Three Delta Psi actives participate in the 

North-American Interfraternity Conference

 Undergraduate Inter-Fraternity Institute

Three Delta Psi Deke undergraduates spent a week this summer at the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) Undergraduate Inter-Fraternity Institute (UIFI), strengthening their courage, character and their commitment to being chapter leaders.

The NIC represents 66 fraternities with 350,000 undergraduate members on over 800 college campuses. Its mission is to advocate, promote, and enhance the excellence and effectiveness of the men's college fraternity movement.

Seven of the 10 week-long UIFI sessions are hosted on the Indiana University campus.  Participants explore, define, and enhance their leadership skills, personal awareness, commitment to their fraternity or sorority, and grow to expect values-based action from themselves and those they lead. There is considerable focus on the positive aspects of fraternities and sororities in addition to important discussions about issues that threaten their future.

The Institute focuses on how fraternity and sorority leaders live their ritual.  It explores how leaders develop or strengthen their courage, character, and commitment to do what is right and devise a plan to change the current direction of their fraternity or sorority. “It means walking the talk. It means having a vision of positive change,” reads the NIC promotional material

The Ruby Cup Foundation underwrote the registration for Alex Perez ’07, Kyle Bray ’08 and Mike Geary ’08 to participate.  They were challenged to develop a personal plan of action and to make a commitment to leading the Delta Psi Chapter of DKE through the change process. Here’s what they had to say…

Alex Perez '07

Live your Ritual. Before attending UIFI, this simple phrase would never have crossed my mind and would have had little or no meaning. Now, I take this phrase and use it every day.

Basically, the UIFI exposed a whole new way of thinking to me. Before I thought everything was so secret and never was to be told. Now, I realize that is not the case at all. Being brothers of Delta Kappa Epsilon means that each day I should live my ritual. I should do what our objects say and what our founding fathers wanted. Not only should I be doing this, but every brother should be and even more any person of any organization.

UIFI taught me the skills to achieve change and how to be an authentic leader that can enact positive change. Besides these epiphanies, I had an opportunity to meet so many people from all over the United States. I learned a lot from each of them that I can hopefully incorporate into our chapter.

I wish everyone could have the opportunity to experience UIFI. The lessons and the material that is taught and presented is truly what Greek life is all about. UIFI is a once in a lifetime experience. I had an amazing time and learned a lot. I feel that the Delta Psi chapter, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and the whole Greek community will benefit from the lessons and ideas I was shown. This was definitely worthwhile.

Mike Geary '08

The days leading up to the Undergraduate Inter-Fraternity Institute were filled with excitement for me.  It was only my fourth day off work all summer and I was ready for some rest, relaxation, and learning about ways to help our Delta Psi Chapter.  I thought it would be fun, but full of corny activities that may or may not directly relate to our current situation.  

As I arrived to Alpha Xi Delta, I did not know what to expect.  They handed me a schedule, carried my luggage in, and told me to get comfortable and start meeting some new people.  

Within 45 minutes of being there, meetings started.  First an introduction, then breaking into small groups, and finally getting to the good stuff.  We did team building games and activities I had done in the past, but these had more of a purpose and directly related to being a leader within a fraternity.  I learned about myself and my leadership style.  I learned the areas where I need to execute more patience and compassion.  

As the meetings ended, I was ready just to read on the porch and get some rest for the next day, but how could I pass up getting to know 40 girls?  I couldn't and this is where I gained the most knowledge of the entire week, the unscheduled Q & A sessions.  There are eight hours of sleep scheduled each day, but I averaged about four and a half hours.  

My “Session 8” group learned so much about the Greek community as a whole.  My UIFI chapter had 12 people in it.  Five of these members are part of typically minority fraternities and sororities.  Learning about the National Pan-Hellenic Council from Kristina was a long process, but it was worth it.  I had no idea about how these groups worked or why they always say incorporated after their name.  I learned all this and much more, but the most important thing I took away from this week is that I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF DELTA KAPPA EPSILON and always will be.

I had a blast and learned so much in the four days I spent in Bloomington.  It was an experience like no other.  I've been to leadership camps and high ropes courses and different things of that nature, but being surrounded by 80 other individuals from 45 fraternities and sororities and three different parent organizations—the NIC, NPC, and NPHC—that are as motivated and ready for positive change as we are is an awesome experience to witness.  It is an investment that the whole chapter will be able to see and benefit from!

Kyle Bray '08

UIFI was a life changing experience.  It really helped me take what was already inside of me and apply it to my chapter more effectively.  I guess you could say it also gave me the vocabulary to express how I live my life. 

I learned that the values I hold true to myself can help my chapter prosper as well.  Three aspects of the conference that I really rang true to me were the lectures about values, integrity, and authentic leadership.

Values are a big part of my life.  In everything I do, I am wondering to myself if this is what I should be doing or if it’s not what I should be doing.  I even question sometimes if my values are the right ones.  UIFI taught me that the values I hold true are the right ones.  This made me feel great.

Integrity is another aspect of life that is really important to me.  If someone’s integrity is in question, it makes me wonder about the rest of their qualities.

At UIFI, I learned DWYSYWD, (Do what you say you will do).  I thought that was a really cool concept, just because if you don't do what you say you are going to do, it makes you look bad.

Leadership is one of those words that people throw around a lot.  Authentic leadership is taking all the aspects of a person’s life, including their values and integrity, and living them in everyday life.  That is what a true leader does.

I have to say that UIFI was a turning point in my life.  I loved it and hope to see more Dekes attend this camp in the future.