Alumni & Chapter News

‘Invaluable lessons’ with ZBT international

Zeta Beta Tau continues to expand and grow our selection of educational opportunities for undergraduate brothers. ZBT’s leadership prioritizes responsiveness and meeting students’ needs, filling gaps in traditional education and providing career and life lessons that add a positive value proposition.

Traditional programs like the James E. Greer, Jr. Presidents’ Leadership Academy and Regional Officer Institutes continue to advance the ways in which the Fraternity connects with brothers at the individual level. Alongside these experiences, ZBT has offered heritage education through the Israel Now program, a specific networking opportunity through a virtual Career Fair and more.

Thank you to the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation for supporting these and many other opportunities to maximize personal development and prepare brothers to be leaders of society. Learn more about your Foundation at zbtfoundation.org.

James E. Greer, Jr. Presidents’ Leadership Academy

The academy is a weekend-long training program for Chapter Presidents each January. The 2024 event brought 30 undergraduate chapter leaders together and several faculty and alumni for a weekend of development-centered brotherhood bonding.

“It was an amazing opportunity to learn different ways to lead your fraternity,” said Matthew C. Lefebvre, Rho Iota (University of Rhode Island) 2025. “I walked away feeling extremely capable and experienced.”

“The academy taught me incredibly valuable lessons that will help me with my chapter and in my career beyond college,” said Ayden B. Israel, Alpha Zeta (University of Florida) 2025.

Regional Officer Institutes

This was the first year ZBT brought back regional development opportunities since before the pandemic. The brothers who attended the sessions in either Atlanta, Philadelphia or Phoenix in January and February had a powerful experience. With ROI being a geography-specific program, connecting brothers in an area is a primary goal and one of the driving forces in creating the agenda.

Heritage education also had a prominent role, with each ROI hosting the ZBT-exclusive Combatting Campus Antisemitism workshop – a decision that was critical after the Oct. 7 attacks and became even more important later in the semester with the April antisemitism explosion.

“We learned extensively about how to be the best men we can be, as well as learning how to work better as a fraternity and an executive board. It’s great to be a Zeeb!” said Benjamin P. Cooper, 2026, Communication Director at Psi Chapter (University of Alabama).

Coinciding with the ROI sessions, ZBT hosted a Virtual Officer Institute in early January for all new chapter officers, reaching more than 400 chapter leaders.

Israel Now

This Israel education program helped attendees to make a meaningful connection with ZBT’s Mission and heritage. Israel Now was hosted in Los Angeles in October 2023 and again in April 2024. As the world’s first Jewish Fraternity, ZBT has a responsibility to be educating our brothers on what being a Zionist Fraternity is and how brothers can support Israel.

The April session was hosted at The Breman Holocaust museum in Atlanta. The 30 brothers in attendance were able to hear from and meet a survivor.

“I got to learn all about a survivor story of the Holocaust, something I’ll always be able to remember and reflect upon,” said Braydon G. Repsold, Zeta Alpha (Florida State University) 2027. “I have more respect for cultural heritage and the Jewish history of ZBT.”

Career Fair

In March, ZBT hosted its first virtual career fair for alumni and undergraduates. The fair provided opportunities for undergraduates to interact with alumni and alumni-sponsored jobs, practice networking skills, learn about resume-building and more. Approximately 60 brothers attended this inaugural program.

“I got a lot out of the event and was really happy I went. I made some meaningful connections with alumni in my field of interest and had some very insightful conversations,” said Adam V. Ventura, Alpha Alpha (Purdue University) 2026.

The Career Fair was established after the success of a mentoring session at 2023 International Convention. This session is repeating for summer 2024 in Washington. The Mentoring Rotations allow ZBT alumni and undergraduates to meet and create career-based networking connections. Open to all brothers, the program is slated for July 20. See details on 2024 International Convention and sign up to take part.

Emerging Leaders Institute

The Emerging Leaders Institute has been re-energized for 2024. Applicants selected for the program have been working in a cohort style-model that culminates in an exclusive track at 2024 International Convention in Washington, D.C., that is granted at no cost to the participant or the chapter. Eleven brothers from chapters across the U.S. are engaging in this work this spring. We look forward to hosting them for the capstone experience this summer.