Becoming a Brother – Iota Zeta Edition

Brothers of Iota Zeta posing

“From outside of the bond to being in the bond, an expose on becoming a “good bruh” Iota Zeta Edition”

When I first decided to attend North Carolina A&T University, it was a last minute decision. The only research I did prior to orientation was to acquaint myself with the engineering program. I knew nothing about the Blue and Gold Marching Machine, let alone the organization Kappa Kappa Psi. Although band was pretty new to me, (having learned my instrument late in high school) I decided to become a collegiate marching band member in the fall. My only relation to band in college was my cousin who was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and said he could put me in touch with some of his brothers in Greensboro. I knew absolutely no one when I matriculated into NCA&T.

The first time I met the brothers was in band camp. They were helping the freshman move into their dorms. I mentioned who my cousin was to them and they instantly took me under their wing. They referred to him as “the good bruhs”. I had no idea what it meant, but it must have been a highly esteemed compliment. From then on, brothers looked out for me and helped me with even the most trivial of matters without hesitation. Whether it was financially, academically, musically, or even just advice in general, nothing was out of reach.

My first impression was that being a brother (or associated with the brotherhood) created a familiar relationship between people who seemed to have no previously shared background. I was not even a brother yet, but the kinship of the brotherhood was still extended towards me. Growing up as the only son in a single parent home left me without an older brother or father figure for the majority of my life. My mother did an exceptional job playing both roles, but still in some instances, could not fill the void that existed in my journey to manhood. My cousins were the closest thing I had to brothers, but our time together was only spent through occasional circumstances. As a result when I came to college I naturally gravitated towards this feeling of family that radiated easily from the brother of Kappa Kappa Psi.

Going through my first fall semester, I began to notice even more things about the brothers. Not only were they exceptional musicians and great leaders in the band, they were the “who’s-who” or very important figures throughout campus. All with different majors, and hailing from different climbs of life, they were referred to as the top of their class. They were known and spoken well of throughout the community, always exceling in their field of endeavor. Through witnessing the example the brothers set, the term “good bruhs” was no longer a mysterious concept to me.

When I first decided to seek membership for Kappa Kappa Psi, my big brother told me to do my research to see if it was something I really wanted to be a part of. Reading through the guide to membership, I ran across the Fraternal Code of Conduct. Reading it helped me truly understand why the brothers acted the way they did towards me.

“Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi are looked to as role models and leaders by other members in the band and on campus. We can never know who is watching our actions or who will be affected by our
deeds. It is therefore essential that we present positive qualities at all times. Being a Brother is not a part time commitment.”

Many may be wondering why I told this personal story. I told this to help to help fully illustrate the lesson those brothers taught me. They taught me that being a brother is not just an action or actions that you do because the guide says so but it is a lifestyle you live because you genuinely strive to become a better brother every day. I learned that the characteristics and traits that are instilled as a result of being a part of the fraternity is something that exceeds band and flows over into our daily life. It is shown through the people you meet. And that is what drew me in and gave me that family presence that I was longing for, it was their genuine desire as brothers to be loyal, dependable, and to have integrity to treat me as an equal even though they had no idea who I was.

And through that relationship I had as a freshman I can now look back on it as on old brother now and fully understand why they took me in. It is because they were not just doing the actions, it’s because they were living the actions set in the guide to membership and fraternal code of conduct and setting that standard of excellence around our peers to create a legacy for other to follow.

So I leave you with this question. What type of brother are you? Are you one who just does the bare minimum to get by or are you one who strives every day to make the guidelines set in the guide to membership a life style you live by? May I suggest that it is only once you begin to make it a lifestyle can you can truly experience brotherhood and share it with others as it was done for me.

Joseph Carey-Oduniyi
Kappa Kappa Psi SED Vice-President 2013-2014
Iota Zeta Chapter Spring ‘10
North Carolina A&T State University

Grasping Technology in the Chapter

Grasping Technology in the Chapter

As we are well into an era of growing technologies that lead to much efficiency, we must take the time to embrace the innovations that are available to us. For so many years, we have utilized the tangible and confident pen and paper to record our documents, our budgets, our programs, our communication and our history. And while many of those items should be preserved for historical sake, they are obsolete in the functions of today’s chapter.
Tools such as Microsoft’s Excel and Word, Google’s Docs and Sheets, Outlook, Gmail, Powerpoint, online banking, etc. are all examples of some of the technologies that we can use to make our chapter and district communication and functions more efficient, effective, and productive. The power that Google, in particular, has given us to share ideas, documents, and presentations allows chapters to communicate all of these things instantly. Google sheets, in particular, allows for an instant excel format that can be shared with multiple people. It also creates a database for forms that can communicate interest and execution in service events, fundraising, social activities, etc. Fortunately, Google’s interface is very user friendly that allows people across all fields of expertise to use this technology.
The beauty of communication across multiple mediums, particularly email, has created a method of quick and effective communication not only between individuals in the chapter, but those outside the chapter, other chapters and the district as a whole. Google groups allow forums for particular groups. Expanding beyond email to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Groupme, etc. combines functional communication with our daily lives and with an increasing number of people with smartphones, those methods are that much closer to our hands.
The issue that arises is that some of the district embraces this collection of innovation, while others do not and it creates a great disconnect for communication. Every chapter should at least participate in the communications that the district uses even if the functions within the chapter may be vastly different. Many chapters are enthusiastic to provide helpful advice on how to utilize these technologies on small or large scales.
Technology is only going to continue to move forward and the Southeast District will continue as well. Seek advice and embrace what is before us. Learn from your Brothers and hop on this technological train.

Dustin Ingram
2013-2014 Southeast District Secretary/Treasurer