Thougths from a New Brother at Epsilon Iota/East Carolina

I recently made one of the wisest decisions of my life and became a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity. Recently, I along with ten others were initiated to the Epsilon Iota Chapter at East Carolina University.

I am writing this letter to share with you a document I sent to the current President of my chapter, Chase Tobin near the end of my New
Member Process.

Being apart of an organization gives one the opportunity to become included on the greater good, if they choose to embrace it. In the same regard, a person could be ignorant to the history and accomplishments of the organization, lacking the needed respect for the institution.

Over the past few weeks the, “Tradition and Ideals” of Theta Chi has become clear to me as I have spent time around the house, spoke to brothers about the history of the fraternity, and have delved into thought about why I decided to become apart of its history.

I have improved as a person since the pledging process began, for one my confidence has risen immensely, which I attribute to the brothers seeing me as I truly am and pushing me to see the same qualities in myself. Along with confidence, I have an increased sense of responsibility. As a new brother of Theta Chi I become a bearer of what all the brothers before me have created.

The past week has shown me what every brother has seen me for, which I have taken to heart. For the first time in my life, I feel that I have a real, “family.” My parents and my late Grandmother were the only form of true family I ever had. Theta Chi has forever changed my opinion of fraternities.

Family is a group of individuals that are there for each other when it truly accounts for something. Being tied together by a certain DNA strand has no involvement in the factors that create a bond that lasts past death. Theta Chi is a real family, a family of , “Fraternity Men.”

A Theta Chi brother is, “Ennobled By High And Sacred Purpose” which means we stand for integrity and live to be upstanding gentlemen. My personal purpose as being a Theta Chi brother is to show Sororities, non Greek women, and those with a negative perception of Fraternities, that a Theta Chi is held to a higher standard, and we strive to be better than any other Fraternity in existence.

Being initiated to Theta Chi will be an honor, as I want to be held to such a high standard, as the discipline needed will help me achieve lifelong goals. It is hard to describe what Theta Chi is in words, yet I shall do the best of my abilities to do so. Theta Chi is an organization of upstanding gentleman that strive for pure excellence in every facet of life, a group of proven men that will not allow themselves to dishonor the Tradition and Ideals of the Fraternity. To make it simple, Theta Chi is an organization of Fraternity Gentleman and not, “Frat Boys.”

In the upcoming years I hope to help the Epsilon Iota Chapter, become one of the best chapters of Theta Chi.

Personally, I will do everything in order to be an upstanding brother worthy of being called a Theta Chi.

Sincerely,

Walter Yeates
WLY1022@ecu.edu