Whether you think the West Coast or the East Coast is the best coast, the ZBT experience is the best in both places. Just ask Brother Leonard J. Cheah, Beta Lambda (San Diego State University) 2015, who recently moved to New York City from San Diego.

“When I joined in Fall 2011 at San Diego State University, I sought a Brotherhood that would last a Lifetime. Being a first-generation American, much of my family was overseas, and I found myself looking for that home away from home. ZBT gave me a sense of not just home but a place to hang up my coat, have hard conversations, and become the man I had set out to become going to college,” Brother Cheah said.

“We all started as young people with a passion for becoming someone great, so helping others achieve that became an integral part of my duty as a brother of ZBT. I view that commitment just as I did in Fall 2011, for a lifetime.”

After graduating, Lenny served as a chapter advisor to Beta Lambda from 2017-2022. Career opportunities took him from sunny San Diego to the Big Apple in the last year.

“When you invest to become a Chapter Advisor, you never know the future. While that might seem ominous, if you give your passion and energy to build something without expecting anything in return, you may be in the presence of some genuinely exemplary individuals. Empowering brothers to achieve more than they ever expected, being a Brotherhood the community can count on, and having a Chapter to be proud of and show for is something I’ll take with me forever,” he said of his time advising Beta Lambda.

Since moving to New York, he joined the New York Area Alumni Association as an active member (pictured left at a recent event). Brother Cheah also was a volunteer educator at the 2023 International Convention, working with undergraduate delegates. Most recently, he’s just been appointed as part of the advisory board at the Delta Chapter at Columbia.

“Service is a precept of our fraternity, no matter what contribution you have in mind, it will make an impact as long as it is sincere. There’s someone out there, just as you were, looking for a guiding hand to become someone great. You can show them their true potential and build a legacy beyond time.”

Brother Cheah is a great example of living the values of ZBT as an alumnus. He offered to share his contact information with any brothers or ZBT friends who are interested in getting involved with the Fraternity and might have questions: lennycheah@gmail.com.

Engagement Opportunities with ZBT

Join or start an alumni association! A top priority for ZBT is to provide an outlet for alumni to maintain their passion for the Fraternity. One of the most common ways of continuing the experience of brotherhood is by participating in a local alumni association. ZBT has growing alumni associations in areas across the United States, including Southern California, Atlanta, Boston, New York, Chicago, South Florida, Washington, D.C., and others. Get involved by contacting us or completing a volunteer form. More information can be found here.

Apply to become a Chapter Advisor or member of an Advisory Board! In this role, you will help mentor and support undergraduate brothers with intentional conversations and meaningful interaction that will help continue to support and shape the ZBT chapter culture both regionally and nationally. You will be in regular contact with the undergraduates at the designated university, answering questions, providing support, sending reminders and otherwise assisting in Fraternity operations and promoting a successful ZBT. The Chapter Advisor application can be found here.

Volunteer Educator: As a volunteer, you will have various opportunities to give back to ZBT by teaching and learning with brothers. The Volunteer Interest Form is linked here.

Safe Smart Dating: One of our key programs is the award-winning Safe Smart Dating, developed in partnership with Sigma Delta Tau Sorority and Jewish Women International, now one of the premier national workshops on dating abuse and sexual assault for the Greek community on college campuses. This program helps college students define, identify and prevent dating abuse and sexual violence on campus. Safe Smart Dating is an interactive educational program designed to explore gender norms, define healthy relationships and train participants on how to be active bystanders.

You Can Help a Member Training: A fundamental part of a comprehensive approach to supporting Brothers struggling with mental health challenges and preventing suicide is training community members to identify signs of distress and understand their role as a help-giver.

Virtual Officer Institute: VOI is an officer training program for executive board officers and Chapter Advisors that focuses on developing the skills necessary to lead their chapter. Participants will develop relationships with leaders from across the U.S. and Canada, identify the resources available to them as leaders, and understand the importance of the Jewish heritage of ZBT in today’s world. This program happens toward the beginning of each calendar year.

Combatting Campus Antisemitism: A workshop focused on helping brothers understand the history of antisemitism, how it evolved over the centuries, how it manifests today and how to actively combat it on our campuses. This program occurs throughout the year at a chapter’s request.

Want more information on anything above? Contact Director of the Alumni Experience Cassie Jacobs Faucheaux at cjacobs@zbtnational.org.

 

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