Dear Prospective Brothers,

I am very excited that you are interested in the brotherhood of Delta Upsilon.  Our Fraternity occupies a hallowed place among other fraternal organizations.  While our fellow fraternities seek to create brotherhood through secret rituals and practices, our organization abdicates secrecy in favor of openness and democratic values.  This organization, as our history pages will tell you, was borne out of the corruption of secret societies in 1834 and is committed to attaining brotherhood in other ways.

As a non-secret fraternity you have access to read about our rituals of initiation and induction, to ask questions about our pledge programs, and even to invite non-members to attend our fraternity rituals. Further, this commitment to non-secrecy fostered the creation of our four founding principles: the promotion of friendship, the development of character, the diffusion of liberal culture, and the advancement of justice.  Together with non-secrecy, these principles created a fraternal experience like no other.

However, you may be asking what does this mean to me, today, at UT-Arlington.  Today it means being a part of a brotherhood dedicated to friendship, character, culture, and justice.  It also means being a part of that in an open way, so all the accomplishments you may achieve as a DU can be touted publicly instead of hidden behind secrets.  It means being a part of an organization that is committed to you. 

As a member, you will gain new friends and be exposed to people who share your values and ideals.  You will find mentors within our brotherhood and you will become a mentor for the men who come after you.  You will learn about responsibility and leadership, and be charged with managing the business of our chapter.  As a DU, you’ll be afforded opportunities to grow socially and culturally through our parties, mixers, formals, date nights, and museum outings.  You will be challenged academically and rewarded financially for your academic successes.  You will be given opportunities by UT-Arlington and the DFW community to put what you have learned as a DU and a student into action and you will be have the opportunity to give back to the community through our service and philanthropic events with the River Legacy Foundation, The Boys and Girls Club, and others.

Most importantly it means more than friendship with the men you went to college with, it’s an opportunity to join a new family.  A family that will challenge you, will shake your preconceived notions about college and life, and will hold you accountable, all in an effort to help you accomplish your goals and to make you a better man.  Just like your real family, the men in our brotherhood will be there to look out for you, to celebrate your triumphs, and to help you pick yourself up after your failures.

Our chapter is not for all men.  We look for only two things in potential men and judge others only on merit.  First, you must already be committed, on some level, to our four founding principles.  Secondly, you must be committed to improving yourself and the men around you.  If you are one of these men, then there is a place for you in our brotherhood.

College will be filled with many challenges and as you consider which organizations to dedicate your time to, I hope you’ll choose ours.  I look forward to meeting you and hope that if you have any questions you will feel free to ask me.