Program Components

Leadership Development
Everyone can be a leader within the chapter, on campus, and in the community. The Leadership Development component of the LEAD Program provides members with opportunities to learn about their leadership styles and how to use it to their advantage.

The Believer stage of the LEAD Program requires members to take a personality test to discover their individual strengths and limitations and how to work well with others that may have similar or dissimilar personalities. Young leaders can benefit from this knowledge as they are normally just learning how to deal with many different people from many different backgrounds. Other requirements of The Believer encourage the newly initiated brother to learn about the Greek community and chapter operations. Brothers new to the Fraternity often lack a good understanding of the purpose of the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. (NPHC), and the Student Government Association. This stage will prepare members for future leadership opportunities within the chapter and on campus.

The Resolute Man stage builds on The Believer and asks members to use what they have learned about themselves to take leadership positions and join other organizations within the Greek and campus communities. These opportunities will be vital in preparing members for their future endeavors.

The Teacher stage of the LEAD Program focuses on preparing members to continue to stay involved with Theta Chi Fraternity after graduation. Theta Chi is for life and not an obligation that can be neglected after becoming an alumnus member. There are many opportunities to become involved as alumnus members and the requirements of this stage will help members learn what can be done after graduation to continue their involvement in Theta Chi Fraternity.

Education
Many people relate education with what is learned during their time at school. When we reflect on our education, most of us would realize that we have received a large portion of our education through our interactions with others and our own experiences. An education is more than reading a book, taking notes, and then being quizzed on information.

The goal of the LEAD Program is to help brothers become well-rounded students and citizens. There are many opportunities on every campus for Theta Chi members to become more educated but many go overlooked. The Education component of the LEAD Program focuses on assisting brothers in taking advantage of the wide variety of opportunities available that will benefit them throughout their college experience.

The three stages have similar Education requirements. There are many options for members to choose from to fulfill the requirements needed to advance from one stage to the next. Brothers have the opportunity to pick and choose which options they will take and can look ahead to future stages to better prepare for what they would like to experience. Educational topics of interest include and are not limited to personal finance, career development, healthy lifestyles, cultural appreciation, campus speakers, etiquette, etc.

Academic Development
"Alma Mater First and Theta Chi for Alma Mater" is the maxim of Theta Chi Fraternity. This statement alone describes Theta Chi members' commitment to support the mission of their host institutions. The Academic Development component of the LEAD Program focuses on the individual needs of brothers as they progress through their college experience.

The first years of college lay the groundwork for what a student will achieve during his college career. New students must become accustomed to many new things and learning the proper study and time management skills can often be difficult. The Believer focuses on the development of younger members as they build the foundation needed to succeed academically during their college careers.

The Resolute Man focuses on preparing brothers as they begin to look for careers after graduation. It is important for members to develop a resume and interview skills long before they begin the job search. Employers and graduate schools are looking for the most qualified candidates and the Academic Development requirements of this stage will help members develop the skills needed to emerge as the most qualified.

The Teacher is directed toward brothers who are near graduation and are beginning the graduate school application process or to interview for jobs in their chosen field. The goal of this stage is to help brothers position themselves at the forefront of graduate school applicants or potential job candidates by developing the necessary skills and building a professional network.

Community Outreach
As stated in the Creed of Theta Chi Fraternity, members should strive to "extend a helping hand to all who seek it." Theta Chi Fraternity prides itself on assisting those who need help and guidance whether they are brothers or not. The Community Outreach component of the LEAD Program assists members in learning how, when, and where they can offer their help to those who need it most.

Many Theta Chi chapters do a great job with community service projects and hosting philanthropic events but performing these services as individual members is less frequent. Chapters often focus too much on the number of brothers in attendance and how much money is raised at philanthropic events not on performing actual service in the community.

The Community Outreach components of the LEAD Program require each member to perform individual community service hours. These hours can be completed with another brother. The amount of hours required vary in each stage and brothers have the opportunity to experience the work of many community service agencies, including Theta Chi Fraternity's national service organization.

In addition to completing community service hours, members have the opportunity to reflect upon their experience and how it relates to the Ritual of Theta Chi Fraternity. It is recommended that each member maintain a journal of his community service experiences and answer the general reflection questions provided in the Resource Center section of the LEAD website.