A new leadership seminar will be mandatory for men who register for fraternity rush next fall.
TCU Interfraternity Council President Diego Padilla said the new program will focus on authenticity, followership and ethical decision making.
Although the program is still in the works and has not yet been approved by TCU, it aims to help first-year men in fraternities by developing leadership skills and building character.
“We hope it changes the mindset of these new fraternity members for the rest of their college career,” Padilla said.
Padilla said he hopes the program will result in more IFC leaders, more genuine men, and more IFC involvement—which would lead to elevated community standards.
“I feel like there could be more leadership among IFC, and that is what I am hoping this program will encourage,” Padilla said. “By focusing on followership, the new members will develop qualities like good judgement, work ethics, honesty, courage, discretion, loyalty and most importantly—ego management.”
The new members will sign up for the seminar when they sign up for rush week, Padilla said.
Tyler Fisher, the assistant director of the TCU Leadership Center, said the goal of the program is to empower more TCU men to become involved in leading their community.
“It is important for all students to have a foundation in these topics but we want to specifically focus on IFC because this is a group that has a great amount of influence on campus,” said Fisher. “We want them to be as prepared as possible to use their leadership influence in the most effective way possible.”
To further promote the program, Padilla said he wants the leadership seminar to count as a credit for the Chancellor’s Leadership program.
“Hopefully, this will facilitate and incentivize members to continue on in the Chancellors Leadership program,” Padilla said.
Leaders in the IFC community said Padilla’s idea will have a positive impact on the Greek community.
“I think Diego’s idea will be just fine, people will attend his one-day training and they will benefit from it,” said former Sigma Alpha Epsilon president Stafford Sadler. “He was IFC president last year as well, so he has a real opportunity to have an impact on people and I feel like he will to the best of his abilities.”
Ian McKelvy, former president of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, said the reaction of the new fraternity members will depend on how the leadership seminar is executed.
“I think if it is made engaging and interactive, then worst case it will at least start the conversation and plant the seed for thought in young Greek men about taking on bigger roles in their respective organizations,” McKelvy said.
Austin Wallis, president of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, said the will help TCU men to get more involved with their fraternities.
“The guys who don’t really care honestly won’t take anything away from it,” Wallis said. Having said that, they aren’t the guys you want in leadership positions anyway.”
