Written by CEO Troy Medley
As Members of Lambda Chi Alpha, we are charged with living lives that are pure, high, and ever-growing. Growth is important in life, business, and for a social organization like ours, because it effectively measures how well we understand and respond to the external environment, make sound long-term decisions, and utilize talent and capital to create value for others. Growth tells us if we are effectively living our mission.
One way to measure growth in an organization like ours is through Membership. During the 2022/2023 academic year, Membership grew for the fourth consecutive year and peaked at 9,245, a 6% year-over-year increase.
We anticipate exceeding 10,000 Collegiate Members in the coming year, the first time since 2015 that we have exceeded this important industry benchmark.
Lambda Chi Alpha is growing in an era when fewer men are going to college, and fewer of those that do are joining fraternities. We believe the major growth driver is the recently implemented programming designed to help men increase their interpersonal and professional skills. This differentiating programming, coupled with Lambda Chi Alpha’s historical ability to help men of different backgrounds, ideologies, and perspectives find a place to belong, combines to create true differentiation between Lambda Chi Alpha and traditional “fraternity.” It is the secret to our recent success.
A second way to measure growth is through the lives of our Members. Are they improving their ability to excel in school and at work? Are they happy? Are they in healthy, productive relationships? Are they making a positive difference in their communities? In each of these areas, I see evidence that our Members are thriving and growing as men.
In a world where most young men are falling behind, our Collegiate Brothers increasingly shine. As examples, over 25% more officers earned a Stead Leadership College certificate, and 45% more Associate Members completed the first learning journey of the Ideal Man program than anticipated this last year.
Local Zetas, officers and individual Members continue to show a dedication to personal improvement, and their increasing skill level pays off at the Chapter level. Our average Chapter now has 56 Members and initiates over 90% of its Associates Members. Our all-Chapter GPA continues to improve year over year, and Lambda Chi Alpha was again the largest Greek fundraiser for Movember. Our Collegiate Brothers’ success in hosting local blood drives for the American Red Cross has resulted in a national partnership, allowing more Members to help others in their local communities.
A third way to measure growth is through the total number of Members served, and here, Lambda Chi Alpha falls short. Over the past four years, we have spent sizable amounts of labor improving the Collegiate Brother experience.
Now it’s time to determine how to better serve our 238,000 Alumni Members in the same holistic manner.
We are adding team members at the Office of Administration dedicated to serving Alumni and investing in research to determine what Alumni want and need to thrive throughout their lifetimes. Based on what we learn, we will internally innovate to better meet these needs. We don’t know where this initiative will take us, but we know we must get started, and time is of the essence. We simply must do more to ensure the Lambda Chi Alpha journey of self-discovery and personal improvement doesn’t end at graduation.
As I end my fourth year as CEO of Lambda Chi Alpha, I believe now more than ever that Lambda Chi Alpha has the power to positively transform the lives of Members and, in doing so, the world around us. To do so, we must continue to strive to be better, to serve more, and to grow in every positive way.
