I always find it funny when I talk about my involvement with my fraternity, Delta Chi, with those that never had the fraternity or sorority experience. The response is normally along the lines of, “Aren’t fraternities a college thing?” The unfortunate truth is that for some people it is just that. That just isn’t the case for me.
You see, at some point during my college experience I made the transition from one type of fraternity guy to another. I realized that a fraternity is about so much more than drinking and partying. I learned about the business side of the fraternity and the leadership values it can instill in you. It all started when I attended a meeting of our Alumni Board of Trustees (ABT). I saw two older fraternity men in their 50’s-60’s dedicating their time to try and help a bunch of young college kids learn skills that would help for the rest of their lives. I was hooked.
These men continued to help my chapter as long as they could manage. They were there as I took leadership positions in the chapter and offered me help and constructive criticism. As one moved on from his duties, the other continued to push me as I got closer and became an alumnus. He made sure I attended local, regional and national events and introduced me to everyone he could. He got me involved in our House Corporation and I began developing relationships with USF administrators. He truly took me under his wing to ensure I had every chance possible to have the best fraternity experience I could.
The first man, Tom Crawford, passed away last summer. The second, Russ Driscoll, passed away earlier this year. Both lost their battle with cancer after a tough fight and left behind more than either probably realized. You see they left behind a legacy of leaders behind them. Left behind a fraternity that has joined with The V Foundation in the fight against cancer.
They made it their goal to ensure that the fraternity would continue on after they were gone. They passed the torch to me and many others. The future is much brighter now than it was before and it is our job to make sure we pass the torch on as well. That is why I am still involved in Delta Chi and will continue to be for as long as I can manage.
