News

Advocating The Value of Fraternity

Advocating The Value of Fraternity

Working to support anti-hazing legislation and freedom of association rights on college campuses.

In April, eight Delta Tau Delta undergraduates joined International President Bruce Peterson (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1975) and CEO Jack Kreman (University of Nebraska at Kearney, 2004) to represent the Fraternity in advocating for the value of the fraternity and sorority experience and two higher education policy priorities. While meetings were held via Zoom this year instead of in-person on Capitol Hill, the remote nature of the meeting allowed more students to participate than in the past.

A combined love for Delta Tau Delta and the United States came together for Samuel Janasik (University of Georgia, 2024) as he worked to ensure the Fraternity experience continues for future generations. “I felt like I had a civic duty to lobby to Congress to get legislation passed to help every chapter of Delta Tau Delta,” Janasik said. “I would suggest this experience to any Delt who has a significant interest in how our government operates and who wants to help our country pass legislation that will directly impact our daily lives,” said Janasik who is studying economics and management information systems.

Ce (Samuel) Su (Florida Institute of Technology, 2022), a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering focusing on fiber-optic communication, said the FGRC Capitol Hill visit was one of the best experiences he’s had with Delta Tau Delta. Having seen attempts to eliminate Greek life from campuses from Harvard to an antiGreek movement on his own campus, Su feels compelled to work toward preserving the fraternity experience. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, Greek life becomes an easier target than the rest of the student organizations,” Su said. Through his participation, Su learned how many people nationwide are working to protect Greek life and provide a hazing-free environment for all fraternity and sorority members.

Christian Walters (Robert Morris University, 2023), who is studying political science, realized he was not just representing his chapter or his university, but all of Delta Tau Delta. “That really helped me grasp just how humbling this experience was and how empowering it was to have this opportunity to fight for something I strongly believe in,” Walters said. “It is never too late to get involved and let your voice be heard, especially if it is something you are truly passionate about. Delta Tau Delta has helped encourage me to find what I am passionate about and has helped expose me to situations that allow me to vocalize myself more.”

The fifth Delt in his family following his father, uncle and two cousins, Joel Burkard (University of California-Santa Barbara, 2024), is a first-year double major in economics and environmental studies. “I only rushed this past fall yet the time I have had finding my home away from home and brothers for a lifetime is something I am passionate about sharing and maintaining, for others,” Burkard said. He was impressed by the sense of union working with other Greek organizations. “Being able to speak to fraternity and sorority leaders like the CEO of the National Panhellenic Conference to previous North American Interfraternity Conference chairmen was amazing in helping me see the scope of Greek life and how it has impacted so many lives,” Burkard said. “Many of these meetings directly secured support for anti-hazing legislation and many promising leads for future collaboration to bring freedom of association rights on college campuses. I had a fantastic conversation with Rep. Carbajal, the representative for UC Santa Barbara, about our shared experiences at school and my hopes for Greek life locally and nationally,” Burkard said.

Seamus Cullen (George Washington University, 2021), Camilo Daza Manga (University of Southern California, 2022), TJ O’Donnell (University of Mississippi, 2018) and Tucker Worden (University of Kentucky, 2022) also participated