Meaning of Brotherhood

I remember when I received a letter in the mail from Delta Sigma Pi inviting me to consider going through recruitment. During my first recruitment event, I asked some members why they joined the Fraternity. Several of them responded with the “people”or “networking opportunities”but two responded with “brotherhood.”I accepted brotherhood at that time to mean friendship and continued to meet more people.

In the fall of 2005, I attended the Omaha LEAD School. After this event,my views of the Fraternity completely changed. I realized that Delta Sigma Pi is more than just a club and brothers are more than just friends. I was beginning to understand what the word brotherhood meant and through attendance at national events my network of knowledge and brothers continued to expand.

After four years in the Fraternity and traveling to several events, I understand the meaning of brotherhood and when people ask me why I joined Deltasig I always respond with brotherhood. So what exactly is brotherhood, you ask?

Brotherhood is meeting someone for the first time and already having a strong enough connection to do anything for them. A brother will find you a summer internship when you have lost all hope of that job appearing. A brother will go out for ice cream in the middle of the night because you had a bad day. A brother will write you an email of encouragement telling you how great you are even though you did not get the executive committee position you most wanted.

Brotherhood is going to a conference with hundreds of other brothers and getting chills down your spine when you walk in the door because they all believe in the same thing, have the same interests, and took the same oath as you did. Brotherhood is traveling abroad, proudly wearing your letters and having a stranger challenge you.

Brotherhood is living by the same oath as thousands of others. Even though some brothers may never be challenged by the oath they will always remember their pledge to Delta Sigma Pi and will stand up for what the Fraternity and its members believe. No one can forget the impact that brotherhood has on a person.

Brotherhood is difficult to explain because those who are a part of it cannot explain it and those who aren’t will never understand.

I am excited and honored to serve as your 2008 National Collegian of the Year. I look forward to working with all of you and helping everyone find their own definition of brotherhood, as my role models have done for me.To help each of you live up to the meaning of the oath and remember that brotherhood is one of the biggest perks of being a member of Delta Sigma Pi.

Fraternally,

Ashley Henry
2008 National Collegian of the Year