By Timothy Lawless
We’ve all seen those big Greek letters on AUM’s quad. Being in a fraternity or a sorority is a part of college life that many participate in, but what happens to the members after graduation? Two alumni members of the Phi Kappa Zeta chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha, Danny Lawless and William Robbins, discuss life after college.
Lawless graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor’s degree in communication. He is currently the program director at YMCA Camp Chandler. He has fond memories with Lambda Chi Alpha and tries to help the fraternity any chance he can get.
“The best reason to join a fraternity is to surround yourself with like-minded people from different backgrounds that share the same moral compass,” Lawless said. “Doing so creates a culture of bonding between ordinary friends to help each other grow as men and become a family extension. I believe that people need to feel like they belong more in college.”
Robbins graduated in 2013. He explains his reason for rushing Lambda Chi and what it’s done for him after college. “I wanted to join a group of men where I could be myself, have room to grow and hone my skills, help out others and have fun while accomplishing our goals.”
As far as graduating, Lawless and Robbins explain how there are still many ways to be an active part of a fraternity. “One can still be active in his fraternity post-graduation by joining an Alumni Advisory Board, or something similar,” Lawless said.
“You can still volunteer services, time and knowledge with active members, donate money to the fraternity to help the chapter grow, and assist in providing resources to help the process of learning,” Lawless said. “Immediately after graduation, alumni can also apply to work for their national fraternity headquarters as well.”
“A chance for them to step up and take the reins is the best help you can provide the guys still in school,” Robbins said. “That being said, the chapter knows that I’m only a phone call away. They’ve used that option several times, just as I did when I was in their shoes. It’s a cyclical process of trial, error, and eventual success.”
When asked about how Lambda Chi Alpha has helped him after college, Lawless had much to say.
“I believe that my fraternity has helped me since graduating just by instilling new values that help me to be a productive member of society,” Lawless said. “My demeanor and outlook on the adult working world helped me land in a career field that I was happy with right out of college. I also know by the oaths that I’ve taken with my brothers that they will always lend assistance and support in any time of need, as will I for my brothers.”
Photo Courtesy of Steven Northington