More questions? We have the answers...
"Why
should I join a fraternity?"
Belonging to a fraternity
offers many advantages. We realize that your first purpose for coming to
college is to obtain an education. We also realize that a college education
encompasses more than academics and that the ability to deal and live with
people is a 
demand
that will be made on you for the rest of your life. As a well rounded man
you must merge a solid academic background with intellectual and social
maturity, and with confidence in yourself to deal with the problems that
will face you in later years. DKE is a very unique
fraternity because we provide an environment that will encourage you to
strive for academic excellence, while at the same time discovering new
social horizons in a variety of campus settings.
Our fraternity is involved
in enhancing scholastic achievement, hosting social events, developing
men into tomorrow's leaders, participating in sporting events, and much
more. While your studies will be your top priority as a student, the DKE
social calendar will help break the monotonous grind that can lead to burnout.
We have a strong social calendar planned every year to help you relax,
meet young ladies, and of course take part in some ridiculous acts once
in a while. A fraternity also gets you involved, which helps you to develop
different skills. It allows you to develop contacts with other students,
and a variety of alumni involved in all areas of the business world. People
join organizations for different reasons. Most of our members joined Delta
Kappa Epsilon because they enjoyed the events, liked the people they met,
and felt that our chapter had the best to offer them at this important
time in their life. You will also become part of a larger network of over
60 chapters and 60,000 members across
North America and the world.
"My
parents don't want me to join a fraternity. What if I just didn't tell
them?"
Fraternities produce leaders...scholars...graduates...men
of commitment.
Studies
show that 76 percent of our nation's senators, 85 percent of key executives,
and 71 percent of the men listed in "Who's Who in America" are fraternity
men.
Sometimes parents believe
that fraternity life revolves only around beer, women, and hazing, and
unfortunately some fraternities cannot offer much more than that to you.
DKE takes a lot of time to keep parents informed about what things will
be like in the chapter and how they can make the Deke experience more rewarding.
Some students find this a strange idea at first, but you should talk with
your parents about which fraternities you are interested, what kinds of
opportunities they have to offer, and what kinds of questions you need
to ask of each fraternity. This will definitely show how seriously and
responsibly you are making this decision process.
"Will
the fraternity take up a lot of my time?"
Time management means something
different when you get to college than it did in high school. You now have
so much available time on your hands that you can either use it or waste
it. DKE not only teaches you how to manage that time, but also how to get
the most out of every day. As with any organization you will get out of
it what you put into it, and the rewards will vary depending on the drive
that you have. Our goal is to make you a better man. The time you spend
perfecting that goal will not be taking up time, but will instead be the
most important time you've ever spent.
"Do
you guys party all the time?"
Because Delta Kappa Epsilon
is a fraternity many people have taken that to mean simply "partying."
Part of becoming a socially mature adult involves interaction with those
around you, and DKE holds several social events throughout the course of
the school year to aid in that development. You don't have to belong to
a fraternity to party, but the risk you take by mixing people in unfamiliar
and uncontrolled environments can be costly. We follow specific Risk Management
guidelines which are designed to allow everyone to have fun, but without
any unfortunate side effects. DKE has created a
fraternity that defines "social" not simply as parties and celebration,
but rather one in which celebrations and parties are the rewards for our
successes. We hold several dances and formal events which have taken Deke's
and their dates from costumed masques to roaring bonfires. Each social
event we hold optimizes enjoyment and reduces risk.
"What
intramural sports do you do?"
DKE is actively involved
in every aspect of intramural sports that our members are interested in.
We allow every member to play on whatever team whenever they want to without
having to wait until there is room for them. Playing sports is a great
way to relieve stress and to keep in shape. Being physically fit is a key
component to becoming an Deke.
"Do
you pair with sororities?"
Delta Kappa Epsilon is greatly
involved with interacting with sororities on campus. DKE pairs for several
social functions during each semester. Part of being a member of a fraternity
means that you have the ability to build those social interaction and "people"
skills you will need the rest of your life.
"What
is your brotherhood like?"
DKE is unique among fraternities
in many respects and one such difference is the 
importance
we place on building brotherhood within the chapter. We have been able
to avoid rifts and clicks that often develop between pledge classes because
our Pledge program treats every member on an equal basis right from the
start. The elimination of hazing within DKE strenghthens our brotherhood
because resentment and the sense of inferiority is never present. DKE believes
that there is no point in a man's life more important than his college
years. Growth in a non-hazing environment will allow him
to overcome the challenges he faces with the support from those around
him. DKE believes that brotherhood is a journey, not a destination. Brotherhood
involves more than just social events and DKE holds monthly brotherhood
events like indoor and outdoor sports, retreats, social events, brotherhood
nights, and much, much more. College is only
temporary, but Brotherhood is forever.
"How
active are you on campus?"
Delta Kappa Epsilon is very
active on campus throughout the year. We have had members in top leadership
positions on campus, as well as within the Greek system itself. DKE builds
leaders by giving them the opportunity to get involved and the skills to
make them successful. If you've got the desire for success why not join
an organization that wrote the book on it.
"I
heard that CPX hazes! Is that true?"
Unfortunately hazing is
something that still does occur within the Greek system. Even though every
national fraternity has banned hazing some individual chapters have continued
this barbaric and just plain stupid practice. It may make you wonder how
much you can believe the promises some fraternities may make to you. In
recent years several fraternities at around the country have been disciplined
for forcing new members to endure hazing during their pledgeship. Hazing
ranges from alcohol related, physical, emtional, and psychological torment
as a condition for membership. You've never needed to undergo hazing to
join any other organization in your life so don't believe that you have
to start now. The Greek system began as a way to improve the lives of those
who chose to join it, but sadly some fraternities have forgotten this important
fact. The best defense against joining an organization that may haze its
new members it to ask a lot of questions about what is required of you
to be initiated. Find out how long the new member program will last, how
much time will you be expected to commit, and has the chapter ever been
charged for hazing. The more vague or shady the answers the more you should
be concerned about how truthful they are being.
"My
dad was a Deke at another school. Do you honor legacies?"
DKE is the Fraternity for
Life and we take great care when legacies come to our attention. The values
and ideals that are passed to every member of DKE insures us that they
understand that their sons should be considered "not for wealth, rank,
or honor, but for personal worth and character" just the same as every
other potential new member. To this measure we consider anyone who wants
"the choice to belong" to Delta Kappa Epsilon to be an unbiased process.
"I'm
worried about my grades. What can your chapter do to help me in school?"
The academic success you
make in your first few semesters at college will largely limit or expand
your future options. It's always easier to maintain a GPA than to raise
one. DKE provides academic support from the very start with the Pledge
Program, your Big Brother, Chapter and Academic Advisors, Scholarship Chairmen,
Chapter Educator, tutoring services, and much more. Along with all the
adjustments you'll be making during your first few months at college the
last thing you want to worry about is poor academic performance. Academic
success is simply opportunity meeting hard work,
and DKE will give you that opportunity.
"Do
you get a lot of support from alumni?"
Part
of belonging to the Fraternity for Life means continued support even after
your undergraduate years are over. We publish an alumni newsletter, hold
alumni events, and use alumni contacts to help graduating fraters obtain
job interviews. Our Board of Advisors is made up of chapter alumni as well
as other fraters who have chosen our chapter as their focal point for alumni
support. To be honest, we don't get thousands of dollars willed to us for
renovations, we don't spend contributions just on parties, and we're not
looking for alumni to spend our obstacles away. We have always valued the
time and effort that alumni provide more than the money they give. DKE
teaches its members that the only price Brotherhood has is dedication.
Alumni offer everyone from our newest members to our graduating seniors
support in every area from finding a job to recounting how they made the
most out of their undergraduate years in DKE. The support
that our alumni give every year is immeasureable.
"What
are your membership standards?"
If you are selected to receive
an invitation to join our great Fraternity, you can do so 
knowing
that our chapter members have applied an extensive set of criteria to your
selection, and you'll know that they believe that you have what it takes
to live up to our standard. We base certain membership criteria on your
past experiences and how you have already turned opportunities into success.
If you accept the challenge to become a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon you
will be expected to maintain a certain minimum GPA, be involved on campus
and within the chapter, perform a few hours per semester of community service,
to meet your financial obligations, and to live up to the ideals of Delta
Kappa Epsilon. Our biggest standard is the standard of success that over
60,000 since 1844, have lived up to. It is our goal to provide you with
the opportunity, assistance, and support that will see you through the
most important years of your life, and on to your most successful ones.
