Brothers, welcome to the Digital Deltan brotherhood magazine. Please read on for more from the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity and Zeta Beta Tau Foundation leadership.

 

From the International President

Celebrating Brotherly Love

As Fraternity President, I have the opportunity to travel across North America and meet brothers from all generations.  Recently, I traveled to Los Angeles for the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation meeting.  I was looking forward to spending time with my brothers who help raise money for so many of our Fraternity programs.  Unfortunately, when I arrived I received the news that one of my chapter brothers, Nicolas M. de Lavalette (Alpha Omega’17), had passed away.

His death came unexpectedly and was a shock to all who knew him.   Although no one else at the meeting knew Nicolas, all were shaken by the death of one of our brothers who died much too young.  We began our meeting by bowing our heads and taking a moment to reflect on the passing of our brother.  We did so as an expression of solidarity and of brotherly love.

When I returned to Miami, I learned of the passing of Frank A. Sessa, Jr. (Alpha Nu ’93). I did not have the privilege of knowing Brother Sessa; however, I have had the privilege of meeting Joseph (Joe) F. Salmaggi (Alpha Nu ’18) and James A. Silva (Alpha Nu ’19).  Brothers Salmaggi and Silva drove two and a half hours in each direction to attend the funeral of a chapter brother they did not know. They did so as an expression of solidarity and of brotherly love.

More recently, I had the pleasure of having dinner with four Alpha Omega Chapter brothers: Robert A. Kaplan, ’85, Seth Levine, CPA, ’84, Shane S. Samole, ’87, and Stephen (Steve) M. Therrien ’86. Since my graduation from the University of Miami almost 35 years ago, I have had the chance to spend time with each of these brothers; however, we had not all been together as a unit since my graduation from law school in 1986.

We laughed and shared tales of our youth and of our accomplishments since graduation.  As we did, it occurred to me that, but for ZBT, I would not have the privilege of knowing of any of them. They were all business students and I was in the College of Arts and Sciences as a broadcast journalism major. ZBT was, and is, our bond. I would do anything for them and they would do anything for me.

Brotherly love is not a slogan. It is not some amorphous concept. It is real and palpable. For those of you reading this that are undergraduates, please enjoy every moment you get to spend with your brothers. Cherish these moments.  Celebrate them.

None of us know how long we have on Earth. While we may not be able to control when we are called to the Chapter Eternal, we can control what we do here. We can love our brothers and support our beloved Fraternity. Each of us is a link to the ideals of Professor Gottheil. The concepts and ideals of ZBT are just as important today as they were in 1898.

Here’s to our Fraternity; may it live forever.

Cordially, Fraternally & Sincerely,

 

 

 

Norman M. Waas, Esq., Alpha Omega (University of Miami) ’82
International President, Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity

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From the Fraternity Executive Director

ZBT: Making Men Better

Does the man make the Fraternity or does the Fraternity make the man? This is a question I often ask our brothers when they are struggling with decisions to make during the recruitment process. The answer is simple: it’s both.

Fraternity can make a good man better. It can open opportunities for an individual to gain confidence, learn valuable leadership skills and grow as a contributor to society. Not every man who walks through our doors is going to be the best at everything. Our job as ZBTs is to help our brothers become the best versions of themselves.

As the Executive Director of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity, I am always thinking of ways we can fine-tune our programming to ensure we are doing our part to make good men better men. Whether it’s through our annual James E. Greer, Jr. Presidents’ Leadership Academy, our anti-Semitism prevention programming with the Anti-Defamation League or our Safe Smart Dating program with Jewish Women International and Sigma Delta Tau Sorority, our programs are geared toward identifying major issues on campus and in the community and preparing our brothers to be part of the solution.

Each year, thousands of ZBT undergraduates are exposed to a variety of programming such as the ones listed above, led by our headquarters staff or volunteers. These men and women serve as valuable mentors and role models to our brothers and are often sought out for advice long after a program is over.

Volunteers are an integral part of our organization. Without them, we simply wouldn’t achieve the success we’ve seen over our history. Because of these volunteers, the Fraternity has achieved incredible milestones when it comes to recruitment, expansion, innovative programming, alumni engagement and so much more. If you have an interest in getting involved as a volunteer, we’d love the opportunity to tell you about the dozens of ways to get engaged.

We have an important job on our hands. Parents, guardians, alumni and university administrators are looking to us to help them in shaping these men as they progress through one of the most defining times of their lives. Will you join us as we help our chapters become stronger? Without you, our success is limited. With you, the opportunities are endless.

 

Cordially, Fraternally & Sincerely,

 

 

Laurence A. Bolotin, M.Ed., CAE, Alpha Zeta (University of Florida) ’01
Executive Director, Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity

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From the Foundation President

Giving Back to Our Fraternity

The last  two and a half years as President of the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation have flown by! I feel we have set new standards in accomplishing our goals of enhancing the benefits of being a brother of ZBT. This is for both our undergraduate and alumni brothers.

We have reached out to more people than ever before, and have provided more services than ever before. This is evident in the fact we continually have more donors and receive more donations each and every year.

We are always being told by our donors that joining ZBT as an undergraduate was the highlight of their college years, and enhanced their college experience. In addition, the close bonds and friends that were made have become not just college friends, but lifetime friends. Through our many activities for alumni, that same experience is being shared with ZBTs from all over. This is the reason they give back. Some of my closest friends have become the ZBTs I met in the Atlanta Area Alumni Association, and those that I have served with on the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation Board of Directors. This shows that ZBT is truly a Brotherhood for a Lifetime!

The Zeta Beta Tau Foundation Board is dedicated to funding the great programs sponsored by the Fraternity. These include:

• International Leadership School
• Dover Days
• James E. Greer, Jr. Presidents’ Leadership Academy
• Emerging Leaders Institute
• Israel Advocacy Summit
• Chapter Heritage Programming Grants
• Combating Campus Anti-Semitism Program

In addition, we are currently working on increasing our available scholarships, as well as developing a viable legacy gifting program that will insure that the ZBT and Zeta Beta Tau Foundation missions will be carried on for generations to come.

In closing, there are three groups I want to acknowledge and thank:

• Our Executive Director, Faron A. Lewitt, Psi (University of Alabama) ’97, and his staff, Jesse P. Kopp, Delta Eta (Lynn University) ’11, Michael A. Levy, Eta Omicron (Quinnipiac University) ’13, and Nancy Morgan. They are dedicated and knowledgeable and will keep us on course to achieve our goals.
• The current Zeta Beta Tau Foundation Board, Governance Committee and Past Presidents. They are a dedicated group of volunteers whose commitment and vast talents inspire me.
• Our many donors who make the great work of the Fraternity and Foundation possible.

I am happy to talk to anyone on a one-to-one basis about gifting, sponsorships and legacy opportunities.

Thank you for allowing me the honor of serving and giving back to our wonderful Fraternity — Zeta Beta Tau.

Cordially, Fraternally & Sincerely,

 

 

 

Bruce H. Weinstein, Psi (University of Alabama) ’70
Zeta Beta Tau Foundation President

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From the Foundation Executive Director

ZBT Impacts Every Brother

The first game at SunTrust Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, drew a sellout crowd of 41,149 fans. I was fortunate to be invited to attend the game and sat down in my seat on the first base line impressed by the stadium and all the festivities the Braves organization planned prior to the first pitch. Baseball legends were in attendance including Bobby Cox and Hank Aaron. They put out the red carpet and opened the new stadium with great pomp and circumstance. At the end of the national anthem, all in attendance screamed as a fly-over buzzed the top of the stadium.

It was all very impressive and the night ended with a Braves win. It was a fantastic night of baseball and history. Believe it or not, the part of the night I found most meaningful had nothing to do with the Braves, nothing to do with the opening of a new stadium and nothing even to do with baseball.

Sitting in my seat prior to the start of the game I noticed sitting just two seats in front of me was David Bockel, Psi (Alabama) ’66. Out of 41,149 fans in attendance it just so happened that my Psi Chapter Brother (30 or so years my senior) was that close. We sat together for a few minutes and enjoyed and appreciated both the game and our common brotherhood.

Crossing paths with my Fraternity brothers is nothing new as it has happened to me on at least three occasions while walking in New York City, once in Europe and now at the opening of SunTrust Park.

It is these interactions that remind me how impactful ZBT has been, is currently and can be in the future.

The relationships formed and the lessons learned from both our undergraduate and alumni experience as brothers of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity enhance our lives. In return for what the Fraternity has done, is doing and will do in the future for each of us and those who will be our brothers in the future I ask you to support our efforts by getting involved.

Please support the work of the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation so we can continue to provide academic scholarships, educational leadership programming and heritage programming for our brothers. These all help enhance the Zeta Beta Tau experience in general and ultimately provide meaningful opportunities for us to recognize how ZBT has impacted and will continue to impact each of us.

Cordially, Fraternally & Sincerely,

 

 

 

Faron A. Lewitt, Psi (University of Alabama) ’97
Zeta Beta Tau Foundation Executive Director

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