of Lambda Chi Alpha, while providing you with the opportunity to develop relationships that last a lifetime.
The 59th General Assembly will mark another amazing opportunity for our Fraternity to come together in the Bond of Brotherhood to grow, serve and lead. We will celebrate together, learn together, and govern together as we continue to transform Lambda Chi Alpha into the premier service-learning and leadership development organization in North America.
On behalf of the Grand High Zeta, the Student Advisory Committee and the Office of Administration, we extend this invitation for you to attend our 59th General Assembly. Be on the lookout for more information in coming months.
With our dynamic new strategic focus, this may be the most important General Assembly since our abolition of pledgeship over 50 years ago. Your role in our fraternal bond is vital, and the opportunity for our members to share their experiences with you is paramount. We hope to see you in July. Come ready to make a difference for Lambda Chi Alpha! You won't want to miss it!
We are proud to partner with Movember for all of those legendary Lambda Chi Alpha chapters around the country challenging each other to be better men and help change the face of men's health.
TOTAL NUMBER RAISED THIS YEAR
$ 61,609
Pilot Program Success Primes Leadership Skills Academy for January Rollout
To bridge the growing work skills deficit between college educations and real-world employment, Lambda Chi Alpha has partnered with the Kaplan Performance Academy to develop and launch the Leadership Skills Certification Academy. The academy will provide Lambda Chi Brothers with the soft skills and leadership skills they need to successfully navigate and lead the modern workplace. After the completion of a successful pilot program among 15 handpicked chapters, Lambda Chi Alpha unveiled the program to all chapters' High Alphas at the High Alpha Summit in the beginning of January 2022.
The Leadership Skills Certification Academy was largely developed to address growing concerns that college graduates are not ready to join the modern workforce. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 13% of Americans strongly agree that four-year college graduates are prepared to join the workforce – the number drops to just 11% among business leaders. While this workforce readiness gap would appear to be an indictment
Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
of the value of college as a whole, researchers like Brent Orrell, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, point to numerous studies that show this has more to do with a shortfall in soft skills, not declining hard skills. Orrell argues that while hard skills, like math, are still being effectively taught, noncognitive “soft skills,” like communication, critical thinking, team orientation and diligence, are not. These skills, often developed through realworld experiences, are simultaneously becoming increasingly rare but more important as work becomes more specialized and team-oriented.
Students typically learn soft skills through summer jobs and early work experience during high school and college. Unfortunately, changes in employment patterns — greatly accelerated by the pandemic — have completely changed this paradigm. As detailed in data from the Pew Research Center, only 18 percent of today’s Generation Z teens were employed in 2018, compared with 27 percent of Millennial teens in 2002 and 41 percent of Gen Xers in 1986. This long decline in youth employment,
combined with the complications associated with the pandemic greatly reduced the availability of entry-level jobs. This leaves today’s students at a significant soft-skills disadvantage compared to previous generations.
To meet this growing challenge, the Lambda Chi Alpha Office of Administration (OOA) has worked with experts from Kaplan Academy to develop the Leadership Skills Certification Academy. The Academy currently consists of four unique Learning Journeys for chapters' High Alphas, High Deltas, High Taus and High Thetas. These courses not only ensure these young men are effective officers, but they also provide a digital certification that validates and helps to promote or share the skills they learned.
Through personality and skills assessments, 20 hours of specialized learning content, podcasts and videos, and a capstone leadership assessment, the robust Leadership Skills Certification Academy
will provide Lambda Chi officers with the ability to successfully lead the modern workplace. As more officers enroll in the program, OOA plans to increase the variety and number of available courses.
Brother Nathan Gray, a High Alpha at Butler University, participated in the pilot program and believes this new certification has the potential to transform the Brotherhood by helping Brothers become better officers, better men, and better work colleagues.
“The Leadership Skills Certification Academy has taught me how to communicate who I am, engage with what I do, and understand the leader I need to become,” said Gray. “Learning core leadership skills ranging from meeting preparation to stakeholder engagement has indisputably made me a stronger chapter president and future employee. I encourage my fellow Brothers to make use of this outstanding opportunity to become the best Brother, best job candidate, and best leader they can be.”
Taylor Weitzer,
Doug Derringer, Chief Growth Officer
FORWARD PAY IT
Ideal Man Program Update
Avery Baker, Training Specialist
The Ideal Man Program was created with a dedicated and insightful group of undergraduate volunteers, Office of Administration team members (Chapter Coaches in particular), and collaborating with external educational partnerships like the Kaplan Team.
For our fraternity educators and ritualists in particular, we at the Office of Administration wanted to alleviate the pressure and need for the High Kappa and High Phi to develop a program that would holistically engage members, all needing different content and ways of engagement, in this process when we know they have a job in or around campus, are in other student organizations, have classes (academics first!), family, partners, etc. and may not be an education major! So let's provide some structure and support for our Brothers.
The program will find our Brothers following a four-part Learning Journey, self-guided,
Taylor Krivas, Curriculum Coordinator
Taylor Weitzer, Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
experience. Members will have the opportunity to be onboarded, dive into the symbolic lessons experienced through the Associate Member Ceremony, and start to develop their Lambda Chi Alpha identity. Learning Journeys 1 and 2 will also provide direct parallels to undergraduate operations and the employability skills we gain through these leadership opportunities. This will continue throughout the rest of the Learning Journeys, culminating in the Graduating Brothers leaving our college walls with a 5-Year Plan that supports their continual development.
The Ideal Man Program is like a living breathing Paedagogus. Through the root of education, our member development experience is something that should always be updated and contain the necessary and requested information to engage our membership the way that they would like to be. This will help keep everything Lambda Chi in one succinct location and also provide opportunities for growth outside of the modules
for yourself, the Local Zeta, Global Zeta, campus, and local-area-community.
"With the Ideal Man Program, Brothers will have the tools available to them to blaze a path toward the future they want to see for themselves," said Jake Zink, undergraduate tester. "Knowing the support that the Office of Administration has for Collegiate Brothers and the resources being given to them through the Ideal Man Program, I have great hope for the future of the Fraternity and cannot wait to see how Brothers make use of the advantages now being bestowed upon them."
As you have points of feedback, interact with something that you would like to have brought into the program, or just want to understand how to implement this program at the local level, please reach out to learningoutcomes@lambdachi.org.
COMING NEXT
Learning Journeys 1 & 2 were unveiled at the 2022 High Alpha Summit.
Learning Journeys 3 & 4 will be released Fall 2022, upon the completion of another end-user review & brainstorming process is completed.
• Personality Assessments
• 10-chapter pilot ahead of full fall launch
• Career-readiness tools
• Advanced interpersonal skills programming
We want the Ideal Man Program to be a continual & collaborative process with assistance from members like you!
As you participate and have questions or suggestions – please reach out to learningoutcomes@lambdachi.org!
Chapter Coach & Training Specialist
We are here to support you! The Office of Administration team is excited to announce the creation of two new positions meant to aid in the chapter experience. Through the roles of Chapter Coach and Training Specialist, our dedicated team is here for our undergraduate members. Check out the services provided by our team below!
CHAPTER COACH
Host regular Strategy & Support Calls with High Alphas to guide chapter towards achieving goals.
Support High Alphas in creating and implementing an annual strategic operating plan.
Direct High Alphas, High Pis, or other chapter members to relevant resources and programs offered by the Office of Administration (Leadership Skills Certification Academy, Ideal Man Program, Officer Academy Webinar Series, Training Specialists, etc.)
Provide basic guidance or support for questions regarding events, alumni support, academic support. executive committee operations, Brotherhood programming.
Refer chapters/High Zeta officers to a training specialist for support with the following:
▷ DELTA: Recruitment Cycle, ChapterBuilder, Recruitment Skills
▷ THETA: Philanthropy/Service Plan & Calendar, Public Relations
▷ KAPPA/PHI: Fraternity & Ritual Education, Associate Member Orientation, Pre-Inititation, ZAX Sessions
▷ TAU: Vault, Creating/Implementing Chapter Budget
▷ GAMMA: Manage Chapter Roster, Manage Meeting Minutes, Manage Chapter Documentation Storage/Distribution
TRAINING SPECIALIST
Provide direct support, resources and trainings for High Delta, High Theta, High Tau, High Gamma, High Kappa, and High Phi:
▷ DELTA: Recruitment Cycle, ChapterBuilder, Recruitment Skills
▷ THETA: Philanthropy/Service Plan & Calendar, Public Relations
▷ KAPPA/PHI: Fraternity and Ritual Education, Associate Member Orientation, Pre-Initiation. ZAX Sessions
▷ TAU: Vault, Creating/Implementing Chapter Budget
▷ GAMMA: Manage Chapter Roster, Manage Meeting Minutes, Manage Chapter Documentation Storage/Distribution
Host weekly office hours for respective High Zeta officer positions to field questions, brainstorm ideas, and offer support.
Host weekly training on a topic (to be rotated monthly) catered to specific High Zeta positions to enhance chapter operations.
Host bi-monthly working group meeting with respective High Zeta positions to discuss support needs and lay the framework for peerto-peer learning communities.
Create resources and trainings on topics including community service, marketing, recruitment, budgeting and chapter finances, member safety and compliance, fraternity education, and Fraternity Ritual.
From the days of Warren A. Cole and infancy of our organization to welcoming our 300,000th initiate in 2020, Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity has a storied history. This history is also reflected throughout the headquarters over the years.
The Growth of Brotherhood
Each building holds a significant place in how our organization has taken shape. The decisions that have shaped the future of the organization have been made in the halls of these headquarters and helped the Fraternity transform into what it is today-an avenue to inspire and equip men to lead an ethical life of growth, service and leadership.
Now, the growth of our Brotherhood has culminated in a new Office of Administration where we are excited to usher in a new generation of Brothers. We cannot wait to see how our Fraternity continues to evolve.
Grow in Quality & Quantity
by Jessie Ashton, Director of Chapter Support and Wellness
When we think about growth, it’s easy to think about numbers. More cold calls, one-on-one meetings, and bids handed out are all ways of measuring growth. These are all important and valuable to the Fraternity’s goals and your chapter’s future success. That being said, if we don’t focus on growth as it relates to the experience, value, and opportunity your Zeta offers in addition to these metrics, growing in membership may not be sustainable.
Today’s college students are looking for a return on investment in all that they do (Twenge, 2017). The subconscious cost-benefit analysis being done as it relates to their time, talents, and treasure is valuable to consider as we look at growing our chapters and the offerings therein. This looks different for each chapter and their membership. Some members want more, some want less, and most want somewhere in between. So, how do you know? How do you implement strategy in the work you’re doing that meets the needs of your chapter? Better yet, what resources does the Office of Administration (OOA) offer that can help with that?
For the past two years, your chapter has completed the Dyad Strategies Brotherhood Assessment. This assessment measures four
schema of Brotherhood discussed in previous Cross & Crescent articles, but it also tells us so much more about what your Brothers believe about their experience, its value, and the opportunities within. As you grow in membership, consider growing these other dynamics as well.
Looking at each of the following measures on your Dyad Brotherhood Breakdown can give you insight into chapter dynamics you may want to consider making changes to.
EXPERIENCE
Net Promoter Score (NPS): The NPS measures how many Brothers would recommend (also known as promoters) or would not recommend (also known as detractors) their Lambda Chi Alpha experience to others. Look at your NPS over the past two years when you get your new report. Did it improve? Our hope is yes. Your first NPS was measured during the COVID-19 pandemic where our social organizations struggled to thrive in an antisocial time. If it didn’t, consider conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis with your Brotherhood. Ask your Brothers what would enhance the experience. Give them ownership over what your experience looks like and watch it grow.
Belonging: We’ve talked about belonging being built through moments of vulnerability in past C&C articles, and we can’t stress this enough. Belonging is the biggest predictor of affinity, ownership, and connection to Lambda Chi Alpha for Brothers. Ask your campus outdoor recreation or leadership development office to come in and facilitate team builders. Host a bonfire for Brothers and talk about meaningful life experiences. Reach out to Avery Baker, our Training Specialist for Kappas and Phis at the Office of Administration, for ideas on how to incorporate more of these opportunities into your Pre-Initiation and member education programming. Increasing belonging will grow the experience as well as vulnerability.
Shared Social Experience: Have some fun! School, work, relationships, and everything else students are juggling during their collegiate careers can be hard. It’s important the Fraternity offers fun experiences that add value to Brothers’ education and development. Grow your menu of social gatherings by getting more creative and moving away from what you’ve always done. Reach out to peers at different campuses and get ideas for what they’re doing!
VALUE
Dues Paying, Working Brothers: Value doesn’t always have to be financial, but often it is. Knowing how your Brothers are paying their dues and who may be helping them is huge in adding value. Are Brothers working nights therefore a brunch event may work better for them than a date function on Friday nights? Are Brothers splitting their dues with their parents, making a parent newsletter a fun way to engage a pivotal stakeholder? Are Brothers paying their own dues, making it more necessary to get buy in for budgeting and social planning? Growing will require you to know your membership and how to navigate the nuance involved in their financial situations.
Shared Social: As the world opens more and more and our social organizations are getting to be more and more social, what do we want to do? What sounds fun? Where are your chapters’ priorities? If we want to grow value, we have to know what our members VALUE.
OPPORTUNITY
Leadership: I would argue our leadership value is the most valuable metric we have from the Brotherhood survey. It shows what percentage of our Brothers feel confident and competent as it relates to different leadership metrics. It also illustrates who feels empowered to take the lead in our chapters. Our goal at Lambda Chi Alpha is to be the premier men’s leadership organization, so we want this number to be off the charts. Growing opportunity for your members means increasing leadership roles. It means capacity building for those who haven’t been involved before and recognizing that no role is too small—no role is unimportant.
Sense of Duty: Sense of duty is another interesting, Lambda Chi Alpha specific metric. It tells us what role duty plays for our members. If this number is high, this may be because Brothers feel obligated to be places and do things—but do they want to? Question this. There is no right answer and duty isn’t a bad thing. But, juxtaposed next to some of your other metrics, it can tell a story about what your chapter values and what opportunities may need to be created.
Accountability: Accountability is the easiest way to grow opportunities. Give every member ownership of accountability and watch the chapter grow. This means encouraging individual, informal
conversations about expectations and obligations of membership. Because accountability is so highly correlated with Belonging for the Lambda Chi Alpha Brotherhood, we know increasing capacity in accountability will grow your Brotherhood in all the best ways!
As always, it’s important to remember that this data is a flashlight not a hammer. It’s not prescriptive and can’t show us everything we want to see. It’s not punitive, but it is contextual. If you want to add contextualization to your data and discuss opportunities and next steps for your chapter, reach out to lambdachi.org
Twenge, J. M. (2017). IGen:
The Growth of a Chapter: Tools for Your Success
by Olivia Fitchett, Training Specialist
When we think of the growth of a chapter, recruitment instantly comes to mind. But how do we make sure to stand out and position ourselves for success?
The recruitment team at Bucknell University was inspired by another chapter who recently had massive recruitment success and decided “if they can do it, so can we!” The High Alpha, Brennan Boyle, and High Delta, Will Tanner, and his recruitment team met with Training Specialist Olivia Fitchett to devise a strategic recruitment plan over the summer with confidence in a bold,
new process. Dedicating to the mission and fully committing to the work of this new process yielded (hold onto your seats…) chapter growth from 26 members to an incredible 65 members in just three months! That’s 39 Associate Members if you’re doing the math! So, HOW? Let me break it down for you:
Chapter Builder was the first tool the team worked together to implement! The chapter was surprised by how easy the system was to use and how much time and headache it saved them during the recruitment process.
“Chapter Builder was extremely helpful to our chapters success,” said Tanner. “The fact that all of our members could contribute and see information on potential new members meant that everyone stayed in the loop. The app is very convenient and saved us a lot of time and energy. Without Chapter Builder, the rush process would’ve been much harder.”
During tabling and recruitment events, potential new members (PNMs) filled out an on-the-spot form, and their information was instantly pooled into Chapter Builder where members could add important notes about PNMs, track where they are in the recruitment process, and see critical information like year in college, major, and any interests they have.
Second, Bucknell decided to implement recruitment teams, a structure aimed at streamlining recruitment processes and maximizing member recruitment involvement. Boyle said the best part of implementing recruitment teams during events was that “every PNM was talking to a Brother and not awkwardly
standing around.” When using recruitment teams, a chapter can also plan for the the High Delta and High Alpha to participate in recruiting groups. This means they are walking around making sure the event is going off without a hitch, popping in to every group and introducing themselves as Chapter President and Recruitment Chair. A little specialized attention and individual care goes a long way!
The power of utilizing Chapter Builder and recruitment teams within your chapter cannot be overstated. Here at the Office of Administration, we’ve seen chapters just like Bucknell stay organized, have more success, and even have more fun by intentional planning. When asked for advice Bucknell would give to chapters who want to experience the same success, the members said:
3 4 1
Define your goals but be realistic about your expectations.
2
Start early. Recruitment is year-round so you should be starting the second freshmen get on campus.
Define on paper what qualities you’re looking for/ not looking for, so the voting process is easier.
Utilize Chapter Builder as a tool for all Brothers to have!
Armed with these helpful hints, your chapter can enter the next phase of growth!
Welcome 2021–2022 Student Advisory Committee Members
We are excited to welcome our newest members of the Student Advisory Committee! Through their term, they will provide the collegiate members’ perspective to the Grand High Zeta and Office of Administration team, discuss topics facing the Fraternity and aid in developing legislation to be submitted to the General Assembly.
CONRAD AWVE Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
JOEL MOSHER Pittsburg State University
WILLIAM HONES Butler University
TIMOTHY CLEVELAND Samford University
SAMUEL BOBITZ University of Michigan
JOSHUA BOIS University of Maine-Orono
JACK BRANCH University of Montevallo
CHRISTOPHER SMITH University of Texas at Austin
THOMAS KEISLER East Carolina University
JED FRIEDMAN Syracuse University
RIVERS SINGLEY Spring Hill College
JONATHAN PORTILLA New York University
ANDREW GOHEEN University of Miami
JOSHUA KIRSCH University of Western Ontario
NATHAN HALL Ferris State University
Good Food Can Change the World
by Taylor Weitzer, Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
Since 1988, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos has served countless surfers, skaters and everyone in between with their unique spin on the classic taco featuring Chinese-Brazilian flavors. The company, while starting from humble beginnings in Costa Mesa, Calif., has played host to some of the greatest surfers in the world. At the center of this culinary revolution is Wing Lam (San Diego State University, ’84) and his brothers.
As an undergraduate at San Diego State, Lam followed the path so many Brothers before him experience: unsure if he was ready to follow the Greek Life path. But what sticks out in Lam’s mind vividly was watching as Brian Goodell take gold in the 1980 Olympics, proudly representing Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE). Lam remembers a switch
So, Lam
and
Through all the memories from his days in the Fraternity, Lam is most fond of the simple times of coming together as Brothers over a meal or cooking for other Greek organizations, taking the helm with his kid brothers. It was a way, in Lam’s mind, to continue practicing cooking the incredible flavors of his Chinese-Brazilian heritage while making others happy.
But, as with most things, practicality took precedence.
Lam graduated from San Diego State with a finance degree to go on to corporate America but knew the suit life was not cut out for him.
“And I thought, ‘Well, you know, this is kind of boring, just pushing paper’,” said Lam. “I’d rather do something more exciting.”
Since his graduation from San Diego, the one thing that Lam missed the most was the opportunity to go on road trips with his brothers to surf. As those trips became farther away, Lam knew those moments were what brought him joy, not being trapped at a desk job. But how to make that a living?
“The one thing we talked about is ‘Hey, we need to have a place where we can hang out’,” said Lam. “It would be kind of like a fraternity house but for all the surfers and skaters.”
Lam and his brothers decided to pull on what they knew best for this fraternity outside of college: food.
Within a couple of years, all the best surfers in the world were stopping by Lam’s little taco shack in Costa Mesa, the mecca for the surf industry in Orange County at the time.
And everybody came.
“We had four former world champions sitting in our restaurant at the same time with their sponsors, and that’s when I knew we were going to be okay,” said Lam.
As the surfing industry grew and expanded, so too did Wahoo’s Fish Tacos. Lam and his brothers began taking all events, tradeshows and beyond that no one else would take. Slowly but surely, the Wahoo’s name was becoming synonymous with some the biggest athletes out there, their own personal fraternity.
Lam then set his sights on other non-team sports, such as inline skating, mountain biking, snowboarding and Super Cross. Wahoo’s Fish Tacos became the go-to place for these competitors and began to open new locations to accommodate for the demand.
By 2001, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos was in 22 locations and had plans to open 40 more by 2006, making a name for themselves among team sports and with Olympians across the country.
In the wake of Wahoo’s Fish Tacos rise in popularity, the chain took a note from Lam’s days in Lambda Chi and looked how they could make a difference in the community, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.
On April 12, 2020, Wahoo’s delivered 300 meals to a hospital in Irvine to support the California Love Drop, which was a collaboration between Lam and other partners to feed frontline workers during the pandemic to show their appreciation. To date, Lam and his team have delivered close to 40,000 meals.
From a local surf shack selling tacos to the chain of choice for some the most talented athletes in the world, Lam has created a fraternity of love and community, all founded on the idea that good food can indeed change the world.
being flipped for him that maybe Greek Life could be more than the typical party scene.
searched around
found a home at Lambda Chi Alpha.
Pops & Chops A Legacy of Kindness
Nick Bratvold, Stewardship Officer
kindness wherever he went. More than anything else, his poetry reflected that:
Leave behind all but your mind…
Discover the world by learning
Understand what it is you’re yearning.
Respect all those whom you oppose
When a soul is lost too early, it affects us even more. Spencer was beloved to all those who knew him, which was a long list, indeed.
Taylor Weitzer, Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
At age 67, Richard Wood became a member of Lambda Chi Alpha.
Enjoying lunch in San Diego on the day of his initiation, familiar faces began to enter the restaurant to surprise and congratulate Wood. Surrounding him were the friends and Brothers of the Phi-Sigma Zeta chapter of his late son, Spencer, who died from an accidental fall at Avila Beach, CA in 2006.
These men grew close to Rich over the past fifteen years since the loss of his son during his senior year at Califorina Polytechnic-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). They were overjoyed to welcome Rich into their Lambda Chi family, though. In many ways, they had been family all along.
The story of Richard & Spencer Wood is as much a story of tragedy as it is a legacy of kindness and the reverberations of good will. Grief may be love with nowhere to go, but it can also find purpose through its own legacy, as is the case of Spencer Wood.
“Spencer Wood is a lifestyle,” said Luke Montelon, High Alpha at the time of Spencer’s passing.
Spencer studied history and wrote poetry, often thinking deeply about the world he would later leave too soon. His Brothers would routinely find him asleep with an open book on his chest.
Despite his youth, Spencer cultivated his passion, talents, and intellect in an artful way, bringing
Always continue this incredible journey.
During his senior year, Spencer enrolled in a Women in History course, the lone man amidst fifteen women. Within minutes, the professor lost control of the class, unable to contain even her own laughter in the face of his wit, a tidbit she later admitted during a memorial service on the Cal Poly campus. It only further complicated matters that Spencer aced each assignment and test.
Though Spencer was no stranger to the spotlight— in fact, he felt quite comfortable there—his true gift was how he made others feel. In private, Spencer was the man he was in public.
That same year, Spencer worked as a paralegal at a San Luis Obispo law firm. The managing partner’s wife, Sasha, described Spencer as Clark Kent: strong, intelligent, compassionate, disarming, earnest, and above all, kind. He met work with an appetite for learning equal to that for fun. For a time, Spencer was even in a band, Cover Charge. Ever the thinker, Spencer was naturally the lyricist.
Spencer served as the High Beta of his chapter at the time of his passing. He understood that leadership was a verb, rather than a noun. To be a leader is to accept responsibility for mistakes and give credit for success. He led from the back of the room, but you would have been blind to miss him.
For geographic reasons, five celebrations were held to honor the life of Spencer Wood. One was held in Newport Beach, California, at the seaside Catholic parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, where Spencer had been an altar boy. Following the service, many of Spencer’s childhood friends connected with a group of Lambda Chis in the church parking lot. After exchanging stories, they hatched a plan.
A reception followed the funeral mass, and Rich was hardly surprised when more than fifty men arrived soaking wet, having jumped off the bridge leading onto Lido Island where the Wood family lived. For those who are familiar with the infamous bridge, such a thing can earn the attention of the local police, which it did on that day.
When asked what they were doing there, the men shared that they were honoring a lost friend: Spencer Wood. Rich was only slightly less than surprised to learn that the police on duty knew Spencer well. So, what of their response?
“We’re shutting down boat traffic under the bridge, and car traffic on the road. You have fifteen minutes.”
The loss of a Brother and son was crushing for the chapter and his family, and his absence was felt in every nook and cranny. Spencer was a lifeforce and a source of inspiration and positivity for those he met in his too-short life.
In the wake of his passing, the Spencer Wood Memorial Scholarship—aka Lifestyle Scholarship— was created to honor his legacy. Spencer often saw in others what they did not see in themselves. With Rich’s help, the men of Phi-Sigma Zeta believed they could encourage deserving men to do the same.
Like Spencer himself, this scholarship is untraditional. Unlike other needs- or merit-based awards, the Spencer Wood Memorial Scholarship celebrates a lifestyle. Staying true to this, Brothers cannot apply for the award—they must be nominated.
“To be awarded the scholarship is the highest recognition a Brother can receive,” said Shane Saltzgiver, a dear friend of both Spencer and Rich. “It has truly taken on a life of its own, while still honoring his memory.”
Nearly every year since his passing, a memorial concert is held in San Luis Obispo. In Shane’s words, “[the concert] was established to unite family, friends, and the Lambda Chi active and alumni brothers, bringing deeper and personalized meaning to the scholarship.”
Today, undergraduates know Spencer in story alone. Yet, recipients continue to enhance the meaning of the award, adding a piece of themselves with each passing year and growing into their full potential, as Spencer would have encouraged. This is certainly true for Jake Javier, the most recent recipient of the Spencer Wood Memorial Scholarship.
Before Cal Poly, Javier attended San Ramon Valley High School, where he was football team captain and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Tragically, the
day before he would have received his diploma, Javier was paralyzed in a diving accident. This not only prevented him from walking across the stage but also delayed his enrollment and forced him to resign a football scholarship.
Fortunately for Javier and Lambda Chi, he found new Brotherhood in San Luis Obispo.
A semester into his biomedical engineering degree, a friend invited Javier to visit the Lambda Chi house. Eager to do something other than study, Javier was happy to join. But there was one problem: he couldn’t make it up the front steps in his wheelchair.
“Within hours, they built a make-shift ramp so I could participate,” said Javier. “They immediately made me feel at home.
“I couldn’t say no to a bid after that!”
The following summer, alumni of Phi-Sigma fully funded renovations to their home so Javier could move in by fall.
Like Spencer, the men of Lambda Chi naturally gravitated towards Javier and he towards them. Humble, intelligent, and soft-spoken, Javier was grateful to give back to his new family. During his tenure, he served as House Manager, Academic Chair, and Executive Committee Member-at-Large. Hardly a year into membership, Javier was chosen to receive the Spencer Wood Memorial Award.
“I was humbled,” said Javier, remembering the honor. “We learned the prestige of the award early on as Associate Members, and it was not something I ever thought would receive.”
Over the past fifteen years, Rich Wood has met and congratulated each recipient, including Javier.
“They all remind me of Spencer in their own way,” said Rich. “It is simply remarkable that his memory could live on so strongly and for so long within these men.”
Every spring that he’s able, Rich returns to San Luis Obispo for the chapter’s annual “Pops & Chops” event. Reserved for Brothers and their fathers, he finds joy watching as their bond deepens over the weekend. The special weekend reminds Rich of the relationship he had with his son, and the relationship other dads can have with theirs, too.
More specifically, Rich remembers Spencer’s last words to him, which were the same words he used to close every conversation they had. Because, in truth, they were Brothers long before Rich’s initiation:
“I LOVE YOU, BUDDY”
“I LOVE YOU TOO, POPS.”
A few years ago, Rich composed a poem titled “I Have A Friend In Heaven." The beauty of a legacy of kindness is that the more you share it with others, the more you receive. It is the core and essence of being a Lambda Chi Alpha Brother and is embodied every day through our bond with each other, as Spencer and Rich have so graciously taught.
I Have a Friend in Heaven
Dear Spencer, I will always be your Dad and you will always be my son. Everyone that knew you, loved you. You made us laugh, love and care in ways like no other. You loved everything in your life and there-in lies your beautiful message. No one was a stranger to you as your heart was filled with kindness. You left us with a road map-on how to live our lives. So simple, so true, so beautiful, yet so difficult to follow. Your message love and kindness as the gateway to our souls. You taught us how to live with an open heart through your love,laughter, music, poetry, art and kindness. You were born an old soul, and your gift was your pure wisdom. You were and are an Angel, a channel of God’s Peace. Then all too soon your time with us ended, but your heart remains forever. Through all these years of tears and pain, the greatest gift is love, knowing you’re in Heaven, and someday soon we’ll be together again.
Love you….Dad
2021 Founders’ Day Challenge Recap
We celebrated 112 years of Brotherhood with our biggest Giving Day yet! Thank you to our generous Brothers and friends for investing in Lambda Chi Alpha. Your support is a testament to the positive power of Fraternity and will help to grow more young men into leaders who are better prepared for life after graduation. Innovative new member development programs, such as Ideal Man and the Leadership Skills Certification Academy, are only possible with donor contributions. Thank you for trusting Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation with your philanthropic support!
View the complete 2021 Founders’ Day Challenge Donor Honor Roll online at lambdachifoundation.org/fdc.
After 1,909 minutes of giving, the following Chapter Teams claimed the top spots:
FOUNDERS’ DAY CHALLENGE AMBASSADORS
DAVE ARLAND JESSIE ASHTON JAMES (PAT) ATWATER · STEVE BACKER AVERY BAKER · MARK BAUER JACOB BAUMGARTNER LENNY BENDO
MICHAEL BENTLE CHAD BERENDZEN BJ BERHORST JOSEPH BERRY JOSUE BLANCO DARIN BODIN BRIAN BODINE MICHAEL BRADY
JEFFREY BURGAN · PARKER BUTLER GREG CASTANIAS · CHUCK CHAMBERS · MEL CHAPMAN GLEN COLLINS MICHAEL COVERT · J. VANN CUNNINGHAM
NICHOLAS DAMIANO JOHN DANIELS DOUG DERRINGER · NICK DIBARTOLO ALEXANDER DIMON · DAVE DOBOS NICK DRAGO DARREN DUPRIEST
SCOTT EGGERS BRANDON ELDRIDGE DON EUSTON AARON FIESELER · JUSTIN FISHER · OLIVIA FITCHETT BO GEBBIE WILLIAM GLOVER
PAUL GROOMS SHAWN HARMER GEORGE HAWKINS TOM HODGES TREVOR HOLLAND MATT HORNYAK HENRY HUFNAGEL KEVIN HUNTER
JB GLASS · WALTER JENKINS · DOUG JUMPS · PETER KOBLISKA · ROBERT KOCH TAYLOR KRIVAS KEVIN LACY · LOGAN LAMPHERE TOM LARSON TOM LAWSON HARRY LEE · BEN LEWIS · TAD LICHTENAUER RANDAL LOCKE · DREW LYNCH JC MARTINEZ THOMAS MCGRATH RYAN MCILRATH
PHIL MCMANNIS · TROY MEDLEY CHRIS MEYER BRYCE MURRAY · KRAIG NAASZ
Crest & Creed
by Jeffrey A. Stuerman, Grand High Alpha (GHA), Chairman of the Board
Several years ago, decided to take up beekeeping. While not native to North America, honey bees are amazing creatures and remain vital to food production and biodiversity. Yes, their stings can be unpleasant but there is much we can learn from them.
Honey bees organize themselves as a colony. Each colony has one queen bee. This queen bee can typically lay 1,000 eggs a day, and she leads the colony or hive by pheromones. Most of the worker bees in a colony are female and it is not uncommon for there to be 20,000 bees in a hive. The colony also has a couple hundred male bees, called drones, that have the primary responsibility of mating with the queen. Interestingly, the queen and the female worker bees have stingers; the drones do not.
The queen bee can live for several years while the worker bee will live for four (4) to seven (7)weeks. The typical drone lives for around 8 weeks. Drones die immediately after mating with the queen, but the colony keeps drones around in case they need to raise up a new queen.
What I find interesting about bee dynamics is that they are motivated by two primary drivers: Growth and Savings. Successful chapters of Lambda Chi Alpha tend to be motivated by the same drivers as successful honey bee colonies.
For honey bee colonies, a focus on growing the hive helps ensure that the colony will survive winter. If the queen is not laying enough eggs, the worker bees will seek to replace her. If the colony does not have enough physical space for the queen to lay eggs, the queen will send out the appropriate pheromones indicating that it is time to swarm and find a new home where the hive can grow. Growth is paramount to the success and survival of the colony.
The same holds true for our chapters. Each year a chapter must recruit more members than are anticipated to graduate or the chapter will decline.
As a general rule of thumb, each member should recruit someone to replace himself every year. It's not growth for growth sake but it recognizes that there are many men of good character who would benefit from our values, teaching
and Brotherhood. By inviting more men into our Brotherhood, we are also able to tap into the rich diversity of life experiences and talents that enable each of us to personally grow and develop.
Honey bees are also constantly saving pollen, nectar and honey for the future. They constantly invest and focus their activities on what the hive needs to not only survive but thrive! What are honey bee colonies to do when plants and flowers are not in bloom. What would the members eat and how would they tend their young larvae? From the wax they make to build the comb or the royal jelly they make to feed the larvae, they need raw materials from nature. They collect and store those materials to ensure the health of the colony.
Likewise, our chapters must focus not only on what resources they need for this semester or academic year. They must also focus on the resources that the chapter will need over the next several years to achieve its strategic endeavors and plans. And by resources, I don't mean just financial resources. How is the chapter's institutional memory being preserved? What training and program materials are needed? How are the teachings from our ritual being practiced? How is the expertise and networks of alumni Brothers being leveraged into the life of the chapter? Like the honey bee, each of us need to be focused on those activities that help the chapter's membership, collectively and individually, grow and develop.
When I started raising honey bees, I was primarily focused on their beneficial role as pollinators. As an additional benefit, they produce some mighty fine tasting honey. However, what has struck me the most are the strong similarities between honey bee colonies, individuals, families and organizations. Each are fragile and success is not certain. For individuals and groups to survive and thrive, focusing on growth while attaining the resources necessary to sustain that growth is paramount.
Yes, our collective crescents are always growing but it is not without labor, hard work and sometimes great sacrifice. And, like a beekeeper, we sometimes get stung or things won't go accordingly to plan. We, however, are a Brotherhood! Like a honey bee we are not going at it alone. We are Brothers first and as Brothers we are helping each other grow into the best possible versions of our ourselves. Go grow!
in ZAX
We are Brothers first and as Brothers we are helping each other grow into the best possible versions of our ourselves."
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