Introduction

Why have a member education program?

It can be agreed upon that education in one form or another is paramount to the success of any member of society. As such, Higher Education is the pillar of the fraternity movement.

We can also make the assumption that without the colleges and universities across North America, fraternities as we know them could not, and therefore, would not exist. It is because of this fact that a fraternity must support its host institution's mission of education to truly be of any value to that institution.

Therefore, one of the first obligations of any fraternity should be to serve as a supplementary educational resource to its members. If a fraternity fails to serve this role then it is not providing any benefit to Higher Learning and consequently should be dissolved.

With that being said, it goes without saying, that the skills learned outside of the classroom during a man's years in college, about one's self and life in general, are just as important as his formal education. The passage from boyhood to manhood involves lessons in maturity, character, integrity and justice. It is within this realm where a fraternity serves its primary purpose.

During these difficult times the cradle of brotherhood, known as "fraternity," acts as a learning lab for life. It is within this safe haven that men can gain experience and experiment with the different paths their lives might follow, thereby gaining a clearer picture of their future. But not only does the fraternity aid in developing this future it also serves as a buffer from the dangers that can plague a man during these times.

While the fraternity is there to protect a man from his own mistakes, it is also there to set the boundaries that should govern his conduct as a student, a gentleman and as a citizen. It is these unique characteristics of a fraternity that provide members with the abilities that will increase their level of success in life and in all of their chosen endeavors.

How does Delta Chi serve this function? One of the primary purposes of Delta Chi, as stated in the Fraternity's Preamble, is to "...assist in the acquisition of a sound education..." It is because of this guaranteed assistance that Delta Chi has developed The KEY our total membership education program.

The program in itself, when implemented properly, is a self-driven, directed curriculum that will provide our members with the life skills they will need during and after their undergraduate career. As the host institution will provide a man with his formal education, the Delta Chi initiate will receive an "informal" education through the efforts of the Fraternity, the chapter and this program.